Robin McKelvie in Shetland: Discovering Lerwick

There is simply no town anywhere in the British Isles quite like Lerwick. The archipelago’s most northerly town lies 200km north of the Scottish mainland and Lerwick lies as close to Bergen in Norway and Torshavn in the Faroe Islands as it does Aberdeen. Lerwick is further north than St Petersburg and on the same latitude as Anchorage in Alaska.

Lerwick is Shetland’s only town, with a population of about 7,500 – about half of the archipelago’s 22,000 people live within 10 miles of Lerwick. These days it’s a multinational place where I can find cuisines from all over the world.

Shetland’s only town is a remarkable place in myriad ways, a surreal and life-affirming delight that is easily accessible thanks to NorthLink Ferries. Where else can you watch bobbing Viking longships and passing killer whales from a Tesco car park?

Stepping off a NorthLink Ferry on my most recent trip to Lerwick – this is a town you will want to return to – I take the scenic route into town hugging the lifeblood waterfront as much as possible. It is here that old piers, warehouses, fish markets, striking avant garden museums and the omnipresent water hints at the deep layers of Lerwick rich and colourful story.

Chief amongst those layers are the Norse settlers, better known as the Vikings. A good Lerwick friend of mine, Steve Mathieson, recounted one of his friends describing Shetland as the ‘The Grand Central Station for the Vikings’ and it was a major hub through which they traded between Scandinavia, the British Isles and off as far as the Americas.

Steve talks too of “authenticity”. Lerwick has this in spades. He adds, “Because Shetland’s economy is not totally reliant on tourism as some other isles are Lerwick is not artificial or twee. Rather than cheesy tartan it’s more an authentic geometric Fair Isle knit. Fishing and fossil fuels are as important to Lerwick as tourism. It’s a real working town and our visitors appreciate and love that.”

The name Lerwick, which means ‘Muddy Bay’, doesn’t sound very encouraging for a port. It first really grew as a marketplace in the 17th century working the Dutch herring fleets, and took serious hits when it was pretty much demolished in 1615 and 1625. The 18th century saw sturdy stone buildings spring up, which add a touch of grandeur today. More planned Victorian villas and parks give Lerwick more order, with the grandiose Lerwick Town Hall the epitome of its Victorian ambitions. It’s worth checking out for its stained-glass windows alone.

En route to my hotel I catch sight of a seal and hear that a trio of Risso’s Dolphins have just been spotted offshore. That doesn’t surprise me as I have indeed seen those hulking killer whales in search for a seal for dinner just off Tesco’s car park. If you’re not sure about hanging around supermarket car parks hunting for cetaceans, I recommend relining in Fjara just across the road instead, just one of the excellent restaurants that Lerwick now boasts. It comes with ‘killer’ views; if not you might ‘just’ see an otter.

Fjara is exceptional on the plate too and these days in Lerwick it’s not alone. I savour melt in the mouth monkfish scampi here. At C’est La Vie it’s Shetland scallops to start, followed by local crab pasta. Across four days in Lerwick I don’t have a bad meal. There is The Dowry, with its fluffy croquettes in a smoky haddock and cream sauce. And I won’t forget Pete’s in a hurry, a café where I tucked into organic Shetland sassermaet from a local farm. Think Lorne Sausage, but so much better in taste thickness and texture. Divine.

Lerwick is Shetland’s only town, with a population of about 7,500 – about half of the archipelago’s 22,000 people live within 10 miles of Lerwick. These days it’s a multinational place and I find cuisines from all over the world. In truth Lerwick has always been an international hub once alive with traders from Russia and the Baltic, as well as the ever-present Scandinavian connections.

The eclectic shops of Commercial Street – Da Street – reflect this. I find a wool shop opened by a Californian and a Czech national in charge of the Refan perfume shop. The new market of cruise ship passengers has allowed investment in recent years, with slick gift shops, fancy knitwear boutiques, thoughtfully curated galleries and shops selling artisan soaps. I find the excellent Shetland Reel Gin on sale with a new fun twist – a ‘Mission Pouch’ version in tribute to the emerging rocket launch station on the Shetland island of Unst where the gin is distilled.

Once a whole web of illicit activity would have buzzed around and indeed underneath Commercial Street in a network of tunnels. Smuggled gin, brandy and tobacco from shadowy ships would be hidden away to avoid the prying eyes of the exciseman. The new Lerwick Distillery is, of course, all totally above board with master distillery Ian Miller intent on creating what will be Scotland’s most northerly whisky. Watch this exciting space at a distillery that aims to also become a major Lerwick tourist attraction offering ‘Whisky from the edge of the world’.

Two modern buildings for me really catch the eye on the waterfront. I always make sure to return to both. The Mareel is Shetland’s cultural hub – a music, cinema and arts space on the old Hay’s Dock quayside. Pop in for a coffee and take the pulse of Shetland’s thriving cultural scene.

The other striking modern edifice is the superb Shetland Museum and Archives. I was lucky to meet the late creative spark behind it, Tommy Watt and his legacy is mind-blowingly good. This brilliantly curated collection really tells the myriad stories of this 100-island archipelago with over 3,000 artefacts, from recreation Neolithic dwellings, through to the impressive hanging boats of the Boat Hall. Quite simply a visit here enriches any Shetland trip.

If you’re a fan of the Shetland police TV series – and you really should be as it’s brilliant – you need to check out the locations too. There is of course the gorgeous waterfront house of Jimmy Perez down on the picturesque Lodberries at the south end of Commercial Street. Interestingly the police station in the later series is not the same one as the new director preferred the grand Sheriff’s Court as the police HQ. A variety of Lerwick houses also pop up in the show, along with frequent forays along Commercial Street.

The list of attractions with Lerwick goes on and on. I’ve not even taken you to Clickimin Broch – just a short walk from the killer whale Tesco – or up to the old battery of regal Fort Charlotte to enjoy the views across the water to Bressay. We could even hop on the regular ferry over to Bressay, an alternative base for exploring Lerwick if you’re thinking outside the box and love ferry rides.

Nor have we mentioned you can view the Mirrie Dancers – or Northern Lights – from Lerwick and criminally we have not delved into the riotously fun annual Up Helly Aa shenanigans. But that is Lerwick, a brilliant town, an eclectic fulcrum where there is gloriously always more to explore and discover.

By Robin McKelvie
Robin McKelvie is an award-winning travel writer and broadcaster who has been published in over 200 magazines and newspapers worldwide.

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