Jarlshof & Hoswick
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Port
Lerwick, Shetland Islands, United Kingdom
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Activity Level
Moderate Activity
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At (prices in USD)
$140
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
4¼ Hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
Pass through Lerwick, the capital of Shetland, en route to the island's southernmost point. You will pass through the rural townships of Fladdabister and, conditions permitting, pause to admire the view of the magnificent Mousa Broch -- the tallest and best-preserved broch in the world -- from across the water.
Continue southward down the west coast, possibly catching a glimpse of St Ninian's Isle, where the famous Pictish horde of silver dating from the 9th century was found in 1958.
You will visit the remarkable archaeological site of Jarlshof, uncovered by a violent storm in the winter of 1896-97. What was revealed was an extraordinary settlement embracing at least 5,000 years of human history. The site contains a remarkable sequence of stone structures -- late Neolithic houses, a Bronze-Age village, an Iron-Age broch and wheelhouses, several Norse longhouses, a medieval farmstead, and the 16th-century laird's house. Explore the remains of these village settlements with your guide to make the most of your time here.
In the small historic village of Hoswick, step inside the Hoswick Visitor Center. Its informative interpretive displays will help you to understand the history, heritage and geology of Shetland. Purchase art, gifts, keepsakes, locally-made crafts, handmade jewelry, and designer woolen garments in the shops.
You will then return to Lerwick with your guide telling you more about amazing Shetland, and keep an eye out for the eponymous ponies grazing in the fields -- what they lack in stature, they make up for with an astonishing level of attitude.