DaylightSunset about 3:34 PM. Daylight is short, so plan the views for the early afternoon.
HappeningUp Helly Aa in Lerwick is usually the last Tuesday of the month. Smaller towns hold theirs from January into March. Daylight is about six hours, with cold wind and a chance of gales.
From average weather, 2021 to 2025: days that are warm but not hot, with few rainy days, score highest. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
Arrival day
Before Day 1. Up Helly Aa is usually the last Tuesday of January, so arrive on the Monday. Winter weather can stop ferries and flights, so check ahead.Details
The date rule
Lerwick's Up Helly Aa is usually held on the last Tuesday of January. Day 1 is the Monday you arrive, Day 2 is the festival and Day 3 is the day after. Rooms in Lerwick are taken months ahead, so book early and check ahead.
Getting here and slack
Most visitors come by a flight to the south of the islands or by an overnight ferry from the mainland. Gales in January can delay or cancel both, so arrive a day early if you can, keep Monday light and have a plan if a crossing is called off.
Being a good guest
This is Lerwick's own festival, run by locals, not a show. Watch from the street behind the barriers and stay out of the burning site, which is closed to the public. Ask before photographing anyone, keep back from the torches and never touch a costume.
Dress, then Day 1
Daylight is about six hours or less, and the wind is cold and wet. Wear layers, a windproof coat, a hat, gloves and boots with a good grip. Streets can be wet or icy, and a procession means standing outside for a while. Day 1 starts at the Shetland Museum and the harbor, an easy first day.
Day 1. Lerwick center and the harbor and Clickimin and the edges of town
4 stops · 1.0 mi
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
1
MorningWorth the time
Broch of Clickimin
A prehistoric stone tower on a small island in a loch on the western edge of town, reached by a causeway. A windy, quiet walk before the town fills. Wet stone and ice make the causeway slippery, and it may be closed in winter, so check ahead.
Go whenMorning, before the town fills for the festival.
Local tip The causeway is wet and can be icy, so go slowly and wear boots with a grip. The tower walls are old and fragile, so keep off them. It may be closed in winter, so check ahead.
The old stone main street of Lerwick, a narrow lane of shops along the harbor below the fort, with small lanes running up the hill. On the festival day the Jarl's Squad in Viking dress usually tours the town center in the morning. The crowds are friendly and the streets may be cordoned off, so check ahead for the plan.
Go whenLate morning, for the squads in the town center.
Local tip Costumed squads tour the town on the day, and it is their tradition, so give them room and ask before photographing anyone. Streets may be cordoned off, and the plan can change.
Lunch
Reestit mutton soup
Reestit mutton is mutton salted and dried for the winter, a Shetland tradition, simmered with potato and turnip into a thick, warming soup. A good bowl on a windy day.
Local tip It is salty, so taste before you add anything. Tell the staff if you avoid lamb or have a food allergy.
About 2 min walkunder 0.1 mi
3
AfternoonA quiet stroll
Lerwick harbor front
The quays and piers along the water, with fishing boats, working ferries and a low winter sun. A short walk shows how the town faces the sea. Keep to the paths, because wet stone and wind make the edges slippery.
Go whenAfternoon, as the light turns gold and low.
Local tip Walk a stretch of the quays and turn back when you are cold. Keep away from the edge on wet stone, and stay clear of working boats and cranes.
About 2 min walk0.1 mi
4
AfternoonWorth a short stop
Lerwick Tolbooth
The old tolbooth by the harbor, a stone building of the 1700s that once held the town's court and prison. Look at it from the street on a harbor walk.
Go whenAfternoon, as part of a harbor walk.
Local tip Look at the stonework and the doorway from the street. It is a quick look, and you do not need to go in.
A piece of fresh haddock or other whitefish landed in the islands, fried and served with chips, a classic of Scottish ports. Take it to the harbor front or eat in a warm cafe.
Local tip Fish is often fresh, so ask what came in that day. Tell the staff about any fish or gluten allergy first.
If it rains. Everything today is outdoors, so swap this day with a drier one if you can.
Day 2. Lerwick center and the harbor and Clickimin and the edges of town, part 2
4 stops · 2.3 mi
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
1
MorningWorth the time
Shetland Museum
The museum and archives on the old dock, telling Shetland's story from the Stone Age and the Vikings to fishing, knitting and the sea. A calm first stop, and a good way to learn what the fire festival grew out of. Opening days change in winter, so check ahead.
Go whenMorning, as the first stop on a short winter day.
