Shetland is a feast for landscape and wildlife lovers – but there is more to these islands than big cliffs and cute puffins. Whether you have three days or a week, you shouldn’t leave Shetland without learning about its rich cultural heritage, understanding why its landscapes look the way they do, or listening to a local story or two. Learn what makes the islands tick – these essential Shetland experiences will help you do just that.
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At first glance, Shetland is all about supersized coastal landscapes and breathtaking wildlife encounters – it’s a place of superlatives. Its huge cliffs are skyscrapers for seabird colonies. Along its coasts, you’ll find the largest sea cave, the largest tombolo beach and the tallest-standing Iron Age broch. And don’t get me started on Unst… it’s got the northernmost everything – beach, lighthouse and picnic bench.
But dig deeper and you’ll encounter islands with a fascinating history, rich layers of heritage and cultural influences that feel so different from mainland Scotland. From Vikings to knitters, peerie ponies (peerie means small in Shetland dialect) and ruins littering the landscape – many things make Shetland the place it is today.
As a responsible traveller, it’s important to look beyond the surface and try to understand the places we visit at a deeper level.
On my recent trip to Shetland, I had many opportunities to do just that. In this post, I’ll tell you about some of my favourite learning experiences that helped me to better understand Shetland and its people.

Remoteness is a matter of perspective
Let’s start with the common perception of Shetland as a remote place to visit. When you look at the map, the Shetland Islands look like they’re really far away. But that remoteness is a matter of perspective.
Throughout history, seafaring nations saw the sea as a means of transport rather than an obstacle to overcome – a concept I talk about in my podcast episode ‘A Taste of Freedom‘. Islands like Shetland were not remote – they were, in fact, much more connected than places deep in the mountains or glens of the mainland.
Even today, Shetland is easy to get to. There are daily flights from various airports around Scotland and a daily ferry service from Aberdeen. Yes, it takes a while for the boat to get to Lerwick (12 hours to be exact), but with a cabin, you’ll have a comfortable overnight journey and wake up to new adventures awaiting in Shetland.
It’s easy – especially as a travel writer – to romanticise far-away islands. It sounds mysterious and fires up readers’ imaginations about distant and exotic places. But in most cases, that does the destination you talk about a disservice… I discussed this as a guest on the Curious Tourism Podcast a while ago.
I think it’s time we shift our perspective and stop thinking about Shetland as some distant place that takes a lot of effort to get to, and rather embrace what we can learn from visiting such a vibrant, beautiful and layered island destination.
Now that this is out of the way, let’s dive in…

10 Shetland Experiences you must have
Learn about Shetland’s Viking heritage
Look at the map again, and you won’t find it surprising that Shetland was among the first places settled by Vikings when they expanded their reach across the Atlantic. The coast of Norway is only about 220 miles away and as a seafaring culture, the Vikings would have felt right at home.
Unsurprisingly, they have left their mark on Shetland. From place names to language, archaeological sites and cultural practices – you can see the Viking heritage all over Shetland.
Here are some great places and experiences to help you learn about Shetland’s Viking heritage:
- Visit the island of Unst: It has the highest density of rural Viking sites. There are excavated Viking longhouses across the island, plus a replica of a finished longhouse in Haroldswick. Viking Unst have developed self-guided trails to explore and you can learn more at the Unst Heritage Centre and the Unst Boat Haven in Haroldswick.
- A tour of Jarlshof: The site of Jarlshof has been inhabited for thousands of years. Among the archaeological remains you can see here is a Viking longhouse settlement. The ticket includes an audio guide to hear more about Viking history in South Mainland.
- Come for Up Helly Aa: Up Helly Aa is a festival inspired by Shetland’s Viking heritage. Every winter, from January to March, communities across Shetland gather in Viking costumes (and other fancy dress) for a torchlit procession and the burning of a replica Viking boat. The biggest Up Helly Aa procession is held in Lerwick (here’s my post about it), but many other smaller festivals take place across Shetland.
For more Viking influences, explore the Orkney Islands!

Pick up some of the local dialect
When the Vikings settled in Shetland, they brought their language with them. This developed into Norn, a form of Norse that was once the primary language of many Shetlanders. When Shetland was given to Scotland in the 15th century, Scots became more and more prevalent in the islands and eventually, Norn died out.
But even today, many words of the dialect spoken in Shetland have their roots in the Norse language. NorthLink Ferries has put together a handy list of Shetland words you might come across during your trip. Learn a few and try sprinkling them into your conversations with locals.
There’s also a deep dive into the Norn language on shetland.org where you can hear the dialect spoken by the locals.
Visiting the mainland and Hebridean Isles? Learn how to engage with Gaelic culture in Scotland.

