Shetland Islands - This group, the most northerly of Scotland's islands, comprises 100 isles of which less than 20 are inhabited. The capital Lerwick is on the east coast of Mainland which is 50 miles long from end to end and 20 miles at its widest point. Shetland is some 60 miles to the north of Orkney.

Shetland by contrast with Orkney has few tracts of flat land, is deeply penetrated b-, the sea and until recently had an economy dominated by fishing and crofting. The oil boom of the 1970s led to the disruption of this traditional and well balance economy. Today with the largest European oil port sited at Sullom Voe, the oil industry comes second after fishing. It is planned to use oil revenues to bolster the traditional industries (crofting, fishing, fish processing and knitwear). Shetland and the visitor. - The oil-related industrialization is limited to Sullom Voe.

Elsewhere the islands retain the attractions of wild beauty, solitude and empty spaces. Mainland with all its coastal indentations means the sea is ever present. The long coastline is varied and of outstanding beauty, be it rocky and rugged or sandy and smooth. Again the wildlife is varied and plentiful. Up Helly Aa. - This colourful and rousing fire festival is the most spectacular reminder of the Viking heritage. Explanations for the pageant held on the last Tuesday in January are various, from spring rites to placating the Norse gods, or up ending of the holy days. The principal figure the Guizer Jarl (earl) and his warriors, all clad in the finery of Viking war dress, head the great torch lit procession in their Viking long ship.

A thundering rendering of the Galley Song precedes the burning of the galley and the final song, The Norseman's Home. Celebrations continue throughout the night. Jarshof - 25 miles from Lerwick - Set on the seashore not far from one of the more recent constructions, Sumburgh airport, is the prehistoric site of Jarlshof. Here the sequence of occupation is clearly distinguished and covers a span of over 3 thousand years from the mid-2nd millennium BC to the 17C. Stone Age. - Only fragments remain of the earliest settlers' village, contemporary with Skara Brae on the landward side of the site. Bronze Age. - Dating from this period are six oval shaped houses with cubicles built into the walls Dwelling III is the best preserved.

Note the trough quern and rubber. Later settlement of the early Iron Age period brought about the alteration of the original plan including the addition of earth houses. Late Iron Age. - Corresponding to the first centuries of our era this settlement is clustered around the ruins of a broch, partly eroded by the sea. The broch itself is equipped with a well. The plan is confused by post-broch dwellings the wheelhouses in and outside the main structure is the most completely preserved example of a wheelhouse or circular hut divided radically. Viking era. - The remains include numerous long houses the layout of which is complex reflecting various centuries of occupation. Medievallarmstead. - Only parts of the original house and barn, dating from the 13 to 16C, are preserved. Jarlshol. - The 16C New Hall was built for Earl Robert Stewart. It was converted into kitchens when a new Laird's House was added in the early 17C. Museum. - This has finds from excavations and a plan of the entire Jarlshof site. Lerwick to Jarlshof. - 20 miles. This run takes in various aspects of Shetland. The port capital of Lerwick is set on a promontory overlooking the natural harbour, sheltered by the Island of Bressay. A!ways important as a fishing port, the oil boom has brought new activities to the town. A port par excellence. - As a haven, Lerwick provided shelter for King Haakons and other Viking fleets, Dutch fishing vessels in the 17C, the German and British navies in this century and now has an assorted flottila of oil vessels. Commercial Street. - Known affectionately as The Street, this paved and twisting thoroughfare winds its way along the shore. Steep lanes lead off uphill. Fort Charlotte. - From the walls of this 1 7C fort, rebuilt in the 18C, there is a good view of Bressay Sound and island of the same name. Town Hall. - Stained glass windows depict Viking history. Shetland Museum. - The exhibits illustrate Shetland history from the Stone Age. Clickhimin Broch. - The broch is the outstanding structural feature of this islet, which gives evidence of successive occupations. Although only 17ft high the characteristic layout of this defensive structure with its mural chambers and staircase, can still be seen. Discover the more desolate moorland scenery, at times interrupted by peat cutting, the varied and attractive shoreline with crofting townships down by the sea and the numerous vestiges of man's occupation in the past.

The main road, before the turn off for Scalloway, provides a good view* of the inlet of Gulber Wick. Deeply penetrating arms of the sea or voes are typical of Shetland. On the way down pass on the right the valley which is the setting for Tingwall Loch. The head of the loch is reputed to be the site of the Law Ting Holm or meeting place of the old Norse Parliament SeaHoway is a attractively set round its bay, this the onetime capital, is dominated by the ruin of Sea 110 way Castle. As the principal island seat of Patrick Earl of Orkney it is no less splendid than his other residences. Attractive details include the corbelling of the corner turrets. sculptured panel above the entrance doorway and sandstone window, door and angle trims. St Ninian's Isle. - An attractive tombola beach links this idyllic island to the mainland. It was in the ruins of an early Christian church that one of the most important treasure troves of silverware was found. The originals of St Ninian's Treasure are in the National Museum of Antiquities while the Shetland Museum has replicas. The B9122 offers views of a succession of small sandy bays sheltered by headlands. Shetiand Croft House Museum. - This croft in the typical crofting township of Boddam gives an accurate picture of rural life in the mid·19G. The croft steading itself comprises kitchen, sleeping accommodation and byre with the barn behind and a small horizontal water mill down by the stream. Note the roofing of cured turf with straw on top. Return to the main road, making south again towards the site of Sumburgh Airport on its isthmus separating the waters of the Atlantic and North Sea. This is an outstanding example of a broch, a structure unique to Scotland and the north in particular.

