The Northmavine Shopping Trail

Come and shop in Northmavine! We have two well-stocked shops supplying everything from craft beers to everlasting clothes pegs, we have a pottery, various craft outlets, a hotel, a cafe, a second-hand bookshop and several textile outlets. We will be adding new businesses here all the time.

Hillswick Community Shop, Post Office and Filling Station

The Hillswick Shop was bought by the community in 2008 and has been run a community enterprise ever since. It offers a full range of services - diesel and petrol; groceries including fresh local bread, milk, meat, vegetables and fish; wines and beers; hardware, including the legendary stainless steel gale-proof K-Pegs. It specialises in eco-friendly goods and has a range of vegan and gluten free foods.The Post Office is open on Mondays 10.00am-12.30pm and Thursdays 3.00-5.30pm. The shop itself is open seven days a week, as indicated in the picture below. Finding it is easy - just turn right at the St Magnus Bay Hotel in Hillswick, and the shop is on your left hand side, with the fuel pumps down next to the sea.

The Pottery, North Roe

Sharon McGeady's pottery in North Roe is a treasure, nestling into the hillside and with spectacular views over North Roe itself towards the Bjorgs. It's at North House, Burravoe, and you reach it by driving through North Roe on the main A970 towards Isbister, then looking for the sign saying 'Pottery'. Keep heading up the hill, veering to the right and Sharon's house is the second one, with a big wooden shed and again, a sign saying 'Pottery'. 

Sharon and her husband Bob have the motto "if we're in, we're open" and there is a little shop in one of the byres with a lovely display of Sharon's mugs, plates, vases, buttons and other ceramic objects. Sharon works in a little extension to the house and you will often find some of her work drying on a bench outside. Don't mind the dogs - they're both friendly. But make sure you shut the gates after you.

 Ollaberry Community Shop, Post Office and filling station (with public toilets)

 The Ollaberry Shop is a community Co-op supplying fuel, groceries including fresh local bread, meat, fish and vegetables, toys, hardware,wines, spirits and beer, hardware and household goods. The Post Office is open between 9.00am and 6.00pm Monday to Saturday, and between 2.00-5.00pm on Sundays. The shop itself is open 9.00am-6.00pm Monday to Saturday, and 2.00-5.00pm on Sundays. It is also a community hub with posters and notices advertising what's on and where. Immediately opposite the shop is Peter Hurson's garage and repair shop, your first port of call if you have car trouble in Northmavine. Both are in the Ollaberry Industrial Estate. Look for the two wind generators.

Da Barn, Swarthoull, Urafirth

Hillswick's very own market garden is open  every Saturday and Sunday from  20 April, Carol Titcomb having supplied the St Magnus Bay Hotel with the special presentation pot plants each mum received at the hotel during the Mother's Day lunches! All through the season a wide range of bedding plants and produce is available - both at the roadside and by heading up to the growing tunnels at Swarthoull. 

All the produce is grown on site and some will be available in local shops too. all the plants for sale are suitable for growing in the Shetland climate.

And if you can't make it on the weekends, Carol and family are happy to see people outside those times. All you have to do is message Carol via the Facebook page (also if you're concerned about the loud but harmless dogs!) which you  can find here.

Braewick Cafe, campsite and gift shop, Eshaness

The Braewick Cafe is open from springtime for lunches and teas, and as well as delicious home-cooked food, often produced locally, it sports some of the most spectacular views of any cafe in the whole of Europe! the gift shop has art and crafts from local people at very good prices. There are things for sale here you see nowhere else.

What's more, Braewick offers both camping and caravanning spaces with hookups for electricity, and its famous wooden wigwams, warm and cosy all year round.

Braewick is on the way to the Eshaness lighthouse and the nearby Tangwick Haa Museum, and is a great place to stop for a cuppa or something more substantial before or after a bracing hike along the cliffs.

Phone 01806 503345 to reserve a table.

St Magnus Bay Hotel

The centre of Hillswick's social life and of great historic importance, the lovely wooden structure of the St Magnus Bay has been a haven for generations of Shetlanders and tourists alike.

Upgraded and renovated over the past few years uunder the ownership of Andrea Manson and Paul Bird, the hotel offers comfortable, cosy rooms, welcoming bars and a great range of home-cooked food. The Sunday carvery is legendary and special social evenings with live music are common.

The hotel is open from the morning onwards for non-residents, and its breakfasts are famous. A visit to the Magnus Bay is essential for any traveller to Northmavine. Phone 01806 503372 for reservations (which are usually essential for the carvery).

Tangwick Haa Museum, Eshaness

 Tangwick Haa Museum is a community a museum which preserves the history of Northmavine in a comfortable, beautifully-restored building of international importance

There is an excellent souvenir shop which offers a range of postcards and gifts. A sheltered walled garden with picnic area is ideal for outdoor snacks, and nearby is both the birthplace of legendary fiddler Tom Anderson and a wonderful restored watermill.

Different aspects of life in Northmavine through the years are illustrated by using a mixture of artefacts and photographs. Part of the display has a new theme every year.

An important part of the museum is its Parish Records and Census Records which can be seen on a microfilm viewer. The custodians will be only too happy to help you with your search.

The museum is open from 11am to 5pm from 17 April to the 30 of September.Out of hours opening by prior arrangement. Disabled access is available to the ground floor.

Esme Wilcock Jewellery - Made by Shetland

The old Smithy in Hillswick (head past the Manse and it's the set of low buildings before the farm, look for the signs) is home to Made by Shetland, Esme Wilcock's hand-crafted jewellery business, which has been attracting customers from throughout the world over the past few years.

And its name is truly appropriate, as the unique silver and gold pieces Esme casts have their origins in local sand, shells and sea-glass.

Esme casts gold and silver in beach sand from North Roe. Her designs are often based on the beautiful Cowrie shells known in Shetland as Groatie Buckies, which she collects from West Ayre casting each one individually, so that the original seashell can always be suppplied with its silver of gold version. Her daughter collects sea glass from Hillswick beach which is set it in silver. 

Esme is in her workshop most days and it is open during the Summer, with visitors welcome. Sometimes she will be busy casting but you can either just turn up on spec or contact her on social media - it's esmemadebyshetland on Facebook - by phoning 07444970316 or emailing esme.wilcock@talk21.com