Shetland, like any other part of Scotland, is unashamedly crazy about sport. What stands out is how many different sports are available and well supported across the islands.
In Shetland, team sports like football, netball and hockey are among the most popular. But there are many more sporting opportunities to keep residents and visitors active. Everything from badminton to bowls, table tennis to swimming and padel to squash is played in clubs up and down the length of these isles.
Here we take a look at some of the many sports and how you can get involved, whether you've been here all your life or visiting for a short time.
Unsurprisingly, given Shetland’s relatively quiet roads and easy access to the sea, sports such as cycling, running, and swimming are immensely popular.
In fact, for the running community, there are many events each year to get excited about – from cross-country to long-distance challenges.
One popular event takes place in mid-May, attracting runners and cyclists – the Jake Porter duathlon. This annual race isn’t just the start of the season for the local triathlon club, but it is also an important fundraiser.
The duathlon starts in the village of Cunningsburgh in Shetland’s South Mainland, with a 17km cycle sandwiched between two 3.4km runs, taking entrants further south to Sandwick before returning to Cunningsburgh.
The event is crucial in so many ways. Money is raised for the charity Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) on the day, with £1,700 raised in 2026. The event is followed by afternoon teas, helping raise funds for local charity Ability Shetland.
It’s also just a great way to kickstart your fitness for the summer and enjoy a scenic route, taking in the sights of the South Mainland
If you’re seeking a bigger challenge, then Shetland Triathlon Club also hosts a novice triathlon every year, in Brae, in the North Mainland. In 2026, the event is scheduled for Sunday, 28 June.
This race starts with a 400m swim in the Brae swimming pool, of any stroke, and then transitions into a 10km bike course across the North Mainland’s roads before culminating in a 2.5km run.
It’s called the novice triathlon for a reason – anyone can take part. So, if you’re visiting at the time, why not take part in one of Shetland’s toughest annual challenges?
If a full triathlon is too intense, then Shetland, of course, has its own parkrun event in the island of Bressay every week – the UK’s most northerly parkrun.
That location makes it a unique draw for running enthusiasts, parkrun fanatics and tourists who are always made welcome.
The weekly run also attracts a loyal local following who descend on the island of Bressay – a five-minute ferry ride from Lerwick – every Saturday morning.
Why’s that? Well, because there’s a welcoming community of parkrunners who enjoy the flat, 5km course and enjoy their early weekend trip across the sound.
There’s another big draw though. The race route ends at the Speldiburn café in Bressay, which serves up hot drinks, filled rolls and sweet treats to runners craving a sugar hit after they cross the line.
As with other parkruns, the Bressay event can be run, walked or strolled – it doesn’t have to be a competition if you don’t want it to be. Word has it that some of the runners also head to one of Shetland’s saunas afterwards for post-run relaxation.
Shetland is set to get another parkrun, albeit for the younger generation.
A junior parkrun is set to launch from the Clickimin Leisure Centre in Lerwick in autumn 2026, offering children aged 4 to 14 the chance to hop, skip or run the 2km course.
For adult runners, there are a couple of longer routes to test their mettle throughout the year.
The Simmer Dim half-marathon takes place each midsummer, on the Sunday closest to the solstice of 21st June. The name is taken from the Shetland phrase for that time of year, simmer dim, when the sun barely dips below the horizon, meaning it doesn’t get truly dark.
This 13.1-mile course also begins in Cunningsburgh, with runners having to be 17 or over on race day to take part.
Venturing much further north – on Shetland’s most northerly inhabited isle, Unst – another half-marathon is hosted every July as part of the island’s annual UnstFest celebrations.
Leaving from Baltasound marina, that 13.1 mile course is a good excuse to take a break from the frivolities and over-excesses of the rest of the UnstFest programme.
If you are looking for an event that is as much a celebration as it is a sporting occasion, then Shetland hosts an early-summer extravaganza which also heavily features a barbecue and beer tent.
This is the Shetland Rugby Sevens competition, held each year in June – it’s taking place from 12-14 June in 2026. Teams often travel from the mainland to participate.
While Friday night is for the juniors, Saturday is a huge celebration of sevens rugby – and partying! And it all takes place at Shetland’s new 3G all-weather rugby pitch at the Clickimin in Lerwick – a top-quality pitch which regularly hosts rugby and football matches.
The sevens tournament is typically not seen as a serious event – although the competitive streak remains for many – it is a colourful and fun highlight of the year.
If you’re looking for something less intense, then there is no lack of golf clubs around Shetland to enjoy a round.
The two main ones on the Mainland are Shetland Golf Club, based just outside Lerwick at Dale, and Asta Golf Club – located in between Scalloway and Tingwall.
While Dale is an 18-hole course more suited to golfers who know their wedges from their irons, Asta is a less tricky, 9-hole course on flatter terrain – just beware of the water hazards.
Shetland Golf Club hosts at least one competition a week throughout its season, but the reality is that there are numerous events taking place every week for members to get involved with. Keep an eye on the website for any open events that non-members can participate in.
Further north, on the island of Whalsay, there is also a golf club – with a course that both locals and visitors to Shetland rave about. Although some of its holes are notoriously tricky to navigate, and losing balls is not a possibility, it’s almost guaranteed.
And even more tranquil is angling on Shetland’s incredible array of lochs and lochans. If you want to fish on one of them, you need a permit from Shetland Anglers’ Association – the group which oversees loch fishing here.
While you can become a member and head out on the lochs yourself, the group have a tremendous camaraderie and always welcome new folk into their local competitions.
These are a great opportunity to get out and find new places to fish across Shetland, as they tend to focus on different areas each time.
Hosting both bank and boat fishing competitions, they meet regularly throughout the summer to see what’s biting out on the water.
Shetland is a hotbed of sporting activity, and throughout the warmer months the isles truly come to life. You just have to get out and join in. Discover more.
