Aith

Coordinates: 60°17′02″N 1°22′44″W / 60.284°N 1.379°W / 60.284; -1.379

Aith
Aith  Aith shown within Shetland
OS grid reference	HU344557
Council area	Shetland
Lieutenancy area	Shetland
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	SHETLAND
Postcode district	ZE2
Dialling code	01595
Police	Northern
Fire	Highlands and Islands
Ambulance	Scottish
EU Parliament	Scotland
UK Parliament	Orkney and Shetland
Scottish Parliament	Shetland
List of places: UK • Scotland •

Aith, (Shetland dialect: Eid, Old Norse: Eið, meaning Isthmus, cf Eday), is a village on the Northern coast of the West Shetland Mainland at the southern end of Aith Voe, some 21 miles west of Lerwick.

Aith lies on the B9071 that runs south to the junction with the A971 (which links Lerwick to the west of Shetland) at the village of Bixter and North East via East Burrafirth to the junction with the A970 (which links Lerwick to the North) at the village of Voe. A single track road leads north from Aith along the west shoreline of Aith Voe to Vementry^[1]

History

Aith village

The modern settlement occupies an area originally named Aithsting during the period of Norse occupation.^[2] The surrounding Parish is still known as Aithsting as 'Aithsting'.^[3]

Buildings and structures

• Aith Lifeboat Station is most northerly in Britain, established in 1933.^[4]
• Aith Junior High School is situated in the centre of the village. The school has nursery, primary, and secondary departments with a combined roll of around 190 - 200. The secondary roll includes pupils from Sandness, Skeld, Happyhansel and Aith primary schools. The original school building, which opened in 1922 and became a Junior High in 1970, was located on the east of the main settlement, below the junction of the B9071 and Whitelaw Road. The school relocated to a new building in the more central location in 1982^[1][5][6] 60°17′02″N 1°22′39″W / 60.28389°N 1.3775°W / 60.28389; -1.3775
• West Mainland Leisure Centre, opened 07/09/2002 and operated by Shetland Recreational Trust. Facilities include a main hall, squash court, swimming pool with paddling pool, fitness suite and health suite.^[7]
• Aith Marina
• Aith Community Hall, incorporating the Rankin Lounge

Notable residents

John Nicolson; prolific 20th Century writer and political activist.^{[citation needed]} His first book was entitled Sprigs o' Aithsting Heather^{[citation needed]} and he wrote the words for The Galley Song which is sung annually at Up-Helly-Aa. ^[8]

Notable events

20/02/2008 - Several houses in Aith were evacuated due a fire in the local garage prompting fears that oxyacetylene canisters stored there may explode (the garage was destroyed and the site later cleared).^[9]

References

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