Shetland Islands

billyhead

Hi,

I was thinking of going here for a break and was wondering has anyone travelled to the islands before and can offer advice on places to stay, how to get there and what you suggest you should do their. Also could you recommend good places to eat out

Tabnabs

I've been to the Shetlands quite a few times (always with work) and have to be honest in saying it would be way down the list of places to visit. Leirwick is the only real town and apart from sightseeing (with a rental car), there's very little to do.

You can fly from Edinburgh (and stop at Wick along the way) or get the ferry from Aberdeen.

Personally I'd go a bit more exotic and try the Faeroe Islands or Iceland.

billyhead

Dyflin wrote: »

I've been to the Shetlands quite a few times (always with work) and have to be honest in saying it would be way down the list of places to visit. Leirwick is the only real town and apart from sightseeing (with a rental car), there's very little to do.

You can fly from Edinburgh (and stop at Wick along the way) or get the ferry from Aberdeen.

Personally I'd go a bit more exotic and try the Faeroe Islands or Iceland.

Thanks Dyflin,

I was actually considering it because it was high up the list for 2011 on the Lonely Planet as a place to visit.

Tabnabs

If you've been to the west coast of Ireland, you get the picture really. Remote and impressive coastal scenery, no trees and the locals speak with a funny accent :P

Even the Shetland Tourism website is low on information. Says it all really!

RebelButtMunch

I was there on a stopover to the faroe's. Seeing what I saw, I definitely would never go back. Its just like being in the West of Ireland, plus it has all the advantages of having council estates and huge tescos's etc. Expect to see lots of knackers hanging around the town center.
Nothing special.

ScallowayLass

Hi, i'm Irish but have been living in Shetland the last 6 years. I love it here
Coming to Shetland for a visit would very much depend on the time of year and what your interests are, if you were to come in the winter a lot of what the isles have to offer are lost to the elements. There are the 'Fire Festivals' and 'Up Helly Aa' but unless you have locals that can get you tickets into the halls after the firelit processions it can be quite dissappointing for visitors as the the actual torch lit viking procession lasts for about an hour and tourists often find accomdation and what to do after the procession quite frustrating.

We have a fantastic Folk Festival: http://www.shetlandfolkfestival.com/ on usually the last weekend in April which would be a great time to come up as far as events and socialising go. If it's outdoors and wildlife you are after then I would suggest any time from May to September. Shetland is amazing in the summer. The long daylight hours and wildlife spotting oppurtunities.

Shetlands forum online : http://www.shetlink.com/ will give you an insight in to whats on and what to do.

Getting here can be quite expensive, we usually travel by Ryanair between Dubllin and Aberdeen and then the Northlink ferry crossing which is 14 hours from Aberdeen.

The previous post regarding council estates and knackers obviously didn't see anywhere outside of the main town Lerwick. Like any main town has it's downsides and the nightlife isint much to speak of. There are plenty of good places to eat.
July see's us hosting the tall ships events: http://visit.shetland.org/tall-ships

I guess Shetland is an aquired taste. I fell in love with the place the first time I visited 11 years ago.

RebelButtMunch

ScallowayLass wrote: »

Hi, i'm Irish but have been living in Shetland the last 6 years. I love it here
Coming to Shetland for a visit would very much depend on the time of year and what your interests are, if you were to come in the winter a lot of what the isles have to offer are lost to the elements. There are the 'Fire Festivals' and 'Up Helly Aa' but unless you have locals that can get you tickets into the halls after the firelit processions it can be quite dissappointing for visitors as the the actual torch lit viking procession lasts for about an hour and tourists often find accomdation and what to do after the procession quite frustrating.

We have a fantastic Folk Festival: http://www.shetlandfolkfestival.com/ on usually the last weekend in April which would be a great time to come up as far as events and socialising go. If it's outdoors and wildlife you are after then I would suggest any time from May to September. Shetland is amazing in the summer. The long daylight hours and wildlife spotting oppurtunities.

Shetlands forum online : http://www.shetlink.com/ will give you an insight in to whats on and what to do.

Getting here can be quite expensive, we usually travel by Ryanair between Dubllin and Aberdeen and then the Northlink ferry crossing which is 14 hours from Aberdeen.

The previous post regarding council estates and knackers obviously didn't see anywhere outside of the main town Lerwick. Like any main town has it's downsides and the nightlife isint much to speak of. There are plenty of good places to eat.
July see's us hosting the tall ships events: http://visit.shetland.org/tall-ships

I guess Shetland is an aquired taste. I fell in love with the place the first time I visited 11 years ago.

Obviously? And how would you know? I went for a drive around the islands and saw nothing that I wouldn't see in Wicklow or Mayo.

ScallowayLass

Okay, fair enough, but to make such a generailsed statement on a place you just 'stopped over' and 'drove through' is hardly fair. It does take a bit of enthusiasm & effort to see what a place has to offer!

RebelButtMunch

I think its is fair. Unless you go there on specific days like you mentioned then indeed there is hardly anything to see.

ScallowayLass

Depends on what you want to see and how far you look beyond your nose...

I visited Shetland when I was 14, my uncle was manager of one of the hotels in Lerwick.

Firstly you would have to rent a car, no ifs or buts about it. If you want to see the island you will need to do a lot of driving and ferry-taking.

The islands are amazing. The historical sites that are just open to the public are scattered all over and they're really awesome.

The wild ponies are great, but they're all over the road too! They're generally very friendly but watch yourself, they can be mean, all ponies can be.
If you so much as put a toe on the beach 100 seals will pop up to look at you.
Wasn't there the right time of year for the puffins or the albatross, saw a school of porpoises, and there was a whale, we didn't get to see it, but it was there and left, while on a tiny little boat out to one of the uninhabited islands. My uncle saw orcas too during his time living there.

The food is AMAZING. Granted we ate at the top hotel because my uncle was putting us up, but if you're into seafood, you can't go looking for a sandwich without tripping over a tuna. I happen to adore seafood, damn my stupid shellfish allergy

The only thing I didn't enjoy so much is that it was FREEZING. In August.

Very expensive holiday for sure, but if you're into archeology, nature and seafood, then couldn't recommend it more. Am hoping one day to save enough to go back as an adult.

RebelButtMunch

ScallowayLass wrote: »

Depends on what you want to see and how far you look beyond your nose...

Good one!

Daegerty

I should be going there fairly soon, cause I like remote places. Dunnyo why all the negativity, maybe some are used to the hustle and bustle of a big city

Daegerty

Ah jaysus, I just back from there. Tis a lovely place with very nice scenery, people are friendly, lots of nice quiet remote places to go to. The hostels are some of the best I ever been to

Yea there are quite a few scumbags in Lerwick. I don't know where they come from but I couldn't get to like Lerwick. The pubs are fairly grim not a great place to go for a night out. I spent most of my time in Unst which was an interesting place and the ould scumbags don't venture that far north unless they were hiding while I was up there.

mimihops

Going to be stopping off in the Shetlands en route to the Faroes over the summer, anyone got any suggestions on what to do there for the day? Certainly don't want to hang around Lerwick by all accounts!

Daegerty

grab the bus and go see the unst bus shelter if you have the time. how long are you staying?

http://www.unstbusshelter.shetland.co.uk/

mimihops

That's gas! Wouldn't mind that bus shelter down here! We are only going to be there for a day, arriving in Lerwick so I'd say Unst might be a bit too far. Any ideas nearer Lerwick? :-)