Your tour starts in the fishing port of Lerwick, founded in the 17th century.  The center is full of character, especially by the water’s edge where the older buildings are situated.  As we drive through the town we will see the Town Hall before turning west to the old town of Scalloway, the original main town and second largest settlement on the island.  En route we will pass Clickimin Broch –a defense tower with surrounding structures dating back 2,000 years. On arrival in Scalloway we will stop to visit the now roofless Castle which was built around 1600 by the tyrant Earl Patrick Stewart.  He used forced labor to build his residence and was executed in Edinburgh in 1615. You will then visit the fascinating local museum, which has a special display devoted to the Shetland Bus, boats which traveled between Shetland and Norway helping the Norwegian Resistance movement during World War II. If you prefer, wander along Scalloway’s Main Street and view the waterfront.  Leaving Scalloway, you will travel through the Tingwall Valley, pausing for a photo stop to view a small herd of Shetland Ponies.This tour also includes a stop at the Shetland Jewellery Workshop, where the group will get a tour of the workshop to see how the pieces are designed and created.
 
Please note: Scalloway Museum is wheelchair accessible, Scalloway Castle is not. Scalloway Castle is situated right next door to the museum, so guests will be able to see it however it is covered in scaffolding for the foreseeable future.

 

 

 

Depart through Lerwick, the capital of Shetland, as you begin your trip to the island’s most southerly point.  En route, you will pass through the rural townships of Fladdabister and, conditions permitting, pause to admire the view of the magnificent Mousa Broch, the tallest and best preserved broch in the world.  You will continue south down the west coast and pass St Ninian’s Isle where the famous Pictish horde of silver dating from the 9th Century was found in 1958. Continue south to visit the remarkable archaeological site of Jarlshof.  The site was uncovered by a violent storm in the winter of 1896/7, revealing an extraordinary settlement site embracing at least 5,000 years of human history.  The site contains a remarkable sequence of stone structures – late Neolithic houses, a Bronze-Age village, an Iron-Age broch and wheelhouses, several Norse longhouse, a medieval farmstead, and the 16th century laird’s house.   Visit the remains of these village settlements with your guide to make the most of your time here. You will then return to Lerwick with your guide telling you more about these islands as we look out for Shetland’s famous ponies on the way back. . 

 

Please note:  Jarlshof is not wheelchair accessible.  Wear comfortable walking shoes.