Fair Isle - Definition and Overview

Fair Isle (From Old Norse frioar-øy) is an island administratively part of the Shetland Islands, although in fact closer to North Ronaldsay island which is part of the Orkney Islands group. It gives its name to one of the British Sea Areas.

Fair Isle has been occupied since the Bronze Age which is remarkable because of the lack of raw materials on the island. It has a permanent bird observatory because of its importance as a bird migration watchpoint. Many rare species of bird have been found on the island, and it is probably the best place in western Europe to see skulking Siberian passerines like Pechora Pipit, Lanceolated Warbler and Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler.

The island was bought by the National Trust for Scotland in 1954.

Fair Isle is famous for its knitted sweaters.

External link

• Fair Isle community website (http://www.fairisle.org.uk/)
• Fair Isle bird observatory (http://www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/)