A Day in Lerwick – The Knab, the Museum and the Yarn Shops
A day on foot, from Victoria Pier to Commercial Street.
Written by Laurie Goodlad
Lerwick has a distinct feel, and, like Shetland, its culture sits somewhere between Scotland and Scandinavia. With a lively town centre, picturesque buildings and a busy, international harbour, there’s lots to see, do, eat, buy and enjoy.
Lerwick, Shetland’s main town, is a beautiful place to land on a fine summer morning. The easterly-facing town basks in the early sunshine. There’s always a seal or three curiously watching on from the harbour – a welcome sight after the overnight crossing from Aberdeen.
Lerwick was not a natural choice for a town and has only been the capital of Shetland since the 1800s. The town, built on a steep slope with an 18th-century foreshore that could even rival Venice (well, almost…), grew around the arrival of Dutch fishermen from the 1500s. These fishermen used the sheltered confines of Bressay Sound to anchor their boats before the beginning of their annual summer herring fishery at Johnsmas (24th June).
Locals quickly realised that the Dutch provided a ready – and lucrative – market, and they began trading their knitwear and fresh provisions in exchange for gin, brandy and tobacco. This, often illicit trade, gave rise to the town that we see today, which, it’s said, was built by smugglers – more on that later!
The first thing you’ll want to do is find breakfast and, despite being a town of only 7,500 people, you’ll find a few decent breakfast options to kickstart the day.
The route
Before you go
Coming by sea, book a night in Lerwick and the overnight NorthLink boat, landing on a Tuesday to Saturday, May to September: it docks at Holmsgarth, a 20-minute walk from breakfast, and the boat home sails at tea time.
Book a table for lunch on Fjarå's website or on 01595 697388; it is shut on Mondays.
Book a table at No88 on its website or on 01595 692139: it opens from Wednesday to Saturday only, 11am to 10pm, so on other evenings ring the Dowry on 01595 692373 to book there.
The day
Lerwick
Breakfast Options
A café
For the early bird keen to catch the worm, The Peerie Shop Cafe is set in Lerwick’s old town and opens at 8 am. Serving a range of breakfast options, including James’ legendary scrambled eggs, the Peerie Shop Cafe also serves the best coffee in Lerwick (all opinions are entirely my own – and a vast percentage of locals too!). Top tip: The Peerie Shop Cafe participates in the ‘Too Good to Go’ scheme where they sell off any surplus food that’s ‘too good to throw away’. Anyone – locals or visitors – can sign up via the app and, for £3.50, receive a ‘Magic Bag’ full of surprise goodies at the end of the day. Not only do you get fantastic food, but you also save a meal from being wasted – that’s a win-win! (This is a national scheme, so you can check out what businesses participate in your area too.) The Dowry on the main street – Commercial Street – is a Scandi-style, modern cafe with a fantastic ambience and a real cosmopolitan feel. This may not suit you if you’re an early riser, as they only open at 10 am, but they do have a good menu with lots of healthy options too. For anyone who wants to experience the ‘real’ grit of the town and a big greasy Scottish fry up, visit the Harbour Cafe, a charming ‘greasy spoon’ that’s tucked behind the Thule Bar, just off the Esplanade. It’s worth popping your head in the door just to see the colourful wall art that brightens up the cafe’s otherwise utilitarian space.
About 19 min on foot
Knab coastal walk
A walk
After breakfast, to shake down that breakfast and make the most of the early morning light, a coastal walk around the Knab and on to the Shetland Museum & Archives is the perfect way to blow away any cobwebs. From Victoria Pier, this walk (ending at Shetland Museum) is two miles long (3km). It incorporates stunning coastal scenery, unrivalled seascapes, big skies and a wander through the Edwardian part of Lerwick – or Lerwick’s new town. For this walk, stroll along South Commercial Street, passing the iconic Lodberrie building – better known as the home of fictional Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez. The Lodberrie was built around 1772 and was one of 21 lodberries lining the Lerwick foreshore by 1814. The word comes from the Old Norse hladberg – meaning a landing place or a landing stone – and describes how these practical and beautiful buildings were used. These were trading booths, built with their foundations in the sea, with piers and winches to quickly unload boats before the customs men came along. Legal goods were sold from street-side shops, and the illegal goods, where the real profit lay, were taken into a maze of underground tunnels that ran under the street and the very feet of the customs men. Continue south along Twageos Road before taking the coastal trail at the cemetery. The path, steep in places, enjoys fantastic views across to the island of Bressay and the Stevenson built lighthouse that stands sentry, guarding the approaches to Lerwick Harbour. This area is an amazing place to watch fulmars soaring in the thermals and the sun rising above Bressay’s Ward Hill. From the southernmost point of the Knab, rejoin the coastal path that skirts the understated nine-hole golf course – a popular spot for dog walkers – before reaching Breiwick Road. From here, join St Olaf Street, across the road from the path, and head north (away from the sea, back towards the town). St Olaf Street is about half a mile long and dates to the Edwardian era when town planners in Lerwick began to think about how they would solve the town’s problems linked to the haphazard building flurry of the 18th century. As a result, and in contrast to the chaotic, charming and densely packed maze of houses in Lerwick’s old town, you’ll notice that the streets in this area are wider, more uniform, and yes – straight! Along the way, you pass the King George V Flower Park, which is worth exploring at any time of the year, and the grand Town Hall that dominates the Hillhead area. The Town Hall was completed in 1883 and designed by Inverness-based architect Alexander Ross. Beyond the flower park is the community play park, which serves a dual purpose and is also the burning site for the annual Up Helly Aa fire festival. Up Helly Aa happens on the last Tuesday of January every year, and this is the area where the famous torchlit procession takes place. Once you reach the end of St Olaf Street, cross Commercial Road and nip down Brown’s Road, where you will reach the Shetland Museum & Archives.
