Sandsayre Pier

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Sandsayre Pier in 1989

Solan IV at Sandsayre Pier 2008

Shetland sailing 'Maids' at Sandsayre, 2007

The Sandsayre Pier, in Sandwick is a Category B listed structure, completed in May 1855. The stone pier was designed and built by the Stevenson family, although construction of a pier had begun in 1852.
John Bruce (3) of Sandlodge was the driving force behind the construction of the original pier, which was estimated to cost £100, in an attempt to revitalise the local herring fishery. Work on a pier was started in mid 1852, with local fishermen, who couldn't afford to contribute financially to its construction, providing labour to quarry and transport stone to the site. However the partly built pier was detroyed by a storm on 26th November 1852.
The Board of Fisheries refused to give money towards the rebuilding of the pier, but agreed to finance a survey by David and Thomas Stevenson, when they were next in Shetland on lighthouse business.
The Stevensons reported on their survey in August 1853, with the proposal to build a slipway 190ft long.

In April 1854 the Stevensons sent Thomas Hope to Sandwick, to supervise the construction of the pier. Construction was stopped for the winter but the pier was completed in May 1855. The total cost of construction was £593.19/6, roughly a quarter of which was funded by John Bruce, and the remainder by the fisheries board.
On completion 12 boats and 54 fishermen used the pier. It was also used by packet boats, and for the export of ore from the nearby Sandlodge copper mine.
The pier is the operating base, during the summer, for the ferry to the island of Mousa. As well as being used by the local sailing club.
A project is under way to rebuild and restore the pier. Already the nearby boat sheds have been restored to form a passenger waiting room, and interpretive centre.

Basic information for visiting yachtsmen