Unique things to do in Shetland

The Shetland Islands are nothing short of extraordinary. This rugged and remote archipelago of over a hundred islands is rich with traces of ancient history and Viking heritage. The islands traditions, food and drink, vibrant culture, and incredible wildlife keep visitors returning again and again.

Here is a list of 12 unique things that you can do in Shetland during your next visit!

1. Undertake a golf game at midnight

Shetland provides a truly unique golfing experience, where courses are surrounded by stunning landscapes. Then there’s the rare opportunity to play a round of midnight golf during ‘simmer dim,’ the time around midsummer when the sun barely sets below the horizon in these northerly parts.

Playing midnight golf in Shetland is a surreal and unforgettable experience. Tee off beneath a sky painted in soft pinks and golds, with a lingering twilight that never quite fades to darkness. There’s a sense of calm and freedom as you play a round at such an unusual hour, the landscape bathed in a glow that makes every fairway and green look otherworldly.

2. Drive across a runway at Sumburgh Airport

At Sumburgh Airport in Shetland, the main road to the south of the islands runs directly across the airport’s runway. This makes it one of the few places in the world where you can drive over an active landing strip! Traffic lights control the crossing, stopping cars whenever planes are taking off or landing, much like a railway crossing.

It’s a striking reminder of Shetland’s unique geography and is a memorable experience for both locals and visitors driving to the southern tip of Mainland Shetland.

3. Visit a Viking farmstead at Jarlshof and at Underhoull, Unst

Jarlshof in Shetland offers a remarkable glimpse into over 4,000 years of continuous settlement, with the remains of longhouses evoking the daily lives of Norse farmers who once worked the land by the sea. Wandering through the stone structures, you can almost imagine the hearths burning and families gathered inside as storms rolled in from the Atlantic.

By contrast, the Viking longhouse site at Underhoull on Unst, Britain’s northernmost inhabited island and thought to have been the first footfall for Vikings in the North Atlantic – feels more remote and atmospheric. There are remains of at least 60 longhouses in Unst  – the highest density of rural Viking sites anywhere in the world, including Scandinavia.

4. Visit Britain’s biggest birdbox on Mousa

Visiting the island of Mousa is a truly unique experience, and the “birdbox” is no ordinary structure but the 2,000-year-old Mousa Broch – an Iron Age stone tower that has become a haven for storm petrels.

By day, the broch stands as one of the best-preserved prehistoric buildings in Europe, with its towering drystone walls and atmospheric chambers. By night, it transforms into a living spectacle, as thousands of tiny storm petrels return from the sea in the summer months to nest within its ancient stones, their chattering calls filling the darkness.

From late May to mid-July, guided night-time trips with The Mousa Boat allow visitors to witness this spectacle for themselves – a fun and truly unique adventure!

5. See a fire festival

Seeing a fire festival in Shetland is an unforgettable experience, where the islands’ Norse heritage is brought vividly to life in a blaze of light and sound. Lerwick Up Helly Aa takes place on the last Tuesday of January, but there are a number of other rural fire festivals and these are a fantastic experience too.

As darkness falls, guizers dressed in elaborate Viking costumes march through the streets. The streetlights are turned off as the guizers flaming torches illuminate the night, and cheers and music fills the air. The climax comes with the dramatic burning of a specially-built Viking galley, its flames soaring skyward.

The mix of history, spectacle, and community spirit creates a thrilling atmosphere – this unique Shetland tradition is one for your bucket list!

6. Make friends with Shetland ponies and puffins

One of the most charming experiences the islands have to offer are encounters with some of the local wildlife. Shetland ponies, with their sturdy builds and gentle temperaments, are left to wander wild across the islands. They will often wander close to visitors, their shaggy manes blowing in the wind as they curiously nuzzle for attention.

You can see puffins, known locally as Tammie Norries, in Shetland from roughly April to mid-August, when they come ashore to breed. Providing an equally delightful encounter, their brightly coloured beaks and comical waddles making them instantly endearing. Sumburgh Head is one of the best places in Shetland to spot puffins up close – and the cliff edge is fenced off – making a visit safe for birdwatchers of all ages.

7. Visit the most northerly places in the UK at Unst

Visiting Unst, the most northerly of the Shetland Isles, feels like standing at the edge of Britain itself. From the rugged cliffs at Hermaness, where the Atlantic crashes against towering sea stacks and great colonies of gannets and puffins wheel overhead, to the lonely Muckle Flugga lighthouse perched beyond the shore, the sense of remoteness is exhilarating.

