Getting here and away: A guide to travelling to and from Shetland

Sumburgh Head lighthouse, Shetland

Shetland, a rugged and exposed island group – or archipelago – sits about 200 miles north of Aberdeen. Its western seaboard is battered by the unbridled power of the North Atlantic, while, on the east coast, the North Sea challenges the ever-changing coastline. The 1,400 miles of coastline is an ever-changing landscape, at the mercy of the sea. Put simply, Shetland is closer to the Arctic Circle than it is to the UK's urban powerhouse, London.

Getting to and from Shetland is really quite simple – you can get here by sea or air.
A rail link is out of the question as there are no trains and the biggest risk to travel arrangements will always be the weather. Being the only land-mass in a vast ocean brings its fair share of difficulties with wind and fog being the biggest perpetrators of travel chaos for visitors hoping to arrive and depart from the northern isles.

One of the first questions that I always get (along with where should we stay) is ‘what’s the best way to get to Shetland?’ The next question is, ‘should we take the boat or plane?’ To simplify this for you and to make it easier to make an informed decision, I’ll go through the pros and cons of each, here on the blog so that you can choose the best option to suit your needs, budget and time.

I should also say that:

1. I have an ulterior motive for writing this blog post – I’m hoping it saves me a lot of time in replying to emails. But, importantly for you, this will give a more detailed analysis than any ‘quick fire’ email response ever would.
2. These are just my personal thoughts and opinions based purely on my own experience travelling and do not reflect any universal truth.
   

NorthLink ferry arriving in Lerwick. Photo courtesy of @shetlandadventure

By Sea

The first option for getting to Shetland is by boat. This service is currently run by NorthLink Ferries, bookings can be made via their website. Two boats operate this life-line service – The Hjaltland and Hrossey –  running between Lerwick and Aberdeen daily – each boat passing each other on their respective passages north and south –  the journey times vary between 12 and 14 hours (depending on whether or not the boat calls in at our island neighbour, Orkney 50 miles to the south-west).


The boat can be booked via Northlink's website.

---

Benefits of travelling by boat:

• This option is generally cheaper, especially if travelling in a family group.
• And, if you are a family group, it’s less stressful than flying (take it from a mother of two under-7s).
• It allows you to take your vehicle, bike, motorhome and also pets – kennel facilities and dog-friendly cabins are available so the fur family can come along too.
  

Happy travelling on NorthLink's friendly and reliable ferry

• There are various options to suit differing budgets. Cabins (four berth, two berth and shared) are available and if you’re a budget traveller, sleeping pods are a much cheaper option, although you will need to bring a sleeping bag or blanket (and the lounge areas get quite cold during the night).
• It’s more pleasant and relaxed – there’s no airport waits or security frisks to contend with. It’s far easier when travelling with small children and it’s a real adventurous way for kids to start their holiday.
  
• There’s a restaurant, bar, shop, cinema and children’s play area and it’s kitted out nicely to a high spec.
• The staff are also extremely polite, friendly and helpful and the bar is open till 1am.
• It can add two days (well, nights) to your holiday as the experience is a bit like a mini-cruise and it beats the airport departures lounge.
  
• You could see some of our amazing wildlife – dolphins, porpoises and perhaps a whale (if you’re extremely lucky). There’s always plenty of seabirds to spot all year round, so wrap up warm and get out on deck.

Enjoying the views from the deck of the Hjaltland

Cons

• If you don’t have very good sea-legs and the weather is bad you may be in for a long night of seasickness.
• Crossings can be rough – particularly in winter.
• Windy weather can delay or halt sailings (check the website for sailing updates prior to departure).
  
• It takes a long time –  12-14 hours each way – that’s a full day on a return trip (although it is overnight).
• Although it may appear cheaper, once meals (and maybe drinks) are factored in, you’ve probably spent as much as the plane would have cost. Those who are organised and money-savvy can bring food onboard but the smell of fish and chips wafting from the Feast Restaurant is too much for those with any food weakness (plus a meal kills an hour and staves any boredom which may have set in when you haven’t seen a dolphin or whale!).
  

