Unst

enlarge Muness Castle Packed into an area just 12 miles long by five miles wide are stupendous cliffs, jagged sea stacks, sheltered inlets, golden beaches, heathery hills, freshwater lochs, peat bogs, fertile farmland - and even a unique, sub-Arctic, stony desert.

This intricate landscape supports a rich variety of wildlife, as well as pure bred Shetland sheep and ponies which roam the common grazing land. Unst is a major European breeding site for seabirds, including enlarge Gannets, Puffins, Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes and Shags, and for moorland-nesting rarities such as Great Skuas, Arctic Skuas and Whimbrels.

There is evidence of the early Norse settlers both in the place names and archaeology. Unst has the greatest density of rural Viking longhouses currently known. The Viking Unst project has excavated examples at Hamar and Belmont. They aim to try and answer key questions about when the Vikings arrived in Shetland, how they fitted with the existing population, and how they lived when they got here.

Unst is also a very sociable community that welcomes visitors to local events such as the farmers market, annual show, Up-Helly-Aas, fishing competitions, regattas, concerts, musical events and dances.

Unst is an ideal place to enjoy bird-watching, botany, geology, archaeology, walking, sailing, angling or traditional music - or just to enjoy the peace and quiet.

Find out more about the island of Unst at:

Unst - the island above all others

The famous Unst Bus Shelter