Dates
Sunday 28th September 2025
Tuesday 30th September 2025
Departure Details
9.45am = Meet in Shetland Museum and Archives Car Park.
The tour will finish there again at 3pm.
Overview
An outside talk with a demonstration of native Shetland sheep and kye (‘cattle’). Uradale is an Organic farm that focusses purely on the native breeds. All the livestock remain on the farm until fully grown, then their meats are sold to customers. The sheep are shorn once a year, and their wool is spun to yarn.
The farm pursues a policy of sustainability with regenerative practices. Light grazing of low numbers of both sheep and kye encourages carbon sequestration over a large area of peatland, the most efficient terrestrial carbon store on the planet. These goals are only attainable through the use of the two indigenous breeds of livestock. Their adaptation to life in this challenging environment at the same latitude as southern Greenland makes them exceptional, and offers sustainable solutions in a climate emergency.
The kye nearly went extinct in 1981, when only 27 were left, as a result of modern agricultural markets. The sheep, now world famous for their wool, are also now in declining numbers, also victims of agricultural markets. However, you will hear about the very special features of both animals, long lost to modern food products, and why they must be protected in their historic form, both for the sake of our nourishment and for the sake of environmental health. The farm has its wool crop spun annually, and over the years has sought to offer yarns with distinction and a unique character.
All will be revealed at Uradale for those with curiosity and discerning tastes.
Afterwards, we will head to the former capital of Scalloway and meet with Joanna Hunter, a knitwear producer and the owner of Ninian. We will meet in her studio and hear all about how her business was started, what has inspired her and see some of the lovely vintage knitwear that has belonged to her family for 5 generations.
What Is Included
- Transport throughout the tour
- All entrance fees
- Lunch and refreshments
Price
£140 per person
Places available
12
Additional Information
Part of this tour will be conducted outside on uneven ground and will require up to 40 minutes of standing.
Dietary Requirements
If you have any dietary requirements, please let Island Vista know: info@islandvista.co.uk
Tickets are non-refundable.