Shetland Islands, Scotland is a popular port of call for a number of Northern European cruise itineraries and for a small place there’s much to see. After our first visit one of our favorite television series became Shetland,, a British police drama. Since Lerwick is such a small town every show included scenes we recognized which added a new dimension to the experience.
Lerwick was founded as an unofficial marketplace to service 17th century Dutch herring fleets. It took a long time to grow due to its illegal status and alleged immorality. Today, Lerwick is Shetland’s only burgh and serves as a hub for the islands’ population of around 22,000 people. Shetland is part of Scotland but the town’s name is actually Old Norse. A local dialect still survives called Norn, which was the common language in Shetland until the late 19th century. The name “Lerwick” in Old Norse means bay of clay. The Shetlands is noted as a major roosting location for puffins but also has a number of interesting archeological sights dating back over a thousand years.
The Intentional Travelers 