Visiting Shetland in 2024

Located where the Atlantic Ocean meets the North Sea and with nowhere more than three miles from the sea, Shetland easily captures the imagination.

The islands’ unique landscapes, opportunities to witness spectacular wildlife and explore incredible history are hugely appealing. And once here, visitors often discover there is far more to experience than they expected.

Whether you’re planning to enjoy the majesty of Shetland for the first time or are drawn back by the islands’ unique allure, this blog features the views of some of those who will help you make memories to last a lifetime.

With the first puffins spotted on cliffs around the islands, and daylight lingering into the evening, it feels as if Shetland’s spring has truly arrived. Although there is much to entice visitors during the autumn and winter months, spring and summer are the most popular times for visitors.

These are the months to experience our spectacular seabirds, meet Shetland pony foals, and walk in the magic of the simmer dim – the almost constant daylight of mid-summer.

Across the islands, tourism businesses are preparing for the new season, and I chatted to some of them to learn about why they love Shetland and what the peak tourism season means for them.

Every year I welcome spring by taking my bairns on one of the popular boat trips from Lerwick around the island of Noss. Familiar with the signs of the changing season the children begin asking when we are going to see the gannets!

Every summer over a million seabirds, from 21 different species, return to cliffs around Shetland to breed. We are lucky to have several places where you can see these colonies up close from land. Sumburgh Head and Hermaness are particularly popular places for this.

But to experience them from sea is something quite different.

From April to October boat tours depart Lerwick Harbour and sail to the gannet colony at Noss, there is even an opportunity to experience sunrise sailings – especially popular with wildlife photographers.

Seabirds-and-Seals is operated by guides Marie and Brian. Both grew up in Shetland and their knowledge of, and passion for, the islands’ wildlife shines through. During the journey they share stories of Shetland’s history, culture, and folklore.

The gannets recognise their boat and as we approach the spectacular Noss cliffs they begin to fly closer. They dive for fish, sometimes just metres from the boat and the clarity of the water allows you to glimpse the colour and movement of their descent through the water. To sail with a sky and sea filled with these majestic birds is a truly unforgettable experience.

I chatted to Marie and Brian about the 2024 season and asked about some of their recent awards. “We are very much excited about our 2024 season. We have an ever-increasing number of group bookings this year – more than doubled from last year – and it’s great to see so many independent travellers rebooking.

“We are absolutely delighted with our recent awards over the past year, first achieving Visit Scotland’s 5-Star grading which is recognised as an exceptional standard and the highest you can achieve.

"We then went on to win two awards at the Highlands & Islands Thistle Awards for ‘Best Visitor Attraction’ & ‘Inclusive Tourism’. In late 2023 we worked more on our Green Tourism online assessment after making further sustainable changes, we then submitted our second online assessment and were delighted in early 2024 to go from a ‘Silver’ grading to a ‘Gold grading.

"Not only that we also won ‘Service Excellence’ award for the whole of Scotland at the FSB – Federation of Small Business awards and not go on the UK finals in Blackpool in May.”

For me, there is no better way to see Shetland than from horseback. To ride surrounded by sunshine and skylark song, with golden sand and turquoise water stretching as far as the eye can see, is a truly remarkable experience.

Houlls Horses and Hounds in Burra is currently the UK’s only riding school that exclusively uses Icelandic horses. This small, hardy breed provides a very different riding experience as they have tölt, a four-beat lateral gait which feels incredibly smooth for the rider.

Houlls welcomes people of all levels of riding experience and provides a supportive environment to explore Shetland’s incredible landscape from horseback. In addition to treks for visitors, they have a community of local riders who regularly attend the school.

Dorothy, the riding school’s owner, told me that 2024 is their 10-year anniversary and that they have some special events planned in the summer to celebrate.

“Shetland is a magical and amazing place to live with spectacular views and such special community spirit. This year we are celebrating our anniversary by putting on some special events. In June we have Alan Hiscox from the British Horse Society visiting to do a talk on road safety. Also, in June we have a visiting trainer coming from Manchester to do an introduction to TREC which will be a week-long event.

