Brother IsleAbout Brother Isle
Brother Isle is a small, uninhabited island in the Shetland Islands of Scotland. It is primarily noted as a seabird habitat and has no permanent settlements.
There are no visitor facilities on the island and landings are infrequent; visits are usually undertaken from nearby inhabited islands by private boat for wildlife observation. The island’s shoreline and cliffs provide nesting habitat for seabirds.
The island has historically been used intermittently for grazing and other small-scale activities common to Shetland isles, but it does not support permanent habitation in modern times.
Brother Isle sits within the Shetland archipelago off the north coast of Scotland in the North Atlantic. It is one of many small, exposed islands that fringe the larger inhabited islands of Shetland.
- Access and facilities: The island is uninhabited and has no visitor facilities, so access is by private boat only and visits are typically short landings for birdwatching or photography.
Best Time to Visit Brother Isle
Late spring to mid-summer offers best access and wildlife viewing.
Weather & Climate near Brother Isle
Continental climate with cool summers (peaking in August) and cold winters (coldest in February). Temperatures range from 2°C to 14°C. Abundant rainfall (1205 mm/year), wettest in November.
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Poor | 3° - 7° | -1° | 135 mm | overcast | 81% | 9.2 m/s | 0.0 low | 6.4h |
| February | Poor | 2° - 6° | -1° | 99 mm | overcast | 81% | 8.8 m/s | 0.0 low | 8.8h |
| March | Poor | 3° - 7° | 0° | 121 mm | overcast | 81% | 8.7 m/s | 0.2 low | 11.6h |
| April | Poor | 4° - 8° | 2° | 71 mm | overcast | 83% | 7.3 m/s | 0.5 moderate | 14.4h |
| May | Acceptable | 6° - 10° | 5° | 50 mm | overcast | 84% | 6.5 m/s | 0.9 moderate | 17.0h |
| June | Acceptable | 8° - 12° | 10° | 55 mm | overcast | 86% | 6.0 m/s | 1.1 high | 18.5h |
| July | Acceptable | 10° - 14° | 12° | 57 mm | overcast | 88% | 5.7 m/s | 1.0 high | 17.8h |
| August | Acceptable | 10° - 14° | 12° | 77 mm | overcast | 87% | 5.9 m/s | 0.7 moderate | 15.4h |
| September | Poor | 9° - 13° | 11° | 115 mm | overcast | 86% | 7.2 m/s | 0.4 low | 12.7h |
| October | Poor | 7° - 11° | 5° | 131 mm | overcast | 84% | 8.2 m/s | 0.1 low | 9.9h |
| November | Poor | 5° - 8° | 2° | 151 mm | overcast | 82% | 8.5 m/s | 0.0 low | 7.2h |
| December | Poor | 3° - 7° | 0° | 143 mm | overcast | 81% | 8.5 m/s | 0.0 low | 5.5h |
How to Get to Brother Isle
Access is by private boat or charter from Shetland mainland harbours (e.g., Lerwick or nearby villages). There is no regular ferry service. Sea conditions can be rough; local skippers know safe approaches and landing places.
Tips for Visiting Brother Isle
- Tides and weather in the Shetland archipelago can change quickly-treat any landing as an exposed shoreline visit
- There are no facilities; leave no trace and bring water and shelter
- Local birds and seals use offshore skerries-binoculars from a tender often reveal more than a landing