Shetland Island Attractions
Town Centre
Lerwick has many amenities and attractions to offer, including a museum, library, town gardens with putting and a bowling green, a shopping centre, Chinese, Italian and Indian restaurants, several good pubs, a very well preserved ancient Pictish broch, and a picturesque harbour.
Knab Golf Course
Right on the doorstep of King Harald Self Catering Apartments is a fantastic 9-hole golf course with no green fees and a beautiful view over the bay.
Clickimin Sport Centre
Only a 10-minute walk will take you to Lerwick's excellent sports centre. The complex offers a sports hall, state-of-the-art fitness suite, cafeteria, and a pleasant six-lane, 25 metre swimming pool, also equipped with a toddler's pool, river ride, flumes and outdoor lagoon.
Garrison Theatre
The local theatre is also only a 5-minute walk away. It is open throughout the year with a varied programme of local and visiting music, variety, comedy and drama performances. The latest film releases are also shown in the theatre each month.
Up-Helly-Aa
On the last Tuesday in every January Lerwick is host to Europe's largest fire-festival, "Up-Helly-Aa". Around 900 colourfully dressed "guizers" follow the Jarl's squad of Vikings and their long-ship through the darkened streets of Lerwick, all carrying burning torches. The ceremony ends spectacularly as the hundreds of flaming torches are thrown into the ship. The celebration continues well into the night as each of the 40 or so ‘squads’ visit the town's 12 halls and put on amusing sketches.
(see Up-Helly-Aa - A Beginners' Guide on VisitShetland.com)
Folk Festival
Shetland has a rich musical culture, and this is especially evident during the Shetland Folk Festival. The festival is the highlight of the Shetland music calendar, taking place during the final week of April each year. It plays host to numerous local and international stars. Among those who have performed at the festival are Elvis Costello, Shooglenifty, Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham, Danny Thomson, Awatinas, Vasmalon, D.L. Menard, Tim and Molly O' Brien, Frances Black, J.P. Cormier, Mark O' Conner, Finbar Furey, Edward II and The Red Hot Polkas, Dougie McLean, Dave Swarbrick and Shaun McGuire. (see ShetlandFolkFestival.com)
Simmer Dim
Due to its northerly latitude, Shetland's summer days are very long. In the height of the Summer months, the sun sets late in the evening and the night sky never grows truly dark. The resulting heavenly ’glow‘ is refered to as the ’simmer dim‘.
