Island 475 - Ayre of Dury, Shetland

Ayre of Dury is a flat, low lying small uninhabited tidal island located on the south side of Dury Voe. close to the scattered hamlet of Dury in the parish of North Nesting, on the east side of Shetland Mainland.  The island is really a shingle spit, which has grown large and high enough above the high tide level for vegetation to grow on it. The island is round and about 100 metres in diameter.

It was an easy walk from the B9075 road down across a field to the Ayre of Dury.  When I visited in late August 2019 sea mayweed and red clover were in flower and the dried remains of thrift flowers from earlier in the year could also be seen.  The island is closely grazed by sheep, although the ones on the island ran back to Mainland when they saw me coming.

Looking north west from Ayre of Dury towards Dury

Looking west from Ayre of Dury toward Dury

Looking south east down the shingle spit towards Ayre of Dury

Shingle spit where it joins Shetland Mainland

Ayre of Dury from Dury