Shetland

June 2026 – we head for Scotland to collect BCQs on Orkney and Shetland.

After our stay in Orkney, we moved on to Shetland, to collect the BCQs there. We disembarked the overnight ferry at about 07:30 and a quick search on Google found a café which opened for breakfast at 08:00. The house we were renting for our stay wouldn’t be available til 12:30, so we spent the morning reconnoitring a few of the BCQs.

The wilderness of Shetland. At left is one of the BCQs we would cycle to later. The main, arterial roads across the islands are wide and fast, but away from these it’s single track with passing places.
Lerwick Harbour. Our house was about 7 minute’s walk away, up the hill behind me.

We spent the afternoon settling into our accommodation then walked into the town to explore and find a watering hole.

In Shetland we found the weather to be a lot more unsettled and fickle, so we chose our riding days as best we could, but we still got caught out. It was colder too, and unless the weather was good, Karon wasn’t so keen on long rides. While Orkney seems to be mostly low-lying with the odd higher hills, Shetland is much more up and down. Fortunately, not all the BCQs were at the highest point around, which is often the case in other parts of the country!

We had already decided to avoid riding on the A970, the main road up the island, as much as we could. It is wide and, without any roadside obstacles like trees and buildings, one can often see a very long way ahead, which seems to encourage motorway speeds by many of the locals so we elected for a relatively gentle start to our Shetland campaign, heading for BCQ 664 which overlooks South Nesting Bay, about 15 miles north of Lerwick. We parked the car beside the A970, at the turn off to South Nesting and followed the undulating, single track road out to Brettabister.

The road to Brettabister.
Our first Shetland BCQ. Showers in the distance. Light rain had already blow through and this seemed to set the trend for much of our stay.
South Nesting and the myriad of rocks and small islands surrounding it.

Our next BCQ was probably the least inspiring, certainly on Shetland and Orkney. It was also the furthest north of all. BCQ663 was overlooking a disused airfield and Sullom Voe oil terminal. We parked up at Burravoe, south of Brae and followed the B9076 to the BCQ. A couple of passing showers dampened our spirits a little and we were riding into the wind too.

The BCQ at Sullon Voe, next to a disused airfield and overlooking the oil terminal. No doubt the terminal has made a huge contribution to the economy of Shetland.
The approaches to the Sullom Voe BCQ.
By the BCQ, looking back at the way we had come. There were very few cars on the road, but those that were travelled at motorway speeds. We passed through another shower on the way. They tended to be short but fairly heavy and quite localised.
On our way back to the car. Voxter Voe. Brae lies behind the high ground to the left while the road ahead clings close to the shoreline.

BCQ 666 was a devil to get to. Not really, but it was close to the top of a climb on the A971. I decided to start the ride from the small car park where the B9075 joins the A970, NE of Weisdale and next to Sand Water. There’s a cycle path (the old road) that climbs over the saddle and into Weisdale.

BCQ666 on the main road west.
We started in Pettadale. There was a handy car park and the old road had been kept as a cycle path over the saddle and into Weisdale.
A relatively rare sight on Shetland. Trees. These are clustered around a farm and house in Weisdale.
At the end of the Weisdale Voe. The road climbs from here to round the headland on the right.
Karon taking in the view over Weisdale Voe. She was interested in the local flora so we stopped on our descent a couple of times so she could identify the flowers – sea thrift.
Back at Lerwick, beside the BCQ at the harbour.

14th June was wet, so we put off any ride and did a bit of shopping. Although the forecast for the following day was better, after a bright, early start, the clouds closed in as we drove south down the island. We were heading for Bigton.

A murky start at the car park by the strip of sand that connects St. Nina’s Isle to the mainland.

Getting the bike out the car I was starting to have second thoughts, as we would be very exposed for the whole ride. The wind was pretty blustery too. As we cycled down the coast road, we had the odd brighter spell but the rain was never far away.

On the bike and heading for Sumburgh Head, somewhere under that low cloud ahead.
After a while the weather cleared for a bit and we could enjoy views of the coast. This is the Ness of Rerwick and the Bay of Scousburgh with the island of Colsay at left and St. Ninian’s at right.

We crested Ward Hill and there below was the airport. I pulled in for a photo then waited to watch a plane taxi to the end of the runway, turn and take off. The road crosses the end of the runway and there are manned posts, barriers and lights to prevent cars mingling with aircraft.

Sumburgh Airport sits on the low strip of land and in the distance, the Sumburgh Head lighthouse, which is our destination.
Sumburgh Head Lighthouse – nearly there.
Karon inspecting BCQ 661.
Looking up the west coast at Sumburgh Head.
Looking up the east coast from Sumburgh Head. We spent a little time by the fence, watching the puffins heading out to or returning from their feeding grounds.
Somewhere below there are puffins in their almost frantic wingbeat. Too small and too far away to see in the photo. Below to the left are hundreds of guillemots.
Heading back to Bigton, the weather cleared again.
St Ninian’s Isle and the sand bridge in slightly better weather.

Typically, the following day, the 16th June was lovely, so we took the Pino into town for a wander.

Commercial Street in Lerwick.
The quiet end of Lerwick harbour, with Bressay in the background.

The 17th June was my birthday and by now we were fairly familiar with the various bars along or near the waterfront. In the evening, the Longe Bar had a local jam session so I enjoyed some local brew and local music.

Local music in the Lounge Bar.

We spent the rest of our time in Shetland exploring by foot in Lerwick and by car further afield.

View from the fort in Lerwick.
One of the huge works boats. This one is set up for laying undersea cables.
The view from Scalloway with Tondra across the water.
North Roe. Terns were nesting in the grass and pebbles behind the beach.
At the narrow neck of land known as Mavis Grind. Ahead of me it opens out into the Atlantic. Behind me, it opens out into the North Sea.

Our time in Shetland had come to an end. We needed to be out of our house by 10:00, so I had partly loaded the car the day before. Our ferry wasn’t until the evening again, for an overnight sailing to Aberdeen. It took a while to load but eventually we were on board, went to the food court for an evening meal, then back to our cabin for an early night.