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Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.

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Major city · United Kingdom

BraeBreiðeið

Stay 1 night in Brae only as a ferry or oil-terminal stop; with no car, skip it and base in Lerwick instead.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Brae is a straggling village on a wide isthmus in Shetland's North Mainland, 23 miles (about 37 km) north of Lerwick. It grew in the 1970s around the Sullom Voe oil terminal and is the practical gateway to Northmavine and the Toft ferry to Yell. There is little to see in the village itself, so it works as a one-night stop with a car, not as a base.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
GBP
Best months
May–Sep
avoid Nov–Feb (short days, wind and rain)
Airports
LSI · SCS
Nights
1
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
  • United Kingdom ↗Most visitors who do not need a UK visa now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling; this includes EU nationals. Irish citizens are exempt. Check the UK government site for your passport.
  • United Kingdom ↗The UK is outside the EU and the Schengen area; a Schengen visa is not valid for the UK.
  • United Kingdom ↗Driving is on the left; London has congestion and emissions charges for most vehicles, so do not drive in the city.

Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide

Checking your follows…
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Brae999 ▾
  • Police, fire, ambulance999
  • Police non-urgent101
  • NHS non-urgent111

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Brae, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee or tea in a café2026 estimate£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
  • Sit-down mealPub main course2026 estimate£14–20 (≈ US$19–30)
  • BeerDraught beer, pint2026 estimate£5–6.50 (≈ US$7–9)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week2026 estimate£8–15 (≈ US$11–20)
  • Budget bedHostel or glamping pod bed, a night, per person£30 (≈ US$40)
  • Mid-range bedB&B or hotel double room, a night, per room£120 (≈ US$160)
  • High-end bedB&B or hotel double room, a night, per room£200 (≈ US$300)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget £45 (≈ US$60) · Mid £80 (≈ US$110) · High £130 (≈ US$180)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Mavis Grind isthmusSullom Voe oil terminalGateway to NorthmavineToft ferry to Yell
Airports
LSI Sumburgh Airport (Shetland's main airport, about 97 km (60 miles) south (check); drive to Brae takes roughly 1 h 15 min (check)) · SCS Scatsta Airport (3 miles northeast; serves the oil terminal and offshore rigs, no public flights)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Avoid

    6°C (43°F)

  2. Feb

    Avoid

    6°C (43°F)

  3. Mar

    not flagged

    7°C (45°F)

  4. Apr

    not flagged

    8°C (46°F)

  5. May

    Best

    11°C (52°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    13°C (55°F)

  7. Jul

    Best

    15°C (59°F)

  8. Aug

    Best

    15°C (59°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    13°C (55°F)

  10. Oct

    not flagged

    10°C (50°F)

  11. Nov

    Avoid

    8°C (46°F)

  12. Dec

    Avoid

    6°C (43°F)

Best: May–Sep. Avoid: Nov–Feb. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (15°C (59°F)), coolest Jan (1°C (34°F) low), wettest Jan (22 rain days), driest Jun (13). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Brae: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

6°C (43°F)

1°C (34°F)

22 rd

Feb

6°C (43°F)

1°C (34°F)

18 rd

Mar

7°C (45°F)

1°C (34°F)

20 rd

Apr

8°C (46°F)

2°C (36°F)

17 rd

May

11°C (52°F)

4°C (39°F)

14 rd

Jun

13°C (55°F)

7°C (45°F)

13 rd

Jul

15°C (59°F)

9°C (48°F)

14 rd

Aug

15°C (59°F)

9°C (48°F)

15 rd

Sep

13°C (55°F)

7°C (45°F)

18 rd

Oct

10°C (50°F)

5°C (41°F)

21 rd

Nov

8°C (46°F)

3°C (37°F)

21 rd

Dec

6°C (43°F)

1°C (34°F)

22 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

You need wheels. Bus 21/23 runs Mon–Sat roughly every two hours from Lerwick via Tingwall and Voe, about 50 min to Brae; Bus 21 continues to Hillswick (frequency check) and Bus 23 turns to Sullom Voe, Mossbank and Toft for the Yell ferry. The village straggles, so walking covers only the centre.

