How does one get to the Shetland islands?

Is there commercial air traffic? Chartered air traffic only? Ferry? Could there possibly be a very, very long bridge?

I googled “transportation to Shetland Islands”.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/scotland/highlands-and-northern-islands/shetland-islands/transport/getting-there-away

By pony?

Or go here to book a flight: Flights to Shetland | Shetland.org

Or sheepdog. (Proud owner of a Shetland Sheepdog).

I flew there on a scheduled flight from Aberdeen. It is a very scenic flight, overflying the Orkneys and Fair Isle at relatively low level.

There are regular ferry services from the mainland to the Shetland Islands, which have the additional advantage of allowing you to take your car there.

There’s no bridge.

Tardis.

I see that the ferry from Aberdeen takes approximately 13 hours. Yikes.

It does, and there’s a fair chance you might experience some of this:

Think I’ll take the plane…

Link doesn’t take me to a video, but I imagine it’s of rough water. Nooooooo thank you!

Based on the URL that was given, I think this is the actual link.
It’s titled “Actual footage ferry to shetland”

And yeah. I’d be SO seasick. Shame…it could almost be fun :slight_smile:
ETA: The parts I watched were from the inside of the ferry. Impressive movement.

I should add that they are a popular port of call for cruise ships. Probably the most likely way for Americans to go there.

http://www.princess.com/excursion/exlistfordestination.do?portid=LWK|&exType=S&t=F

Yup that was what I was trying to link to, don’t know what happened there!

Would be one hell of a bridge - the distance from Thurso to Lerwick is about 170 miles.

There’s regular air service from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness. Plus the aforementioned ferry from Aberdeen, if you enjoy vomiting.

Why isn’t that furniture in the ferry bolted down to the floor? I can’t imagine them putting up with it sliding all over the deck every trip.

That’s what I thought. The ferries from the mainland to Orkney have the furniture (the tables anyway) securely fastened, and I find it hard to believe the Shetland ferry doesn’t too. :dubious:

Wouldn’t a pony (or a sheepdog) drown? :smiley:

Because the footage is actually from a big ass cruise ship where size and stabilization make people complacent enough to leave furniture loose: P&O Pacific Sun cruise ship caught in storm off New Zealand coast | Daily Mail Online

My sister and I took the ferry from Aberdeen, had a short stay (2 nights?) in Lerwick, then on to Stavanger in Norway. Great trip!