The spectacular beauty of the West Mainland draws many tourists to its shores. It is a peninsula of the mainland of Shetland running west Weisdale. Often referred to as "the sunny side of Shetland" it has rich farmland with hills and moors for anyone to explore. There are many lochs and bays that give the impression of separating it from the rest of the island. Aith is known for its lifeboat and it seems strange to see the lifeboats here when you can’t really see the sea. However, this village has been the home of the Aith Lifeboat since 1933. Although the main road does bypass the village, visitors should take the route into Aith. For a small village there is an amazing array of services available. You will have the opportunity to visit the workshops where the sheepskins are prepared and maybe purchase some of the finished products. There is a large leisure centre here, which is hard to miss because of its size and outstanding colour scheme. A visit to the Church is worth a visit just to see the iron railings as an example of the decorative railings once common throughout Scotland. These railings were used to help build tanks during the Second World War.
As you continue your trip through West Mainland, you will come across the Bridge of Twatt. The Norse name mean "clearing in the trees" and tells you that far back in history this was a wooded area. Visit the remains of St. Mary’s Chapel in Sand, reputed to have been built by Spanish sailors that survived an Armada shipwreck. The picturesque Westerwick and Culswick have the most attractive bays in all of Scotland. Visitors to this part of West Mainland often stand mesmerized at the panoramic view before them.
Walls is a small fishing village on the south side of West Mainland. Even though the road to the village is only a single lane, it is well kept. This is a popular base for leisure sailors with its sheltered harbour. The village has always enjoyed a connection with the sea having been a centre for fish curing in the early 19th century. Walls is also the terminus for the ferry to Foula and if you want to take the ferry to Papa Stour you will need to travel to another part of West Mainland – West Burrafirth.
It is our goal to provide only the most accurate and useful information on West Mainland. If you feel we have overlooked an important part of the area, or have included errors such as spelling mistakes or typing errors, please do not hesitate to let us know here.
We would also like to extend an invitation to our fellow webmasters or community leaders to submit their website link for West Mainland community here. We appreciate a reciprocal link in return.
Photographs © Graeme G Storey ShetlandTourism.Com
