With a population of about 40 people, the two main settlements in Foula are the Hametoun and the Toun o'Ham, Foula is one of the privately owned islands in Shetland. Since the beginning of the 19
th century, the Holbourn family has owned Foula. It is the most northerly, remote inhabited island in Britain and was the perfect location for filming the movie "The Edge of the World".
Foula has been inhabited for thousands of years, once using the language of Nom and the local dialect still has a heavy Norse accent. When you are on Foula, you will notice a slight difference in the calendar. The island did not adopt the Gregorian calendar and even though it used the Julian calendar, it did not observe the leap year in 1800. As a result it is one day ahead of the Julian calendar and 12 days behind out regular calendar. Christmas on Foula is January 6 and New Year's Day is January 13.
The translation of the name of the island means "Bird Island" and this is certainly true. A birdwatcher's paradise, Foula is home to many different species of birds and is an important research station for zoologists from the University of Glasgow. The island has the largest colony of Great Skuas in the world as well as numerous kinds of other seabirds.
There are five spectacular peaks on Foula and it is here you will see the highest cliffs in Shetland. The second highest cliff in Britain, Kame, falls 1200 feet to the shoreline. The three pillars of Gaada Stacks dominate the north coast providing a very spectacular sight.
The place names on Foula still reflect the Norse heritage, such as Norderhus and Krugali. A ferry will take you from Walls Pier on West Mainland to Foula, but there is also an air charter service from Tingwall in Mainland Shetland. Flying over to Foula is a wonderful way to get a great view of West Mainland and Foula. There are several types of accommodations available and visitors are welcome to camp out as long as they follow the code – close all gates behind you and don't disturb the land or the livestock.
Photographs © Graeme G Storey ShetlandTourism.Com