Fair Isle: Simmer Dim on the Magical Isle

Summary

Lying isolated in the North Atlantic between Shetland and Orkney, Fair Isle is world-renowned for its seabirds and dramatic scenery. In midsummer the island is alive with noise and colour, as thousands of Puffins, Guillemots, Razorbills and Kittiwakes throng the cliffs, while Arctic and Great Skuas patrol overhead. Offshore, Gannets plunge in tight flocks, and calm seas may reveal Minke Whales, Harbour Porpoise, White-beaked Dolphins or maybe Orca. With its compact size, Fair Isle can be explored entirely on foot, each day offering unforgettable encounters among croftland, moor, loch and sea cliff.

A stay at the Fair Isle Bird Observatory (FIBO) places us at the very centre of this spectacle. From here guests enjoy comfortable accommodation, hearty meals and immersion in island life, with staff sharing daily sightings and, on certain evenings, inviting visitors to witness Storm Petrel ringing; a rare chance to see these mysterious seabirds up close.

The island is alive with Skylarks, Meadow Pipits and Twite in full song, while Lapwings display over the open moors and Snipe drum overhead. Dunlin and Golden Plover will be on the moors, while the endemic Fair Isle Wren sings from the geos. There is even the chance of a summer rarity, with Marsh Warbler, Common Rosefinch or other overshooting passerines recorded in recent years.

With endless daylight at this latitude, the evocative ‘Simmer Dim’, Fair Isle in midsummer offers long, unhurried days among seabirds and seals, with cetaceans and rarities always possible.

We also offer this tour in the Spring and Autumn.