6 romantic experiences in Shetland
It’s fair to say Shetlanders don’t have a reputation for being hopeless romantics – and I feel just about qualified enough to say that, being a local and married to a Shetlander who somehow managed to sweep me off my feet (even if his idea of a first Christmas gift was… a clothes pulley).
Shetland’s northern latitude means that sunset is a time to savour and enjoy. The so-called Golden Hour drifts on for hours, and there is nothing more romantic than packing a picnic and chasing down a summer sunset.
But while grand romantic gestures might not be the Shetland way, the isles themselves are a romanticist’s dream. There’s something quietly magical about the windswept cliffs, starlit skies, and glistening sands. So, whether it’s a windswept beach walk, a cosy night in, or a bracing hike, Shetland makes the perfect backdrop for some unforgettable one-to-one time with your loved one.
Book a romantic getaway at Busta House Hotel
Picture the scene: you, your beloved, a beautiful 16th-century country house steeped in history … oh, and a resident ghost. Who said three’s a crowd?
Tucked away on the sheltered shores of Busta Voe, Busta House Hotel is the stuff of storybooks – and not just because of its whisky-laden bar and roaring fire. Just a few miles outside Brae, this 16th-century house-turned-hotel is one of Shetland’s most historic houses, offering warm hospitality, cosy nooks, and its own tragic love story to boot.
The hotel, offering dinner as well as bed and breakfast, is as popular with locals as it is with visitors who seek a touch of Busta’s magic. But before you book your stay, let’s explore the love story…
Originally the home of the wealthy Giffords, a landowning family with much prominence in the isles, Thomas Gifford had it all: a thriving estate, a loving wife, and 14 children. Unfortunately, the events of May 1748 were to shake the family to the very core, starting a feud that would last almost 100 years and see the estate bankrupt and broken.
In May 1748, on a calm and quiet evening, four of Gifford’s sons went out in their boat and were tragically lost, leaving the estate without a male heir – the other male heirs had died eight years earlier during a smallpox epidemic.
Barbara Pitcairn, an orphaned cousin who stayed in the house as a companion to Lady Gifford, confessed that she and John (the elder, now deceased, heir) had been secretly married and carried his child. Despite the family never acknowledging the marriage, she gave birth to a son and was banished without her son, who was brought up as the heir to the estate.
Busta House Hotel is reputed to be haunted by Barbara Pitcairn, who returns seeking her lost love and her lost son.
Chase the sunset on Shetland’s Atlantic west coast
Shetland’s northern latitude means that sunset is a time to savour and enjoy. The so-called Golden Hour drifts on for hours, and there is nothing more romantic than packing a picnic and chasing down a summer sunset.
With nothing but the island of Foula breaking the western horizon, Shetland’s sunsets are truly unmatched.
Here are a few of the best places to catch the sun before it sinks beneath the horizon:
- Eshaness, North Mainland
- Minn Beach, Burra
- Deepdale, West Mainland
Book a private sauna at Haar Sauna and walk hand-in-hand along St Ninian’s Isle Beach
For the ultimate romantic retreat, why not book a private session at Haar Sauna on the sands of St Ninian’s Isle – one of Shetland’s most iconic and breathtaking beaches?
Tucked beneath the dunes, this Scandi-inspired, wood-fired sauna is the perfect blend of wild nature and luxurious relaxation. With teasing views of the sweeping tombolo and turquoise waters, the gentle heat and scent of woodsmoke create a cosy, intimate atmosphere.
Between steamy sessions, cool off with an icy plunge in the North Atlantic (if you’re brave enough!) or wrap up in a blanket and sip something warm as the waves roll in.
It’s peaceful, it’s rejuvenating, and it’s just a little bit of magic. The kind of moment you’ll remember for years – especially if shared with someone special.
Elope to the Mousa Broch like a Viking
Mousa Broch is an iconic Iron Age tower built on the uninhabited island of Mousa. It is accessible by boat throughout the summer with The Mousa Boat. It’s best known as being the best-preserved Iron Age broch in Scotland – and if we want to brag (or have a peerie dig at Orkney) the World (!) – but what is less known is that this 2,000-year-old round tower was also used as a bolthole for eloping lovers in Viking times.
In AD 900, two lovers, eloping from Norway, Bjorn Brynlfsson and Thora Roaldsdottir, were shipwrecked and took refuge in ‘Morseyarborg’. The couple were allegedly married and overwintered in the broch before heading to Iceland, where they settled and raised a family. Their story is recounted in Egil’s Saga, and local lore tells us that, many years later, a man from Iceland arrived in Mousa to trace the broch where his distant relative was conceived.
Similarly, the Orkneyinga Saga tells us that, in AD 1153, the mother of Earl Harold, Margaret – a widow with quite the reputation amongst men – ran away to Mousa with her lover, Earl Erland Ungi, leading to her son’s futile attempts to besiege the broch. In the end, Earl Harold agreed to the match, on the condition that Erland supported Harold.
Escape to an island
Why not seek out some quiet solitude and hike on one of Shetland’s smaller islands? Papa Stour, off Shetland’s west coast, is the perfect island to hike. With a rugged west coast, the smell of squill in summer and cliffs laced in candy-floss pink thrift, Papa is the ideal place to slow down to a walking pace and enjoy good company and memory-making.
But Papa isn’t just a natural beauty – it also has its own tales of love and lust. One of the most curious is associated with the Maiden Stack, a towering sea stack guarding the harbour. Legend has it that a young woman was exiled there by her overprotective father, determined to keep her away from suitors. Unfortunately for him, one determined (and rather daring) admirer managed to scale the stack and win her heart – and nine months later, a child was born.
Now that’s a love story with a cliffhanger ending…
Seek out the stars
What could be more romantic than gazing up at the twinkling constellations under a moonlit sky and, if you’re lucky, the shimmering dance of the Northern Lights? Add to this, matching Fair Isle jumpers, and you are on another level of romance.
The northern lights are a phenomenon that occurs in polar regions and is one of the most spectacular displays in the night sky. Shetland, thanks to its northern latitude, is the best place in the UK to spot the aurora borealis – known locally as the mirrie dancers – and on a clear night, the skies can come to life as veils of green, pink and purple dance through the night.
Did you know that, in local folklore, the Mirrie Dancers were thought to bring increased fertility, and their appearance in the sky was seen as a powerful omen? The northern lights have inspired – and scared – people for thousands of years, and folklore tells us tales of bad omens, increased fertility and change brought by this night-time phenomenon.
By Laurie GoodladBorn and raised in Shetland, Laurie loves the unique history and culture there so much that she started her own tour company offering visitors the chance to see the isles through the eyes of an islander. Find out more at www.shetlandwithlaurie.com
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