Why Shetland is 'our favourite whale watching destination'

Charlotte Rutherford and Nick Owen, from Finding Fins spent two months in Shetland in the summer of 2022 and shared some of their “best and amazing” orca watching moments with Promote Shetland.

From spotting orca in the crystal waters at St Ninian’s Isle to coming almost within touching distance at Lunning, the couple enjoyed several spectacular encounters.

There's no wonder they were excited and, as Nick says, “You could see their eyes, you could hear them breathing … it was so close you could see down their blowholes.”

What we love about Shetland

It would be an understatement to say that the impact which Shetland has had on us is nothing short of life-changing.

From the wild landscapes and breath-taking scenery, to the plethora of stunning white sand beaches and skyscraper rocky cliff stacks, Shetland is mesmerising no matter where you turn.

Never being more than three miles from the ocean makes it a cetacean-fanatic's dream and besides marine mammals, there is a huge amount of other wildlife to encounter – the bird life is sensational.

The locals are really friendly, warm and welcoming - and extremely helpful particularly if your van gets stuck down a muddy track late on a Sunday evening! (As happened).

It is such a treat to feel so connected to nature, especially experiencing Shetland’s long summer days known as the Simmer Dim.

We loved our time on the islands and certainly didn't want to leave, so it isn’t a surprise that we are already planning our next visit to be as soon as we can.

Read more about Charlotte and Nick's whale watching adventures in Shetland.