Unst is the most northerly inhabited British island and third largest in Shetlands. At 19 km long and 8 km wide it contains diverse terrain due largely to its complex geology. Large swatches of serpentine and metagabbro broken with schists from the eastern side, while the west is dotted with occasional garnets. To the south, there is limestone and to the north east talc. Photo by: dunard54

Unst has spectacular cliffs, cut by inlets and guarded by sea stacks and sea arches, and beautiful lonely sandy beaches. It also has rolling grassy, header-clad hills, peat moors, freshwater lochs and fertile land. There are two National Nature Reserve there. The most unusual, keen on Havar, is a sub-arctic stony desert, composed ofserpentine scree, a greeny-greyish blue stone that is home to a number of minute rare plants. Photo by: PAUL H BURNS

When to go: April to September. Population: 1,067. How to get there: By ferry from Mainland via Yell. You should know: In 1700 a sea eagle stole a baby girl from her home on the hill above Nor Wick Bay and took her to the island of Fetlar. A young boy saw her being deposited in the eagle’s nest and was able to rescue and return her to her family. They later married and lived in Yell. This is believed to be true story. Photo by: Hamleys