North Isles facts for kids

Shetland Islands with North Isles highlighted in red

Huney from Unst, and some other North Isles

Daggri (dawn) and Dagalien (dusk) at Ulsta. These are ferries that run between Toft on Mainland and Yell

The North Isles are a group of islands located in the northern part of the Shetland Islands in Scotland. The three main islands in this group are Yell, Unst, and Fetlar. Sometimes, smaller islands found in Yell Sound are also considered part of the North Isles.

Why the North Isles are Important

The North Isles are a very important part of the Shetland Islands. This is because Yell and Unst are the second and third largest islands in the entire Shetland group. They are also the third and fourth most populated islands. Together, the land area of these islands is much bigger than all the other Shetland Islands combined (not including the main island, Mainland).

Extreme Northern Points

The North Isles hold some special records for being the most northerly places in the United Kingdom.

• The most northerly land in the UK is Out Stack, which is a small rock near Muckle Flugga.
• The most northerly settlement (a place where people live) is Skaw on the island of Unst.
• These spots are also the most northerly places that Britain claims as its territory. This is important for things like fishing and oil industries.

Fetlar, another island in the group, is one of the most easterly points in Scotland. Only the Out Skerries are further east. Much of Fetlar and Unst are less than 350 kilometers (about 217 miles) from Norway. If you travel directly north from Out Stack, you won't find any more land until you reach the North Pole!

The North Isles are home to many other "most northerly" records in Britain:

• The most northerly castle: Muness Castle
• The most northerly post office: now in Baltasound, formerly in Haroldswick
• The most northerly lighthouse: Muckle Flugga
• The most northerly road
• The most northerly brewery: Valhalla Brewery
• The most northerly coastline: Hermanness
• The most northerly church: Haroldswick Methodist Church
• The most northerly ferry route: from Gutcher (Yell) to Belmont (Unst)
• The most northerly "wood" (a small group of trees): near Baltasound

Ferry Connections

The regular ferry services in the North Isles are the most northerly scheduled routes in the British Isles. This means they are the furthest north ferries that run regularly. These ferries connect Yell with Unst, Yell with Fetlar, and Yell with Mainland. They do not include ferries that go to the Faroes or Iceland.

See also

In Spanish: Islas del Norte (Shetland) para niños