Fetlar is an island of rich green pastures and plenty of farming. The island’s largest settlement is Houbie, where most of the services are found. Fetlar has been inhabited since prehistoric times and is renowned amongst ornithologists, it being the Britain’s key site for the red-necked phalarope and also famous for hosting the first and only breeding pair of snowy owls in the UK.
Together with Unst and Yell, Fetlar makes up the North Isles of Shetland. The name Fetlar is said to originate from the Viking term ‘fat land’. The island is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna plus there is an RSPB reserve.