Local tip Look for the boat hall and the Viking objects first, because they explain the costumes you will see on Tuesday. Opening days change in winter, so check ahead.
A restored fishing booth north of Lerwick, once the birthplace of a famous Shetland merchant, now a small museum. It is seasonal and may be closed in winter, so check ahead.
Go whenMorning, on a dry day, by taxi or a long walk.
Local tip This small fishing booth may be closed in winter, so check ahead before you go. The road is busy and the walk is long, so plan a ride back.
Mussels grown on ropes in the clean sea inlets of the islands, steamed in a pot with garlic, cream or just their own juice, and eaten with bread. A seafood lunch in the small cafes of the town.
Local tip They are shellfish, so tell the staff about any allergy first. Throw away any that do not open.
About 24 min walk1.2 mi
3
MiddayWorth a short stop
Fort Charlotte
A squat stone fort on the shore above the harbor, built to guard the sound, with thick walls and a view across the water to Bressay. The wind on the ramparts is strong in January, and it may be closed in winter, so check ahead.
Go whenMidday, in the best of the winter light.
Local tip Walk the ramparts and look across the sound to Bressay. Hold your hat, keep back from the edge in a gale, and check ahead because it may be closed in winter.
About 2 min walkunder 0.1 mi
4
EveningArrive early
Lerwick Town Hall
A grand stone town hall of the 1800s on the hill above the harbor, known for its stained glass. On the Hillhead outside it the torches are lit in the evening, usually about half past seven, and the procession sets off. Watch from the street along the route, arrive early and expect barriers. The burning site is closed to the public.
Go whenEarly evening, well before the torches are lit.
Local tip Find a place along the route behind the barriers before the crowd thickens. Keep back from the torches, which throw sparks, and remember you cannot enter the burning site. Dress warmly for a long stand.
Lerwick cafes and pubs serve stews, lamb dishes and pies that are filling and quick. Eat early on the festival day, before the streets fill, so you are warm and fed before the procession.
Local tip Book early or eat before the crowds arrive, because places fill. Tell the staff about any allergy first.
If it rains. Shetland Museum and Bod of Gremista are covered, so keep them. Move Fort Charlotte and Lerwick Town Hall to a dry day if you can.
Day 3. Scalloway and the west and Bressay and Noss
3 stops · 11.7 mi
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
Travel from Lerwick Town HallAbout 19 min by car or transit4.6 mi
Where Day 2 ended.
1
MorningWorth a short stop
Scalloway Castle
A tall, roofless tower house on the shore at Scalloway, built by an unpopular earl in the early 1600s as the seat of power in Shetland. Most people see it from outside, and the inside may be closed in winter, so check ahead.
Go whenMorning, with the light on the water behind it.
Local tip The castle is best seen from the grass and the shore. The inside may be closed in winter, so check ahead. The tower is old, so stay off the walls.
The old capital of Shetland, a fishing village on a sheltered bay, with a working harbor, a small museum and a view back to the castle. Walk the quay and watch the boats. Shops and cafes may be shut on the holiday, so check ahead.
Go whenMidday, with the boats in the harbor.
Local tip Walk the quay and look back at the castle. Many places may be shut on the day after the festival, so carry a drink and a snack.
Scalloway has one of the island's fishing ports, so the haddock, whitefish or salmon on the plate was likely landed nearby. A simple plate beside the harbor, if a place is open.
Local tip Places may be shut on the holiday, so check ahead. Tell the staff about any fish allergy first.
About 26 min by car or transit6.9 mi
3
AfternoonWeather decides
Bressay
The island across the sound from Lerwick, reached by a short ferry. It is quiet, hilly and open to the wind, with sheep, and a long view back to the town. Ferries can be delayed or cancelled by wind in January, so check ahead and keep a plan B in town.
Go whenAfternoon, if the wind allows the ferry.
Local tip Check the ferry before you go and again before you return, because wind can stop it. Roads are narrow with no pavement, so walk facing traffic and keep to the verge.
Shetland lamb is raised on open hill grazing, and a stew of lamb, carrot and potato is a warm supper for a cold evening. Pubs and cafes in town serve a version of it.
Local tip Check ahead for what is open on the holiday. Tell the staff if you avoid lamb or have an allergy.
If it rains. Everything today is outdoors, so swap this day with a drier one if you can.
Day 4. Bressay and Noss and Scalloway and the west
3 stops · 33.5 mi
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
Drive from BressayAbout 38 min by car15.3 mi
Where Day 3 ended.
