First Day in Shetland: Exploring Lerwick

I awoke just off the coast of Shetland, UK, on the ferry with excitement. This was the part of the trip that I had been anticipating the most. For any crime tv show fans, there is a show called Shetland which takes place on, well, Shetland. I had no idea this beautiful place even existed until watching the show, and naturally, it had to be included on the Scotland trip itinerary.

After disembarking the ferry and a very short drive, we arrived at the Aald Harbour Hoose, a beautiful AirBnb. Four bedrooms, a clean, cozy kitchen, and lovely living room, right by the harbor. I fell in love with my room, on the third floor with a stunning skylight and spacious bathroom complete with products from the Shetland Soap Company, a local brand. You can see the dogs felt right at home, too.

A little from weary from travel, the final decision was to spend the day walking around Lerwick, the main town and port of Shetland. I adored every part of this town, how even it seemed small, it did have everything at the same time. The locals are friendly, caring folk, and I spent hours combing over different pieces in the cutest shops.

A special moment today was finding a spot that I grew to love in the show, Shetland. In the show, it is the main character’s house, but to the locals here, it is known as the Lodberrie. Lodberries, known in Old Norse as hladberg, or landing rock, were used as waterfront stores.

On the walk back to the main part of town from the Lodberrie, there were some gorgeous sights along the way.

After walking around a bit more, I stopped for a signature Scottish Irn Bru (which actually wasn’t that bad) and then continued walking around a bit before dinner.

For dinner, I had the delight of dining at The Dowry. Many agree that this is one of the best restaurants on Shetland, and I indulged in their nachos and fish n chips. Both were delicious. The service was spectacular; staff was kind, attentive, and understanding regarding my allergies.