My Scotland: The best of the Shetland Isles with Akshay Borges

This week, we are heading all the way to the most northern point of Scotland: the Shetland Isles.

Known as The Shetland Chef, Akshay Borges has been showcasing the best of the islands’ produce since moving there more than a decade ago.

He has fallen in love with the islands while exploring them in his work, so we asked him for the top three spots you have to visit if you venture north.

Sumburgh Lighthouse

Sumburgh is at the south end of the Shetland mainland, near the airport, so the lighthouse is great place to visit when you arrive or if you want to get out of Lerwick for a drive.

The lighthouse has cafe inside with amazing views of the coast with windows on all sides. There’s a museum where you can learn about the lighthouse – it was the first ever built in Shetland – and Shetland’s maritime history.

It’s also one of the best places to spot puffins who nest all along the cliffs. There are some great walks nearby too, including the walk up the hill to the lighthouse and another along the hills, but you can also drive to it so it’s very accessible.

For more details visit Sumburgh Head: Lighthouse, Visitor Centre and Nature Reserve

Hamnavoe Circular Walk

The Hamnavoe Circular Walk is an easy walk for beginners that you can get to by bus or car. Along the route you’ll find unusual places like a smugglers’ cave and a secret outdoor swimming pool called the Muckle Loch, which is a rock pool that was once used for learning to swim.

You can see Foula out to sea on a clear day as well as a range of seabirds, wildlife, and flowers. At the end of the route is one of my favourite beaches in Shetland – Meal Beach. It’s very sheltered, not usually busy, and perfect for relaxing and outdoor cooking when the weather is warm. Five minutes away from the beach is a public toilet and a carpark with a walkway down to the beach if you prefer to get to it that way and skip the hill walk.

Kergord Woodland

Contrary to the common belief that Shetland has no trees, the islands actually have 11 woodland areas. Kergord is the largest and oldest and it’s also my personal favourite.

The woodland area is in a quiet valley with the trees making it a sheltered and peaceful place to walk. A small burn runs through the woodland and there’s a bench to sit and enjoy the surrounding nature – it’s a great spot for a cup of tea. The site is teeming with diverse birdlife, trees and plant species, making it great for both foraging and photography.

Most people who come to Shetland think of the giant cliffs and dramatic landscapes so the woodlands are a nice reminder that we have quiet, green spaces to visit too.

You can download a guide about the woodland from here: Woodland Areas in Shetland – Shetland Community Wildlife

For more travel tips, follow Akshay at @shetlandchef on Instagram.