Whalsay's history is rooted in fishing, which is a multi-million pound industry for the islanders. The harbour, at the island's main town Symbister, is often full of fishing boats, some of them very large indeed.
The island also has some important archaeological sites, a Hanseatic League museum and one of the finest Georgian mansions in Shetland. There is a wealth of birdwatching opportunities and Whalsay’s 18-hole golf course is the most northerly golf course in Britain.
The celebrated Scots poet Hugh MacDiarmid lived on Whalsay from 1933 to 1942.
