Seniors Venture To the Bustling Archipelago

Shetland, also called the Shetland Islands, is a subarctic archipelago of Scotland that lies north-east of mainland Britain. There several of islands, the largest known simply as “Mainland”, with an area of 373 sq miles, making it the third-largest Scottish Island and the 5th largest of the British Isles. Senior travelers reach Shetland by traveling 600 miles north of London.

Of the more than a hundred islands, only 15 are  inhabited. Let’s go exploring to see what brings so many visitors. First of all this bustling archipelago of 22,500 people boasts abundant wildlife, a spectacular coastline, dozens of major archaeological sites and more geological diversity than any similar sized area in Europe.

Senior visitors will be enchanted by the rugged beauty of the landscape, its dramatically changing colors and textures. Let’s start off with mountain biking then going after some beautiful trout then scuba diving and lots of golf. Around midsummer, the sun is above the horizon for almost 19 hours and it doesn’t get properly dark, so if you choose, you can be active round the clock.

Being an isolated island, 6,000 years of human history have endowed the islands with some of the finest archeological sites in all of Europe, such as the astonishingly intact Broch of Mousa and the multi-period Jarlshof. Scandinavian influence can be seen in place-names, Viking-period remains and the design of many more recent buildings.

Seniors See Ponies, Wrens and Crofters

The islands’ vibrant cultural life includes internationally famous events such as the Shetland Folk Festival and a host of winter fire festivals, including the unforgettable ‘Up Helly Aa’ held each January in the islands’ capital, Lerwick.

Shetland has some unique species, like the Shetland wren and the wonderful miniature Shetland Ponies. Shetland is world-famous for these small ponies that senior visitors can see throughout the islands just grazing by the roadside, meandering on the beaches or simply walking along the heathery hills.

Appearing to roam wild, the ponies are, in fact, all owned and tended to by local crofters.  A crofter is the person who occupies and works a small landholding known as a croft.

 Rugged Landscape, Amazing Wildlife

Shetland is a natural world where wildlife is truly wild. Senior visitors can watch otters and seals at play and seabirds crowding extraordinary cliffs in huge, noisy colonies. It is beautiful world carved and shaped by ice, where the geology is so fascinating that the islands are a global Geopark.

The landscapes and seascapes provide endless inspiration for photographers and artists. You won’t want to bypass the Shetland Museum and Archives, a great starting point with thousands of well-presented exhibits. Of course there are a host of other don’t miss activities on Shetland.  So plan a trip to the Shetlands and enjoy every moment. jeb