By Maureen Jones
 special to the town crier The Shetlands sit north of Scotland and west of Norway. The puffin, left, can be found on the islands. |
On the far north of coast of Scotland, the Shetland Islands resonate with fresh North Atlantic winds and surging seas. There is a grandeur and a wildness about the scenery of this remote land, no part of which is more than three miles from the sea, crashing waves and towering cliffs.
The Shetlands are famous for their large seabird colonies and rare migrants. Since my favorite bird is a puffin, I jumped at the chance to go with a colleague from the Scottish Tourist Board after attending a conference in Aberdeen. We traveled by Northlink Ferries, which was a delight. You can drive your car onboard, where there is a restaurant and comfortable cabins for the overnight journey.
More than 100 small islands make up the Shetland chain, reached by a 16-hour sea journey from the Scottish coast. Living closer to Norway than Scotland, the Shetlanders were invaded by Vikings so many times that they consider themselves Norse, not Scottish. The culture has some Scottish traditions - no bagpipes or tartans, but people knit with circular needles and play the fiddle or accordion. One-lane roads are typical to the islands, full of archaeological sites, ranging from Neolithic villages - Jarlshof being the most famous - to ancient standing stones.
In January, Shetland’s capitol, Lerwick, hosts Britain’s largest fire festival, Up Helly Aa, a celebration of Shetlanders’ Viking roots. After a procession of “guizers” in fancy dress, including Viking costumes, they throw their flaming torches into a full-scale Viking longship.
The islands are a great place to witness the wonders of the “merry dancers,” the Northern Lights, choreographed in greens, reds and white. The long lazy days of summer give you sunshine for 19 hours, and the other five hours provide a period of twilight known as “Simmer Dim,” a great time to fish. You can play golf at midnight or admire the herds of Shetland ponies. There are no trees on the islands, so it’s always windy. I hiked miles along cliff tops and was rewarded by the sight of more than 250,000 nesting puffins, among millions of guillemots, razor-billed auks, petrels, gannets and great skuas, to name a few. Sea life included seals, otters and whales.
There is much to see and do in the Shetlands, including an abundance of warmth, charm and friendliness that you will rarely find elsewhere. I loved the food, the small hotels and, of course, the puffins. Whether you visit in the spring or summer months, take a short break in autumn or choose a snappy, exhilarating winter getaway, the Shetlands have something for everyone.
Maureen Jones is president of Los Altos-based All Horizons Travel, 160 Main Street. For more information, visit www.allhorizonstvl.com or call 941-5810.
