Viewcliff – The Cottage
A slideshow of images of Viewcliff Self-Catering Cottage
Cosy Living Room with views across the harbour
Viewcliff was completely renovated and brought up to modern standards in the past decade, keeping the original charm of the historic cottage but now equipped with modern fixtures and fittings and insulation. The house was originally built around 1903 by an Orcadian builder named Bull, who also built several other similar houses in the street and the large two-storey house next door. The extension on the back was built some time later, adding a separate kitchen and bathroom to the early 20th century layout.
For the longest period of the house’s occupation, a lady named Nellie Arcus ran a knitwear business from the house. The outhouse chalet to the rear was a workshop for the business, as described on it’s own page. We still call it the Shoppie because of this!
The walled garden is ideal for pets and the trees and shrubs screen the outside world from all but the front windows. Speaking of which, the views from the kitchen and bedroom 2 look across Scalloway Harbour to Clift Sound, from which the house was named. In some earlier maps, the fjord-like sound was called Cliff Sound, and the modern name is a variation, as is the case for many place names in Shetland. The kitchen window looks down to the centre of the village, and across to Scalloway Castle and the busy commercial harbour, with fishing and salmon farming vessels in and out daily.
Behind the house is the Gallow Hill. There is a stile to access the hill and you are free to roam, though it is requested that you keep your dog on a leash as there are usually Shetland ponies and sheep on the hill grazing. The views from the hills are fabulous, even to us that live here!