Shetland Islands

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Superb!!!!

Shetland, the most northerly part of the British Isles, offers an abundance of wildlife.

It is a land shaped by the sea from dramatic, sculpted cliffs to tranquil sandy bays. There are 100s of islands ranging in size from the large island of Mainland to the numerous small skerries and islets along the coast.

Untill 1468 Shetland was Norse but then the islands were mortgaged to Scotland as part of the marriage agreement between the future James III and Princess Margrethe of Denmark. The Scots annexed both Shetland and Orkney in 1472. Shetland has an atmosphere all of it's own with many remains of the time of the Vikings and a generally bleak undulating landscape. Very attractive in it's own particular way.

Site rating:

Although the featured attractions, sites and landmarks are always chosen by me, I have made a serious effort to differentiate 4 levels:

  • (***) This is, for whatever reason, a very personal favourite! Will definitely be on my itinerary! Could possibly be disappointing for someone else though.
  • (**)   A major must-see tourist attraction that you can find in many a brochure.
  • (*)     Worth seeing and possibly interesting if you happen to be in the vicinity.
  • (-)     A hefty dollop of imagination is a must, but it might be interesting if you know the background.

My very personal selection:

Location: Mousa Harbour / Isle of Mousa / Plus code: XRW9+45 Sandwick, Shetland

Location: Lerwick / Isle of Mainland / Plus code: VP95+JV Sumburgh, Shetland

Location: Noss Harbour / Isle of Noss / Plus code: 5X23+2M Bressay, Shetland

And than there are.......

Location: Muness / Isle of Unst / Plus code: M5Q2+F9 Unst, Shetland

Location: Scalloway / Isle of Mainland / Plus code: 4PPG+66X Scalloway, Shetland

Location: Lerwick / Isle of Mainland Plus code: 5R5X+4X Lerwick, Shetland