Lerwick is the main town of the Shetland Islands, which form the northernmost region of the United Kingdom. The town’s name comes from the Nordic words for mud and bay, but although the place was known for centuries, the town of Lerwick was not established before the 17th century. It started as a fishing port trading with Dutch fishing boats and the development of Lerwick took place at a natural harbor on the western side of Bressay Sound.

At that time, Scalloway to the west was the main town of the Shetland Islands, and the inhabitants from here burned down Lerwick in the 17th century due to amoral fishermen and sailors. In 1702, it was the French fleet that burned down the town, but already six years later Lerwick became the main town on the archipelago. Throughout the 19th century, Lerwick grew following a growth in both trade and fishing, and the next big boom came in the 1970s with oil extraction in the North Sea.

Today, Lerwick is a pleasant and manageable town for a walk, and you can appropriately start at the harbor, which has always been the town’s focal point. In the harbor you can see both fishing boats and ferries that sail to e.g. Aberdeen, Kirkwall and to the island of Bressay to the east. You can, for example, walk along the street Esplanade, where you can enjoy the view and see the walls of Fort Charlotte.

The fort was originally built in 1652-1653, while the current Fort Charlotte is from 1781 and named after the queen of George III. Over time, the fort has been both a prison and a courthouse, and it was originally located at the water’s edge, but landfill and construction have moved the fort onto land.

If you continue along the harbor, you arrive at the Shetland Museum & Archives. The modern museum is open in warehouses from the 19th century, and in the exhibitions, you can learn about the culture, industry and history of the Shetland Islands through many exciting depictions and artifacts such as lace and boats. You can also go for a walk in the city away from the harbor, where you can see Lerwick Town Hall, which was formerly the seat of the town government and the setting for many major activities in the town.

Lerwick Town Hall was designed by Alexander Ross and built in 1882-1883. In the building you can see some fine stained-glass windows, which include showing the wedding between Scotland’s King James III and the Danish princess Margaret in 1469. On the same street as Lerwick Town Hall is St. Ringans Church, which since 2022 has been the meeting place of the Shetland Islands Council.

South-west of Lerwick town center you can visit the Broch of Clickimin, a restored Iron Age building. A so-called broch is a type of stone-walled house found only in Scotland, and this one at Lerwick is a fine example from its time. It also lies beautifully to the south in Clickimin Loch. In the northern part of Lerwick, you can visit the Shetland Textile Museum, which, in addition to an interesting exhibition, is housed in an interesting building.

It is called Böd of Gremista, which is a typical fisherman’s hut from the 18th century. The house was built in 1780 by Arthur Nicholson. You can also drive out of Lerwick to experience some of the Shetland Islands’ beautiful landscapes and attractions, such as the old capital to the west, Scalloway, where Scalloway Castle stands as a beautiful ruin of the castle that was built in the early 1600s.