Great places for children and families in Shetland

Shetland suits children and families well. There is room to run free and explore, and the islands are generally safe.

Here are a few suggestions for people with children:

Michaelswood is in Shetland’s West Mainland and is a community garden set up in memory of Michael Ferrie, a young musician from Aith who died in 1996. The wooded area has a trail through the trees with lots of points of interest, picnic areas, toys and a collection of dinosaurs. There are also swings and a pirate ship in the children’s play area.

Kergord woods are Shetland’s only substantial group of trees and is located in the Weisdale Valley. Planted in the early 20th century, these have some of the tallest trees in Shetland. This is a fantastic place to take children, the trees are perfect for exploring, and there’s a ruined cottage within the forest which makes the ideal spot for a picnic. There’s also a rope swing that spans the burn running through the trees that should be used at your own risk.

Sand Gairdins, also in Shetland’s West Mainland, is a 60-acre site that is open to the public all year round. Since 1991, hundreds of trees have been planted, ponds installed, and picnic areas created. The best time to visit with children is in spring when the frogs return to the ponds to lay their eggs.

Shetland Museum & Archives is a fantastic place for children. Far from being a dusty old museum, it is interactive and welcoming with lots for children to participate in, including treasure hunts, play areas and dressing up opportunities.

The Burn of Lunklet is the perfect place to spend an afternoon, especially if there has been a lot of rain. The Original Cake Fridge makes a good picnic stop, and a path follows the burn up to a waterfall. This is a reasonable length of walk for small children as it’s not too far. The Burn of Lunklet is just a mile or so from the village of Aith.

Beaches

Have a beach day or a beach week. Shetland has no shortage of fantastic beaches, and probably the best area for sandy expanses is the South Mainland which has at least a dozen beaches. Favourites include St Ninian’s Isle, West Voe, Levenwick, Maywick and Quendale.

Sumburgh Head is another area in the South Mainland, sitting at the southern tip of the Mainland. This is a great place to take children as there is a giant killer whale that they can strike a pose beside and plenty of wildlife close at hand. During the summer season, the Marine Centre has lots of family-friendly interactive displays, and the cafe at the top of the hill offers unrivalled panoramic views out to sea. The best time to visit is from late April to early August, when the puffins are nesting on the cliffs.

Shetland has more playparks than you can shake a stick at, and some of them, like Gulberwick, have fantastic views to boot. Most of the 71 play areas are provided by the Shetland Islands Council, but there are a few community play parks that are well worth a visit, including the Hoswick playpark, which has been made using recycled materials and is a fantastic place for children to explore. There are old boats, fishing creels, a mud kitchen and even a sea monster made from discarded tyres. Nesting Mud Kitchen is located on the grounds of the Nesting Primary School. The outdoor play area is a good place to get muddy, so bring a spare change of clothes.

Shetland has eight purpose-built leisure centres across the islands, all with swimming pools included. This is a great way to spend a rainy day, and activities on offer include fitness classes, badminton, squash, yoga, multi-use court hire, gym and health suite facilities and much more. Leisure centres are located in Lerwick, Scalloway, Sandwick, Brae, Aith, Unst, Yell and Whalsay.

Honesty boxes and cake fridges are a particular feature of Shetland and are dotted all over the islands. These roadside pit stops offer a selection of cakes, bakes, fresh eggs, farm produce, jams, chutneys – each box or fridge is different, and you never quite know what to expect. These are fantastic for stocking up the picnic and are great fun for children. The best honesty boxes or cake fridges in Shetland are the Original Cake Fridge near Aith, Marina’s Kitchen Cabinet in West Burra & Emma’s Cake Corner in Hoswick.