Isolated island of Foula rings in New Year on January 13th
Foula, a small island in the Shetland Archipelago, has just 35 residents and no pubs, shops, or Wi-Fi. They follow the Julian calendar, celebrating New Year on January 13th. An island resident shares with the BBC how the locals welcome the arrival of 2025.
While most people worldwide have long moved past New Year's Eve, this tiny island, located nearly 1,900 miles from New York,rk celebrates the New Year on January 13th. Foula, located in northeastern Scotland in the Atlantic Ocean, is part of the Shetland Archipelago.
Foula is one of the most isolated inhabited islands in the UK, located 13 miles from the nearest island, Mainland, and 107 miles from the UK mainland. It has 36 residents who live according to the Julian calendar, celebrating Christmas on January 6th and the New Year a week later.
Because the island lacks access to the power grid, pubs, shops, or Wi-Fi, life closely follows nature's rhythms. As reported by The Sun, food and other necessities are delivered by sea or air.
Robert Smith, an island resident, tells the BBC that everyone contributes to the development of their small community. When New Year's Eve arrives, they visit each household.
You go round houses with a drink, stay a while, and catch up. Then maybe home for dinner and then somewhere for a party into the small hours. In Foula it's family-focussed, it's more intimate, and we are always playing music together. It's something the island is known for. It's a good bonding thing. It is how we have always done it, he adds.
The island of Foula celebrates New Year. Self-catering during visits
You can reach Foula by ferry or plane from the main Shetland Island. The ferry runs three times a week, and the journey takes over two hours. Self-catering accommodations are available on the island, so guests must bring all necessary supplies, according to "The Sun." Residents of Foula primarily engage in sheep and pony farming.
The island is considered one of the best places in the world to observe the Northern Lights. It is home to many birds, including the Great Skua, Arctic Skua, Arctic Tern, and Black-legged Kittiwake, as well as seals, gray seals, killer whales, and porpoises. The name Foula comes from Old Norse and means "bird island."