Learn about the Clearances
On my kayaking trip, a lady from England asked why there are so many abandoned ruined buildings in Shetland…
For centuries, Scotland was under a feudal system. The landowners held all the power and their word was law. When they decided to use their land for extensive sheep farming, they forced the people who lived there before to move to the coasts, the cities or across the sea to America, New Zealand and Australia. These Clearances happened all over Scotland – including Shetland.
Of course, there are also other reasons for buildings to be ruined… Sometimes it was simply cheaper to build a new home than trying to modernise an outdated building. And the harsh weather in Shetland creeps into uninhabited buildings at the speed of light.
But understanding the Clearances means understanding why Scotland (and Shetland) looks the way it does today – why there are so many ruined settlements in the landscape and why large swathes of the country are uninhabited or seemingly “empty”.
Learn more about the Clearances in Shetland visit Muness Castle in Unst or Scalloway Castle which are both linked to lairds responsible for the Clearances. For more information, read this article or browse my list of books that will help you understand this part of Scotland’s history more broadly.
The Flow Country in the Northern Highlands is also a great place to dive deeper into the history (and knock-on effects) of the Highland Clearances!

Understand sustainable crofting
Crofting is a traditional type of farming that is integral to the way of life in rural Scotland. Unlike commercial farms that aim to produce as much meat, dairy or veggie crops as possible, crofting is first and foremost about self-sufficiency.
Small-scale crofters use nature-friendly farming techniques and care about sustainability. It’s not about taking resources from the land, but more about living off the land and ensuring that future generations of crofters can do the same.
In Shetland, you can learn more about this sustainable approach to agriculture on a croft tour with Chris Dyer. At Garth’s Croft in Bressay, you can meet his colourful flock of native Shetland sheep, peek inside his polytunnel and learn about his approach to crofting on the island.

Come face-to-face with Shetland ponies
The peerie ponies are one of the most iconic animals from Shetland. You’ll see them all over the islands.
Note that these ponies are never wild – even if they look a bit rugged. They simply prefer being outside, regardless of the weather. Never feed a Shetland pony – they might bite you and others if they associate outstretched hands with food.
If you’d like to come face-to-face with a Shetland pony safely, book yourself onto the Shetland Pony Experience in Burra. Not only will you get to walk, brush and cuddle the ponies, owners Elaine and Barbara will also tell you a lot about this hardy Shetland native.
You’ll learn about the origins of the breed, what made breeding these ponies so profitable, and why Shetland remains the number one place to turn to if you’d like to get a Shetland pony.

Visit islands other than Mainland
Shetland is made up of about 100 islands, 16 of which are inhabited. Most Shetlanders live on the biggest island called Mainland, where you’ll also find Lerwick, Shetland’s biggest (and only) town, Scalloway (the ancient capital) and Brae (the largest community in North Mainland).
If you only have a few days in Shetland, you may be tempted to stay in Mainland – why spend money on a ferry, right? There is also so much to see in Mainland, you could be forgiven for filling up your itinerary with Mainland sites…
But hear me out – it’s absolutely worth visiting some of the other Shetland islands to experience a different way of Shetland life. Here are a few ideas:
- Do a day trip to Unst to hike to the cliffs of Hermaness, learn about weather phenomena on the Sky Trail or visit the northernmost beach in the UK. You could easily spend a few days exploring Unst.
- Do a day trip to Yell to watch Arctic terns at Breckon Sands, learn about the impact of a fishing disaster on the local community in times of feudalism, or visit the local museum at The Old Haa. Just like Unst, Yell is big enough to spend a few days exploring.
- Hop over to Bressay for a day, do a croft tour (see above) and go for a hike at the Noss nature reserve.
- Take the Mousa Boat for a half-day trip to Mousa. You get enough time on the island to visit the Iron Age broch and go for a walk around the nature reserve.
Visiting more than one island in Shetland is a great way to expand your understanding of island life – because every island is different!


Try to fathom Shetland’s geology
Many cliffs, caves, hills and glens in Shetland were formed hundreds of millions of years ago. Personally, I find it hard to imagine the lives of the people who erected the standing stones 5,000 years ago – talking about millions or hundreds of millions of years is completely beyond what my mind can imagine…
Here’s a two-step approach to trying to understand Shetland’s fascinating geology…
- First, visit the Shetland Museum & Archives in Lerwick to learn about Shetland’s natural history. The exhibition contains samples of stones typically found in Shetland’s landscapes and the displays explain the formation of Shetland in an easy-to-understand way. I loved how the texts use examples, highlighting specific places in Shetland to see certain geological features. Which brings me to…
- Head out and walk across Shetland’s geology! Shetland is a UNESCO Global Geopark and there are countless sites where you can see the remains of extinct volcanos, walk across ancient ocean floor or stumble across rocks that glaciers transported to Shetland from faraway places. Check out the Shetland Geopark website for a map of interesting geosites and suggested trails.
I can almost guarantee you that walking through Shetland with a geologist’s lens will enrich the way you look at these beautiful landscapes.
Mind-boggling Scottish geology also features in my Wild for Scotland podcast episode ‘Never the same’ – listen here!

