Shetland ponies are built for life on a remote archipelago, with short legs and thick coat they can withstand howling gales

Unst and Yell are the two most northerly Shetland Islands, home to famously spectacular seabird colonies. The islands lie almost half way between mainland Scotland and Norway, exposed in the wild North Sea and battered by the elements. It is this wildness that draws people to Shetland – icy waves crashing at the foot of towering cliffs, wildlife more akin to the Arctic than Scotland’s mainland, and a feeling of really being as remote as you can get in Scotland.

Shetland’s coastline is dramatic, with cliffs, voes (inlets), sea stacks and beaches. It teems with wildlife, far away from the disturbance of mainland coastal activity. Gannets, skuas, fulmar and other seabirds swoop along steep cliffs, nesting in the safety of their vertical walls. Puffins can be spotted, particularly at Muckle Flugga where you can get up close to these comical birds.

Orca can often be seen cutting through the waves below, perhaps in chase of a seal. The coasts are so steep in places, creating deep water immediately off the coast, that orca have been known to come just meters from shore. One famous video of these incredible animals was even filmed from the Tesco carpark!

On rocky shores, otters (known as ‘dratsies’ locally) can be spotted foraging among kelp forests and emerging onto the rocky shore to enjoy their catch.

Unst is home to Scotland’s most northerly woodland, planted in the 1830s to attract more types of birds to the island.

The islands are home to some fascinating archaeological sites, including 16th century Muness Castle and over 60 Viking longhouses at Haroldswick – the highest density of rural Viking sites anywhere, including Scandinavia itself.

Shetland is spectacularly unique in Scotland, with strong ties to its Norse heritage in its culture, language and landscape. Unst and Yell are no exception, with some of Shetland’s most exceptional coastal cliffs and wildlife.