Car fire in Levenwick

Emergency services were called to a car on fire in Levenwick on Saturday afternoon. The car fire on the A970 was first reported at 12.30pm with one appliance from the Sandwick fire station heading to the scene shortly afterwards. The appliance arrived at 12.41pm with the fire put out by 1.05pm. There were no casualties […] The post Car fire in Levenwick appeared first on The Shetland Times.

Get the full story

Recreational craft allowed out again

Boat owners will be allowed to take their recreational craft out from this weekend following a relaxation of restrictions. Restrictions on recreational craft owners introduced by the Scottish government back in March have now been relaxed and amended by new advice issued. Unrestricted outdoors exercise and non-contact outdoor activities were allowed from Friday as long […] The post Recreational craft allowed out again appeared first on The Shetland Times.

Get the full story

We want people to enjoy outdoor spaces safely, say police

Police have said that “people should only leave the house for very limited purposes” following recent changes to coronavirus lockdown restrictions. People have been encouraged not to go to places that are “normally busy during the good weather” with sunny weather predicted for the isles this weekend. Police officers would continue to engage with the […] The post We want people to enjoy outdoor spaces safely, say police appeared first on The Shetland Times.

Get the full story

Green spaces reopening as phase one begins

Parks and golf courses in Shetland are reopening with new rules in place as restrictions on outdoor leisure and exercise are eased across Scotland. Outdoor leisure activities where physical distancing measures can be adhered to are allowed under phase one of the Scottish government’s lockdown easing framework, including golf. Despite a sunny weekend of weather […] The post Green spaces reopening as phase one begins appeared first on The Shetland Times.

Get the full story

ZetTrans urges people to ‘be responsible’ using public transport

ZetTrans has encouraged folk to “make responsible choices around using public transport” as Scotland moves into phase one of easing lockdown restrictions. The transport partnership said it understood that public transport was the only means of travel to visit friends and family for some, but urged people to “avoid using buses or ferries unless absolutely […] The post ZetTrans urges people to ‘be responsible’ using public transport appeared first on The Shetland Times.

Get the full story

Lerwick households receive more postal deliveries than anywhere else in UK

Lerwick tops the list of the UK’s postal delivery hotspots, according to the Royal Mail. Shetland’s main town saw more deliveries per individual address than anywhere else in the country – including other top listed regions such as Central London, Kirkwall in Orkney and the Hebrides. Recent Royal Mail research also showed that nearly half […] The post Lerwick households receive more postal deliveries than anywhere else in UK appeared first on The Shetland Times.

Get the full story

Warning folk not to travel to Shetland unless necessary was ‘right message’

Shetland representatives have repeated the message urging folk not to visit the Scottish islands unless for essential travel. Beatrice Wishart MSP and Alistair Carmichael MP backed the message from the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon who issued the reminder in her lunchtime briefing yesterday (Thursday). “It is still the case that you should not go to […] The post Warning folk not to travel to Shetland unless necessary was ‘right message’ appeared first on The Shetland Times.

Get the full story

Off the Beaten Track 9 - Ancient ritual and burial in the landscape

Walk Shetland’s Archaeological Secrets with Regional Archaeologist, Val Turner of Shetland Amenity Trust.

Get the full story

Wishart seeks island testing capacity update

Shetland MSP Beatrice Wishart has pressed for an update on testing capacity in islands. The Lib Dem politician’s call came as the “Test and Protect” strategy was rolled out across health boards this week. Ms Wishart noted that demand for tests would rise significantly with the move to the Test and Protect and strategy during […] The post Wishart seeks island testing capacity update appeared first on The Shetland Times.

Get the full story

Sumburgh visitors urged to follow government guidelines

Potential visitors to Shetland Amenity Trust's sites at Sumburgh are being urged to check the government guidelines before heading to the area. The post Sumburgh visitors urged to follow government guidelines appeared first on The Shetland Times.

Get the full story

Place-name of the week – beaches

Find out more about Shetland's place names in our weekly blog. This week we look at beaches.

Get the full story

Visiting Sumburgh Head during Covid-19

Potential visitors to Sumburgh Head urged to follow Government Guidelines as lockdown restrictions are eased.

Get the full story

WATCH: Dave the premature seal pup is rescued after being abandoned by mother

A rescue centre is asking folk to send their well wishes to a struggling seal pup whose mother abandoned it after a premature birth. Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary has been looking after Dave the common seal pup since Friday – and fears “we are not out of the woods yet”. The pup was first spotted by […] The post WATCH: Dave the premature seal pup is rescued after being abandoned by mother appeared first on The Shetland Times.

Get the full story

At da eela

A glimpse into a long-held Shetland fishing tradition that endures to this day.

