A Day on Scotland’s Most Northerly Isle

The day

1. 

   Muness Castle

   An attraction

   Of course, Unst is the location of lots of “the most northerly” things and that includes the furthest north castle in Scotland. Muness Castle isn’t large, but it’s in surprisingly good condition and usually open to wander freely. It stands as a reminder of a nasty chapter in Shetland history, built in the 16th Century by a man called Laurence Bruce, the Sheriff of Shetland. He treated these isles as his personal playground, cheating the locals out of taxes and helping himself to anything he fancied. Eventually, he fell out with his equally despicable boss, Earl Patrick Stewart, and worked with the Shetlanders to oust him. The earl attacked Muness in 1608, but his small army was forced to leave before they could break in and finish Laurence off!

   More about Muness Castle

2. Glansin Glass

   There’s a great community of craftspeople all over Shetland and Unst is no exception. Glansin Glass is run by Cheryl, a true Unst local, who creates beautiful glassware inspired by the landscapes and colours of the island. There are plenty of incredible pieces in the shop, but you can also join a workshop to create something of your own!

3. Le Petit Café & Rock Shop

   In a quiet shoreside spot in Uyeasound, you’ll find the unique Le Petit Café run by Fabien. It’s an honesty café, with hot drinks and treats available, but there’s more than that here. Fabien is a meteorite hunter and has a large collection of unusual rocks from around the world for sale as well!

4. The Viking Unst Project

   Until the middle of the 1400s, Shetland was part of the Kingdom of Norway, having been settled by Vikings centuries earlier. There’s evidence of this Scandinavian occupation all around the archipelago, in place names and local customs, but Unst goes a little further. Beside the main road through the island, you can’t miss the enormous, reconstructed Viking longship Skidbladner standing beside a replica longhouse! Wandering inside the replica longhouse always gives me goosebumps. I can imagine tales being told around the hearth inside the house and weapons lining the walls. The boat is nothing short of a work of art. Built in Sweden and intended to sail to America, the crew got no further than Shetland before abandoning ship! Their loss is definitely our gain.

5. Lunch at Da Otter’s Neuk

   Having taken over the café near the Unst Boat Haven, Da Otter’s Neuk is the only permanent location for lunch on the island. Focusing on delicious local ingredients, there’s nowhere else I would rather eat anyway!

6. Unst Heritage Centre

   There’s a lot of hidden history on Unst, from the geological foundations of the island to the knitting heritage and much more. The best place to find out about the lives of those who have called this special place home over the centuries is at the Unst Heritage Centre. It’s not a huge place, but there’s a lot to keep you busy!

7. The Wild Skies Audiobench at Saxavord

   There are audio stops and information panels from Wild Skies Shetland scattered around Unst, but my favourite is the audiobench at Saxavord. It’s part of the Unst Sky Trail, with QR codes to tell you stories of the skies and snippets of local history. Being so far north, this is an excellent place for stargazing, but even in the daytime, the view from here over the Burra Firth is exceptional.

8. Norwick Beach

   It’s almost a crime to spend a day in Shetland and not visit one of the spectacular beaches. Norwick is one of the best on Unst, with golden sands when the tide is out and views to the nearby cliffs.

9. Hermaness

   There’s no better way to end a day on Unst than a hike to the most northerly point of this most northerly island! Hermaness is a National Nature Reserve and a great place to see all kinds of birdlife, but beware the Great Skuas, locally known as Bonxies for their tendency to try and bonk you on the head. The full hike can take 3-4 hours, so it’s best done if you’re not rushing for the last ferry, especially since it’s somewhere worth taking the time to appreciate. The views from the cliffs are magnificent and when you reach the view of Muckle Flugga Lighthouse, you can be pretty sure you’re standing further north than anybody else in Scotland at that moment!