Shetland Islands Tour

Our first stop in the British Isles was the remote Shetland Islands. Located in the heart of the North Sea, this island archipelago is the northernmost region of the United Kingdom. In addition to incredible landscapes, the islands are also significant for their Viking history. Although the Shetland Islands are a part of Scotland, their Norse heritage is reflected in the local way of life.

Our ship docked in Lerwick, the islands’ main town, and the start of our tour. There were only seven of us today, as the husband of one of our couples had tested positive for COVID. Tim and I were a bit taken aback by that news, but everyone wore masks in the tight confines of our van.

Our private guide was Lara Thompson, a native Shetlander who has been in the tourism industry for 22 years. She proved to be a wonderful guide with a wealth of information to share.

Our first stop was the Lodberries. Lerwick’s waterfront is lined with merchants’ private wharfs with attached houses, workshops, and storehouses. These stone structures are collectively called lodberries. When we sailed away from Lerwick at 5:00 pm, we had a perfect view of these iconic buildings from the water side.

The Lodberries

View of the Lodberries on Our Sail Away

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word Shetland? If you answered ponies, that was my thought as well. I was excited that our next stop was to see ponies! We visited with the famous ponies, and Lara told us all about the breed’s history. As she said, “They are potentially our most famous export and definitely our cutest!” That was a fun stop.

Lots of Shetland Ponies - They Were All Cute!

Tim Thought So Too

We stopped next at St Ninian's Isle beach to see one of the best sand tombolos in Europe and the largest active tombolo in the United Kingdom. I had never heard the term tombolo, but I learned that it is a natural sand causeway with sea on either side. The tombolo at St Ninian's is subject to waves from two opposing directions that break simultaneously along its length. The result is symmetrical, sweeping beaches facing north and south.

The beach itself and the rocky cliffs were also lovely, and Tim spent some time just gazing across the water. We saw more ponies at the beach, this time with two young girls astride. We stopped to chat with the youngest girl who was carrying a lamb.

You Can Just Make Out the Tombolo Near the Top of This Photograph

St Ninian's Isle Beach

We next made our way to Sumburgh Head, with its steep cliffs and the oldest lighthouse in the Shetland Islands. Sumburgh Head is one of the most accessible seabird colonies in Britain, as we would soon find out. After walking around the lighthouse and admiring the views from the cliffs, Lara directed us to a viewpoint along the side of the cliffs, which were teeming with thousands of seabirds.

Sumburgh Head Lighthouse

The Cliffs at Sumburgh Head, and the Type of Stone Wall Found Throughout the Islands

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw hundreds of puffins.  Puffins are my favorite birds, and I had never seen so many so close.  I couldn’t stop trying to take the perfect photograph, and I lingered there longer than I should have.  After that visit, I would have to disagree with Lara.  Although the ponies were cute, for me, the puffins were the cutest critters on the island.

A Puffin Among the Pretty Flowers

I've Never Seen So Many Puffins So Close

A Plethora of Puffins - I Couldn't Resist!

Let's Not Forget a Rock Full of Guillemots

After leaving the puffins behind, we headed to Jarlshof for a guided tour. Jarlshof is a fascinating prehistoric archeological site featuring settlements from periods ranging from the Neolithic era to the sixteenth century. Here, an Iron Age broch and wheelhouses, as well an ancient Norse longhouse from a Viking community, have survived despite the sea’s best efforts to wash them away. We were able to wander around and through much of the site and try to gain an understanding of this amazing place.

Jarlshof 

A Rendering of What Jarlshof May Have Looked Like

Bronze Age Smithy

Lara Explaining the Iron Age Broch

The 1500s Era Laird's House

On the way back to the ship, we drove by Scalloway, the former capital of Shetland, and then by Clickimin Broch, an outstanding example of a sophisticated type of stone-built roundhouse found only in Scotland.

Scalloway and the Scalloway Castle

Clickimin Broch

I learned later that many Viking cruises are forced to skip Lerwick due to weather conditions. Luckily, ours wasn’t one of those. I truly loved our visit to the Shetland Islands, and while the landscape and history of this place were remarkable, I’ll especially remember the ponies and the puffins. Too cute!

Our sail away from Lerwick gave us a different vantage point from which to appreciate the Shetland Islands. And later, we were treated to a gorgeous sunset.

A Beautiful Sunset to End Our Day