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Shipwrecks. There are three well-known 17th & 18th century wreck sites around Skerries which are popular with divers. (Permission must be sought before diving.)
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Being the first landfall for birds migrating westwards, making it the bird watcher’s place to be in spring and autumn. There is also resident birdlife as well as otters and seals.
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Wild flowers are abundant in the summer months, with sea pinks carpeting the cliff tops and alpine and meadow flowers giving colour to the fields and road verges.
Skerries
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Yolanda Bruce
About
Lying just off Mainland Shetland, the islands of Housay and Bruray are small enough to walk around but the coastline offers great opportunities to explore the stacks, caves and arches. Visit the Battle Pund, thought to be where blood feuds were once settled, or discover the remains of a haaf-fishing station at Lang Ayre.
Famous For
Ask an Islander
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Ling Beach near the pier on Bruray was artificially constructed for the purpose of drying fish and was a busy place in the heydey of the haaf-fishing era.
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Smuggling was once a useful source of additional income, and the caves and inlets were handy for storing all kinds of contraband. Skerries’ far-flung easterly position made it a handy landing point for smugglers from Scandinavia and the Netherlands.
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Bruray is sheltered from the south by the now uninhabited Isle of Grunay where a Canadian bomber crashed during World War II.
Accommodation
Check out the following accommodation listings to book your stay.
More Information
You can find some additional information about Skerries at the links below
COVID-19
Please check the latest rules on travelling to and around the Scottish islands on the Scottish Government website, including guidance on testing before you travel. Please note that advice may vary depending on the specific island you are visiting.
Getting here
Covid-19
Please check the latest rules on travelling to and around the Scottish islands on the Scottish Government website, including guidance on testing before you travel. Please note that advice may vary depending on the specific island you are visiting.
A ferry runs from the pier at Vidlin on Shetland Mainland to the Skerries ferry terminal in Bruray. The service occasionally runs also from Lerwick. Booking essential see the Shetland Islands Council website.
Bus service 19 between Lerwick and Vidlin includes a stop a short walk from the pier Find out more about Shetland buses.
Get Your Passport
You can find lots more information about things to see and do on the island, see some amazing island photography and collect your island stamp by downloading our app.
Download the app
Download the Scottish Island Passport app to collect your island stamps! The app also provides lots more information on each island including recommendations from locals about things to see and do, info on how to get around, more stunning photos and useful offline maps.
- Unlock Stamps - Collect them all! Stamp your passport when you visit each island - with an individual stamp designed to represent a unique aspect of island heritage.
- Experiences - Discover the best experiences each island has to offer – from local boat trips to exciting traditional festivals, there is something for everyone.
- Maps - Navigate the islands with useful offline maps, handy for areas where internet connectivity is weak.
- Travel Jounals - Create an in-location travel journal with pictures from your island adventures, to look back on your trip.
- Favourites - keep track of your most loved islands with the favourites feature. Available to access from your account on both the app and web.