5 things I love about living in Fetlar

In Shetland we are used to big skies – we don’t have many trees or big buildings to interrupt the view – and spectacular sunrises and sunsets. We also enjoy a lot of light reflected off water.

I especially love this in Fetlar where many of us live on or close to the coast and so have a constant play of light from the sea. The "same "view is never the same twice depending on the season, time of day and weather (the images below show Lamb Hoga photographed at different times).

And in the winter, when our light is much shortened, we have the mirrie dancers (northern lights) to look forward to!

I’m not a great birder but you can’t help but be interested and keep an eye out when you are surrounded by such great variety and abundance.

From the ever present starlings to our annual breeding visitors, including the red-necked phalarope, Fetlar attracts amazing birds and other wildlife.

Along the shoreline you’ll often see seals and otters and, not infrequently, the fins of humpbacks, minke, orca, porpoises and dolphins.

Fetlar has fantastic wild flowers and some unusual habitat which is unique to Fetlar and East Unst. This is thanks to Fetlar’s geology which is shown clearly in the Geopark wall at Loch of Funzie.

From spring squill to the many wild orchids, from May onwards Fetlar is a floral delight with often a very subtle haze of colour – sometimes a riot of colour - across different fields.

Wherever you go in Fetlar there is something interesting and beautiful to see, whether it is a little geo, a landslip from the banks, a seasonal pond or the burns after strong rain.

The landscape changes with the weather and seasons, and with the ever-changing light the island is always showing new aspects of its beauty.