A Guide to Shetland

I think I can now start to consider The Shetland Isles as my almost second home. I have been travelling up to the island for the past three years every couple of months. Getting that Logan-air flight is starting to feel as nonchalant as getting a bus into town. I will own up to the fact that the main reason I travel up to the island is to see my boyfriend and his family, who live there but I also quite often plan my trips up to coincide with events happening on the island, like the Screenplay Festival. While Shetland is the perfect place to relax with a book or take long walks every day, don't be fooled into thinking there is nothing to do or you'll be bored; Shetlander's know how to entertain.

So here is my list of suggestions of what to do and where to visit on the island; some all year around and some at specific times of the year.

1. Up Helly Aa Possibly Shetland's most famous and documented festival, don't think you know what happens from the news articles alone. Up Helly Aa refers to any of a variety of fire festivals held annually in the Shetland, in the middle of winter to mark the end of the Yule season. The processions, fires, gally burnings and parties happen all over the island over about a month and are all very exciting. The main event is held in Lerwick, which includes an all-night concert/party, a procession of Vikings through the streets and lots and lots of fire. Although it's a 'fun for all the family' type of event, it can get pretty rowdy later on at night in Lerwick. You can blame all the very drunk Vikings wondering around, but they have worked very hard all year so it's the time to celebrate!

2. Shetland Screenplay Festival Another of the 'specific time' events, the film fest happens around the end of August and into September each year. Based at the Mareel cinema, critic Mark Kermode describes it as ‘better than Cannes’. The festival is a mix of 'homemade' films and new release films and documentaries. The vibe is super friendly and welcoming (as is the Shetland vibe in general), even with big names like Billy Nighy and Jason Isaacs wondering around. There's a film quiz (which always sells out quick) as well as various lectures and classes and Q&A sections after films and 2018 is looking to be the best year yet! Although I'm totally biased due to there being a film I was involved in being part of the festival.

3. Mareel, Open Mic & The Film Quiz Mareel is the creative hub of Shetland. featuring their cinema and concert venue, as well as being the most northerly music and creative industries centre. It's like you took an independent cinema and mashed it together with Cineworld and only kept the best bits. It has a bar and cafe downstairs, as well as one big cinema and one tiny cinema upstairs (which you can rent for private screenings). The staff are always super friendly and helpful and there is always something going on, like the film quiz nights that happen monthly or the open mic nights. Very talented musicians from all over the island meet up to entertain the crowd.
Website: https://www.shetlandarts.org/venues/mareel

4. Fjarå Café Bar Fjarå (pronounced fee-ah-rah) is one of my favourite places to eat on the island. Based in Lerwick, it's set on a mall peninsula of land jutting out into Brewick bay, so it has amazing views to enjoy at all times of the day. From the large windows at the front, you can get a taste of the local wildlife, especially seals. They often come up to onto the rocks in front of the cafe to peer back in at you. Their food is described as 'simple' but it's always amazing, morning, afternoon and night! The cafe also hosts an open mic night every month, which only started recently, but has a cosy and community vibe to it, as well as many very talented musicians.
Website: https://www.fjaracoffee.com/

5. Eshaness Cliffs Less than an hour out for Lerwick lies one of the best views in Shetland; the Eshaness cliffs. Staggeringly tall, you might get a case of vertigo if you wander too close to the edge, but it's well worth it. While up for Christmas one year, we drove to the cliffs during a storm and watches the waves tower over the lighthouse at the edge of the cliffs and soak our car, it was quite the experience. I would highly recommend wearing something warm, even on a nice day, because it tends to be windy.