Diving into another world

THE folk stories of old always warned of the dangers of the ocean, of sea monsters and sea witches luring unsuspecting boats to their doom or selkie folk who mysteriously shape shifted from seal to human form, writes Alex Purbrick. But as the folk stories are no longer at the forefront of everyone’s minds and […]

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Wishart calls for new laws to support victims of domestic abuse

Shetland’s MSP has highlighted the need for new laws to ensure people are not forced to give up their family home to escape an abuser. ... Wishart calls for new laws to support victims of domestic abuse

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Toy Tesla arrives in Shetland to make hospital visits more enjoyable for poorly bairns

A mini Tesla has been donated to enable poorly Shetland children drive themselves for treatment in hospital – rather than being wheeled around in a bed.  The donation... Toy Tesla arrives in Shetland to make hospital visits more enjoyable for poorly bairns

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Shetland food producers secure commitment from UK government ministers on export concerns after Brexit

Shetland food producers met with UK government ministers to secure commitments on export concerns. Shetland food producers secure commitment from UK government ministers on export concerns after Brexit

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Voyeur sent to jail for almost three years

POLICE in Shetland said they acknowledged the sentencing of a 48-year old local man to 32 months in prison, imposed at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on Friday. John Rankin, formerly of Sandwick, pled guilty to all charges, including the possession of vast amounts of indecent images and videos of children, which were discovered following police enforcement […]

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Shetland software firm’s role developing maths game welcomed as ‘exciting opportunity’ for new creative jobs

A Shetland software company is involved in the development of a computer game which aims to boost pupils’ maths skills. Shetland software firm’s role developing maths game welcomed as ‘exciting opportunity’ for new creative jobs

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Sex offender jailed after filming women and girls including in Lerwick shop changing room

A former Shetland man who secretly filmed women and girls as they used a toilet has been jailed for 32-months. Sex offender jailed after filming women and girls including in Lerwick shop changing room

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Trust agrees ‘safety net’ for key charities

TRUSTEES of Shetland Charitable Trust have unanimously approved a £1.3 million “safety net” for four of the key organisations it funds in case the hardship caused by Covid-19 endures next year. The contingency fund for 2021/22 will be available for Shetland Recreational Trust, Shetland Amenity Trust and Shetland Arts in case there is any repeat […]

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Carmichael calls on government to support ‘enormous’ opportunities of tidal power in Shetland

Isles MP Alistair Carmichael has called on the government to support the commercialisation of marine renewable energy – to make the most of Shetland’s opportunities. Mr... Carmichael calls on government to support ‘enormous’ opportunities of tidal power in Shetland

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Directors appointed to district heating company

Two new directors have been appointed to the company running Lerwick’s district heating scheme. Colin Clark, who lives in Gulberwick and Neil Fraser of Quarff,... Directors appointed to district heating company

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Investigation underway after truck slid into ditch while delivering materials for Viking Energy windfarm project 

A truck delivering materials for the Viking Energy windfarm project slid into a roadside ditch on Thursday.  SSE confirmed the driver was uninjured and appropriate... Investigation underway after truck slid into ditch while delivering materials for Viking Energy windfarm project 

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Wishart suggests Christmas travel window should be extended to allow for realities of island life

Island communities have been “overlooked” when considering the five-day easing of Covid-19 restrictions over Christmas, Shetland MSP Beatrice Wishart has said. Ms Wishart quizzed cabinet... Wishart suggests Christmas travel window should be extended to allow for realities of island life

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Alleged Shetland murder victim’s jugular vein had been cut with sharp weapon, pathologist tells court

A woman who was allegedly murdered in Shetland died after sustaining “sharp force injuries” to her neck, a court has heard. Alleged Shetland murder victim’s jugular vein had been cut with sharp weapon, pathologist tells court

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Murder trial hears from forensic expert

A TRIAL of two people accused of murdering a woman in Shetland has heard from a forensic pathologist who carried out her post mortem. Leighanne Deboys, 34, told jurors on Friday that Tracy Walker’s jugular vein and carotid artery had been cut in the time before she lost her life. The High Court in Edinburgh […]

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Viking developer says it has ‘consent for all works’ at Kergord after planning report raises concern

THE DEVELOPER of the Viking Energy wind farm has played down concerns raised in a planning monitoring report over an additional filter drain constructed in Kergord which was not said to be part of original consent. The issue came to light as part of an audit check carried out on the wind farm construction by planning monitoring […]

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Open letter to Lesley Riddoch

Hi Lesley, This is an open letter to you, which I shall be sending to our local media in the hope that it is not censored. My name is Stuart Hill. I have booked a ticket for the event Reflections on Self Determination – an Islands Perspective, which you will be presenting. So that you […]

