Quendale Water Mill

📌 Quendale, Shetland Mainland
★★★

Quendale Water Mill can be found by a burn draining into the Bay of Quendale in the southern part of Shetland’s Mainland. The grain mill formed part of the Quendale Estate and began grinding local crofters’ oats and bere in 1868 – becoming one of the three largest mills in Shetland by the end of the century. Operations ceased in 1948 but the buildings and machinery have since been fully restored; we reckon it’s now a contender for Shetland’s most underrated indoor attraction, and an excellent rainy day destination. A useful leaflet guides you around the complicated contraptions in logical order, with some rooms also containing displays about Shetland wildlife and history.