Name: The Mousa Boat
Rating: 5.0

The Mousa Boat

The Mousa Boat (Shetland) ltd, Sandsayre Pier, Sandwick, Shetland, UK

1-90 Years

Paid

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Description

The Mousa Boat offers memorable boat trips to the enchanting island of Mousa, giving visitors a chance to explore Shetland’s natural beauty and rich history. Operating from Sandsayre Pier, the service provides guided journeys across local waters with knowledgeable local crews. It’s an ideal experience for wildlife lovers, history enthusiasts, and anyone wanting to enjoy the essential nature of Shetland.

Visitors can enjoy a Daytime Island Trip to explore Mousa Broch, wildlife colonies, and archaeological sites, or take a Late Evening Storm Petrel Trip to witness seabirds returning at dusk. Short cruises around local waters and Noss charters are also available, along with private charters and group tours. The island features historic ruins, nature reserve habitats, seals, seabirds, and scenic coastal landscapes to explore.

Island Trip tickets cost £18.00 for adults and £8.00 for children (5–16 years). The Storm Petrel Dusk Trip costs £30.00 for adults and £10.00 for children, with group charters available on request.

A trip aboard The Mousa Boat offers a unique blend of wildlife watching, history, and scenic sailing. From the iconic Iron Age broch to peaceful island landscapes, every journey feels immersive and special. It’s a must-visit experience for those wanting to discover Shetland’s heritage, nature, and coastal charm.

Features

Paid
Host birthday parties: No

Features

Noss Charters: Trips to Noss are always available, the basic charter would be a 3 and a half hour trip leaving from Sandsayre or Lerwick depending on requirements. The only boat that can take groups of more than 12 and up to 30. We cater for all size groups with coach transfers and land + sea guided tours, enjoy the trip with Mousa boat from start to finish.
Island Trip: The journey begins at the historic Sandsayre pier, where the old boatshed, complete with a former ‘flit’ boat, has been developed into a fascinating interpretive centre to provide an insight into the life and times of the local area. Sail over to Mousa for a fascinating and memorable trip on the island - most famously the Mousa Broch, but the island is a RSPB Nature Reserve and home to many breeding wildlife, colonies of seals and birds - there is so much to see and do on Mousa Island.
Storm Petrel Dusk Trip: One of Shetland’s most spectacular sights is the return in late evening of hundreds of small storm petrel birds after a day feeding out at sea. The northern latitude means it never really gets dark in early summer (known as the “Simmer Dim”) and the birds use this half-light to evade predators on their return to nest in the Mousa Broch and the nearby beach and field walls.
Charter The Mousa Boat: For many years a Mousa Boat has taken visitors on the short crossing from Sandsayre at Sandwick in South Shetland to Mousa. The latest purpose-built Mousa Boat is a twin engine Class VI vessel fully equipped to MCA safety regulations which has seating for 60 passengers. Owned and operated by Shetlanders, their knowledge of these waters and Mousa will make your trip a pleasant and informative experience.

Facilities

Parking: Plenty parking available at Sandsayre.
Toilets: There is a toilet onboard the boat and public toilets near Sandsayre pier.

What to see

A Place of Time: There is an extraordinary sensation as you step ashore on Mousa that you have come to a special place. A place where you can see and feel the ages of time with its archaeological sites, desolate ruins and most famously the Mousa Broch – the best preserved Iron Age tower in existence, where the visitor can still climb the staircase to marvel at the commanding view and workmanship of this 2000 year-old building.
The Haa: This large ruin overlooking the Broch was once the home of James Pyper a Lerwick merchant who bought the island and built the Haa in 1783. James married first Janet Gray of whom it is said he built the home on Mousa to keep her from drink, and secondly he married Anne Linklater. James died in 1828 and Anne lived on in the Haa until her death in 1852.
Ham House: The landing point at the West Ham pier on Mousa used to be just a suitably accommodating rock spur, however over the years this has been significantly improved upon! The old building above the pier, Ham House, was built about 1770 as a fishing booth associated with fish curing on the nearby beach. The small-sized Shetland breed of sheep have long been grazed on Mousa due to being better suited to the conditions.
Knowe House: This was the farm that supported the Pypers in the Haa. The 1841 Census states that Erasmus Jameson, Farm Servant, age 40, lived there with his wife and five children. We know the Jamesons left Mousa on 4 May 1842, and Andrew Jameson, the eldest son then aged 13, left a memento of this poignant event when he inscribed his name and date on a north gable corner stone.
South Loch: At the western end of the loch can be seen two Burnt Mounds close together. Legend has it that a minister’s daughter was drowned in the South Loch.
Click Mill: Between the South Loch and the beach are the ruins of a Click Mill where the millstones were turned by a horizontal wheel driven by water from the loch.
Burgi Ayre: Burgi derives from the Old Norse “Borg” meaning fort, and Ayre from “Eyrr” meaning sand or gravel bank. This beach was used for drying fish and the remains of a former fishing booth are still just evident - the stones from this were used in the repair of the Broch.

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Price

Price: Paid

Price Details

Island Trip

Adult: £18.00
Children (5-16 years): £8.00

Storm Petrel Dusk Trip

Adult: £30.00
Children (5-16 years): £10.00

Pricing URL: https://www.mousa.co.uk/island-trip

Birthday Parties

Offer Birthday Parties: No

Daytime Sailing timetable

Operates from April 1st to end-September

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: Depart 11:30hrs / Return 14:30hrs
Saturday: No day time sailing
Sunday: Depart 11:30hrs / Return 14:30hrs

Address: The Mousa Boat (Shetland) ltd, Sandsayre Pier, Sandwick, Shetland, UK

Post Code: ZE2 9HG

Council: Shetland Isles

County: The Highlands

By Car: postcode ZE29HP - head south 10 miles from leaving Lerwick on the A970, turn left at first Sandwick junction and follow signs for Mousa. The pier is one mile on the left.
By Bus: the number 6 service from Lerwick or Sumburgh has suitable connection times with most sailings - check with the bus operator, Bus Timetables | Shetland Travel Information . Allow 10 minutes from the bus drop-off point to the pier.