Old
hands say the best way to go to Shetland is by ship. By air the islands are only
an hour from Aberdeen, or two from Edinburgh; but the sea voyage from Aberdeen
is 12 hours or so, the longest (and sometimes the roughest) ferry crossing in
the United Kingdom. But for returning 'exiles' there is nothing like being on
deck in the early hours, as the ship comes up past Fair Isle, rolls through the
Sumburgh 'roost' (or tide-race), and passes the sawtooth cliffs of Compass Head.
This
is how Vikings first saw the islands, a thousand years ago. Sailing westward
from the Bergen area, even without a compass they could hardly miss Shetland in
clear weather. More than a hundred rocky islands are strung out over the hundred
miles between Fair Isle and Unst, along the theoretical line dividing the North
Sea from the Atlantic. Shetlanders all over the world call their home 'The Old
Rock'.
NorthLink is the new shipping line operating the
Shetland and Orkney ferry services, with big new ships offering seven
overnight sailings a week to and from Lerwick, calling at Kirkwall, Orkney, three nights a week
on the way past.
The NorthLink timetables can be found HERE.
Package holidays and group travel deals to
Shetland and Orkney may be available - please contact NorthLink direct to
enquire.
Up to
date NorthLink Operational News can be found HERE.
Smyril Line run a weekly service to Lerwick from
Bergen, Faroe, Iceland and Hanstholm, Denmark. Smyril Line also has an
attractive programme of North Atlantic cruises with Lerwick as the British port
of call.
The
Smyril Line website can be found HERE
