Urie Lingey

Urie Lingey is a small, uninhabited island of around 48 acres in Shetland’s North Isles, lying between Fetlar and Unst, with Yell to the west. It sits about a kilometre north of Urie Ness on Fetlar, which gives the island its name, while “Lingey” comes from the Old Norse for “heather island”. Around it lie a scattering of other small islands in the sounds between the North Isles.

Landscape

Urie Lingey is a low island of heather and grass, with rocky shores. Daaey lies to the south-east, Sound Gruney to the west and Wedder Holm to the north-east, all small green or heathery islets set in the tidal waters between Fetlar, Unst and Yell. On clear days there are fine views to the hills of Unst and the green fields of Fetlar.

History

There is no record of anyone living on Urie Lingey, but like many small islands in Shetland, it would have been used for grazing sheep, carried across by boat in summer. Its Norse name, like those of its neighbours, shows how the Norse settlers named the land around them for what they found there: heather, green grass or a nearby headland.

More about Urie Lingey

Fetlar, its nearest large neighbour, is known as “the garden of Shetland” for its fertile land and wild flowers. It is one of the best places in Britain to see the rare red-necked phalarope, a small wading bird that spins on the water to stir up food. The RSPB reserve on Fetlar protects its breeding birds.

Visiting

There is no ferry to Urie Lingey. It can be seen from the north coast of Fetlar near Urie, and from the inter-island ferries between Yell, Unst and Fetlar. You can collect Urie Lingey as a landing or a sighting in your Island Passport.

Wildlife and area

Look out for Black Guillemot, Arctic Tern, great skuas and Red-throated Diver, and for Eurasian Otter, Grey Seal and Harbour Porpoise. Other islands nearby include Sound Gruney, Fetlar, Hascosay, Uyea, Linga and Haaf Gruney.