Shetland.org

Sport

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Shetland has many dramatic coastal walks.

If you want to get physical, you can of course exercise very effectively with no more than some personal fitness equipment or a pair of good walking boots. We do have some great walking and cycling territory and we benefit from Scotland’s enlightened legislation on access to the countryside, which reflects Shetland tradition. Although you can walk responsibly almost anywhere, a great deal of work has recently gone into marking and improving some of the more popular walking routes, ensuring that they are marked and have stiles wherever necessary.

It's possible to get involved in almost any kind of sport in Shetland.  Our sports centres host badminton, netball, bowls and squash, among many other pursuits. In summer, many local teams compete in the local football leagues and there is rugby, sailing, running, cycling, hockey and much else.

Superb Leisure Facilities

When it comes to facilities for active leisure, we doubt if there is a community of 22,000 people anywhere that has leisure facilities to equal those in Shetland. Indeed, some communities several times our size have less to offer. This is because a substantial amount of the funds Shetland has gained from oil have been invested in state-of-the art leisure centres. The largest of these is the Clickimin Leisure Complex in Lerwick, which has an 6-lane. 25m competition pool with flumes, a ‘river’ and other diversions; a large main hall offering six badminton courts (or other permutations); a fitness centre; a health suite; squash courts; a four-rink bowling green; a full range of outdoor pitches; and a first-class running track.

Other parts of the islands are astonishingly well-served too. Yell, Unst, Whalsay and Aith each has a leisure centre offering a games hall, squash court, swimming pool and a range of fitness facilities. At Sandwick, there is a swimming pool and games hall. Brae has a swimming pool with fitness suite and squash court; Scalloway has a swimming pool. Every district has outdoor pitches and children’s play areas.  There are two 18-hole golf courses in Shetland. Dale, near Lerwick, is the home of Shetland Golf Club and further north in Whalsay, Whalsay Golf Club is based at Skaw Taing. There is also a nine-hole one at Asta, north of Scalloway.