"We will be putting on a simmer dim ride to raise funds for the Shetland Indoor Arena [a proposed new venue for equestrians in Shetland] in July, and in August our riders will be taking part virtually in the Scottish Open Icelandic Horse Competition.”

Dorothy explained these virtual events provide an important opportunity for people in Shetland to engage with worldwide Icelandic horse culture.

With 1,679 of miles of coastline, you are never far from an amazing beach or seaside walk. But if you want to experience the coast in a new way you might want to consider coasteering.

Michael from Sea Shetland said “We provide the opportunity to explore these natural wonders from a distinct perspective, immersing visitors in the rugged beauty of the island's shores and revealing its diverse marine life. With Sea Shetland's guided adventures, visitors can embark on journeys along the coast, forming connections with both the natural surroundings and the friendly locals who call Shetland home.”

Coasteering is a mix of walking, climbing, swimming, and exploring. Groups can jump from cliffs into the sea, swim into hidden caves and experience parts of the coastline that are rarely seen. Experienced guides know these places intimately and choose safe spots for adventure and provide all necessary safety equipment.

As the business grows, they are looking to try some new activities and tours, “We're thrilled about some upcoming developments. We're currently exploring the possibility of expanding our range of coasteering routes across Shetland, offering more thrilling adventures along our beautiful coastline.

“Additionally, we're excited about the potential to introduce new activities for our customers to enjoy. Stay tuned for updates and keep an eye on our social media platforms for more information!”

In addition to guided tours they offer hire of equipment such as paddle boats, wetsuits and surfboards, allowing more people to experience Shetland’s spectacular coastline.

With so many things to see and do it can feel a little overwhelming and if you are thinking of visiting the islands you might want to get yourself a good travel guide that helps you explore some of Shetland’s most unique places.

Local writers Misa Hay and Laurie Goodlad have spent years researching and writing their new guidebook, due to be released this summer. The book has 250 pages of beautiful photographs and helpful information to help you make the most of your visit.

This travel guide not only provides information about places to visit but also gives insights into the local history and culture. The authors’ in depth local knowledge will help you learn the best beaches for swimming, where you might see whales and about local events such as Sunday teas that are not to be missed!

The book also includes an essay on local culture by Ann Cleeves, the author who introduced detective Jimmy Perez to the world! And for fans of Shetland the crime drama, there is information about how to find places featured in the series.

Laurie said, “Our guidebook is more than just a collection of places to visit: it's a love letter to Shetland, a thank you for its breathtaking landscapes, rich heritage, and the adventures it offers. This book offers readers a unique perspective on exploring Shetland.”

So often, when you have amazing encounters with wildlife, you want to have pictures to remember the experience. Sometimes we are too busy in the moment to remember to take photographs or do not have the necessary equipment to capture the close-up details of animals’ lives. We are lucky that local expert Brydon Thomason has taken those pictures so we don’t have to! His book is filled with wonderful photographs of the islands’ wildlife, capturing some of the most iconic visitor experiences like whales, otters and seabirds.

In addition to images and information about the species featured, Brydon shares his own stories about Shetland and his experiences with nature. He said “My book is a celebration of Shetland’s wildlife and how the species change throughout the seasons. People tell me that they love the images, the stories and information behind them but also the connection I have to the wildlife and the pride I feel for the isles and the Shetland way of life.”

Brydon is a tour guide who specialises in showing visitors our nature and wildlife. “Shetland has so much to offer. Something that I realise more and more, the older I get and the more the world changes is just how special our access to the natural world and the wild outdoors is in Shetland. The space, the views the wild walks and everything that they combine to make you feel, that I think is what's so special about Shetland.”

He said he was expecting a very busy season in 2024 and is “so excited about the coming weeks and months and sharing Shetland and our wildlife with visitors from far and wide.”

When will you visit Shetland? Check out the Seasons page to discover the ideal time and start planning your trip to the islands.