Welcome to Shetland with Laurie

Laurie Goodlad: travel writer & tour guide

work with me

Shetland with Laurie  is a travel writer and small-group tour guide who delivers an engaging travel blog packed with destination inspiration, cultural history, meaningful insights and helpful advice. 
Covering Shetland and Scotland, Laurie writes engaging content for websites, blogs, magazines and DMOs.

*PLEASE NOTE* I am not taking any more tour bookings for 2022
*Lerwick Walking Tours will become available to book from May 2022.

Lerwick walking tour

"Visitors want to have the best experience; they want to see Shetland through the eyes of a local. They want to taste the salt on their faces, smell the sea and bear witness to the wind in their hair. They want to drink in the sights, the smells and the sounds of an island community. They want to be shown the places they would otherwise not discover. They want to piece together the fascinating jigsaw and truly discover Shetland; this is the trip they have dreamed of."

about shetland with laurie

Let me do the talking

 As a freelance writer I am well-equipped to write copy for your business or features for promotion; whether that be for a website, magazine, blog or newsletter, I’m happy to help.

Supplying blogs

I write copy for websites, including blogs and Shetland features.

Supplying magazine copy

I write feature-length pieces for magazines and websites about Shetland.

Travel writing

I supply travel features and itinerary planning for various publications.

let's write together

More about Shetland

Visit my Shetland page

Find out more about Shetland and seek inspiration.

What to pack?

Find out what you should pack for your holiday.

A beginner's guide to Shetland

Find out what to expect when you arrive.

let me write for you

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check out the patreon site

buy me a coffee

SUbscribe to my youtube channel

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We are so fortunate that Laurie spent the day with us touring the South Mainland. We saw so many things and had so much fun! She was very responsive to our requests, and made terrific suggestions about which sights to choose. Laurie is extremely well versed in the history and geology of the islands, and she's also a good listener who provided informed answers to our many questions. A definite highlight was our tour of Jarlshof, where Laurie's narration helped us to imagine the many lives intertwined there. Our day with Laurie was a high point of our time in Shetland! Thanks, Laurie.

Barbara Spear

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My friend and I booked a full day tour of the South Island with Laurie. She was extremely knowlegable about the history of the island and was also a lot of FUN!! This was a great way to see many sights and learn more about Shetland.

Sara20814

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Not enough words to describe
I was so grateful to have Laurie as my solo tour guide for two days. The first day we toured the northern areas with the cliffs and then the southern areas on the next day. Having grown up in and studied the Islands she is THE expert and can tell you about the geology of the islands and the long history. She is also great fun and a good person to spend a couple of days with. I cannot be thankful enough for my time with Laurie on the beautiful Shetlands.

Rockinmemaw

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Lerwick Walking Tour
Husband and I had Laurie take us on a walking tour on our last day in Shetland. She took us all over Lerwick and then some. She was very knowledgeable, sweet and helpful! And we love her! Would definitely come back for more...

RizaJ_731

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Brilliant!
We hired Laurie for two days and it was absolutely perfect! Laurie was extremely knowledgeable and very personable. She was able to customize our tour based on our desires and the weather. We recommend Laurie unconditionally!

dsandridge

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Lerwick Walking Tour
Had a lot of fun on this walking tour! Laurie is very knowledgeable (we had a few Shetland locals along with us, and a lot of the info was new even to them). Lots of history about the city, plus interesting tidbits, local lore and stories. Would definitely recommend to anyone visiting who wants to learn more!

LJN

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Walking tour of Lerwick
Brilliant week night tour with Laurie who is so knowledgeable in what she does. Despite living in Shetland a long time I learnt so much about where we live. Fully enjoyable evening whilst also enjoying the simmer dim and fresh air. Would definitely recommend this activity whether you are a visitor or Shetland resident. Good value for money!

SophieS

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BRIGHT, KNOWLEDGEABLE, PERSONABLE GUIDE WITH PERFECT TOURING VEHICLE
We hired Laurie for two tours of Shetland. She had planned the days so we could see as many sites as possible in the time available. But she was flexible to include our wishes. She has extensive knowledge and academic training of Shetland archaeology. She has a great sense of humor as we discovered when we contacted her by phone a few weeks before arriving in Shetland. I highly recommend contacting Laurie or any other guide by phone prior to arrival in Shetland. Laurie has a SUV with great visibility that she drives. It’s very comfortable for those touring. We highly recommend Laurie. Shetlandwithlaurie.com

SClark538

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Walking tours in Lerwick
I decided to on a walking tour in Lerwick with Laurie after having lived here for almost 10 years. It was excellent. I thought the place but Laurie showed me so many details I had no idea about. Local guide who is passionate about her job. Plenty information, always time for questions and an unrushed experience all way through. Highly recommend Laurie.

Katja

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Wonderful Day with Laurie
Laurie took us to the northern reaches of Mainland and was the perfect guide. She is knowledgeable, enthusiastic, friendly and funny. She’s a good driver, too! We had a totally delightful day in her company. I’m sure you will, too.

Micheleru

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Unst tour
I had a great time with Laurie, she is nice, arranging, and she has a huge amount of knowledges, from history to geology passing by ornithology :-)
I totally recommanded her.

Nej

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Shetland with Laurie
It was an absolute pleasure touring around Shetland with Laurie -- she knows the islands inside and out and has such a vast understanding of the unique culture and history of Shetland. On top of that, she is such a lovely and pleasant person -- I can't imagine a better tour and would definitely recommend to anyone looking for the ultimate Shetland experience! Thanks Laurie!

ErinR

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Walking tour of Lerwick
So enjoyed this 2 hour interesting historical walking tour of Lerwick. Highly recommend!
Thank you Laurie.

Pam

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Lerwick Tour
Superb tour. Laurie was very knowledgable and has an excellent manner. The tour was full of interesting information and history was really brought to life. She answered any questions clearly. A highly engaging way to learn about Lerwicks' past, would thoroughly recommend this tour for locals and visitors alike.

WilsonM

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