Looking for total tranquility, spectacular scenery, and fascinating history? You need to visit the Shetland Islands.
The United Kingdom’s northernmost archipelago, Norway is just 200 miles east. Not surprisingly, it has a distinct Scandinavian feel. Many of its places reflect the strong Norse heritage, along with Scottish and English influences. Some of the older buildings have imported western Norway’s rich, deep reds. That includes the sail loft at Voe that adds so much character to the old village. Instead of MacDougall or MacDonald, you’re more likely to run into a Georgeson, a Wilson, or an Anderson.
The islands’ ancient past is still quite visible. Witness everything from Iron Age ruins and mysterious standing stones to crumbling Viking settlements.
The Shetland Islands are Magical
Some say the Shetlands are magical. There’s certainly a special energy about the place. I felt it too. And, now that I’m gone I feel like it’s a magnet, pulling me back to experience more. The silence interupted only by the calls of the birds or the scurrying of a lamb. Lush, greener than green hills stretch out as far as the eye can see. Rugged cliffs along the coast plunge to secluded coves with white sands lapped by stunningly clear turquoise waves. You might even think you’re in the Caribbean. But dip a toe in and it won’t take long to realize you’re in the far north.
Incredible Wildlife
A visit to the Shetland Islands will not only surround you with out of this world scenery, but wildlife. It’s a bird lover’s paradise, including puffins. If you want to see orcas in the wild, they inhabit the waters that surround the archipelago year-round. River otters have even made a name for themselves here. Well, at least one. The islands’ own “Molly,” is the star of the award-winning National Geographic film “Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story.”
But, where to go, what to do?
There are around 100 islands, 16 of which are inhabited. With a total population of about 23,000, you won’t run into many others here with the exception of Lerwick. The largest town and capital, it’s home to about a third of the residents and sees over 90,000 cruise passengers every year.
To make the most of your time, you might want to base yourself in Lerwick initially. Then head to one of the more northerly islands like Unst, easily accessed by ferry. But no matter where you decide to land, you’ll find a wealth of things to see and do on your visit to the Shetland Islands.
Things to Do in the Shetland Islands
Shetland Seabird Tours
When you visit the Shetland Islands, one of the top things to do is to head out on the water in a boat. You’ll get a breathtaking perspective of the scenery while enjoying the opportunity to see all sorts of wildlife.
Shetland Seabird Tours offers daily wildlife boat tours that depart from Lerwick’s harbor. You’ll cruise around the Noss cliffs with a colony that includes one of Europe’s largest and most diverse concentrations of seabirds anywhere. The gannets will surround the boat. They fly just a short distance away, so close that you can look right into their piercing blue eyes. Perched on the cliffs, buzzing through the sky, and bobbing up and down on the water are the always adorable puffins. Guillemots, razorbills, fullmars, great skuas, and other birds can all be seen too.
Another reason to take this tour is the chance to see Shetlands’ sea creatures. Watch for harbour porpoises, grey seals, common seals, otters, and more. There have been nearly two dozen different types of whales and dolphins recorded here, including orcas. If you don’t see them on your boat excursion, follow the Shetland Orca Sightings group on Facebook. The latest sightings are posted so it might be possible to travel to where they’re spotted if you’re close enough.
Take a Private Guided Tour
One of the highlights of my visit to the Shetland Islands was a private guided tour. I highly recommend this experience through Shetland Guided Tours. It’s it’s like exploring with a local friend who happens to be a native and an expert guide.
Professional guide Anita’s Shetland Sheepdogs, Ponies & Sheep Tour is a must for animal lovers. If you’re like me, you’ll be thrilled with the opportunity to spend time with Shetland ponies, Shetland sheepdogs, and cuddly Shetland lambs.
And, there were foals! It’s rare to see them running around and playing, but these two “cheeky monkeys” as Marion (owner of Breckenlea Shetland Pony Stud) called them. They became fast friends after getting up on their wobbly little legs.
But it was even more than the chance to spend time with animals. The tour provided the opportunity to get to know some of the locals and their daily life. It was a priviledged glimpse that included meeting a couple of the coolest women I’ve ever met.
