Gallery
Forgotten Herring Stations of Shetland
Exploring the Forgotten Herring Stations of Shetland offers a unique glimpse into the region’s rich maritime heritage, making it an intriguing subject. These once-bustling sites, now silent and often overgrown, provide a striking juxtaposition of nature reclaiming man-made structures. Through the lens, I wished to capture the patina of rusting machinery, the weathered timber of abandoned piers, and the haunting remnants of fishing nets, all set against the dramatic backdrop of Shetland’s rugged coastline. Each frame tells a story of the past, evoking the echo of herring boats and the daily lives of the fishermen who relied on these once-thriving stations. The interplay of light and shadow, especially during dawn and dusk, enhances the melancholic beauty of these forgotten places, inviting both reflection and creativity.
Clachan Bridge was built in 1792 to allow for the passage of boats, including those used by local fishermen.
The Atlantic Bridge
Built around 1320, Castle Stalker originally belonged to the 'MacDougalls when they were Lords of Lorn. This stood before the Herring Boom
Castle Stalker
This haaf (deep-sea) fishing station was at one time the busiest in Shetland, with around 60 boats operating from here.
Fethaland
The dry stone remains of a fisherman's lodge. Early houses had a "but" (living/cooking end) and a "ben" (cleaner sitting/sleeping end)
Fethaland House
Houses were generally referred to as 'black houses'. Low, sturdy houses designed to withstand harsh weather.
A view towards Fethaland village
Many historic croft houses have been abandoned and are now ruins, but some have been restored into heritage sites or museums.
Crofters House - Fethaland
A seasonal village occupied in the summer months. These huts had turf and wooden roofs that were removed in winter to prevent storm damage
Fethaland
In midsummer, Fethaland's location means the sun barely dips below the horizon, creating a continuous period of light.
Sunset over Fethaland
Fethaland is now a remote and historically significant area. The area features historical fishing houses (around twenty are visible)
Fethaland point
An excellent location to experience Shetland's famous, extended summer twilight known as the "Simmer Dim".
A view from the front door
Boats were often pulled ashore into specific hollows in the bank called "noosts" when not in use, rather than docking at large piers.
Sixareen Noosts
Fethaland can be one of the most beautiful locations but also one of the most extreme. 19th Century fishermen would be very challenged
Northerly view from Fethaland
A peat fireplace situated at the 'but end', which was a combined kitchen, living room.
Crofters Fireplace
The living quarters, byre and barn would have been accessible all under one roof. Handmade boxbed/bunks occupied the ‘ben end’ or bedroom.
Ben end of a Croft House
Shetland croft houses sourced fresh water from nearby wells, springs, or streams
Fresh water
Wells would be dug near the house, or water would be carried from a convenient spring or stream.
Fresh water well
The ruins of a former herring curing station school house situated next to the pier for convenience of parent and child,
Hamar-voe School house
Shetland sunsets are famous for their dramatic 'simmer dim', where daylight lasts almost 19 hours. Perfect for fishing and curing Herring.
Sunset
It was from here – and other places like it – that fishermen set out on perilous expeditions to catch the fish that paid their rent.
Fethaland beach
The crofter's houses were built by the crofters and fishermen themselves as seasonal lodgings for the haaf (deep-sea) fishing season.
Crofters House
Houses were situated on the edge of the beach for immediate access to shore for landing catches, processing fish and launching boats.
Houses on the beach fringes
Fethaland beach was a major site for drying fish as part of a large deep-sea (haaf) fishing station, active up to the late 20th Century.
Flat rocks to dry the fish
Fish were dried through a labor-intensive process of salting and air-drying on the pebble beach. This work was carried out by 'beach boys'.
Fethaland Beach
Gardiestaing Pier is located on the Shetland Islands of Scotland and served a functional purpose related to the local herring industry.
Gardiestaing Pier
A booming Herring station in the 19th Century involving women processing fish ('Herring Girls') to export to Europe (predominantly Germany)
Seafield Herring Station
Government bounties and railways made Shetland Scotland Europe's leading herring producer by the mid-1800s, supplying markets across Europe.
Storage buildings - Seafield
Seafield Herring station, Mid Yell. One of nine stations situated in the same square mile Voe.
Sunset over Seafield
Yell played a crucial role in the extensive Shetland herring fishery, with smaller landing spots and processing areas.
