The Intriguing Town of Aith in Shetland

The small village of Aith, Scotland, can be found on the Shetland Isles where it serves as home to a small but interesting community of young and old. You will find it at the head of Aith Voe and it can be reached by taking the ‘B’ road from Walls to Voe. Aith is a pretty little village with a lot of interesting things to see and do if you know where to find them. If you are interested in exploring the Shetland Islands, you should definitely include this settlement on the Shetland Mainland in your travel plans.

It is interesting to note that the area where Aith is situated has long been used as a settlement. When the Shetland Isles fell under the control of the Norse, a settlement called Aithsting was situated somewhere in the near vicinity. Today this name has been used to refer to the area surrounding the village. The first thing you will likely notice en route to Aith is a village workshop with a number of fluffy white sheepskins drying outside. This is the sheepskin workshop and it is here that visitors can not only purchase sheepskins at bargain prices, but also learn what is involved in the curing of these fluffy and warm skins.

After passing the workshop you can make a turn to the village of Aith itself. Here you will find a pretty little settlement with a sleepy seaside feel to it. There can be little doubt that the focus of the settlement is the marina – even though this was only built in the early 1990s. The marina has proved to be a major asset to the town, attracting a number of leisure sailors and thereby drawing in revenue for the people of Aith. Not far from the pier you will find the Aith Lifeboat station complete with lifeboat. This is the most northerly lifeboat station in Britain though people often wonder at just how far the lifeboat is from the sea. The Aith Lifeboat is in constant use to save and protect mariners off the coast of Shetland. It has been in use since 1933 and has become somewhat of a tradition over the years. Apart from recreational sailors, the village is also supported by the local fishing industry.

Other facilities you can expect to find in Aith include a Post Office, a general store, the Eid Shop, a primary and secondary school, a church and a new leisure center. Like the sheepskin workshop, the tweed mill will inspire you and give a whole new appreciation for this aged and useful fabric while the view, ghostly tales and World War One gun emplacements at the Vementry House on Aith Voe will keep you entertained for hours.

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