A day in Whalsay: five things to do

Whalsay, meaning whale island in Old Norse, is a small island with a population of about 1,000, off Shetland’s east coast. Whalsay’s economy and heritage are very much rooted in fishing, and today the island has a large fleet of pelagic deep-sea trawlers. To get to Whalsay, drive to Laxo, 20 miles north of Lerwick and take the inter-island ferry across to Symbister. The ferry crossing takes about 25 minutes, and booking is advisable. Whalsay was home to poet Hugh MacDiarmid in the 1930s. He lived in the small croft house at Sodom, and it is here that he is said to have penned some of his best work.

One of the first things that you’ll spot as you leave the ferry at Symbister is the small stone-built booth or böd, as it is known locally. This building was used as a trading booth by Hanseatic merchants who came to Shetland from ports such as Hamburg, Bremen and Lübeck to trade stockfish – dried whitefish such as ling and cod. For about 500 years the Hanseatic League and German merchants were Shetland’s main trading partners. The Böd in Whalsay was renovated in 1984 and now houses a small interpretative centre detailing the history of the Hanseatic League and German merchants in Shetland over the years.

Whalsay has long been an important fishing community. Spend a little time at Symbister Harbour and look at the variety of boats still fishing from the isle today, from the huge supertrawlers to the small, wooden, inshore creel boats.

Whalsay has the UK’s most northerly golf course. This 18-hole course in the north of the isle, bordered by the sea on each side, offers superb views and an abundance of wildlife. This is a very exposed moorland course with spectacular clifftop scenery. However, if the wind picks up – as is often the case in Shetland – you can face some rather tricky shots from the tees. Even if you’re not a golfer, the course is a fine walk, with the sights and sounds of the coastal peninsula all round.

Whalsay has been inhabited since Neolithic times, and evidence of the first farmers can be seen at Yoxie and the Beenie Hoose at Pettigarth’s Field. These Neolithic stone remains sit on Whalsay’s east coast and were excavated in the 1950s. The first farmers to Shetland arrived between 4,000 and 5,000 years ago. The introduction of agriculture and farming characterises this period. Much of Shetland’s prehistoric Neolithic landscape can be mapped and traced back by the evidence they left behind in the form of field boundary systems that still run through the hills, a glimpse into the lives of the first settlers.

The Viking settlers called Whalsay the whale island, probably due to its profile on the horizon. With an abundance of outlying rocks and tidal sounds, Whalsay is a fantastic place to look out for seals, otters, and, if you’re lucky, porpoises, minke whales or orca. Shetland’s otter population feed on the coastal fringes, and although they’re not sea otters, they are at home along Shetland’s coasts.

The Heritage Centre is an excellent place to find out more about the local history, culture and local tourist information. The Centre has an annual exhibition as well as permanent exhibitions looking at Whalsay through the ages. The Heritage Centre is in the renovated farmer’s house adjacent to Symbister House. Symbister House is now home to the local Junior High School. At one time, it was home to the powerful Bruce family who controlled and oppressed the islanders for hundreds of years. The Heritage Centre is home to the local history group, who meet regularly throughout the year.