---

Approaching Shetland by air. Photo courtesy of Ronda Hill.

By Air

Now, this is where I must try not to be negative as flying does have its benefits…

Flights in and out of Shetland are fairly easy from all the main Scottish airports. There are daily flights, operated by Loganair to and from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Orkney, Manchester and in the summer we have a weekly service to Bergen.

Undoubtedly, this is the quickest option (if all goes to plan), flights take between an hour and an hour-and-a-half (compared to the 12-14 on the boat). However, this is not always the most reliable way to get here (or away) and, as any islander will probably confirm, if you want to avoid the risk of lengthy delays and cancellations – take the boat (and bang, there goes any chance of sponsorship or freebies for me from Loganair).

Personally, if I have a connecting flight, engagement or appointment on the mainland (this is what we call mainland UK) then I would be inclined to take the boat. Although improving, the service has historically been hampered with technical difficulties, delays and cancelled flights.
Loganair took over this vital link from Flybe (known locally as FlyMaybe) a year or two ago and improvements have been made but they still have a few problems.

Aaah! Not more delays at the airport?!

Flights can be booked via the Loganair website.

---

Benefits of flying:

• Quick flight times (1 to 1.5 hours).
• If booking well in advance, it can be cheaper than the boat. But beware, the price goes up as the date to fly approaches.
• The approach to Sumburgh Airport is exceptionally breathtaking as you fly in over the spectacular cliffs of Sumburgh Head.
  
• it can allow you more time to enjoy Shetland, rather than spending hours on the boat trying to get here.
  

This next point has absolutely no bearing on getting here or away, it’s just interesting. The east-west runway spans the entire width of that part of of the island so one end is flanked with the North Sea and the other by the North Atlantic, and in order to get to the airport, vehicles must drive over the runway – so remember to look both ways!

Cons

• The single greatest drawback has to be the fact that the service is frequently hampered by technical issues and many flights are delayed or cancelled.
• Fog can be a real problem, particularly in the summer months as sea fog rolls in off the North Sea.
• You are limited in the amount of luggage you can carry and should always check the luggage allowance before flying as it is generally always lower than other airlines.
• The small planes can be a bit hair-raising for those (like myself) who aren't great flyers, but I am assured that they are safe and reliable nonethless!
  
• It can be very expensive for flights to and from Shetland – you're probably cheaper to book that holiday to Tenerife!
  

---

Sumburgh Airport, Shetland

A few points to consider:

One thing I personally always take into consideration is the time of year which I’m travelling. In the winter the boat is more likely to be cancelled or delayed due to weather (strong gales and heavy seas) and, in the summer, the fog can bring the airport to a halt. It really is a gamble and the savvy islander will make sure that they have a backup ferry booking (just in case!) when they plan on travelling.

One amusing anecdote I always tell people about is Brussels Sprout Gate. A few years ago we had some particularly stormy weather in the lead up to Christmas. This meant that the boat – which also brings in our food and fresh goods (turkeys and sprouts) – couldn’t get in for some days. People began panic-buying – a frustrating reaction to cancelled sailings – fearing that Christmas would be a lean one if the boat didn’t make it in time. And as the shelves emptied, tensions soared. 

What ensued was probably one of the most amusing headlines of the year. Two women in Tesco (one other supermarket is available) actually began to argue in the aisle over the last solitary and proud bag of sprouts on the shelf. So, love ‘em or hate ‘em, they almost caused a riot in our leading supermarket. 

In order to stop the escalating crime spree, Tesco chartered a military Hercules plane to bring in the much needed fresh supplies the islands craved, and Christmas peace was once more restored to our northern shores.

Fair Isle from the air. Photo courtesy of Ronda Hill.

So, there you have it! Two sides to every coin and two options – both with pros and cons – about how to get to Shetland.

I hope that this has maybe given you some answers – I still don’t know the best way to get here and I’ve been coming and going from my island home for 32 years now. At the end of the day it all falls down to how much money, time and what kind of experience you want to have.

But, psssst … I would choose the boat every time ...

Unhelpfully yours,

---