About 23 min on foot
Shetland Museum & Archives
An attraction
Shetland Museum & Archives is a purpose-built museum set in the historic Hay’s Dock area of Lerwick. The award-winning museum, which opened in 2007, takes visitors through 5,000 years of human history in Shetland. You’re going to need a few hours here, and even after this, you will probably want to go back for more! Depending on how much time you’ve spent in the museum and what time you set off in the morning, you may have time to dip into the arts and cinema venue, Mareel, for a coffee and some modern cultural vibes.
About 27 min on foot
Lunch
A café
Hungry? If so, head back across town to Fjarå Café Bar, a fantastic option for lunch. Set right on the water’s edge, overlooking Breiwick – the large bay on the approaches to Lerwick harbour – it enjoys views across to Bressay. If you’re lucky, you might see an otter as they are often spotted from the cafe windows, feeding along the shoreline. Other lunch options include The Olive Tree, The Peerie Shop (Friday’s Cullen skink soup is unmissable) and The Dowry.
About 21 min on foot
Shop til you drop
After lunch, be sure to explore the small, independent shops that line Commercial Street. Shetland is famous for its knitwear, and the renowned yarn shops are well worth a visit: Jamieson’s, Jamieson & Smith, the Woolbrokers (North Road), Anderson & Co and Ninian Shetland. Lerwick is a fantastic place to pick up a special gift; a few of my favourite shops are The Peerie Shop, Island Larder (for the Puffin Poo!) and The Shetland Times Bookshop.
About 2 min on foot
Dinner Options
No. 88 on Commercial Street is a trendy restaurant that endeavours to sell, where possible, as much local produce as possible. The placemats on the tables show where the food comes from, along with how many miles it’s travelled. From the restaurant, you can watch the chef and kitchen staff at work preparing your meal. If you haven’t made it to Dowry yet, this is also a brilliant place to have a meal – try the Burra Lobster; it’s excellent! Chef Helen is constantly evolving and changing the menu, which has a distinct tapas-style feel and features lots of local produce. And of course, you might just fancy a takeaway: Fort Fish & Chip Shop for fish and chips wrapped in paper, Phu Siam for fantastic Thai food, The Golden Coach for Chinese, and Raba or Saffron for Indian.
If it rains
The Knab path is steep in places and runs above the sea, so in rain or a strong wind leave it for another day. Walk the 11 minutes from the Esplanade to the museum by the streets instead. It opens at 10am, and Mareel's café bar is next door. The walk to Fjarå for lunch runs along the open shore, so bring a coat with a hood. The Ness of Sound, beyond Fjarå, has no made path and grassy slopes above cliffs: leave it for a dry, still day.
Worth a detour
- Fort Charlotte
Fort Charlotte – completed in 1781, the Fort dominates the waterfront and is the perfect spot to get views across the rooftops and enjoy a fish supper.
- The Ness of Sound
The Ness of Sound – if you fancy another walk, continue along the Sea Road (beyond Fjara) and then walk the headland. Here you’ll find wartime remains from the Second World War and some fantastic graffiti art.
- Clickimin Broch
Clickimin Broch – Standing proud on Clickimin Loch, overlooked by the new Anderson High School, the broch is a 2,000-year-old round tower that was built in the mid-Iron Age.
- Lerwick Town Hall
Town Hall – the Town Hall is open to the public and has excellent interpretation panels that give a good overview of the building and Shetland’s Scandinavian heritage.
Where to eat
The Lounge Bar, a bar in Lerwick.
Mareel, a café in Lerwick.
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Photographs by Peerie Shop Cafe, Ben Hausman and Mark Davies via Google; VisitScotland / Paul Tomkins