Unique British island that’s UK’s most likely place to see Northern Lights – with white sand beaches and whale spotting
Date: 2024-10-21IF you’re fed up of missing the Northern Lights then seeing them all over social media, there’s one place in Britain where your chances of spotting the natural phenomenon are higher than most.
Given that they are closer to the North Pole than anywhere else in the country, the Shetland Islands are a popular spot for Aurora Chasers.
The Lights are visible several times a year in the archipelago.
But the best sightings are in the depths of winter.
The season runs from October to March with the best time to see them in the depths of winter, when the short days mean dark skies for longer.
The Aurora Borealis is so common in the area that Shetlanders even have their own nickname for them – “mirrie dancers,†as the word “mirr’ stands for shimmering in Shetland dialect.
Speaking on behalf of Promote Shetland, Aurora expert Richard Ashbee said: “Shetland is the ideal place to see the aurora in Britain as it is the most northerly place in the UK.
“The Out Stack, north of Unst is roughly 400 miles south of the Arctic circle, nearer the Arctic circle than to London.
“Green is the most common colour reported by members of the Shetland Aurora Hunter Facebook group (60%), with multi coloured aurora reported by 30% of members and other colours (9%). Red aurora is the rarest (1%).
“By far the easiest way to find out when the aurora is going to show, is by joining Shetland Aurora Hunter on Facebook.
“Information is regularly updated on the current activity, members sightings, weather and road conditions.“
Spotting the Lights is far from guaranteed, but there is plenty more to do on the Atlantic Ocean islands.
The archipelago, around 170km north of the Scottish mainland, is made up of about 300 islands, and people only live on 16 of them.
The largest island is known as The Mainland and in its north are the North Isles of Yell, Fetlar and Unst – Britain’s northernmost island.
If you do head there in winter, make sure to pack for the weather as it’s on the same latitude as Norway, Sweden and Finland, with dark and long winters regularly hit by polar winds.
Average temperatures in January and February, the coldest months, are around 3.5C.
Like many Scottish islands, the beaches are outstanding – with some stunning coastline on the mainland.
Scousburgh Sands features white sand and turquoise waters, as does Banna Minn on West Burra and Uyea in the north of Shetland, which could pass for somewhere tropical on a sunny day (although the water temperature gives it away).
The islands are one of the best places in the world to see whales too, with humpback whales, orcas, minke whales and also dolphins frequently spotted – albeit mostly between May and August.
The five best places to see the Northern Lights in or near the UK
- In the UK
Aside from the Shetland Isles, the Cairngorms and Northumbria have great dark skies to spot the lights, with wildlife and walking to enjoy even if you miss them. - By cruise
Hundreds of cruise options are available to see the Northern Lights, with Hurtigruten offering a free voyage if the lights don’t show. - By plane
Evening flights offer a great way to guarantee seeing the Northern Lights, with Omega Breaks providing flights from Gatwick, Birmingham, and Manchester. - From a glass igloo
Stay in an AuroraHut Glass Igloo in Finnish Lapland for a luxurious Northern Lights experience.
Best Served Scandinavia offers packages including snowmobiling, reindeer, and husky safaris. - On a city break
Combine your Northern Lights search with a city break in Reykjavik, Iceland.
A three-night trip includes city exploration, a jeep tour for the lights, and a dip in the Blue Lagoon.
The number of sightings are increasing, suggesting it’s slowly becoming an even better place for whale watchers to visit.
The holiday hotspot was listed on Woman and Home’s best whale watching locations in the world, alongside spots like Maui in Hawaii, the Lofoten Islands, Norway, and Kaikoura in New Zealand.
Visitors can also spot the famous Shetland ponies, roaming on several of the islands including West Mainland, Tingwall, Dunrossness, and Unst.
It’s thought that they arrived on the islands during the Ice Age.
While they appear to have free rein and are seen everywhere from beaches to hilltops, they are cared for by local crofters.
How to get there?
You can fly to Shetland from all major Scottish airports, as well as London Heathrow.
Alternatively, you can reach the islands by overnight ferry to Lerwick from Aberdeen or Kirkwall.
