Tall Ships Lerwick – get on board for fleet's return to Shetland

The first Tall Ship Races event, held in 1956 by the Sail Training International Race Committee, was a bon voyage of sorts for the Class A Tall Ships as they headed into retirement due to the wider introduction of diesel engines.

However, the event was so popular that Sail Training International decided to hold it every two years. Since the first event, the race has grown in popularity, to become Europe’s largest free family festival.

Excitment is starting to grow in Shetland as plans for next year's Tall Ships' visit to Lerwick start to gather momentum, with a little less than a year to go until the event.

Lerwick has twice previously hosted the Tall Ships Races in 1999 and 2011 to much success and next year's visit to Shetland will be marked with a four-day event in the capital.

Between 26th and 29th July 2023, dozens of Tall Ships will arrive in Lerwick Harbour, with the port becoming a hive of activity and entertainment for the visiting crews, tourists and locals alike.

The Tall Ships will begin their journey in Den Helder, Netherlands before making their way to their first UK port, Hartlepool. It will then race on to Fredrikstad, Norway.

The leg from Fredrikstad to Shetland will be part of the more leisurely "Cruise in Company". Instead of racing to Lerwick, the ships will have the chance to stop at Guest Harbours to enjoy local hospitality.

Many of the superb marinas around Shetland are preparing for that, providing an excellent chance to showcase the best of the islands, as well as other ports in Scotland. Keep checking the Tall Ships Lerwick website for the Cruise in Company schedule.

Shetland Tall Ships project manager Emma Miller is leading efforts to prepare for the event, and she said there is already a sense of anticipation growing across the islands.

Emma says: "The world famous Tall Ships Races is a spectacular event which Lerwick has hosted twice in the past and the third visit next summer promises to be an incredible experience.

"As Shetland is the arrival port on the Cruise in Company leg of the races, the ships will have the opportunity to visit other harbours around the isles and sample the warm hospitality of local communities before the four day event in Lerwick.

"Planning is well under way and we are looking forward to welcoming the fleet and the many visitors who will come to Shetland to enjoy the event."

Shetland has a long sailing history and is proud of its rich nautical heritage, with museums including the Shetland Museum in Lerwick and the Unst Boat Haven including excellent exhibitions about the islands' maritime past.

Tall Ships 2023 will create a new chapter in that history. Several thousand guests are expected to join in the celebrations when the Tall Ships are welcomed back to the island. The arrival of the Tall Ships is a breathtaking sight with Shetland’s beauty and hospitality addding to the spectacle.

Organisers are busy scheduling a packed calendar of events to keep people entertained during the ships' visit to Lerwick. As well as the chance of touring some of the ships, there will be family fun days, concerts and DJs.

A venue will be formed at Holmsgarth in Lerwick Harbour where much of the entertaiment will be centres. But with fun fairs, traditional music and headline acts planned, there will be something to suit every taste.

The coastline around Shetland, with a combination of natural harbours and breathtaking scenery including imposing and impressive cliffs, marks both a challenge and an outstanding cruising ground for yachtsmen and women.

For most Shetlanders, the Tall Ships Race is both a spectacle and a celebration. However, for young people who crew the Tall Ships, the experience is both adventure and challenge.

In return, sail training offers a chance for young Shetlanders to meet others from around the world, working closely with those from different backgrounds. These young Shetlanders will have places on numerous boats and take part in various stages of the Tall Ships Races in 2023, including the stage from Shetland to Arendal in Norway.

And, of course, they will be able to take part in the celebrations and festivities that are planned as part of Tall Ships Lerwick 2023.

Shetland is no stranger to racing vessels and Lerwick recently welcomed back yachts taking part in the race from Bergen in Norway, for the first time since Covid restrictions were lifted. The event in June saw 40 entrants and almost 200 crew returning to Shetland.

This race was just a taster of what the Tall Ship races may look like in 2023.

For many, Shetland is an undiscovered cruising gem, offering challenges and views that you would be hard-pressed to find elsewhere in the UK. It will look even more dramatic when a fleet of ships under sail arrives in Lerwick.

To plan your own sailing excursion in Shetland, visit our dedicated sailing page.