This is a throwback to a very special cruise that we took seven years ago. We sailed on Holland America Line’s ms Prinsendam on the Top of the World cruise to Norway’s North Cape, Spitsbergen and the Polar Ice Cap.
We also got to visit Lerwick,a small coastal city of about 7,000 people in the Shetland Islands, which are located in the North Sea significantly north of mainland Scotland.
The Shetland Islands have long but relatively mild winters and short, cool summers. The climate is windy, cloudy and rain falls more than 250 days per year. Lerwick is home to Fort Charlotte, (picture above) which we explored briefly.
Next we headed to The New Shetland Museum and Archives at Hay’s Dock.
The museum was officially opened by HM Queen Sonja of Norway and the Duke & Duchess of Rothesay (Charles & Camilla) on May 31, 2007. It was packed with interesting exhibits about the history of the Shetland Islands.
We couldn’t visit Shetland and not see one of it’s famous ponies. The tourist office advised us of a bus route that would take us to the countryside where we might see a pony.
As we left Lerwick, the views from the windows of the public bus were stunning.
Green pastures, pristine coastline, amazing views.
We had many opportunities to view the Shetland Sheep, a breed that is believed to have originated prior to 1000 AD. The diminutive Shetland Ponies were tougher to see from the bus or a hike.
It’s a beautiful place for a hike, until it’s time for the next bus.
Have you visited the Shetland Islands? What did you enjoy the most? Please share in comments below.
Check out these other posts on destinations above the Arctic Circle, all visited by cruise ship…
- Destination Discovery: The Polar Ice Cap
- Destination Discovery: North Cape, Norway
- Destination Discovery: Iceland’s Blue Lagoon
- Destination Discovery: Qaqortoq, Greenland
- Destination Discovery: Torghatten Mountain near Brí¸nní¸ysund, Norway
- Destination Discovery: Bear Island, Norway
- Travels in Norway’s Lofoten Islands
- Destination Discovery: Akureyri, Iceland
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