Fair Isle, sometimes Fairisle, is the southernmost Shetland island, situated roughly 38 kilometres from the Shetland Mainland and about 43 kilometres from North Ronaldsay. The entire archipelago lies off the northernmost coast of Scotland, in the North Sea. As the most remote inhabited island in the United Kingdom, Fair Isle is known for its wild bird observatory, in…
Fair Isle, sometimes Fairisle, is the southernmost Shetland island, situated roughly 38 kilometres from the Shetland Mainland and about 43 kilometres from North Ronaldsay. The entire archipelago lies off the northernmost coast of Scotland, in the North Sea. As the most remote inhabited island in the United Kingdom, Fair Isle is known for its wild bird observatory, interesting historic shipwrecks, Scottish and Shetland-style traditional music, and its traditional style of knitting, also called "Fair Isle". The island has been owned by the National Trust for Scotland since 1954.
Population: 65
Old Norse name: Friðarøy/Friðarey
Meaning of name: in English misunderstood as "fair island" or possibly "far-off isle" or "sheep isle". The Norse origin Friðarey means literally "calm/peaceful isle" or "island (ey) of tranquility (frið(u)r)".
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