There are so many things to see in Unst. From Viking heritage sites, to Muness castle – one of Shetland’s finest examples of 16th-century architecture. Stop by the world-famous, and often redecorated, Bobby’s Bus Shelter, a quaint, remote bus stop that has captured hearts far beyond Shetland. See Shetland’s largest and most impressive standing stone at Lund. The Keen of Hamar boasts plants so rare that they can only be found in a few places across the globe. Read Our trip to Unst, the UK’s Most Northerly Island! or 10 things to do in Unst for more ideas!

8. Walk along a sand spit at St Ninian’s Isle

St Ninian’s Isle is connected to the Shetland Mainland by a narrow stretch of sand. This is known as a sand spit or a tombolo. Locally it is called an ayre, which comes from the Old Norse for ‘gravel bank’. This remarkable 500m long feature, the largest of its kind in the UK, stretches out in a golden arc. With waves lapping gently on either side as you make your way towards the island, the sense of being surrounded by water is very peaceful and unique.

St Ninian’s Isle itself is a place of history and legend, where a famous Pictish treasure hoard was discovered beneath an ancient chapel.

9. Look for quirky places

There are so many quirky and unusual places to visit in Shetland, from beautifully colourful houses to thriving gardens (which are much more difficult to maintain in the northern climate, such as Da Gairdins and the Jubilee Flower Park in Lerwick.)

The ‘shellie hoose’ is a shed found in Hamnavoe on Burra, and it is entirely covered, in intricate patterns, with shells collected from the local area, including mussels, limpets, and periwinkles.

Near Brae in the north of Shetland, Mavis Grind is a thin strip of land between the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea where you can allegedly throw a stone from one to the other. It was historically known as the “boat draa” because mariners would haul their boats overland rather than make the difficult journey around Northmavine. 

In Scalloway, we discovered a gorgeous fish fence much to the delight of our children!

One final quirky thing to see is the spectacular knitted fence that Hamnavoe local resident Anne Eunson created for her garden. She used strong, black twine, similar to fishing net material, and knitted a Shetland lace pattern using adapted curtain rods as needles. The project took her about three weeks! 

10. Learn about the art of Fair Isle knitting

Passed down through generations, Fair Isle knitting is instantly recognizable for its intricate patterns and rich colourwork, often inspired by the sea, skies and landscapes of the remote island of Fair Isle.

To learn about it is not just to study a technique, but to connect with a tradition that has carried Shetland’s name across the world. Visit the islands in late September to experience Shetland Wool Week, a celebration of Britain’s most northerly native sheep, the Shetland textile industry and the rural farming community on these islands. Or visit Shetland Textile Museum at the Böd of Gremista, just outside Lerwick which uniquely has a single focus on Shetland historical and contemporary textiles, especially knitting. 

11. Get a special bear made to celebrate a loved one

At Burra Bears, each bear is crafted from recycled Fair Isle knitwear, giving it both a unique character and a tangible connection to Shetland’s heritage. However it is also possible to request that a bear is made using treasured garments or carefully chosen patterns. This means the bears become keepsakes filled with memory and meaning, whether to honour someone’s life, mark a milestone, or simply carry a reminder of home.

Soft wool is transformed into a bear full of personality, stories stitched together, creating a companion that is as comforting as it is beautiful. A Burra Bear is more than a souvenir; it can be a lasting symbol of love and remembrance.

12. Try Reestit Mutton Soup, Shetland Mussels and Puffin Poo!

Try some of Shetland’s unique foods – such as a bowl of Reestit Mutton Soup, with its tender, salted meat and hearty vegetables, which offers a taste of comfort rooted in generations of island life, warming both body and spirit on a cool day.

Shetland mussels, steamed to perfection and bursting with the flavour of the sea, showcase the freshness of the surrounding waters and are best enjoyed simply, with a squeeze of lemon.

Pop along to the Island Larder shop in Lerwick and pick up some Puffin Poo, which is thankfully not what it sounds like, but a fun and indulgent local sweet made of white chocolate, meringue, and marshmallow!

By Victoria Dixon
Orkney and Shetland fanatic, likes to capture life through a lens, loves creating, eclectic taste in music, enjoys being a Mum; would secretly love to be a star of the West End!

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