Nearest full guides

Straight-line distance, not travel time

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Mavis Grind

go

Door to door: About 15 min by car (check)

Drive or cycle west from Brae (route and distance check)

The 100-yard-wide isthmus where Northmavine joins Mainland; a short stop, not a day out.

Muckle Roe

go

Door to door: About 30 min by car

Drive south across the bridge, then walk the east-side road and coast path

Sea stacks on the south coast and boggy heath inland; boots needed.

Hillswick

go

Door to door: About 45 min by bus (check)

Bus 21 (frequency check), or drive north

Main village of Northmavine; check the return bus before you go.

Lerwick

go

Door to door: About 50 min by bus

Bus 21/23 from Brae, or drive the A970 south

Shetland's main town for shops, museums and onward transport.

Yell

overnight

Door to door: About 1 h 30 min to Ulsta

Drive or Bus 23 to Toft, then the ferry

Ferries from Yell reach Fetlar and Unst; treat it as a separate trip.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Brae village centre

Brae Hotel, Drumquin Guest House and Frankie's are all within a few minutes' walk.

Busta Voe shore

Busta House Hotel and Burravoe Wigwams sit west of the village; you need a car.

Valleyfield, 1 mile south

Guesthouse on the Lerwick road; handy if you arrive late by bus.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
£45–70 (≈ US$60–95) excl. bed
Mid
£70–110 (≈ US$95–150) excl. bed
High
£110 (≈ US$150)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
B&B or hotel double room1 × 1 night × £120£120
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × £80£160
Bus Lerwick → Brae, one way2 × £5 · 2026 estimate£10
Car hire, one day1 × £55 · 2026 estimate£55
eSIM, about a week of data2 × £10 · 2026 estimate£20
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge£37
Trip total≈ £201 per person per day, bed included£402≈ US$550

2026 estimate

2026 estimate in pounds; travel to Shetland excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee or tea in a café2026 estimate£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
Fish and chips2026 estimate£12–16 (≈ US$16–25)
Pub main course2026 estimate£14–20 (≈ US$19–30)
Draught beer, pint2026 estimate£5–6.50 (≈ US$7–9)
Bus Lerwick → Brae2026 estimateabout £5 (≈ US$7)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week2026 estimate£8–15 (≈ US$11–20)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Brae is a quiet village and feels safe; the practical risks are weather and distance — plan around short winter daylight and check road and ferry conditions before you set out (check).
  • Mobile signal is patchy: as of Sep 2024 you might manage a call in Brae with EE, and there is no signal elsewhere in the district or with other carriers.
  • Buses are Mon–Sat and roughly two-hourly: check the last return before you commit to a day out.
  • Fuel and food options thin out fast north of Mavis Grind; fill up and shop in Brae.
  • Winter daylight is short and exposed roads can close in wind and ice.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
999
Police non-urgent
101
NHS non-urgent
111

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

BraeBreiðeið

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance999
  • Police non-urgent101
  • NHS non-urgent111

Embassy

No embassies in Brae; the nearest consular help is in Edinburgh or London. US citizens: check the US Embassy in London.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Bus Lerwick → Brae: about £5 (≈ US$7), 50 min (2026 estimate)
  • Ferry Toft → Yell: check the current fare and timetable
  • Taxi in Brae: check locally; book ahead

Say or show

  • Excuse me / Sorry — Excuse me / Sorry (same as English)
  • Thank you — Thank you (same as English)
  • Where is the bus stop? — Where is the bus stop? (same as English)
  • How much is it? — How much is it? (same as English)
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card? (same as English)
  • Where is the toilet? — Where is the toilet? (same as English)

English is spoken throughout; Shetland dialect words appear on signs but standard English works everywhere.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Brae. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Sep · avoid Nov–Feb (short days, wind and rain) · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for LSI: last bus and ferry connections field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: Brae centre, Busta Voe shore, Mavis Grind, Muckle Roe bridge.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Mavis Grind, Busta Voe Standing Stone, Muckle Roe, North Mainland Leisure Centre) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Ferry and wind-disruption fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United Kingdom

Sources

Ask about Brae

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