Edge of the world, edge of the Atlantic. Foula is a 3-mile scrap of rock supporting 30 people, half a million seabirds, and some of Britain's most vertiginous cliffs — reached only by tender, weather permitting.
All cruise visitors arrive by tender or Zodiac — there is no quay capable of docking any size of ship.
💡 Pro move: Landing is sometimes cancelled by the captain even after arrival in the anchorage. Always treat Foula as a 'bonus' port and have a sea-day mindset.
Foula has a tiny working pier at Ham Voe used by the inter-island ferry — not a cruise terminal.
| Cruise Line | Typical Berth / Arrival | Dock or Tender |
|---|---|---|
| Expedition lines (PONANT, Hurtigruten, Silversea, Noble Caledonia) | Ham Voe pier, east side of island📍 | Tendered |
| All other cruise ships | Offshore anchorage, Zodiac transfer📍 | Tendered |
Foula has no commercial tour operators on the island — your ship's naturalist guide or a local islander arranged by the cruise line is your best resource.
The island's crown jewel: a 1,220-foot sheer sandstone wall dropping straight into the Atlantic. The hike from Ham Voe is roughly 2.5 miles each way over boggy upland — strenuous but extraordinary. Stay well back from the unfenced edge.
Find Shetland hiking tours →Foula hosts one of the world's largest Great Skua (bonxie) colonies alongside thousands of nesting puffins, guillemots, kittiwakes, and razorbills. The cliffs on the south and west sides are the prime seabird areas. Bring binoculars and a stick to hold above your head to deter diving bonxies.
Find birdwatching tours Shetland →The island's tiny settlement at Hametoun is roughly a 1.5-mile (30-minute) walk south from the pier along the single-track road. The post office sells postcards and occasional local knitwear. Foula follows the Julian Calendar — islanders celebrate Yule on January 6th and New Year on January 13th. Michael Powell filmed 'The Edge of the World' here in 1936 using locals as cast.
Find Shetland heritage tours →A striking natural sandstone sea arch on the island's north end, about 2 miles from the pier. The walk offers dramatic coastal scenery and a good chance of spotting grey and common seals hauled out on the rocks below.
Find Shetland coast tours →Foula is home to a genetically distinct strain of Shetland ponies that roam freely across the island. They're photogenic and approachable but should not be fed. Look for them along the road and in the moorland north of Hametoun.
Find Shetland wildlife tours →All walking on Foula is self-guided — pack waterproofs, boots, and offline maps.
Flat walk south along the island's single-track road from the pier to the small settlement. Pass the school, post office, and typical croft buildings. Shetland ponies often graze roadside.
🗺️ See full route in Maps →Head west from the pier, climbing steeply over boggy peat moorland to the cliff edge above Da Kame. The terrain is pathless in places — expect wet feet and wind. The payoff is one of the most dramatic seabird cliffs in Britain. Stay back from the unfenced edge.
📍 Open in MapsRegional Shetland temperature reference from Lerwick, about 50 km away; exposed Foula conditions may differ. Mean daily highs and lows averaged from observed 2014–2023 native monthly reports; not exact Foula climate observations or 30-year normals. Rainy-day counts are unavailable. Sunrise and sunset remain representative Foula calculations. Regional Shetland temperature reference from Lerwick, about 50 km away; exposed Foula conditions may differ. Nearby-station regional proxy: Lerwick, 49.824 km from Foula; not exact Foula observations or 30-year normals. 2014–2023: 120 observed native monthly reports, ten per calendar month; mean daily highs/lows, not independently verified complete daily data. Rainy-day counts unavailable. Meteostat / DWD CLIMAT. CC BY 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Attribution: Meteostat and DWD CLIMAT; adapted by averaging 2014–2023 monthly means and converting units. Changes: Ten monthly means per calendar month averaged; Celsius converted to Fahrenheit once and rounded. No endorsement implied.
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Sunrise | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°F / 6°C | 37°F / 3°C | 8:57 AM | 3:39 PM |
| Feb | 43°F / 6°C | 37°F / 3°C | 7:46 AM | 4:59 PM |
| Mar | 44°F / 7°C | 38°F / 3°C | 6:24 AM | 6:10 PM |
| Apr | 47°F / 8°C | 39°F / 4°C | 5:51 AM | 8:27 PM |
| May | 51°F / 11°C | 43°F / 6°C | 4:29 AM | 9:41 PM |
| Jun | 56°F / 13°C | 48°F / 9°C | 3:43 AM | 10:34 PM |
| Jul | 58°F / 14°C | 51°F / 11°C | 4:11 AM | 10:15 PM |
| Aug | 58°F / 14°C | 51°F / 11°C | 5:22 AM | 9:01 PM |
| Sep | 56°F / 13°C | 49°F / 9°C | 6:36 AM | 7:28 PM |
| Oct | 51°F / 11°C | 45°F / 7°C | 7:48 AM | 5:58 PM |
| Nov | 47°F / 8°C | 41°F / 5°C | 8:08 AM | 3:37 PM |
| Dec | 44°F / 7°C | 38°F / 3°C | 9:07 AM | 2:59 PM |
Climate source: Regional Shetland temperature reference from Lerwick, about 50 km away; exposed Foula conditions may differ. Meteostat / DWD CLIMAT, Lerwick station 03005; 2014–2023 observed monthly mean daily highs/lows; regional reference, not Foula observations. CC BY 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ — adapted by averaging ten monthly reports per calendar month, converting °C to °F and rounding; no endorsement implied.
Representative sunrise/sunset — 2025, 15th of each month; local civil time including DST (Europe/London). Source: Astral; not a forecast or climate average.
Transport options from the pier — taxis, shuttles, transit passes, and whether ride-share apps work here.
The best — and essentially only — way to explore Foula. The island is small enough to walk across, and most visitors head for the clifftops and the Sneug summit on foot.
Cruise ships anchor off Ham Voe and tender passengers to the stone pier at Ham. No fees are charged for the tender itself.
A handful of residents may offer informal lifts or guidance — particularly to the airstrip area or the cliffs. Ask politely; tipping is appreciated.
There are no taxis, hire cars, public buses, or commercial shuttles on Foula. Visitors should plan to explore entirely on foot.
Upcoming cruises that call at Foula Island, Shetland, Scotland. Dates, prices, and ports of call change — always confirm with the cruise line before booking.
Itineraries and prices change — always confirm with the cruise line before booking. Some links are affiliate links that may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
Other cruise ports within about 250 km.