Tour Guide
I’m Mandy, a born and bred Shetlander.
I qualified as a Tour Guide in 2023 after I retired from teaching after 15 years.
Prior to teaching, I also had a 20 year career in economic development for our islands local authority Shetland Islands Council. I have two grown up children.
I am a keen runner, preferably on hills and trails and enjoy many other pursuits which take me outdoors, such as boating, walking and caravanning. I also love sea swimming and do this weekly, all year round, in the many beautiful beaches, voes and “geos” all round Shetland. I am also an enthusiastic, but not particularly skilful, Fair Isle knitter!
As a Green Badge guide I accompany groups on a wide range of tours to various parts of Shetland, including walking tours, and provide commentary on a range of subjects including Shetland history and culture, geology and archaeology, the local economy, local folklore and traditions, food and festivals and natural heritage. I hold a current Rescue Emergency Care Outdoor First Aid certificate.
I can also do driver guided tours (up to four persons) in a comfortable SUV, which can be tailored to the customer’s requirements and could be anywhere within Shetland, time, weather and ferries permitting! Personally tailored walking tours can also be arranged (maybe even including a cheeky swim!) – just tell me what you would like to see and do!
Some suggested tours and prices are detailed below. Please do get in touch using the contact details shown to discuss your requirements.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes
Mandy
M: 07551009863
E: mandy@mairsyard.co.uk
Home Town Walking Tour
Lerwick. Our island’s capital, officially since 1838 but the de facto capital for many years prior to that due to its prime location in Bressay Sound and its deep and sheltered harbour, providing a trading post for German and Dutch fishermen from the 1400s onwards. Starting at the harbour, a circular route takes us past the historic “lodberries”, including the one used as Jimmy Perez’s house in the detective series “Shetland”. We reach the highest point in Lerwick and visit the Lerwick Lanes, which housed the Lerwick population from the 1700s as the town grew rapidly due to the influence of the fishing industry. We visit the Town Hall, built in 1883, and Fort Charlotte, built originally to defend the town during the three Anglo Dutch Wars then rebuilt in 1781 as a result of perceived threats arising from the American Wars of Independence. The tour ends with a short stroll to the Lerwick Museum where you can browse at leisure and learn more of the history of the town and of Shetland.
Tour Duration – 3 hours (plus any time at your leisure at the Museum)
Cost (1-4 persons) - £255 (plus entry fees)
Shetland’s Southern Shores
The South Mainland of Shetland ticks several boxes. We visit a pristine beach at St Ninian’s Isle where a Pictish silver horde was uncovered by a Shetland schoolboy in 1953. At 500m long, the shell sand tombolo linking the Isle to the Mainland is one of the finest in Europe. As we progress Southwards we overlook another secluded beach where common and grey seals haul out. We reach the Southernmost tip of the Mainland at Sumburgh Head, with its Stevenson built lighthouse and many thousands of seabirds in the internationally significant Sumburgh Head RSPB Reserve. Returning North, we visit the ancient site of Jarlshof where 5000 years of history unfold before our eyes. On our return to Lerwick we visit the village of Hoswick where a cup of tea awaits and the opportunity to purchase local knitwear and jewellery. Lunch or afternoon tea can be included at either the Sumburgh Hotel or the Hoswick Visitor Centre (for an additional cost)
Tour Duration – 5 hours
Cost (1-4 persons) - £425 (plus entry fees and lunch)
Shetland’s Wonderful West
We leave Lerwick and head West to the Atlantic Ocean and to Scalloway, the ancient capital of Shetland with its dramatic medieval castle, testament to a brutal period in Shetland’s history. We visit the Scalloway Museum and take a short stroll along the main street to view a memorial to “ The Shetland Bus”, a brave and daring clandestine WW2 operation supporting the Resistance in Norway. From there, we continue West through the lush and fertile Tingwall Valley where we visit Carol and her Shetland ponies and then continue to the Weisdale Valley where we encounter a rare sight in Shetland – a tree plantation – and visit the Shetland jewellery workshop. We return to Scalloway for lunch before returning to Lerwick.
Tour Duration – 5 hours
Cost (1-4 persons) - £425 (plus entry fees and lunch)
Cliffs and Rocks of the North
With three fault lines running through the isles, the Geology of Shetland is some of the most diverse in Europe and is the reason why Shetland currently holds UNESCO Geopark Status. We drive to the North West mainland of Shetland to the parish of Northmavine where the oldest rocks in Shetland, Lewisian Gneiss at 2.9 billion years old, can be found. On our way North we witness fantastic cliff scenery and sea stacks shaped by the full force of the Atlantic. We arrive at Shetland’s volcano – Eshaness – active 390 million years ago and what is left now is a section through the flank of the volcano. After a short photo stop to view the cliff scenery, we return South, taking in the view of Shetland’s highest point, the red granite of Ronas Hill, 450m high and 450 million years old, once a magma chamber. We stop at Tangwick Haa Museum, built in the late 17th century as the home of the laird and where you can browse the exhibits to learn more of the history of Northmavine and have an opportunity to make a cup of tea and browse some local crafts. We return South via Brae for lunch at Frankie’s Fish and Chip shop before heading back to Lerwick
Tour Duration – 5 hours
Cost (1-4 persons) - £425 (plus entry fees and lunch)
Bespoke Tours
Walking and Driver Guided tours can be arranged anywhere within Shetland, time and transport permitting. Please contact me to discuss your requirements.
Tour Durations and Price dependent on itinerary