Towns & cities · Scottish Islands
Symbister
Symbister — largest village and port on the island of Whalsay, Shetland.
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Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 3 h–6 h
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Dog-friendly
About
Symbister is a town, city, village or settlement in the United Kingdom. Records date its origin to 1904. Recent population estimates put it at around 797 people. Wikidata describes it as: "largest village and port on the island of Whalsay, Shetland". Coordinates: 60.3500°, -1.0200°.
Photo gallery
From the Wikipedia article
Symbister is the largest village and port on Whalsay, an island in the Shetland archipelago of Scotland. The population in 1991 was 797. The focus of the village is the harbour, which is home to small fishing boats as well as large deep sea trawlers. The village is overlooked by the granite mansion Symbister House, built by the Sixth Robert Bruce of Symbister in 1823. The harbour is also known by the names Bay Of Symbister, Symbister Harbour and Symbister Old Harbour. The Pier House, now a museum, was once the centre for the export of dried and salted fish to the Hanseatic League, an alliance of trading guilds that established and maintained a trade monopoly over much of Northern Europe between the 13th and 17th centuries.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The island has been inhabited for more than 4000 years as witnessed by the Neolithic houses of Yoxie and Benie. An Iron Age block house to the northeast overlooks the Loch of Huxter. In the 14th century, the Huxters took over the island and held it until they went bankrupt in the 1830s. Germans also sailed to Symbister for trading and brought their goods, iron tools, seeds, salt and cloth to barter for dried and salted fish from the island. Tobset Bruce built the Symbister House at a cost of more than £30,000 using granite in 1823. In the 1850s, Robert Bruce of Symbister leased part of his estate to Robert Mouatvery, a merchant who illtreated his tenants and exploited the four estates.…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 60.3500, -1.0200
- District
- Shetland Islands
- Postcode
- ZE2 9AF
- Parliamentary constituency
- Orkney and Shetland
- Population
- 797
- Established
- 1904
Sources
- wikidata: Q1293028 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Symbister (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Symbister Harbour, Whalsay - geograph.org.uk - 116092.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
North Park
Parks · 0.2 km
Hamister
Parks · 0.5 km
Saltness
Other places · 0.6 km
Skate of Marrister
Islands · 0.7 km
Symbister
Natural landmarks · 0.8 km
Marrister
Islands · 0.8 km
Setter Hill
Mountains & hills · 0.8 km
Setter Hill
Reservoirs & lochs · 0.8 km
Pier House Museum
Museums · 0.9 km
Symbister harbour
Marinas · 0.9 km
Hanseatic Trading Booth
Natural landmarks · 0.9 km
Sneugans
Mountains & hills · 1.0 km
Symbister is a village located in the Scottish Islands, with a population of 797. Our guide lists nearby attractions within reach.
At a glance
- Population
- 797
- Constituency
- Orkney and Shetland
- Top categories near here
Things to see in Symbister
134 attractions within 12 km — showing the 24 most editorially-significant. Full guide: things to do in Symbister →
National landscapes (AONB) · Scottish Islands
Geopark Shetland
Geopark Shetland is the name used by the geopark formally established in September 2009 upon its entry into the European Geoparks Network. The geopark extends across the entire Shetland archipelago, o
📷 4
📷 3Hill forts · Scottish Islands
Benie Hoose
Benie Hoose — Neolithic site on Whalsay, Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Islands · Scottish Islands
East Linga
East Linga — island to the west of Whalsay, Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK.
📷 2
📷 2Islands · Scottish Islands
Holm of Sandwick
Holm of Sandwick — island in Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK.
📷 3
📷 5Islands · Scottish Islands
Inner Holm of Skaw
Inner Holm of Skaw — a small, uninhabited islet off the northern tip of the island of Whalsay, in the Shetland Islands.
📷 2
📷 3Natural landmarks · Scottish Islands
Little Water
Little Water — freshwater lake on Whalsay, Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Natural landmarks · Scottish Islands
Loch Isbister
Loch Isbister — lake in Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Natural landmarks · Scottish Islands
Loch of Houll
Loch of Houll — lake on Whalsay, Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Natural landmarks · Scottish Islands
Loch of Huxter
Loch of Huxter — loch in Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Natural landmarks · Scottish Islands
Loch of Stanefield
Loch of Stanefield — freshwater lake on Whalsay, Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Historic houses · Scottish Islands
Lunna House
Lunna House — laird's house dating from 1660, on Lunna Ness, Shetland, Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Historic churches · Scottish Islands
Lunna Kirk
Lunna Kirk — church in Lunna, Shetland, Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK.
📷 4
📷 4
📷 4Natural landmarks · Scottish Islands
Nuckro Water
Nuckro Water — lake on Whalsay, Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK.
📷 4Islands · Scottish Islands
Outer Holm of Skaw
Outer Holm of Skaw — island in Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Hill forts · Scottish Islands
Pettigarths Field Cairns
Pettigarths Field Cairns — neolithic archaeological site in Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK.
📷 5📷 3Islands · Scottish Islands
Skate of Marrister
Skate of Marrister — island in Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Lighthouses · Scottish Islands
Suther Ness Lighthouse
Suther Ness Lighthouse — lighthouse in Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK.
Nearby
📷 4📷 4📷 4📷 3Islands · Scottish Islands
Skate of Marrister
Skate of Marrister — island in Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK.
📷 5📷 4Where to eat & stay near Symbister
Places to stay
📷 5
📷 5Campsites · Scottish Islands
South Nesting
South Nesting — a campsite in scotland islands.
📷 5
📷 5Campsites · Scottish Islands
Burravoe Pier Trust Campsite
Burravoe Pier Trust Campsite — a campsite in scotland islands.
📷 5Hostels · Scottish Islands
Islesburgh House Hostel
Islesburgh House Hostel — a hostel in scotland islands.
Places to eat & drink
📷 5Historic pubs · Scottish Islands
Busta House Hotel, Brae
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📷 7Historic pubs · Scottish Islands
86 Commercial Street, Lerwick
86 Commercial Street, Lerwick in England South East, United Kingdom.
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Symbister?
- Symbister is in the Scottish Islands, United Kingdom (postcode ZE2 9AF).
- What is Symbister?
- Symbister — largest village and port on the island of Whalsay, Shetland.
- How do I get to Symbister?
- Drivers can use postcode ZE2 9AF.
- When was Symbister built?
- Built or established in 1904.
- Is Symbister free to visit?
- Yes, Symbister is free to enter.
- How do I get to Symbister?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode ZE2 9AF. It sits within the Orkney and Shetland parliamentary constituency.