Lerwick Town on Foot

on foot

This guided walking experience will introduce you to the ancient fishing port of Lerwick. This town is the cultural and administrative hub of the Shetland Isles, which are the most northerly islands in Britain.

Lerwick is said to have been built on the proceeds of smuggling. In the 1600s, Dutch fishermen arrived in Shetland for the herring fishing and supposedly traded goods with the locals both legally and illegally. Evidence of illicit activity can be found in a series of tunnels that run under Commercial Street. Goods such as gin, brandy and tobacco were unloaded from the ships and transported underground to avoid custom taxes.

During your exploration, you will see the Lodberries, which are houses and warehouses built out into the sea with their own pier from which locals could serve the incoming fishing boats. These are still standing today along the harbourfront. You will also explore the intriguing ‘closses’ (narrow lanes), which run from the harbour area to the top of the hill. These lanes are home to many secret tales from the lives of the town’s inhabitants, including the smugglers.

The main expansion of Lerwick was during the North Sea oil boom of the 1970s, when large housing developments were built.

Overlooking the harbour, you will visit Fort Charlotte. Built in 1665 and later rebuilt in 1780, the fort was named after Queen Charlotte, consort of George III. Enjoy spectacular views over the harbour from the fort which, though not in use today, was once a prison and a Royal Navy reserve base. Four hundred and sixty-five German passengers were once billeted here after the ship ‘Lessing’, bound for America, was shipwrecked off Fair Isle in 1868.

You will also see the exterior of the Victorian Town Hall on Hillhead Street. Its fine architecture and stained-glass windows reflect a wonderful perspective into the development of the Shetlands.

A visit to the Shetland Museum provides an interesting insight into island life, past and present. You will enjoy some free time to view the various displays about local archaeology, folk life, social and maritime history, as well as exhibitions of contemporary art.

This walking experience will allow you to take in all these highlights and provide an excellent starting point for further exploration of the town.