The Wild West of Shetland

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My cruising ground is the west side of Shetland, and I’d recommend it to visiting yachts: gorgeous scenery, wildlife including seabirds, seals and otters, plenty of reasonably priced small marinas, and friendly natives!

Shetland’s a rough cross shape 90 miles long, 40 across at its widest. Each area has its own distinctive character: the south mainland reminds me of the Scottish Lowlands, with rolling pasture and sandy beaches on the west side; up north of us has black volcanic cliffs like the south of Iceland; our west coast has the heather hills and weed-fringed, sheltered bays of