View from Seafield Pier
Old piers in Shetland, like many maritime structures in the islands, often used locally available stone. Essential for trade and fishing.
Original steps in Seafield Pier
Bollards were integral to the structure of stone piers, or were separate heavy-duty cast iron posts fixed securely to the pier deck
Pier bollard
Examples of generic vintage bollards are generally now used for decoration or sale online. Very few maintain their original use.
Underwater bollard
The lodberries are stone buildings constructed by merchants in the 1700s to make it easy for goods to be transferred into dry storage
Lerwick Lodberry
This beautiful and much photographed sandy beach is only accessible at low tide and is next to the lodberries.
Bains Beach, Lerwick
A traditional fishing boat used around the Shetland Islands. Now used as a garage roof
Sixareen roof
Served as both homes and storage for merchants, extending into the water for easy loading and unloading by boat.
Lerwick lodberries
Known as The Lanes (or Closes), a maze of steep, cobbled alleyways that reveal the town's old, unplanned growth around the harbour
Narrow streets of Lerwick
A slipway to land a small wooden boat characterised from the Norse/Viking boat-building tradition by having 2 or 3 pairs of oars.
Fourareens and Sixareens slipway
Stone houses and stores built directly into the sea wall, historically used for trade and smuggling, with distinctive stone jetties.
Lerwick shoreline
Converting an old Shetland croft house involves a balance of preserving its traditional character and meeting modern living standards.
Conversion of old croft houses
Former Fishermen's cottages and chalets are now retirement homes and popular self-catering holiday rentals.
20th Century Fishermen's homes
Herring fishing was an extremely dangerous occupation due to unpredictable weather and basic equipment, with storms leading to loss of life.
A perilous sea
In July 1881, the Gloup Fishing Disaster occurred, in which 58 fishermen were killed by an unexpected summer storm coming from Iceland.
Gloup Memorial
Herring steam boats, known as steam drifters, were powerful vessels that used steam engines to deploy and retrieve heavy drift nets.
Larger steam driven boats
These vessels replaced earlier sailing/rowing vessels and became the backbone of the industry
Abandoned 19th Century fishing vessel
Upkeep became unfeasible as boats aged, leading owners to abandon them when projects failed or costs rose.
19th Century boat cleats
Poignant relics of maritime heritage, often left to decay. In 1880, 900 boats operated from 90 Herring Stations
Abandoned 19th Century fishing vessel
Larger boats typically use hydraulic net haulers to retrieve the heavy nets from the water, significantly reducing manual labour.
19th Century fishing vessel with steam driven net retrieval mechanism
A clinker-built boat, evolved as a larger version of the yoal, when the need arose for crews to fish further from shore.
Sixareen in Lerwick Museum
A fisherman's wife would knit the skipper a colourful woolly 'kep' so that he could be identified as the skipper and who he was.
Fishermen's kep
Modern materials replaced wood and upkeep became too costly, Vessels are now symbols of lost industries and skills.
Steam driven fishing vessel
Weather can change very quickly and regularly caught fishermen out. Fisherman were not well paid and accrued debt with the 'truck system'.
Dangerous waters
December 21, 1900, when a sudden, north-westerly hurricane struck, sinking six fishing boats claiming the lives of 22 men
Delting Disaster Memorial
Rail tracks that transported landed fish from the pier to a nearby warehouse. This photo was provided by Riena Nisbett a 'Mid Yell' local.
Rail tracks on Mid Yell pier
The property is presented in the style of how it would have looked in the 1870s.
Reconstructed 19th Century Croft
Animal carcasses were sealed and used for deep sea fishing. The carcass would denote where the fishing line had been laid.
Fishing line float
Fishermen would row out into the Atlantic for over 40 miles to lay their fishing lines that extended for up to 7 miles. Lines were hand made
19th Century fishing rig
The rock outcrops at Fethaland are primarily composed of Lewisian gneiss and were used as navigation aids when returning home.
Navigation point
Calmer seas were not always guaranteed. Fishermen had only experience and local knowledge. They did not have any navigational aids.
Calm seas in the Summer
Fishermen would go out for up to 7 days in order to fish. They would take it in turns to sleep, usually at the front of the boat.
Abandoned 19th Century fishing vessel