Explore Museums
There are many museums in the Shetland Islands. But the No. 1 museum to visit is the Shetland Museum & Archives in Lerwick. It explores the intriguing story of Shetland’s culture and heritage through a wealth of artifacts.
The Shetland Crofthouse Museum in Dunrossness provides a step back in time. It sits in a traditional 19th-century croft house, furnished like it would have been during the 1870s. While in Unst, be sure to visit the Heritage Centre. You’ll learn more about the island’s history from early settlement to modern day along with its rich traditions. Exhibits are focused on everything from spinning and fine lace knitting to crofting, geology, and fishing.
Take a Hike
Some of the most beautiful hikes can be enjoyed in the Shetlands with nearly 1,700 miles of breathtaking coastal scenery along with peaceful inland lochs and gentle heather-covered hills.
The Lerwick Explorer is a 3.75-mile trek that explores the harbor and older part of town and passes the headland of the Knab. The headland provides a fantastic view of the entrance to the harbor, the bay, and Bressay. You can also the take opportunity to see the well-preserved 2,000-year-old Clickimin broch (detailed further along).
Hermaness National Nature Reserve is a haven for countless seabirds, but it’s the puffin that draws most, with a massive colony that includes 25,000 pairs, located at the most northerly tip of Unst.
The setting is stunning, and you’re also likely to see gannets that dive into the water at lightning speed, along with kittiwakes, shags, fulmars, and gulls. To get there, you’ll need to take the 5.5-mile walk starting from the parking area and ending atop the cliffs with views of Muckle Flugga lighthouse.
Test Your Fly Fishing Skills
I used to fly fish frequently but it had been over 20 years as I never replaced a stolen fly rod. And, like it does, life got in the way. When asked to go with another guest and my host while on Unst on a late evening under the Midnight Sun, I couldn’t miss the chance. I remembered exactly what to do and it played out perfectly, in my head. I assumed it was like riding a bike but no, my brain did not seem to want to connect to my arm. Still, it was fun to give it a go and a good reminder as to how much practice it takes.
There are more than 300 trout lochs across the mainland and main islands in Shetlands as a true fisherman’s paradise. The lochs are generally unrestricted and the permit is relatively inexpensive at £25, available at www.shetlandtrout.co.uk, from the Tourist Board Office, and Baltasound Hotel on Unst.
My fellow guest at Belmont House was there for the Simmer Dim Competition. Raising money for cancer charities, the all-night fishing competition attracts people from across the globe. It takes place as close to the Summer Solstice as possible to take advantage of the 24 hour daylight.
Archaeological Sites & Ancient Wonders
Permanently inhabited since Neolithic times, there are dozens of archaeological sites across the islands. Unst is believed to be the first island the Vikings stepped onto in the North Atlantic. It boasts the remains of at least 60 longhouses with the highest density of rural Viking sites anywhere on the planet, including Scandinavia.
Jarlshof Prehistoric and Norse Settlement is one of Europe’s largest and most important sites, with uninterrupted occupation from the first Neolithic farmers through the times of the Stewart Earls in the 15th century. Multiple settlements were here with a visit providing a look at a Bronze Age home, an Iron Age broch, Norse long houses, a medieval farmstead, and a 16th-century laird’s residence. A visitor center displays artifacts uncovered from the site. Even those not interested in history will find the scenery alone makes it worth a visit with a dramatic headland setting.
The Broch of Mousa on the island of Mousa is the best surviving Iron Age broch in Scotland. The round tower that was used for defensive purposes, built around 100 BC, is also one of the world’s most well-preserved stone strcutures. Standing 42 feet tall, today, it’s often used by the roughly 6,800 pairs of storm petrels that make burrows inside.
Visitors can even step into a reconstructed Viking Longhouse and visit the Skidbladner, a replica Gokstad ship) at Haroldswick in Unst.
While in Lerwick, be sure to visit the Clickimin Broch mentioned in the Lerwick Explorer hike. The ancient stone round house is a fine example of its kind while providing evidence of settlement spanning over a thousand years.