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Underwater photographer’s striking image picked to front nature calendar

A SHETLAND photographer who specialises in taking underwater snaps has had a striking image selected for the front cover of a national nature calendar. Billy Arthur’s photo of sea urchins will front NatureScot’s celebratory calendar marking Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters. Over 700 entries were received, with only 13 making the grade. Arthur said […]

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Female skaters wanted for photo project

A PHOTOGRAPHER is looking to hear from any female skaters in Shetland who would be interested in featuring in a project taking place in the run up to next year’s Olympics. Hannah Bailey’s To Balance is Trust project, which has the support of major image agency Getty, aims to show the “real face” of skateboarders. […]

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Shetland’s Christmas Larder

With Christmas approaching, the thoughts of many – in Shetland as elsewhere – have turned to Christmas preparations. What part does food play in the islands?

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Health board advises not to travel off the islands

NHS SHETLAND has clarified its advice to avoid any travel in and out of Shetland unless essential for work or healthcare purposes. Under current Covid restrictions there are no restrictions on people travelling between level one and level two areas, although the Scottish Government advises to minimise unnecessary travel to areas in level two. Currently […]

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Let’s keep loaded tankers further offshore

THE Malaysian-registered tanker Eagle Bintulu (62,150grt) left Sullom Voe on 14 September with 600,000 barrels of oil in her tanks and then drifted for two whole months inside an environmentally sensitive ‘Precautionary Area’ before sailing on to Scapa Flow in Orkney on 14 November. The vessel is on long-term charter to Shell and owned by […]

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Commitments given over sheep farming after Brexit concerns raised in virtual meeting

GOVERNMENT ministers have given commitments to support sheep farmers in the event of a price crash or a no deal Brexit. Assurances have also been given around maintaining livestock exports from the Northern Isles into the UK and beyond. The commitments were given in a virtual round table meeting held on Thursday (26 November). UK […]

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Space centre lands investment from company owned by Danish billionaire

SHETLAND Space Centre has secured investment of £1.43 million from a company owned by a billionaire businessman and environmentalist. It has received the minority investment from Wild Ventures Limited, a sister company to Wildland Limited. It is wholly owned by Anders Holch Povlsen, the largest landowner in Scotland. His net worth is said to be […]

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‘Straight-up exciting fiddle and guitar music’ – Couper brothers to release debut album

BROTHERLY duo Ross and Ryan Couper are set to release their first album together, with the folk record a true family affair. Sister Mariann joins the pair on a track, while a couple of tunes written by their mum and dad also feature. The album An Den Dey Made Tae was recorded as live in […]

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Emergency services airwaves restored after fault

COMMUNICATION airwaves for some of the emergency services in Shetland is now fully operational again after it went down last week. Shetland area commander Lindsay Tulloch said the services were able to use a back-up system during the flooding incidents last week, which prompted the attention of the emergency services. “This was airwaves for Police […]

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‘Invidious position’

I am heartened to see the election of councillor Lyall to the Shetland Windfarm Environmental Advisory Group. (SIC seeks to amend terms of wind farm environmental advisory group, Shetland News, 25 November 2020). I wish her all the best in the role; she will bring a balanced view to proceedings with a good dash of […]

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Truck off the road

SHETLAND Islands Council has advised that the B9075 road near the Viking Energy wind farm construction site at Kergord remains open after a truck belonging to a local contractor came off the road on Thursday afternoon. However, the single track road, east of the Upper Kergord junction, is only passable for cars but not for […]

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Board hears of some of the logistical challenges of Covid vaccine roll-out

THE REMOTE and rural nature of some parts of the country is “definitely being considered” by the Scottish Government as it organises the roll-out of coronavirus vaccines. That was the message from the council’s resilience adviser Ingrid Gall, who updated members of the Shetland community safety and resilience board on Thursday. She said part of […]

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Wishart says free period products law is a ‘proud moment for Scotland’

SHETLAND MSP Beatrice Wishart says she was “delighted” to offer her support to a bill which will make period products free for anyone who needs them. The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill was approved by MSPs on Tuesday. It means Scotland is the first country in the world to offer free period products for […]

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Trial date set for man accused of dangerous driving

A TRIAL date has been set for a man accused of driving dangerously at excessive speed while disqualified and uninsured. Gary Guilfoyle, of Russell Drive, Baillieston, pleaded not guilty to four charges when appearing via videolink from Motherwell at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Thursday morning. These offences are alleged to have taken place on the […]

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Over 40 fines issued for coronavirus breaches since April

THE POLICE have issued 42 fixed penalty tickets for coronavirus breaches since 1 April. The update was given by chief inspector Lindsay Tulloch at a meeting of Shetland’s community safety and resilience board on Thursday. He reiterated in terms of fining people that “we only do that when absolutely necessary”. Tulloch said this usually relates […]

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The Shetland Bookshelf: The Fiction Section

Shetland has long stimulated writers of both fiction and non-fiction. There is much to enjoy in the fiction section, as well as a remarkable range of poetry.

