Shetland Islands
Updated 04.14.2006
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These over 100 islands and skerries, only 15 inhabited, out of the north
east of Scotland, represent the northernmost part of British Islands.
The climate is temperate oceanic and influenced by the gulf stream. Wildlife
here is almost unspoiled, nevertheless the recent (1993) shipwreck of oil tanker
Brae west of Sumburgh Head. It is a great place to see sea birds
and mammals. Shetland wool and knitwear are worldwide famous. There are also a lot of historical and archeological sites to
visit.
How to arrive:
 | By ferry from
Aberdeen |
| By air
from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Kirkwall |
Accommodations
There are a lot of fine and quite cheap Bed & Breakfast and Guest
Houses that are probably the best solution for a short stay, instead you can
tray self catering. For an exhaustive list take a look at: http://www.visitscotland.net
and http://www.shetland-tourism.co.uk/.
You can also obtain for free a selection of travel brochures
filling the Tourism
Office request form
I can just suggest you two places I loved:
| Spiggie Lodge,
Scousburgh, in South
Mainland, a fine traditional cottage with pleasant old furniture and a great
location. |
| Almara, Hillswick, in North
Mainland, here you will meet one of the kindest persons of the lovely
Shetland people, great cooking. |
Where to eat
Just 3 interesting addresses:
| De Haaf Restaurat, North Atlantic Fisheries College, Scalloway. Great
sea food. |
| The Booth, Hillswick. A vegetarian restaurants that supports a
reeducation center for sick seals. Just try it. |
| Spiggie Hotel, Scousburgh. |
Transports
I strongly suggest you to hire a car, there are a lot of wonderful place
to visit that are too isolated to be reached with public transports
The inter islands
ferries are quite cheap, frequent and efficient
Musts
| walking around St Ninian's Island and the magnificent Tombolo and
cliffs. |
| walking around Mousa (you have to take a ferry)
don't stop only at the magnificent broch (a well preserved iron age tower),
but follow the track all around the isle and visit west and east pools that
harbor
common and gray seal colonies. |
| walking to Fethaland, a lovely inhabited deep sea fishermen village in
the far north of Mainland. |
| walking around Sumburgh Head and behind the lighthouses, one of the
best place to see puffins in UK |
| walking around Eshaness lighthouse, to see the magnificent Holes
of Scraada, a blow hole created by the collapse of the vault of a
subterranean cave, linked to the sea by a natural tunnel, and the magic Dare
Holm, a glorious stack with a magnificent natural arch. |
| Visit the Noss natural reserve. |
| Visit the Hermaness natural reserve. The last two may be visited also
from the see with an unforgettable boat trip organized by Shetland Wildlife Tours,
I strongly recommend it. |
Books and guides:
| Walks on Shetland by Mary Welsh, Westmorland Gazette. |
| Shetland Official Tourist Guide, Shetland Islands Tourism. |
| A guide to Shetland breeding birds by Bobby Tulloch, The
Shetland Times Ltd. |
| Where to watch birds in Shetland by Hugh Harrop. |
| Official Tourist Map Shetland and Orkney, Estate Publications. |
| Michelin - Great Britain and Ireland |
Useful links
Have a good stay.
If you want to share your impressions and addresses E-Mail
me.
E-Mail address
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If
you are searching for travel information and good addresses
about these islands just click at the links below or go to Home where you will find a search engine to scan
this site or the web for you. All the addresses and the
suggestions made in these pages were personally tested.
Azores
(Açores) Sao Miguel,
Terceira, Fajal and Pico
Outer
Hebrides Lewis and
Harris
Ouessant and Sein Brittany, France
Belle Ile en Mer Brittany, France
Chausey Normandy, France
Porquerolles and Port Cros French Riviera
Texel a birds paradise in the Waddenland (The
Netherlands)
Whale watching at the Azores
La Réunion
a tropical paradise in the Indian Ocean
islands
index
Birding
at leoccare.com
Have a good trip.
I'll be glade if you want to share with me your
experiences about islands you visited and addresses you think
worthy to be added.
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Last revised: 04.14.2006.
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