Scalloway is just a short distance from Lerwick and the ancient capital of the Shetland Islands. In the center of the village is 15th century Scalloway Castle, once the home of Patrick Stewart, earl of Orkney and Shetland, one of just two castles in Shetland.
Go Beach-Hopping
The beaches throughout the Shetland Islands are incredibly picturesuqe. As mentioned, many look as if they should be in the Caribbean. Just a few of the most notable include Rerwick on the south side of the Shetland mainland. It’s a great place to watch for seals and their puffs. Levenwick is a tranquil stretch of sands edging a gorgeous bay with rock pools.
At the northern tip of Unst is Skaw, the most northerly sandy beach in all of Britain. It’s also rather spectacular with fine, soft sands. The 12th-century St. Olaf’s Chapel overlooks a curved sandy stretch along the bay of Lund. This is where my new fly-fishing friend convinced us to try the opihi (the Hawaiian name for limpets). Raw. Let’s just say we were glad we did it, once. If ever stranded on a deserted island, however, that might change as they are said to be packed with protein.
If you walk into the chapel, toward the back right corner closer to the beach, you’ll see a Pict carving of a fish dating to 300 B.C. that was used to construct it.
Surprisingly, many of the locals enjoy swimming off Shetland beaches but as you’d probably imagine, that water is cold and the currents tend to be fast, with no lifeguards on duty. Proceed with caution if you’d like to brave it.
Attend the Up Helly Aa Festival
Most visitors arrive during the warmer months of the year, but if you can be here on the last Tuesday of January, you can experience the annual Up Helly Aa Viking festival. This fire festival pays homage to the Shetlands’ Viking heritage, a great way to immerse yourself in the local culture.
Tickets are extremely limited, but there are some public events you can attend if you don’t have a connection. That includes the morning march, galley burning and torch-lit procession in the evening. Some 1,000 heavily-disguised torch-bearers will be taking to the dark wintertime streets of Lerwick with the Jarl’s Squad leading it all in Viking dress.
I’m very excited to have been invited to the festival (going back in January!) but even six months ahead finding accommodation was a challenging task. If you want to go, book a year ahead. At least.
Try the Fish ‘n Chips at Fort Cafe & Take Away
Fish ‘n Chips are a common item on menus across Scotland, including the Shetland Islands. That said, the best I’ve tried to date were from Fort Cafe & Take Away in Lerwick. It’s one of those old-fashioned counters and cash only.
Shopping
I’m not a big shopping enthusiast and few people visit the Shetland Islands just to shop, but it is worth a mention. Rather than the standard souvenir stores jam-packed with mass-made junk, there are quite a few places where you can find high-quality handcrafted goods.
I found this orca pendant/necklace at Aurora in Lerwick. In Unst, Victoria’s Vintage Tea Rooms (the only proper sit-down restaurant on the island, open for breakfast and dinner) also has a surprisingly wide range of items related to the Shetlands.
Where to Stay
I primarily split my time between Lerwick on the Shetland Mainland and Belmont on Unst. As my Logan Air flight changed to an early morning departure, I also ended up spending a night closer to Sumburgh Airport. Each offered a different kind of stay but all are recommended.
Sea Winds, Lerwick Townhouse overlooking Bain’s Beach in the famous waterfront Lodberries. A very comfortable self-catering townhome with all you need from a kitchen to a washing machine and a picturesque sea view.
Belmont House, Unst, a unique stay in a private room at a beautifully restored Georgian home with a host very knowledgeable about the island and its Viking history. Breakfast is included and both lunch and dinners are available along with tours of the island.
Brekka B&B Shetland, less than a 15-minute drive from the airport offering private rooms with breakfast included in a beautiful home with a stunning ocean view.
Finally, my biggest tip is a warning. Once you go, you’re going to want to return. I planned my next visit before I even left the Shetland Islands. That said, with accommodation limited throughout, whenever you decide to go it’s important to book well in advance. If you plan to venture north, be sure you book ferry tickets as well.
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