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Orkney
& Shetland Islands
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Click for Map & more Orkney & Shetland Information |
Your
first experience of Shetland may be the view of the archipelago of islands from a plane's
window. Or it might be the vista of distant cliffs seen from the rail of a ferry steaming
towards Lerwick.
Ruled for more than 600 years by Scandinavia and then given as a dowry to Scotland, the
islands have a unique blend of culture.
There are miles of beautiful sandy beaches to explore as well as Neolithic burial chambers
made from stone and turf, as well as Brochs standing from 5m to 13m high, erected for
defence by the Iron Age tribes of Northern Britain.
Shetland is around
170 kilometres (110 mi) north of mainland Scotland, covers
an area of 1,468 square kilometres (567 sq mi) and has a
coastline 2,702 kilometres (1,679 mi) long. Lerwick,
the capital and largest settlement, has a population of
around 7,500 and about half of the archipelago's total
population of 22,000 people live within 16 kilometres (10
mi) of the town. Scalloway on the west coast, which was the
capital until 1708, has a population of less than 1,000.
Orkney Islands (and sometimes incorrectly as "The Orkneys",
is an archipelago in northern Scotland, situated 16
kilometres (10 mi) north of the coast of Caithness. Orkney
comprises approximately 70 islands of which 20 are
inhabited.
The largest island, known as the "Mainland"
has an area of 523.25 square kilometres (202.03 sq mi)
making it the sixth largest Scottish
island and the tenth-largest island in the British
Isles. The largest settlement and administrative centre is
Kirkwall.The distinct
musical tradition of the area is manifest in a unique style
of fiddle playing – a heady spiritual amalgam of old fairy
tunes, Scots melodies and wild Norse strains.
Add to this, miles of stunning, unspoilt beaches and the
area becomes a 'must visit' for anyone truly wishing to get
away from it all. |
Accommodation In This Area
Services & Attractions In
This Area
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