Whalefirth

Aerial view of Whalefirth 1948

I was born and brought up in the Herra. My family originates from the Scollays of Lumbister and Volister, Smollets of Graveland, Manns of Quoypunds, Johnsons of Setter and Spences of Dalsetter. Our forebears had lived there for generations so I had heard many wonderful and intriguing stories about the place from them. I would like to preserve these tales through telling you about the Herra and hope that you will take a trip there and see the district for yourself.

The Herra is positioned almost halfway along the West side of the island of Yell. There are eleven miles of coastline between Westsandwick and Gloup but the only two places where landings can be made are at Whalefirth and the Daal of Lumbister. Because of this the small townships grew up around the voe where the land was suitable for crofting.

Looking south from the mouth of the voe Gremister can be seen lying in the far distance with the Burn of Bouster in the valley below. Effstigarth and the desolate crofts of Grummond and Graveland are on the green slopes to the west.

Geologists suggest that Whalefirth was formed in the Ice Age by glaciers slipping down-slope from the hills above and then cutting deeply into the lower ground of the valley below.

This voe is the smallest firth in Scotland. It did not have the name Whalefirth until it was associated with being a place where many whales were seen and hunted.