Get the full story

Arts agency happy to be guided by public health specialists on reopening venues and holding events

SHETLAND Arts chief executive Graeme Howell says the organisation will reopen its venues “when appropriate” and in line with guidance. It comes after Scottish culture secretary Fiona Hyslop suggested the islands could potentially play host to “trials” around the return of live events like concerts. Howell said that “whether Shetland should progress through the later […]

Get the full story

Carmichael adds to calls for Cummings to quit

NORTHERN Isles MP Alistair Carmichael says Boris Johnson’s top aide Dominic Cummings should resign or be sacked after driving 260 miles to his parents’ home during lockdown. Carmichael said it is “unacceptable” that Cummings should not suffer any consequences. Cummings’ trip from London to Durham in March came after his wife developed Covid-19 symptoms. Prime […]

Get the full story

Scalloway Fire Festival postponed

THE 2021 Scalloway Fire Festival has been postponed for a year due to the “continuing uncertainty” around the Covid-19 pandemic. The fire festival, which is the first of the season, takes place each year on the second Friday of January. Current Scalloway Fire Festival committee chairperson and 2020 jarl George Martin said: “All 12 Fire […]

Get the full story

Time to appreciate abundance of local wildflowers

IN THIS digital age many of us are spending more time indoors as our work and entertainment increasingly becomes enveloped within screens and technology, writes Alex Purbrick. The natural world is further removed from our daily lives by demands for Internet connection and remote networking taking precedence over our relationship to the wildlife, plants and […]

Get the full story

Cancer charity launches urgent donations appeal as coronavirus hits income

CLAN Cancer Support has launched a donations appeal in a bid to counter a “significant drop in income” resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. The charity has also seen increased demand for its telephone support, counselling and online services after being forced to close its branches due to the pandemic. The appeal comes as charities across […]

Get the full story

Police seek information after vehicle damaged on two occasions

POLICE are appealing for witnesses after damage was caused to a vehicle in Lerwick on two separate occasions. The damage was caused to a vehicle parked outside an address in Sandveien. The first instance was between 5pm on 14 May and 8.30am the following day. It was damaged again at some time from 16 May […]

Get the full story

Self sufficiency in action: Shetland’s ancient mills

There was a time, not so long ago, when Shetland's crofters milled their own grain, mostly in scores of tiny watermills. At a time when flour has been in short supply, it's a reminder of how self-sufficient islanders used to be.

Get the full story

Eleanor completes jigsaw challenge, radical poetry from Shetland, concert postponements

THREE-year-old Eleanor Philip from Cunningsburgh has raised more than £500 in support of the Scotland Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) by completing 20 jigsaws in less than a week. The charity assists the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) with an additional helicopter to airlift patients to hospital, and is currently fundraising for a second aircraft. Parents Moira […]

Get the full story

Police investigate three incidents in Lerwick including boat break-in

POLICE are investigating three incidents said to have happened in Lerwick in the last few days. A report was received of a break-in to a boat within Skipidock Harbour, which resulted in the theft of two fishing rods. This is believed to have occurred between Wednesday morning and this morning (Friday). A parked white vehicle, […]

Get the full story

The show will go on – meet some of the musicians finding an audience online during lockdown

WITH no venues or pubs open, Shetland’s musicians have been left without a stage to perform on – and a lack of clarity on when they will reopen has left question marks over when local folk will get to gig again. But during the lockdown period some have been taking advantage of the opportunities the […]

Get the full story

Off the Beaten Track 8 - Burnt Mounds

Walk Shetland’s Archaeological Secrets with Regional Archaeologist, Val Turner of Shetland Amenity Trust.

Get the full story

Councillor disappointed SIC did not get to see lockdown exit proposals at ‘earliest opportunity’

A LOCAL councillor says it is a “real shame” that local authorities did not get to see the Scottish Government’s route map out of the lockdown before it was published online. North Isles member Ryan Thomson claimed that the government treats councils as a “nuisance” rather than use them to their advantage. He made the […]

Get the full story

No system in place yet to test everyone with Covid-19 symptoms

IT WILL take until at least next week for NHS Shetland to be able to provide Covid-19 tests for everyone over the age of five with symptoms as announced by the UK Government earlier this week. Discussions are still ongoing between the local health board and NHS Scotland as to how best to overcome a […]

Get the full story

Sturgeon confirms people will be allowed to travel to meet other households outdoors

FIRST minister Nicola Sturgeon has clarified that people will be able to travel more than five miles to see members of another household in an outdoor space when Scotland moves into the first phase of relaxing lockdown restrictions. The Scottish Government revealed its route map out of lockdown on Thursday, and the first phase is […]

Get the full story

Islands could trial return of live events, suggests culture secretary

SCOTLAND’s culture secretary has suggested that the country’s islands could play host to “trials” which would see the return of live concerts and events. Fiona Hyslop, however, stressed that any involvement of the islands would need the full approval of the communities themselves. Events like concerts have been off the agenda since the pandemic struck, […]

Get the full story

Tabnab Time: James Dade

Get the full story

MSP writes to education officials amid concerns over number of children unable to access online learning

