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 Rockvilla Tours - Shetland

 We are in a position to offer exclusive Shetland tours to our guests. 

We do small group tours, and they can be tailored  as far as possible to people’s interests and fitness. Shetland has some fantastic coastal scenery, some fascinating archaeological sites and unusual geological formations, as well as amazing wildlife.
Some suggestions for tours are:
 
1. The South Mainland. Here we would visit Jarlshof, a site continuously occupied for 4000 years.  The site was uncovered from the sand by a huge storm over a hundred years ago and starts in the Stone Age, has buildings from the Bronze Age,  Iron Ages, the Picts (a Broch and Wheelhouses), Viking Norse farmsteads and finally the Earl’s Hall (Jarlshof) itself. We would also go to the lighthouse at Sumburgh to see the cliffs, the ponies and the seabirds.  The Puffins are summer breeding visitors, but there are plenty of birds to see all year around, and we may also see seals.  Then there are some fantastic beaches, especially the double beach that links the main island to St Ninians Isle - where the treasure was found.  Time permitting we can visit the Quendale Mill and or the Crofthouse Museum as well and see how ordinary folk lived 150 years ago.

2. The North West Mainland/EshaNess Here we would aim for the Esha Ness lighthouse. The coastal scenery is just epic (sorry to use a term I have picked up from tv adverts, but one that is justified here), and the cliffs at the lighthouse are the remains of an extinct volcano. We would see ponies and lots of bird life. 

3. The Westside or the 'Wild West' as it is sometimes called, starts in the flooded limestone valleys as in tour 4 below but  soon moves on to dramatic landscapes carved out of truly ancient rock.  We can visit a croft and meet up close with Shetland Sheep, Shelties (little lassie type dogs) and of course Shetland Ponies.  A visit to the Gardens of Sand / Da Gairdins 'O' Sand is always worthwhile.  Jamiesons Spinning Mill is another option.  There is plenty of varied and beautiful coastal scenery.  The Original Cake Fridge as seen in Jimmy Perez / the Shetland series is also out west.

4. Whiteness and Weisdale, Scalloway and Burra  This tour explores flooded valleys, islands, a castle and can include a bit of shopping.  The central part of Shetland is three limestone valleys, and where they meet the sea, there are sea inlets (Voes), islands and sounds.  On a good day a fantastic panoramic can be seen from viewpoints on top of the hills either side of the valleys.  We will visit Scalloway, Shetlands ancient capital with its castle and museum, and then continue South where the valleys are flooded.  Here the landscape changes to islands and sounds with some super beaches.  This tour can include some retail therapy if required.  Jewellery, knitwear, Shetland lace and arts and crafts are on offer. 

If you are interested, we should chat by email and Jeff can put something together. A full day tour is priced at £300 for one or two people and £340 for four people.  The price includes all incidentals, admission fees and a packed lunch (if required).  So other then paying Jeff, the only other cost would be lunch in a cafe/hotel bar if that option is preferred and any souvenirs. 
 
We both look forward to seeing you at Rockvilla (whether or not you decide to take a tour).
​Jeff's contacts are:

​[email protected]
www.rockvillatoursshetland.com 

Wild Life

The birdlife in Shetland is a big draw. You don't have to be a twitcher to enjoy Puffins and all the other seabirds. Please note that Puffins are here from the end of April to the beginning of August only. However, Gannets and many other seabirds can be seen all year round. Seals and Ponies can be seen pretty much at any time. Otters are a lot harder to see, although Jeff sees about one a month on his daily walks with Maris (our Sheltie). Whales, dolphins and porpoises are much rarer treats.

Geology

The cliffs, islands and stacks to the West and North are the remnants of volcanic activity, with exciting names for some of the features like 'Da Drongs' and 'Dore Holm'. In contrast the cliffs of the seabird city at Noss are a mass of sandstone shelves, almost as if they are designed for nest sites. 

History

Shetland can boast archaeological sites from the Stone Age, the Iron Age (the Picts), the Viking Age, the age of the Scots Earls and the first and second World Wars. Lerwick may only be about 450 years old, but there are a lot of interesting buildings and people to see and/or talk about.

Scenery

Shetland's stunning coastal scenery is impressive, some of the highest cliffs in Britain, seacaves, arches and stacks. Where the coast is penetrated by Voes (flooded valleys, like Fjords) the scenery changes to something a little more sedate, but beautiful in its own way. There are beautiful sandy beaches to explore, with crystal clear water, and usually hardly any people.

See Some Examples

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Photos from Reading Tom, Reading Tom