Dates
Monday 29th September 2025
Wednesday 1st October 2025
Departure Details
9.45am = Depart Shetland Museum and Archives Car Park.
The tour will finish there again at 2pm.
Overview
The saga is told in two parts, one outside by a Shetlander and one inside the farm house by a Professor of Linguistics.
Come to Uradale Farm to hear and see the producers of Organic Native Shetland wool – both the sheep and the farmers. The North Atlantic Short Tailed Sheep arrived in Shetland alongside the first Neolithic settlers. Since then, the sheep have grazed the hills and cliffs in a semi-domesticated form of livestock production. Kept principally for their wool and meat, many other uses were found for their milk, skins, horns, etc. Living in this exposed environment they still retain double-coated fleeces, which allows them to keep warm and to repel the elements. At the farm you can meet them up close and begin to understand their uniqueness as well as their value in the current climate crisis.
Shetland sits at a maritime service station, a crossroads for international trade. This has led to a unique language, which pre-dates English on the islands, but which is now endangered. Our language has survived despite colonial attempts to eradicate it. As part of this visit our Professor of Linguistics will explain its back story by taking you through the influences of traders, Vikings and the oppressions of modern times. You will also learn how the traditional skills associated with the wool world has helped preserve this marginalised language.
This fascinating tale reveals much about the folk of the islands, determined to survive and retain their unique identity and heritage, despite extreme external pressures.
What Is Included
- Transport throughout the tour
- All entrance fees
- Lunch and refreshments
Price
£115 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.