12 quirky Shetland experiences

Visitors usually have a set of preconceived ideas about what to expect when visiting Shetland, but there’s nothing better than arriving in a place and enjoying the unexpected. For a few less obvious ideas, try the following.

Antiques is not something that instantly springs to mind when considering a holiday to Shetland, but the islands are a great place to pick up a bargain.

The Antique Shop on Commercial Street is packed with vintage Victorian and Edwardian pieces, as well as a great selection of rare and collectable Shetland books.

The Hatchery Bookshop is an unexpected place in the picturesque Weisdale Valley. The shop is packed with second-hand books, covering various topics and including many vintage children’s hardback classics.

Shoard Charity Shop on the island of Whalsay is a local institution.

COPE Scrapstore in Lerwick and Nesting Scrapstore are both worth a nose around: there are often reasonably priced vintage finds among the 1970s table lamps and ’90s pine furniture.

With more than 1,000 miles of coastline, it’s no surprise that the shores around Shetland are so dramatic. With the second-highest sea cliffs in the UK and a great many caves, it’s little wonder that people are often left in awe when visiting.

One of the best – and most accessible – caves to explore from land is the Smugglers’ Cave in Burra.

Another exciting cave is the Orkneyman’s Cave in Bressay. This cave can only be explored by boat or kayak. A trip with Seabirds-and-Seals can take you in when the weather allows.

The island of Papa Stour, on Shetland’s Atlantic west coast, is also a fantastic place for stunning seascapes and sea caves and these are best explored by kayak.

Most people head into the wilderness to track otters, but you’re just as likely to find them in and around the main town of Lerwick. Shetland is one of the best places to see the Eurasian otter in Europe, and Lerwick is a great place to start.

Otters are often spotted around the Hay’s dock area of Shetland Museum or the Small Boat Harbour in the town centre. If you want to sit back with a coffee and watch them, head to Fjara cafe and keep an eye on the coastline as they often feed in the area.

The best time to spot otters is either side of low tide or early in the morning.

The Peat House outside the village of Cunningsburgh is quite a spooky place to happen upon if you’re not expecting it – and most people don’t chance on it as it’s ‘off the map’. This reconstructed, theatrically staged ‘house’ is well worth exploring for its quirkiness. As you come into Cunningsburgh from the north, take the dirt track to the right until you reach it.

Shetland has a great many beaches, and the South Mainland alone has a dozen sandy ones. Which one to visit? Why not try to do them all? How many of them can you walk across in a day – can you get all 12? Start at the southernmost tip with the beaches of Westvoe and Grutness before heading north towards Quendale, Spiggie, Scousburgh, Rerwick, St Ninian’s Isle, Maywick and Levenwick ...

Did you know that Shetland has its very own gin distillery? Shetland Reel Gin, based on the island of Unst, is delicious mixed into one of The Dowry’s decadent cocktails. The Dowry, named after Shetland’s transition away from Norse rule into Scotland in 1469, is a Scandi-style bar and restaurant on Lerwick’s Commercial Street. Chef Helen creates a bright, modern menu using local ingredients. One of the best is the locally-caught Burra lobster that showcases Shetland’s incredible seafood.

‘Bears? In Shetland?’ Perhaps not in the sense of prowling brown bears but a bear nonetheless. During excavations at Old Scatness, a carving of a bear – the Scatness Bear – was uncovered by archaeologists whilst excavating the Iron Age broch and village. The bear, thought to date to the 9th century, tells us more about our Pictish ancestors than might be assumed. Whoever carved it must have seen a bear, or met someone who had. Bears have never lived in Shetland, so this suggests that there was a degree of contact with mainland Scotland and beyond at a time when we might assume the islands to be remote and isolated.

Most people are familiar with Shetland’s distinctive Fair Isle knitwear, which features bold designs and bright colours that are synonymous with the isles. But, did you know that you can buy Fair Isle bow-ties in Lerwick’s gift shops? If you’d like to stand out at a black-tie event – here’s your opportunity to do so.

Like the knitwear, ponies are one of the first things that spring to mind when we think about Shetland. People perhaps don’t realise that, although not wild, you can bump into these anywhere around Shetland. They often roam around the roads, particularly in Northmavine and Unst, where you can often stop the car and allow them to pop their heads in the window. But here’s a word of warning – they love to chew, so watch your fingers, wing mirrors and interior trim.

Shetland was one of the first places in Britain the Vikings reached, which is no surprise: it is the natural stepping stone between Scandinavia and Scotland. Head to Unst and follow the trail of the Vikings. Visit the Viking and Norse sites of Belmont, Underhoull, Hamar and Norwick. Check out the reconstructed longship and longhouse at Haroldswick.

If you’ve looked at a map of Shetland, you’ll see that it’s a pretty long and narrow island – almost as if someone has stretched it out. The airport at Sumburgh demonstrates how narrow the island is in places as the east-west runway spans the entire width of the island. The main road at the south end of the island crosses the runway itself. It’s pretty surreal to go over the runway – but be sure to watch out for planes.

Finally, take a selfie at 60° North. The latitude line passes through the sweeping South Mainland, metaphorically slicing Shetland in two. It often surprises guests to discover that Shetland is closer to the Arctic Circle than London. You can snap a selfie at the roadside 60 North sign just south of Sandwick or on the island of Mousa, where a ‘bench marks the spot’.