Vaila

Vaila lies off the west coast of the Mainland of the Shetland Islands, Scotland, and is characterised by low, rolling moorland, rocky shorelines and sheltered voes that give it a quietly dramatic coastal feel. The island is relatively compact and largely rural, with a mix of heath, grassland and rocky promontories that provide good nesting sites for seabirds and haul-outs for grey seals.

There are traces of prehistoric and Norse activity and, in more recent centuries, the island has been managed as a private estate, shaping much of its landscape and land use. Today its economy is dominated by traditional activities such as sheep grazing and estate management, while its wildlife, coastal scenery and sense of remoteness attract occasional visitors and small-scale recreational use.