Shepherding at the World’s Fringe
Fair Isle Wildlife and Landscapes
Britain's Most Remote Haven
Set in the middle of the North Atlantic, 38km (23mi) from Shetland and 43km (27mi) from Orkney, Fair Isle is as far away from civilization as it's possible to get in the British Isles. Measuring barely five kilometers across and two kilometers wide, the island is home to a tiny permanent population of just 45 people. In fact, it's the most remote inhabited place in the UK.
Island Isolation Statistics
Island Life and Landscapes
Fair Isle By The Numbers
The Real Islanders
Getting to the Edge of the World
Flying to Fair Isle - The Adventure Begins
While humans number just 45, the sheep population thrives in the thousands, roaming freely across windswept moors and dramatic clifftops. These hardy animals have adapted to life on the edge of the North Atlantic, where storms rage and solitude reigns.
The relationship between the islanders and their sheep goes beyond agriculture - it's a partnership forged by isolation, necessity, and centuries of shared existence on this remote speck of land between Scotland and Norway.