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Place Names of the Week - Personal names

Several place-names reflect people who have lived at or been associated with places in the past. Here we focus on a few less obvious and particularly interesting ones.

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Arts and crafts inspired by Shetland's landscape and folklore

Shetland-based artists draw so much inspiration from the world around them and the ever-changing landscape, wildlife and rich lore of the isles.

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Artists and designers inspired by Shetland's knitwear tradition

In the run up to Christmas, we focus on some of the amazing creative talent within the isles, giving you a flavour of some of the multi-talented creative businesses that help shape Shetland’s economic landscape.

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How the sea inspires creativity in Shetland

Shetland-based artists draw so much inspiration from the world around them, like the ever-changing seas, the rich heritage of fishing and how the weather can dramatically alter the landscape in a heartbeat. In this blog, we look at how the sea inspires some local artists' work.

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Welcome to the Islands of Opportunity

You might have noticed that shetland.org looks a bit different. The site has been completely redesigned and redeveloped, and we are excited to share it with the world.

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Place Name of the Week - Talking Taings

The Old Norse tangi, tungi means a point of land and is a common place-name in Norway, Faroe and Iceland. The names are easy to recognise and interpret because there are many parallel taing, teng, tung, tungi or tonga names in Shetland. The place-names describe the location, wildlife or buildings associated with the points.

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How Shetland inspires me: artist Ruth Brownlee

The painter explains her long-held fascination with Shetland’s dramatic skies and stormy seas.

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Place Name of the Week - All about burning

This week as our minds turn to bonfires, I consider some of the many place-names that relate to burning. Old Norse brenna and brandr, a burning, burnt off piece of land, gives brunna, brenna, brenda or brenya place-names. These are places where patches of heathery moorland were set on fire to clear for grazing and encourage new growth

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Shetland Arts secures support from Independent Cinema Recovery and Resilience Fund

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COVID-19: Latest visitor information

Advice for people hoping to travel to Shetland from July 2020 onwards.

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Cosying up with Shetland textiles

Misa Hay is the founder of the Shetland Wool Adventures, running knitting tours of the islands and a beautiful new magazine. She explains her longstanding passion for the islands’ rich knitting culture.

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Project sheds light on remarkable archaeology

A plan to build a shed has led to some remarkable archaeological discoveries.

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21 great reasons to visit Shetland

From secret beaches to epic adventures and fresh seafood, why you need to start planning a trip to Shetland.

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Place Name of the Week - Njuggls and Shöpilties

The njuggl is a water spirit similar to the kelpie, which frequents burns and lochs. It disguises itself as a horse and, by feigning tameness and affection, lures unsuspecting weary travellers onto its back and then gallops at lightning speed towards the nearest water.

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Meet the naturalist family

Brydon Thomason is one of Shetland’s best-known naturalists – and his family on the northern island of Unst are similarly wildlife-obsessed.

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Shetland’s Bookshelf: The non-fiction section

Shetland has inspired an extraordinary volume of writing, both fiction and non-fiction, for a community of its size. This time, we look at what’s to be found in the non-fiction section, where the range of topics and writers is extensive.

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Place Name of the Week - Bölin da Kye

Old Norse bú, oxi, kálfr, kýr and kví village, farm and field names all relate to cattle. Discover the Shetland place names related to cattle in our latest Place Names blog.

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What’s it like to teach in a small Shetland school?

Hannah Irvine is the headteacher at North Roe Primary School, in a tiny community in Shetland’s North Mainland. She talks about her work and life.

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Finding energy in the Shetland tide

Tidal energy has been a largely untapped source of renewable energy – but the world first tidal energy array in Shetland’s Bluemull Sound could be at the forefront of changing that.

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Bobby's Bus Shelter

How a bus shelter became one of Shetland's top tourist attractions.

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Finding the perfect career in Shetland

Advanced nurse practitioner Vicky Schofield didn't just find her perfect job when she moved her family up from Chester – she found a new home and a safe, happy childhood for her kids.

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Meet the modern Shetland knitter

Ninian owner Joanna Hunter-Coe left London for family life in Shetland – and to bring a fresh twist to traditional Shetland knitwear.

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Living sustainably by the sea

Emma Perring and Ewen Thomson live a largely sustainable life at Channerwick, a beautiful bay in Shetland’s South Mainland.

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