Old Moaner Travel
I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list
Islands: Shetland
Located 110 miles (170 km) north of the Scottish mainland, Shetland is the northernmost part of the United Kingdom, nearer to Oslo than London.
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Shetland is an archipelago consisting of around 100 islands, of which 35 are named and of which 16 are inhabited.
Most of the population almost 19,000 of 23,000 reside on the largest island, confusingly called Mainland.
The islands have been inhabited since around 4320 BC
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Getting There
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Most visitors arrive by ferry and there are daily overnight crossings in both directions, connecting Aberdeen on the mainland and Lerwick in Shetland, with ferries departing early evening arriving around 07:00 the following morning, with some ferries going via Orkney.
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For those travelling lighter there are up to ten flights a day from the main airport at Sumburgh, mostly to Aberdeen but there are flights to other Scottish airports as well, including Inverness, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Shetland is also an increasingly popular destination for cruise ships with 170,000 cruise ship visitors in 2019, compared with 26,000 in 2006.
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Getting Around
Don’t expect any dual-carriageways or motorways in Shetland.
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The A970 is the main road in Shetland, linking the north and south of Mainland, with roads radiating off to the various communities.
Most roads away from the A970 are single track with passing spaces.
Public bus services operate on Mainland, Whalsay, Burra, Unst and Yell and, certainly on Unst and Yell some bus stops have become very homely indeed.
There is a small airport at Tingwall 7 miles (11km) outside Lerwick which provides inter-island flights from Mainland to most of the inhabited islands.
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Scaster Airport near the Sullom Voe oil terminal operates charter flights to Aberdeen to bring in oil workers.
Most travel between the islands is by ferry and a relatively cheap and regular ferry service is operated between the islands, subsidised by the local council.
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Booking is highly recommended, indeed on routes to some of the smaller islands booking is essential as the ferry will not run if there are no bookings.
For routes from mainland to Yell and Unst, very popular with tourists, it is possible to turn up without a booking, although vehicles with bookings will have priority and some of the ferries are small.
What To See And Do
Due to it’s northerly location the days in summer are long and it barely gets dark at all come midsummers day, conversely in winter the days are short and darkness prevails, however and assuming clear skies, the dark nights does strongly increase the chances of viewing the Norther Lights.
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Don’t expect tropical weather with short mild summers and long but cool winters. The highest temperature ever recorded on the islands is a modest 28.0 degrees centigrade and that was back in 1910. Average summer temperatures are 12-14 degrees.
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Being exposed the islands can be windy and, on average, 250 days a year will see rainfall of at least 2mm with November and December being the wettest.
However do not let the climate put you off as the islands are beautiful – granted if you are the sort of person who wants to party 24/7 and likes a fast paced way of life and loves fast food restaurants, then I would say Shetland is definitely not for you.
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If, however, you appreciate nature, enjoy a slow pace of life and want to spend your time with friendly welcoming people this, very much, is the place for you.
The main town is Lerwick and it’s a reminder of a bygone age when most of the shops are locally owned, there are very few national chain stores and certainly none of the infamous fast food franchises here – you won’t find Golden Arches or a man with a white beard selling their wares.
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There is an amazing, old fashioned, department selling almost anything you can think of and even things you’ve never thought of.
The focus of the town is, of course, the harbour and it is home to the very interesting Shetland Museum and Archives.
Lerwick is on the east coast of mainland and on the opposite coast is Scalloway, the former capital of the islands, I would call it more of a large village than a small town, with the main attraction being its ruined castle. Having said that it’s a lovely place to just stroll around.
The southernmost point on Mainland is Sumburgh Head, with its lighthouse, which is worth visiting, however the main reason people visit is the RSPB reserve.
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Gulls, gannets and petrels abound but in the summer months the main attraction is the colony of puffins – it may not be the biggest colony on Shetland but it is by far the most assessible and the small birds seem quite happy with their human neighbours so you can get up close and personal with them.
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There are bigger puffin colonies on the island of Foula but there are limited numbers of visitors allowed and ferries are few and far between. There is also a large colony on the isle of Unst at the Hermaness National Nature Reserve, however the car parks are a good 30 minute, energetic trek from the colony, although the views are stunning and it is less crowded than Sumburgh.
My advice to anyone visiting the islands is just get out there and explore and stumble across delightful locations – Shetland is what I call a wow location as every almost every turn you take, every hill you crest you will see a new vista and say “wow”.
It’s ideal for walking and cycling – just be careful to have the correct clothing – the weather can change very quickly.
Remember I said there were no fast food joints on the island – it’s not a problem, there are amazing places to eat out from small cafés to high end restaurants (always advisable to book if possible, even at the smaller cafés) most of them serving fresh local produce.
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If I only mention one place to eat it has to be the award winning Frankie’s Fish and Chip shop near Brae on northern Mainland – it is the most amazing chippie you will ever visit. Everything is freshly cooked, so there are invariably queues, the tables for eating in are often queuing – bag a table on the terrace if you can to get some stunning views.
This is not your standard fish and chip shop – that’s all I will say – visit once, towards the beginning of your stay, because you will want to return again before you leave these beautiful islands.
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