Immerse yourself in Shetland’s textile heritage
It’s one thing to sport a Shetland gansey – an (often hand-)knitted jumper or sweater historically worn by fishermen. But if you’re a fan of knitwear, it’s well worth learning about the colourful heritage of knitting, fine lace-knitting and weaving in Shetland.
Your first stop should be the Shetland Textile Museum in Lerwick. Volunteers often sit on the upper floor and demonstrate traditional spinning and knitting techniques and the exhibition features examples of artisanal textiles made in Shetland. If you know how to knit, you can even contribute a few rows to “Da Muckle Gravit” (The Big Scarf), a community knitting project of a scarf that – at the time of writing – is well over 60 m long.
The Shetland Museum also has displays filled with historic knitwear, patterns and stories.
A few miles south at the Hoswick Visitor Centre, I was greeted by Betty Smith who told me about Hoswick’s role in Shetland’s textile industry. Over a hundred years ago, Betty’s uncle started a textile mill and weaving factory, which brought employment to the women of the village and showcased their skills to the world.
Even today, Betty’s uncle’s knitwear mill still exists! It’s now an employee-owned company (Shetland Woollen Co.) and still produces high-quality knitwear in Hoswick. They have an online shop as well as a small retail shop in the village (Mon-Fri). Around the corner, you can see a contemporary take on traditional Shetland knitwear by nielanell.

Pay attention to ALL the wildlife
Puffins, ponies and pods of orcas are bit hitters when it comes to bucket list-worthy wildlife experiences in Shetland. The first two are fairly easy to spot – they’re usually in the same locations. Looking for the elusive whales of the North Isles pods is mire like trying to find a needle in a haystack – although they are regularly sighted all year round (join this Facebook group for updates). Luckily, there are countless plants and animals who call Shetland their home – they might not all be as flashy as the “3 P’s”, but they’re all fascinating in their own way.
Here are some of my favourite wildlife activities in Shetland – some are more famous than others:
- A boat trip to see the towering cliffs of Noss – home to a huge breeding colony of Northern gannets. Skipper Phil Harris from Shetland Seabird Tours puts on a chase to give you a close-up look at these magnificent birds. Another option is the boat trip with Seabirds & Seals.
- Visiting the Keen of Hamar nature reserve – the barren moonscape might not look like much at first, but among the loose scree grow some incredibly unique flowers, including the endemic* Edmondston’s chickweed (*you won’t find it anywhere else in the world)
- Spending a day in Unst with a nature guide from Shetland Nature – I learnt so much about birds I didn’t even know existed and spotted everything from rare Red-Necked Phalarope to an entire family of Golden Plovers in the moor
- Enjoying a picnic lunch on a beach in Yell under the watchful eye of a seal in the bay – some people would say “just-a-seal” because they are so commonly seen, but to me, every encounter with a seal is special
- Looking for Shetland bumblebees in Sarah Kay’s wonderful flower garden in Scalloway. The artist with a green thumb has created a colourful wildlife haven next to her art studio – you can arrange a visit here.
Planning a wildlife spotting trip to Scotland? Find out where to go and what to see!


Listen to the stories of locals
In case it isn’t obvious, locals and their stories play a huge role in understanding what makes Shetland tick. If you ask me, meeting locals and listening to what they have to say is one of the most essential Shetland experiences.
Whether you hire a local guide, like trained archaeologist Jon Pulley from Adventure Shetland or island crofter Chris Dyer, join a guided activity like the Mousa Boat trip or the Shetland Pony Experience, or visit museums with local guides like the Shetland Textile Museum or Hoswick Visitor Centre – I highly encourage you to seek out encounters with people from Shetland.
It’s easy to focus on the beauty of the landscapes and fascinating historic sites of Shetland, but it’s the people who live and breathe these islands every day, who will bring Shetland to life for you.



Here you are – don’t leave Shetland without learning about its Viking influence, textile heritage and dark Clearance history, pick up some of the local dialect, appreciate all the wildlife, try to understand its geology and crofting agriculture, spend 1:1 time with Shetland ponies and most importantly, make connections with locals and listen to their stories.
I hope that no matter how much time you spend in Shetland, you will try to build these essential Shetland experiences into your itinerary.
Here’s my one-week Shetland itinerary for inspiration!




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