The Shetland Islands

Typical Itinerary

1. Day 1: Pick-up at Sumburgh airport; evening boat trip to Mousa

   On arrival at Sumburgh airport, you will be met by your guide & transferred by minibus to your hotel. After a welcome dinner and orientation you'll take a boat to the island of Mousa. Mousa Broch dates back to the Iron Age and is the largest example of its kind in Scotland, standing at a staggering 13 metres high. The broch is the summer home to hundreds of European storm petrels, which return ashore to their nests as darkness falls - their bat-like displays as they fly in from the ocean are a truly awesome sight. Depart Mousa just after midnight and return to Sumburgh.

   Accommodation: The Sumburgh Hotel, 3-nights

2. Day 2: Visit Sumburgh Head

   First thing, you'll visit Sumburgh Head to view multitudes of seabirds, including puffins, razorbills, guillemots, kittiwakes and shags. If the seas are calm you’ll also look offshore for minke whales, white-beaked dolphins and harbour porpoises, plus the off chance of spotting killer, and humpback whales. Next it’s the peninsula of Scatness to see breeding Arctic terns and common, and grey seals, then the Loch of Hillwell and Loch of Spiggie for an excellent assortment of breeding wildfowl and waders. The day ends at Dalsetter, observing typical moorland-breeding species like curlew, whimbrel and Arctic skua. 

3. Day 3: Valleys of the Central mainland & boat trip around Noss

   The morning is spent in the crystalline limestone valleys of the Central Mainland, where hopefully you'll see red-throated divers, red-breasted mergansers and Britain's only breeding whooper swans. Arctic hare is also a Tingwall speciality and you should hope to encounter several individuals in the upper reaches of the valley. After lunch, you will board a boat for an unforgettable cruise around the island of Noss for spectacular views of the famous seabird colony, often referred to as 'Britain's best bird cliff'. You'll meet 18,000 gannets along with rafts of guillemots, razorbills, puffins, Arctic skuas and bonxies! You'll also visit common and grey seal colonies and look for harbour porpoises along the way.

4. Day 4: The phalaropes of Fetlar

   Travel north, across the island of Yell, to connect with the morning ferry to the island of Fetlar. The highlight here is the delightful and diminutive red-necked phalarope – one of the rarest breeding birds on Shetland which is located on the southern edge of their Arctic breeding range. Famous for their reversed sexual roles in which the male is solely responsible for incubating eggs and caring for chicks, Fetlar holds over 80% of the British breeding population, although the birds' stay on the island is brief - they generally arrive during the third week of May and are gone by the end of July. You should also see a wide variety of other breeding birds including red-throated diver, Arctic skua, whimbrel, golden plover, dunlin and, if we're lucky, a summering great northern diver. There will also be some time to search the west shore of the island for otters. Fetlar's fertile land produces a dazzling display of wildflowers and it is possible to find several species of orchid with ease.

   Accommodation: St Magnus Bay Hotel, 2-nights

5. Day 5: Hermaness & Keen of Hamar

   Spend the morning exploring Hermaness National Nature Reserve. One of Europe's most important wildlife sites, the moorland is home to 800 pairs of great skuas and the cliffs house 50,000 puffins, 40,000 guillemots, 28,000 fulmars and over 20,000 gannets! Amidst the heather, crowberry and bog bilberry we'll search for the carnivorous sundew and butterwort. In the afternoon visit the Keen of Hamar National Nature Reserve. This unique habitat has a diverse eco-system, and has been likened to walking on the moon. Late in the afternoon we will island-hop south.

6. Day 6: Explore the beautiful north mainland

   Explore the beautiful north mainland – searching for the elusive Arctic Hare along with red grouse and an array of breeding waders. At the picturesque village of Hillswick, you'll make a stop to find the rare and declining oysterplant then lunch at the awe-inspiring Eshaness Cliffs. You'll visit the Grind o' da Navir - an incredible amphitheatre formed by the huge winter seas and on the return, you'll stop to admire the Holes of Scraada - a 120 metre collapsed cave. Keep an eye offshore for plunge-diving gannets and terns, and with luck you may sight whales and dolphins. Nearby, the sheltered bay and beach of volcanic shingle at Stenness holds good numbers of grey seals and offers uninterrupted views – not only of the iconic Dore Holm – but also of the sweeping panorama across St Magnus Bay to Papa Stour with the high peaks of Foula in the far distance. Heading east and eventually south from Eshaness, you will visit one of the best sites for oysterplant. This beautiful maritime plant – which has pink flowers when in bud, changing to a heavenly blue when they bloom – is a nationally scarce species and now found at just a handful of sites in Shetland.

   Accommodation: The Sumburgh Hotel, 2-nights

7. Day 7: East mainland

   We spend the day exploring the beautiful coastline and secluded bays that form the east shoulder of the Shetland Mainland. Shallow, intertidal bays are home to otters, common and grey seals, feeding red-throated divers, summering great northern divers, black guillemots and small flotillas of red-breasted mergansers. Further offshore we can often encounter small pods of our smallest cetacean - harbour porpoise - known as ‘Neesicks’ here in Shetland. Onshore, large numbers of Arctic terns nest among the boulder beaches with smaller numbers of ringed plovers and oystercatchers joining them. The surrounding heather moorland is home to small numbers of red grouse plus golden plovers, whimbrels, curlews and mountain hares and if we are lucky, we may encounter one of Shetland’s rarest breeding raptors – merlin. Later in the day we will head back south, enjoying the high vista-views of St Ninian’s Isle and Foula to the west and Mousa and Noss to the east before visiting the puffins and other seabirds at Sumburgh Head – the perfect way to round off our week.

8. Day 8: Drop-off at Sumburgh airport

   After breakfast transfer to Sumburgh airport.