With a proactive community partnership, a charity inspired by ever-changing skies, and a vibrant festival, Unst is a shining example of a vibrant and well-connected island community.
Don’t expect a one-line answer when you ask an Unst resident about their home. You’re more likely to get a story. From Gruffalo walks in the woods to community-run shops and trail-building efforts, this island at the northernmost tip of the UK thrives on collaboration and creativity.
Volunteers, local groups, and close community ties shape daily life. One day, someone might be in a woodland play. Next, they’re planning a space-themed walking trail.
At the heart of much of this is the Unst Partnership, the island’s community-led development organisation. Formed in 2000 after the closure of the RAF base and airport, the Partnership has become a vital hub for practical services and community-focused planning.
The organisation punches well above its weight. It runs a second-hand and recycling shop, a community skip scheme, and produces an annual tourist map. It also helps newcomers find their feet, supports business start-ups, and manages the “Walkers are Welcome” trail website.
Run mostly by volunteers, with just one part-time employee, the group recently launched a new community action plan and housing study.
It has also taken on the care of the “Skidbladnir” Viking Unst site for a year, on a trial basis. In a practical nod to local resilience, they even stockpiled camping gas stoves to help residents during winter power cuts.
Unst Partnership isn’t just keeping things ticking over. It’s helping the island imagine and plan for what comes next.
Frances Browne is the Shetland Islands Council community development officer for Unst, Yell and Fetlar, and works closely with the Unst Partnership to support a wide range of projects. Her involvement has made a clear difference, with many praising her hands-on approach.
“She’s absolutely brilliant with what she can do – for all the groups, with fundraising, with supporting, with advising,” says Jane Macaulay (another community stalwart).
That spirit of support goes both ways. During one particularly harsh winter, when heavy snow cut off parts of Unst for nearly two weeks, Frances was asked to check in with residents and see how they were coping. The response, she says, was typical of the island. People looked out for each other.
“I was phoning around just to check people were okay,” she said. “But actually, neighbours had already stepped in. And local businesses, including the spaceport team, Sandison’s and Unst Plant, all helped make sure carers could still reach the people who needed them.”
That instinct to pull together also feeds into a more formal initiative: Unst is now creating a Community Resilience Plan, one of 18 being developed across Shetland. Unst Community Council is leading this, working alongside health services, emergency responders, and community groups to ensure the island is prepared for whatever comes next.
I was phoning around just to check people were okay. But actually, neighbours had already stepped in.
That same mix of creativity and community spirit flows through Wild Skies Shetland, a project that uses Unst’s dramatic skies as both inspiration and canvas.
“The skies are really a symbol of so many things,” said Catriona Waddington, one of the group’s founding members. “They’re beautiful, they’re stormy, they’re tied to the tides and the wind and all kinds of local sayings. We use the skies as a kind of vehicle to explore identity, environment, and imagination.”
Together with Jane Macaulay and a small but dedicated team, Wild Skies has created two themed trails across the island: the Planetary Trail and the Sky Trail.
The stops in each trail are chosen not just for the view they offer, but for what they reveal about Unst’s cultural landscape. QR codes offer everything from animated stories about Viking star navigation to local voices and musical interludes.
“We’re not just saying, ‘Here’s a trail’”, explained Jane. “We’re saying: ‘Unst is an amazing place – and here’s something that helps you explore more of it.’”
If Wild Skies brings out the poetic side of Unst, Unstfest shows off its playful streak.
Ask around and you’ll hear it described as “the most can-do committee” locals have ever sat on. Jane summed it up perfectly: “You come with an idea – it might be a little bit crazy or out there – and nobody ever says, ‘That’s a ridiculous idea.’ They say, ‘Oh, tell us a bit more.’ And then gradually, together in the committee, we’ll form it – and everybody will make it happen.”
Unstfest isn’t afraid to be a little out there. Mystery tours have involved everything from themed sensory experiences to full-blown beach dances. One year, the theme was the five senses – a day of touching, tasting, smelling, and moving that featured a Boston Two Step on a beach at Uyeasound.
“Everybody had kazoos,” Jane Macaulay recalls, and we had George Spence and Bryden Priest [both talented local musicians] playing for us on the beach. The whole busload first listened to the music and clapped, then learned how to do a Boston Two Step, and then took a kazoo and played it whilst they were dancing.”
That was just one stop on the tour.
Past events have also included Gruffalo walks through Halligarth Wood – complete with a full-costume cast. Frances recalled how her daughter, Rosie, was “entranced,” while Gordon, who once played the part of a tree, had to be pulled from the show for being “too scary.”
“I was The Gruffalo,” Jane added. “It was the best day of my life.”
The event proved so popular that it went from a single showing to five. Even birdwatchers arrived the next morning to find the woods covered in puzzling Gruffalo footprints.
There’s no resting on tradition either. The younger generation has now taken up the torch.
That next generation of organisers isn’t just fuelling Unstfest. Across the island, young people are shaping what happens in their community and making sure it stays vibrant for years to come.
Frances explained that Unstfest has always welcomed younger voices: “There’s usually sort of two or three young people on the committee. It’s always been a really good way of getting people involved. Their ideas are usually nurtured – maybe the adults will help them along a bit to shape them – but Unstfest is really good for that.”
We probably would encourage people to ask questions because communities like Unst, they work, but when you’re new, it’s figuring out how they work.
Of course, not everyone gets involved in everything, and that’s okay too. As Gordon Thomson put it:
“Some people are. Some people aren’t. It’s up to them, really.”
Still, for those who do want to pitch in, there’s no shortage of opportunities. Hall committees, walking trails, tea rosters, festival planning – much of Unst’s life is powered by volunteers. And for newcomers, it can be a great way to find your feet.
Frances Browne encourages people to be curious, even if it takes a little courage:
“We probably would encourage people to ask questions because communities like Unst, they work, but when you’re new, it’s figuring out how they work. Don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation. And don’t be scared that everybody knows your name before you know who they are.”
That last bit might be more literal than you’d expect. On an island this connected, word travels fast – but so does welcome.
And if all else fails? Join a mystery tour, grab a kazoo, and dance a Boston Two Step on the beach. It’s Unst – you’ll fit right in.