ONLY the islands of Scotland can get you excited about squeezing into a wee plane which feels and sounds like being on an old moped.
But as soon as the Britten-Norman Islander is airborne, it’s an absolute privilege to see the true beauty which lies 24 miles south of the Shetland Mainland.
Fair Isle, owned by the National Trust of Scotland and the most geographically remote inhabited island in the United Kingdom, is a tricky place to reach, surprisingly in the summer, because as the rest of the nation enjoys the sun, the island often suffers from thick fog, which comes off the water and wipes out any visibility.
After a nine-hour overnight ferry from Aberdeen, we’d arrived at Tingwall Airport, just up the road from Lerwick and looking great weather wise – well, to the taxi driver and us anyway.
“You’ll get some grand views up there today,” he promised. And so we thought, until five minutes later, with teens Ruaridh (18) and Flossie (15) in tow, we found ourselves sitting talking to the pilot as he explained the fog meant no flights.
There has to be three clear entry and exit points for a flight to take off, and August is one of the most susceptible for cancellations.
What to do next? Well there’s always the post ferry, The Good Shepherd, to fall back on. The good old internet revealed it was a two and a wee bit hour crossing, surely that would be a breeze.
But luck was not on our side – major pipe work at Grutness Port meant the ferry had to depart from Lerwick, which added an extra two hours onto the trip.
The cheerful ferry booking lady, who confessed the weather rules her life, warned we could get there, but might be stranded at the other end, so careful decisions had to be made.
It was a calm day – or so we thought – and as the ferry fare is only a fraction of the airfare, it was worth a punt. Five hours later, after bouncing along in equally thick fog and with stomachs that were slightly more queasy, we had arrived.
The wee welcoming port certainly lifts the spirits and spying the reason we had come – the newly opened £10 million bird observatory – meant the day’s disasters were soon forgotten.
Re-opened in June following a devastating fire which ripped through the original building in 2019, and staffed by an enthusiastic and hospitable team, it’s a fantastic asset for the community and is to be joined in October next year by a new £5.6m Good Shepherd ferry to make access to the island easier and quicker.
It may be wee at just three miles long, but it is considered one of the best places in Europe to see migrating birds, making the observatory all the more important.
The new-look modular building may be purpose-built, but it seems to easily blend in with the rugged landscape, and the easy-going team led by head of ornithology, Alex Penn and hospitality manager Steve Holgate, seem to be already comfortable with their surroundings, despite months of construction problems.
The bird work includes measuring, weighing and ringing visiting birds which have been caught in specially constructed heligoland traps dotted around the island and carrying out a regular census of the rich bird migrants which pass through the Fair Isle, with ranger Carla Hill on hand to take guests on daily walks through some spectacular scenery.
Back at the observatory, Holgate and his team are there to make sure everyone is comfortable. Many guests are serious twitchers, there to take in the rare sightings, but others just want to experience the sheer remoteness and beauty of the island, the traditional crofts, the knitting of Fair Isle woollen gear and the utter beauty of the silence enjoyed while watching the sea sparkle.
As well as 29 guest ensuite rooms with the comfiest beds ever, there’s a large airy lounge and bar, a boot room and laundry facilities.
Chefs Nair Pina and Chris Arnold simply excel, with tasty dishes and old pictures of Fair Isles past take pride of place on the walls around the observatory along with a superb traditional straw-back chair made by local craftsman Stewart Thomson and individual paintings which were salvaged from the fire.
The sense of pride and love for the island is clear to see, from the two churches, shop and post office, community hall, wee school and its three junior and one nursery pupils and the impressive George Waterston Memorial Centre and Museum.
Away from the people, the pull is to simply walk, take in the silence, the fabulous landscape and the most spectacular of sunsets. Simple pleasures, which are worth any amount of frustrating delays and upset tummies. Truly exhilarating!
