OUT SKERRIES are an archipelago about 10 miles
(16km) east of the Shetland. Covering about 1.5 square miles (4 sq km),
the two biggest islands are linked by a bridge and between them
support a population of 76. Boasting the UK's smallest secondary
school, this community of fisherman (including
fish farm workers) is accessed by a 2.5 hour ferry journey from
Lerwick though Shetland Island Council also runs a 20 minute flight
three days a week (return fare £43 (£22 for pensioners), request
stop at Whalsay) The house on the picture belongs to what we call a croft. Crofts are, in fact, a species of small-holding
unique to the north and west of Scotland, particularly the islands.
The typical croft is about 5 to 10 acres (2-4ha) and located in a
"township" of, typically, 10 to 20 crofts. As well as their
individual holdings where their crops were grown and animals wintered
(known as "in-bye"), the crofters in a township share a
much larger surrounding area called the "common grazing".
This can be hundreds or even thousands of acres.