On this uninhabited island the visitor may glimpse seals basking on the shore and a small group of Shetland ponies. Broch period. - Brochs are the culmination of a tradition of small stone fortified farms stretching back to 500 BC. Mousa itself probably dates to the first two centuries of our era. Mousa may have been more strongly built than the other 500 known brochs in Scotland, most of which are found in the Highlands and Islands. Many have been reduced to rubble. The Broch. - Impressive from the outside it is awesome and fascinating inside. Ingeniously constructed, the tower is 43ft 6in high with a 50ft diameter at the base. The shape, not unlike a bottle kiln, swells out at the base. Enter by the 16ft long passage which had a door midway along. The courtyard with central hearth was surrounded by lean-to timber structures supported by the scarcements (ledges) still visible on the inner faces of the walls. Three doorways lead to mural chambers. a fourth opens into a staircase, again mural, which leads to the wall head.

Above the uppermost scarcement the hollow wall is divided by stone slabs into galleries, which open onto the courtyard leans of three sets of ladder-like openings. Discover the more desolate moorland scenery, at times interrupted by peat cutting, the varied and attractive shoreline with crofting townships down by the sea and the numerous vestiges of man's occupation in the past. The main road, before the turn off for Scalloway, provides a good view* of the inlet of Gulber Wick. Deeply penetrating arms of the sea or voes are typical of Shetland. On the way down pass on the right the valley which is the setting for Tingwall Loch. The head of the loch is reputed to be the site of the Law Ting Holm or meeting place of the old Norse Parliament SeaHoway Attractively set round its bay, this the one time capital. As the principal island seat of Patrick Earl of Orkney it is no less splendid than his other residences. Attractive details include the corbelling of the corner turrets. sculptured panel above the entrance doorway and sandstone window, door and angle trims. St Ninian's Isle. - An attractive tombola beach links this idyllic island to the mainland.

It was in the ruins of an early Christian church that one of the most important treasure troves of silverware was found. The originals of St Ninian's Treasure are in the National Museum of Antiquities while the Shetland Museum has replicas. The B9122 offers views of a succession of small sandy bays sheltered by headlands. Shetiand Croft House Museum. - This croft in the typical crofting township of Boddam gives an accurate picture of rural life in the mid·19G. The croft steading itself comprises kitchen, sleeping accommodation and byre with the barn behind and a small horizontal water mill down by the stream. Note the roofing of cured turf with straw on top. Return to the main road, making south again towards the site of Sumburgh Airport on its isthmus separating the waters of the Atlantic and North Sea.This is an outstanding example of a broch, a structure unique to Scotland and the north in particular. On this uninhabited island the visitor may glimpse seals basking on the shore and a small group of Shetland ponies. Broch period. - Brochs are the culmination of a tradition of small stone fortified farms stretching back to 500 BC. Mousa itself probably dates to the first two centuries of our era. Mousa may have been more strongly built than the other 500 known brochs in Scotland, most of which are found in the Highlands and Islands. Many have been reduced to rubble.

The Broch. - Impressive from the outside it is awesome and fascinating inside. Ingeniously constructed, the tower is 43ft 6in high with a 50ft diameter at the base.

The shape, not unlike a bottle kiln, swells out at the base. Enter by the 16ft long passage which had a door midway along. The courtyard with central hearth was surrounded by lean-to timber structures supported by the scarcements (ledges) still visible on the inner faces of the walls. Three doorways lead to mural chambers. a fourth opens into a staircase, again mural, which leads to the wall head. Above the uppermost scarcement the hollow wall is divided by stone slabs into galleries, which open onto the courtyard means of three sets of ladder-like openings. SULLOM VOE (Mainland) 35 miles from Lerwick From the main A970 the only indication of Europe's number one oil terminal is the eternal flame on the flare stack, The decisive factors in siting an oil terminal and accompanying port facilities at Sullom Voe were the presence of a deep sheltered inlet and its proximity to the oilfields in the East Shetland Basin, The port with its four specialized jetties can handle ships of up to 300 000 tons, and the terminal 1 400 000 barrels of oil per day.

The oil arrives via two pipelines from 11 offshore oilfields 100 miles to the northeast. The gases (propane and butane) are separated from the oil and then stored prior to shipment. The terminal has no refining facilities. Calback Ness peninsula is the site for sixteen huge storage tanks.