If you are looking for a walking holiday in Scotland that truly gets you away from it all, then you can’t go further than the Shetland Islands. The spectacular unspoilt beauty of the northernmost point of Great Britain is one of those must-have life experiences. Here is a brief overview of some of the delights that will await you.
Shetland doesn’t have huge challenging mountains like many other areas of Scotland, so it is perfect for those who like to walk at leisure and take in the surroundings. You will never be far from the coastline, where you will find beautiful beach after beach. Some of these can appear quite tropical in warm weather, with white sand and turquoise sea.
The Islands are rich in archaeology and history too. In 2002, evidence of human activity from the Late Mesolithic Age, dating back some 6,000 years was discovered at West Voe beach, on the southern tip of the island. The find provided valuable insights into how hunter gatherers lived in Scotland.
The Jarlshof Prehistoric and Norse Settlement near Sumburgh is considered to be one of the most important and largest archaeological sites in Europe. There is evidence of continual occupation from the Neolithic period right up to the 1600s, which can be seen in Iron Age broch and wheelhouses, and a fine collection of artifacts at the visitor centre.
Up to the northern tip of the mainland at Fethaland, you will also discover brochs and monastic ruins. One of the many wonderful things about Shetland is that there is a plethora of unspoilt small islands to visit off the mainland, such as the beautiful Yell, and Unst, where you will find Hermaness, Britain’s northernmost point.
Unst is also rich in Viking history, and at Haroldswick you will discover a longhouse and Viking ship which have been carefully crafted using traditional methods.
If you are looking for walking tours of the Shetland Islands, please get in touch today.