Things to do on a winter family visit to Shetland

Jenny Eaves is the creative mind behind Monkey and Mouse, who loves exploring the most beautiful parts of Scotland with her family. She and her two boys visited Shetland in the winter and discovered plenty to keep them entertained and to fire up their imaginations.

She says the opportunity to witness a spectacular Up Helly Aa fire festival, spot otters in the wild and meet some wonderfully warm and welcoming locals, made the visit one to remember.

"The Shetland Islands are the perfect place for an amazing outdoor-orientated family holiday. Even in winter the children spent hours outdoors looking for otters and playing on beaches. Then mixing that with the sensational fire festivals, it’s a brilliant winter holiday destination."

Here are 5 of Jenny’s top suggestions to do with a family during a winter visit to Shetland.

Shetland’s fire festival season starts in early January and runs through until late March, with 11 events around the islands. Jenny and her boys visited in February and were able to watch two Up Helly Aas in one weekend – Cullivoe in Yell, and Norwick in Unst.

Jenny says, “Each were different in their own ways, but both were awesome spectacles. They are fantastic for kids to visit, as they will be able to see the entire event. If you can get tickets for the hall too, you can enjoy an evening of skits, food, and dancing!”

Visit the Events page to check when Shetland's fire festivals take place.

Shetland’s dramatic coastal scenery is spectacular with epic sea cliffs, beautiful beaches, and an array of wildlife. And it’s worth exploring the millions of years of geology that helped form and sustain the islands. Jenny enjoyed a geology tour to find out more about the incredible history of what lies underfoot in Shetland. Where else can you walk on ancient oceanic crust, explore an extinct volcano and stroll across shifting sands in the space of a day?

Shetland is home to one of the largest otter populations anywhere in Europe, and the beautiful marine mammals live in the islands all year round. You might spot an otter when out walking in Shetland, waiting for a ferry or even see them trotting along the marinas in Lerwick Harbour. But to get the best experience we recommend booking one of the expert tour guides.

Jenny did and says, “We spotted a total of 12 otters in one day on the island of Unst! Truly an otter’s paradise, if you know where to look.”

Shetland’s capital town Lerwick is home to a major port, historic lanes, cafes and restaurants, a busy town centre and great visitor attractions.

Walking around the town is a great way to experience Lerwick, offering the opportunity to explore the historic old lanes and Lodberries built along the waterfront, and the superb selection of independent shops along Commercial Street.

If the weather is wet and windy, as it often can be in the winter months, there are plenty of indoor options including the cinema at Mareel, the swimming pool at Clickimin Leisure Centre and the Shetland Museum and Archives, “definitely a good place to start your visit to Shetland,” says Jenny.

The most northerly populated island in the UK is Unst where you can discover more about Shetland’s incredible Viking heritage, enjoy the brilliance of the islands’ Wild Skies, and go “most northerly” spotting including the UK’s most northerly beach, post office, nature reserve, lighthouse and spaceport ... As well as much more.

Jenny has written a blog post about her favourite things to do in Unst including the Sky Trail, Hermaness National Nature Reserve, the Viking Unst project, and Muness Castle.

Read Jenny's Guide to Travel in Shetland With Kids over on her Monkey and Mouse blog.