Fair Isle

Fair Isle

Gaelic name	Fara
Norse name	Friðarøy/Friðarey
Meaning of name	"fair island" or possibly "far-off isle" or "sheep isle". The Norse form Friðarey means literally "calm/peaceful isle" or "island () of tranquility ()".
Fair Isle viewed from the west.
Location
Fair Isle Fair Isle shown within the Shetland Islands
OS grid reference	HZ209717
Coordinates	59°32′28″N 1°37′23″W / 59.541°N 1.623°W / 59.541; -1.623
Physical geography
Island group	Shetland
Area	768 hectares (2.97 sq mi)
Area rank	61
Highest elevation	Ward Hill 217 metres (712 ft)
Administration
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Country	Scotland
Demographics
Population	55
Population rank	51
Pop. density	7.16 people/km2
Largest settlement	Stonybreck
References

Fair Isle North Lighthouse
Skroo

The view eastwards towards the Fair Isle North Lighthouse
Location	Fair Isle Shetland Scotland United Kingdom
Coordinates	59°33′08″N 1°36′34″W / 59.552142°N 1.609519°W / 59.552142; -1.609519
Year first constructed	1892
Automated	1983
Construction	masonry tower
Tower shape	cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern
Markings / pattern	white tower, black lantern, ochre trim
Height	14 metres (46 ft)
Focal height	80 metres (260 ft)
Light source	engine generator
Intensity	204,000 candela
Range	22 nautical miles (41 km; 25 mi)
Characteristic	Fl (2) W 30s.
Fog signal	3 blasts every 45s.
Admiralty number	A3756
NGA number	3316
ARLHS number	SCO-078
Managing agent	Northern Lighthouse Board

Fair Isle South Lighthouse
Skadden

Fair Isle South light
Location	Fair Isle Shetland Scotland United Kingdom
Coordinates	59°30′50″N 1°39′09″W / 59.513906°N 1.652611°W / 59.513906; -1.652611
Year first constructed	1892
Automated	1998
Construction	masonry tower
Tower shape	cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern
Markings / pattern	whute tower, black lantern, ochre trim
Height	26 metres (85 ft)
Focal height	32 metres (105 ft)
Light source	wind power engine generator
Range	22 nautical miles (41 km; 25 mi)
Fog signal	2 blasts every 60s.
Admiralty number	A3750
NGA number	3312
ARLHS number	SCO-078
Managing agent	Northern Lighthouse Board

Fair Isle (Old Norse Friðarey; Scottish Gaelic Fara) is an island in northern Scotland, belonging to the Shetland island group, lying around halfway between mainland Shetland and the Orkney islands. It is known for its bird observatory and a traditional style of knitting.

Fair Isle is the most remote inhabited island in the United Kingdom. It is administratively part of the parish of Dunrossness, Shetland, and is roughly equidistant from Sumburgh Head some 38 km (24 mi) to the northeast on the Mainland of Shetland and North Ronaldsay, Orkney, some 43 km (27 mi) to the southwest. Fair Isle is 4.8 km (3.0 mi) long and 2.4 km (1.5 mi) wide. It has an area of 3 sq mi (7.8 km²), making it the tenth largest of the Shetland Islands. It gives its name to one of the British Sea Areas.

The majority of the islanders live in the crofts on the southern half of the island, with the northern half consisting of rocky moorland. The western coast consists of cliffs of up to 200 m (660 ft) in height, with Ward Hill at 217 m (712 ft) being the maximum elevation of the island and its only Marilyn. On the eastern coast the almost detached headland of Sheep Rock rises to 132 m (433 ft)

Fair Isle has been occupied since the Bronze Age, which is remarkable because of the lack of raw materials on the island, although it is surrounded by rich fishing waters. There are two known Iron Age sites – a promontory fort at Landberg and the foundations of a house underlying an early Christian settlement at Kirkigeo.

Most of the place-names date from after the 9th-century Norse settlement of the Northern Isles. By that time the croft lands had clearly been in use for centuries.