1
MorningA windy walk
St Ninian's Isle
A small island joined to the mainland by a curving sandy bar, with the remains of an old chapel and a view over the western coast. Visit on a calm, dry day only.
Go whenMorning, on a dry day with the tide in your favor.
Local tip A sandy bar links the island to the land and the sea can cover it in a storm. Check the weather, keep to the bar and do not go out in a gale.
A lighthouse at the southern end of Bressay, looking over the sound toward the open sea. A long way from the ferry, so go with a car or a lift and look from outside.
Go whenMorning, with a lift or a car, on a clear day.
Local tip The lighthouse is at the far end of Bressay and the walk from the ferry is long. Look at it from outside, and plan the ferry back with room to spare.
A small museum in the village that tells the story of Scalloway, from the castle and the fishing to a wartime role in the islands. It may be closed in winter, so check ahead.
Go whenMidday, as a warm indoor stop.
Local tip The museum tells the story of the village, including its wartime role. It may be closed in winter, so check ahead.
If it rains. Scalloway Museum is covered, so keep it. Move St Ninian's Isle and Bressay Lighthouse to a dry day if you can.
Day 5. Sumburgh and the south
2 stops · 20.3 mi
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
Drive from Scalloway MuseumAbout 41 min by car17.8 mi
Where Day 4 ended.
1
MiddayCheck ahead
Old Scatness
An Iron Age village and broch near the airport, still being dug, with guides on site in the visiting season. It may be closed in winter, so check ahead.
Go whenMidday, as a stop near Jarlshof.
Local tip An Iron Age village and broch being dug out, close to the airport. It may be closed in winter, so check ahead.
About 13 min by car or transit2.5 mi
2
AfternoonCheck ahead
Shetland Crofthouse Museum
A restored croft house of the 1800s, with a peat fire, box beds and farm tools, in the south of the mainland. It is seasonal and may be closed in winter, so check ahead.
Go whenAfternoon, if open, on the way south.
Local tip A restored croft house with a peat fire and furniture of the old way of life. It may be closed in winter, so check ahead.
If it rains. Shetland Crofthouse Museum is covered, so keep it. Move Old Scatness to a dry day if you can.
Day 6. Sumburgh and the south, part 2
2 stops · 4.3 mi
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
Travel from Shetland Crofthouse MuseumAbout 14 min by car or transit3.1 mi
Where Day 5 ended.
1
MorningWorth the time
Jarlshof
A site at the southern tip of the mainland, where layers of settlement from the Stone Age through the Iron Age and the Viking years lie side by side beside the sea. It may be closed in winter, so check ahead.
Go whenMorning, with a car, on a calm day.
Local tip Layers of settlement from the Stone Age to the Vikings sit side by side by the sea. It may be closed in winter, so check ahead, and keep the day short because daylight is.
A high headland with a lighthouse at the far south, windy and bare in winter and a nesting site for seabirds in spring and summer. Visitor buildings may be closed in winter, so check ahead.
Go whenLate morning, in a gap in the weather.
Local tip A lighthouse on a high headland at the southern tip. In January the wind is strong and visitor buildings may be closed, so check ahead and hold on to your hat.
If it rains. Everything today is outdoors, so swap this day with a drier one if you can.
Departure day
After the last day. The day after the festival is usually a local holiday, and winter weather can delay a flight or a ferry, so leave room.Details
The morning after
The halls run late into the night, so Lerwick is quiet the next morning, and many shops and places may be shut for the holiday. Check ahead for breakfast, and let the morning start slowly.
Flights and ferries
Wind can change plans at short notice. Check your flight or ferry the evening before and again in the morning, and do not book a tight connection on the mainland for the same day.
If you have a few hours
A last walk along the harbor front in the daylight shows what the night left behind. Take a hot drink, and leave plenty of time to reach the airport or the ferry terminal.
Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Lerwick?
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, June to September are the most comfortable months for walking around Lerwick. This plan is built for late January, which is less comfortable, so check the forecast before you go. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
How many days does this plan cover?
It covers 6 days in Lerwick, planned for late January. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
Who is this plan for?
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
Is anything on this plan booked?
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Can I plan my own days like this?
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Can I change this plan?
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
How much walking is there?
Each day has about 1.0 to 18.2 miles between its stops, and 32.3 miles in all across 6 days. A short hop is a walk and a longer one a ride. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
8 days in the Scottish Highlands and Skye by carAbout 410 km away
9 days in Edinburgh and the HighlandsAbout 440 km away
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