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Quendale Mill's stone buildings and water wheel round a gravel yard.
Shetland Islands

Quendale Mill

A restored watermill, and the milling every district once depended on.

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Welcome

Quendale Mill stands in the South Mainland just inland from the Bay of Quendale, a restored watermill of dark stone with its wheel at the gable.

The Grierson family, lairds of the Quendale estate since 1770, had it built in 1867, and grinding began the next year. It milled the grain for crofters from a wide stretch of country, mostly in winter, when the dam was full enough to drive the machinery, and at its busiest carts came from all over Dunrossness and filled every store to bursting.

A visit starts with a film of the mill at work, with local people running the machinery, then a tour of the mill and its displays: crofters', carpenters' and stonemasons' tools, carts and wagons, and a changing exhibition of local interest. There is a craft shop of mostly local things, tea and coffee, accessible toilets and free wifi. It opens daily, 10am to 5pm, from mid-April to mid-October.

Round the cornerQuendale BeachShetland's longest beach, a mile of sand below dunes in the Bay of Quendale, with a clean wave for surfers.1 min by roadSee itThe sweep of sand round the Bay of Quendale beyond a green field.
Before you go

Daily, 10am to 5pm, from 13 April to 11 October 2026.

Adults £6, concessions £5, 12 to 17 £2, under 12 free. Booking is advised, above all for groups of 12 or more.

Getting there
Quendale, Dunrossness, South Mainland.
Season
13 Apr to 11 Oct 2026, daily.
Hours
10:00 to 17:00.
Tickets
Adults £6; under 12 free.

Opening hours

Monday
10am–5pm
Tuesday
10am–5pm
Wednesday
10am–5pm
Thursday
10am–5pm
Friday
10am–5pm
Saturday
10am–5pm
Sunday
10am–5pm
Where it is

Quendale, Dunrossness, ZE2 9JD.

Close byIn the South Mainland.
  1. Fitful HeadThe great headland at the south-west corner of the Mainland, its cliffs 283 metres high, looking out towards Fair Isle.Under a mile2 min by road
  2. The long thatched Crofthouse Museum and its stone dykes under a blue sky.Crofthouse MuseumA thatched croft house of the 1870s at Boddam in the South Mainland, with its peat fire and box beds; free, and open in summer.3 miles11 min by road
  3. Visitor walks among stone walls and hearth of an Iron Age broch settlementScatness BrochAn Iron Age village, dug and explained5 miles12 min by road
  4. A reconstructed Iron Age house at Old Scatness, its turf roof and doorway, a cooking pot outside.Old ScatnessAn Iron Age village found by accident while building the airport road.5 miles12 min by road
  5. Grey seals hauled out on the pale sand at Rerwick, the sea at the edge.Rerwick and Scousburgh SandsTwo beaches on the west side of the South Mainland: seals at Rerwick, white sand and a loch behind Scousburgh.5 miles13 min by road
Directions
The sweep of sand round the Bay of Quendale beyond a green field.AttractionsQuendale Beach0.2 miles
The stone walls and low passage of the Ness of Burgi blockhouse on its grassy headland.AttractionsNess of Burgi5.7 miles
The round walls of a wheelhouse below the laird's house, Jarlshof.AttractionsJarlshof6.2 miles
The pale sand and breaking waves of Levenwick bay, green headlands on either side.AttractionsLevenwick6.5 miles
The white sand tombolo curving out to St Ninian's Isle, the sea on both sides.AttractionsSt Ninian’s Isle7.2 miles
Geese flying over Sumburgh Head, the lighthouse on the skyline.AttractionsSumburgh Head Lighthouse8.0 miles
Red foghorn atop a white lighthouse building overlooking the seaAttractionsSumburgh Head8.0 miles
High cliffs rising from a deep blue sea across the bay from Maywick.AttractionsMaywick9.2 miles
The blue and white front of the Hoswick Visitor Centre on the village street.AttractionsHoswick Visitor Centre11 miles
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