The Shetlands are a cluster of islands above the north coast of Scotland. The Shetlands are comprised of over 600 islands, but only around a tenth of these are inhabited. The principal settlement is Lerwick, with a population of approximately 8000, equal to around a third of the total population of Shetland. Despite its rural location, the Shetlands are well connected to the mainland. Sambergh Airport provides regular flights to and from the UK and Bergen, and there is also a car ferry from Aberdeen to Lerwick.

Between the Shetlands and the Scottish mainland lie the Orkney Islands. The Orkneys are positioned just off the north coast of Caithness, and are comprised of around 70 islands, less of a third of which are thought to be populated. The primary island of the Orkneys is known as Mainland, the capital of which is Kirkwall. Kirkwall is a port town, and the place from which visitors can catch ferries to Aberdeen, Lerwick and some of the outlying islands.

A strikingly rugged coastline typifies the islands, although this is more pronounced in the Shetlands, which are almost Scandinavian in appearance. This is no surprise when you consider that in terms of geography the Shetlands lie west of Norway. Like northern Scandinavia, the Shetlands and the Orkney islands share a cooler climate and a massive variation in day length, ranging from 4hours in winter to 23hours of daylight in summer.

The region’s unspoilt coastal habitat means that the area is home to a broad selection of animal species, including seals, otters and porpoises. The number of bird species, such as puffins, lapwings and starlings, make the Shetlands popular with birdwatchers. Likewise, the Orkneys are an important breeding location for Artic Terns and Storm Petrels.

Both the Shetlands and the Orkneys are wonderfully historic, with a long heritage of Nordic and Celtic occupation evident in the culture of the islands and the extensive list of archaeological remains, some of which date back to the Bronze Age. The Neolithic remains of the Orkneys are so important as to have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.