A HIGHLANDS and Islands MSP has written to education officials across the region to establish how many pupils do not have the technology for digital learning. Jamie Halcro Johnston, who is the Scottish Conservatives shadow education minister, said he is “very concerned that some children are at risk of being left behind” while schools are […]

Get the full story

Council working on road to economic recovery for isles

SHETLAND Islands Council (SIC) is set to take on a lead role in the response to coronavirus as officials work on a “recovery and renewal framework” to help get the isles moving again post pandemic. The slow journey towards a ‘new normal’ was triggered on Thursday when first minister Nicola Sturgeon outlined the Scottish Government’s […]

Get the full story

SIC leader ‘extremely cautious’ of isles leaving lockdown at different pace

THE LEADER of Shetland Islands Council (SIC) says he would be “extremely cautious” of the isles diverging from a national path towards exiting lockdown unless there are “clear scientific reasons to do so”. Councillor Steven Coutts said “what we seek now is to ensure testing and tracing is available in Shetland, and used to its […]

Get the full story

The sisti moose saga

Jon Dunn reveals the history of the remarkable Shetland wren and its rare Fair Isle counterpart.

Get the full story

SIC representatives resign from valuation joint board

A NUMBER of Shetland representatives on the Northern Isles’ valuation joint board have resigned in a disagreement over a possible significant pay rise for its assessor. The valuation joint board looks after property rates, council tax valuation and electoral registration in Shetland and Orkney. Shetland Islands Council (SIC) convener Malcolm Bell confirmed on Thursday that […]

Get the full story

Positive vibes: Reflections on one-to-one artist advice surgeries

Get the full story

Place-name of the week – kleber, klamel and klemel

Find out more about Shetland's place names in our weekly blog. This week we look at kleber, klamel and klemel.

Get the full story

Households will be able to meet outdoors while distanced as part of first phase of lockdown easing

MEMBERS of a household will be able to meet up with another household outdoors in small numbers while physically distanced as part of the Scottish Government’s first phase of relaxing lockdown restrictions. The first phase is expected to start on 28 May, with relaxing of restrictions gradually introduced. The routemap for phasing can be found […]

Get the full story

Schools expected to reopen in August

MOVES to reopen schools on 11 August subject to the evidence and progress in suppressing the Covid-19 pandemic have been widely welcomed. In documents published on Thursday, the Scottish Government said it is “planning for children to return to school under a blended model of part-time in-school teaching and part-time in-home learning”. Public health measures […]

Get the full story

Drugs seized by police

POLICE officers in Shetland have made a number of seizures of illegal substances this week despite travel restrictions into the isles. The Dogs Against Drugs charity helped seizing packages in the postal system on Monday (18 May) which contained suspected cannabis and illegal valium tablets. Search warrants were also executed at three addresses in Lerwick […]

Get the full story

Kickstart your career in Shetland

Take the first step into your future in our thriving island community.

Get the full story

What to look for this week - Wildflowers

Our Natural Heritage expert Paul Harvey shares an insight into what to look out for in the garden or when out for a walk this week

Get the full story

My life in Fair Isle

Ever wondered what it's like to up sticks and follow your island dream? Rachel Challoner did just that when she took on a croft on Fair Isle.

Get the full story

Off the Beaten Track 7 - In search of soapstone

Walk Shetland’s Archaeological Secrets with Regional Archaeologist, Val Turner of Shetland Amenity Trust.

Get the full story

Place name of the week - gaets, gotts and veiens

Find out more about Shetland's place names in our weekly blog. This week we look at the 'gaets, gotts and veiens'.

Get the full story

What to look for this week - Wonderful Waders

Our Natural Heritage expert Paul Harvey shares an insight into what to look out for in the garden or when out for a walk this week

Get the full story

Future of Shetland textiles

Shetland is known worldwide for its knitwear but it has a rich tradition of other textiles, too.

Get the full story

Growing and cooking with rhubarb

As rhubarb is in season, we thought it timely to revisit this blog from the archives, written by Misa Hay.

Get the full story

7 classic Shetland dishes

Laurie Goodlad shares some traditional meals and food often eaten in Shetland homes.

Get the full story

Off the Beaten Track 6 - Walking with Vikings

Walk Shetland’s Archaeological Secrets with Regional Archaeologist, Val Turner of Shetland Amenity Trust.

Get the full story

Away to the peats

Natural history writer Jon Dunn explores the centuries-old Shetland tradition of working the peats.

Get the full story

What to look for this week - Bumblebees

Our Natural Heritage Expert Paul Harvey shares an insight into what to look out for in the garden or when out for a walk this week

Get the full story

May highlights at Shetland Arts

Get the full story

Place name of the week - Holms

Find out more about Shetland's place names in our weekly blog. This week we look at the 'holms'.

Get the full story

Sketches from Sandwick

Get the full story