Shetland district, Scotland, United Kingdom

Places to visit near Lerwick

Lerwick is a town in Shetland district, Scotland, United Kingdom, home to about 7,040 people. Within 50 km by road there are 256 places to visit — 99 lakes, dams & reservoirs, 61 rivers, islands & mangroves, 41 forts & heritage and 32 beaches & coast. The must-see places are Fort Charlotte (1 km), Shetland Museum and Archives (1 km) and Clickimin Loch (1 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Lerwick on the map

Lerwick, Scotland
Lerwick, Shetland district, Scotland, United Kingdom. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Lerwick at a glance

Location
Shetland district, Scotland, United Kingdom
Population
about 7,040
Coordinates
60.1534° N, 1.1443° W
Places within 50 km
256 (34 must-see)
Best time to visit
August to December when reservoirs are full and gates may open for lakes, dams & reservoirs; September to February for rivers, islands & mangroves

Top places to visit near Lerwick

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Lerwick: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

More places near Lerwick

Things to see near Lerwick, by type

Lakes, dams & reservoirs near Lerwick

99 lakes, dams & reservoirs within 100 km of Lerwick. The closest is Clickimin Loch (1 km). Best time: august to december when reservoirs are full and gates may open.

All lakes, dams & reservoirs in Scotland →

Rivers, islands & mangroves near Lerwick

66 rivers, islands & mangroves within 100 km of Lerwick. The closest is Bressay (3 km). Best time: september to february.

  • Bressay · river spot · Shetland · ~3 km · Must-see
  • Noss · river spot · Shetland · ~9 km · Must-see
  • Shetland · river spot · Scotland · ~20 km · Must-see
  • Holm of Beosetter · river spot · Shetland · ~5 km
  • St Ninian's Isle · river spot · Shetland · ~29 km · Must-see
  • West Linga · river spot · Shetland · ~30 km · Must-see

All rivers, islands & mangroves in Scotland →

Forts & heritage near Lerwick

42 forts & heritage within 100 km of Lerwick. The closest is War Memorial (1 km); the best-known is Fort Charlotte (0 km). Best time: october to february.

All forts & heritage in Scotland →

Beaches & coast near Lerwick

39 beaches & coast within 100 km of Lerwick. The closest is Brei Wick (1 km). Best time: october to march.

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Museums near Lerwick

7 museums within 100 km of Lerwick. The closest is Shetland Museum and Archives (1 km). Best time: year-round.

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Hill stations & viewpoints near Lerwick

7 hill stations & viewpoints within 100 km of Lerwick. The closest is Setter Hill (9 km). Best time: october to february for cool, clear air.

All hill stations & viewpoints in Scotland →

A one-day trip from Lerwick

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 12 km on the road.

  1. Start in Lerwick
  2. 1 km Fort Charlotte · fort, Shetland
  3. 1 km Shetland Museum and Archives · museum, Shetland
  4. 1 km Clickimin Loch · lake, Shetland
  5. 1 km Clickimin Broch · heritage site, Shetland
  6. 5 km Bressay · river spot, Shetland
  7. 3 km Back to Lerwick

Plan a longer trip from Lerwick — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

How to reach Lerwick

    All places near Lerwick by distance

    Within 15 km of Lerwick

    15–50 km — half-day trips

    50–100 km — one-day trips

    Count by type

    Places near Lerwick by type
    TypePlacesNearest
    Lakes, dams & reservoirs99Clickimin Loch (1 km)
    Rivers, islands & mangroves66Bressay (3 km)
    Forts & heritage42War Memorial (1 km)
    Beaches & coast39Brei Wick (1 km)
    Museums7Shetland Museum and Archives (1 km)
    Hill stations & viewpoints7Setter Hill (9 km)
    Churches6Bressay Lighthouse (5 km)
    Other attractions2Up Helly Aa Exhibition (1 km)
    Treks2Tingwall Loch (8 km)
    Caves2Orkneyman's Cave (8 km)
    Parks1Gilbertson Park (1 km)
    Waterfalls1Forsan (18 km)
    Wildlife, forests & gardens1Keen of Hamar Nature Reserve (88 km)

    Lerwick: questions travellers ask

    What are the best places to visit near Lerwick?

    Fort Charlotte (fort, about 1 km), Shetland Museum and Archives (museum, about 1 km), Clickimin Loch (lake, about 1 km), Clickimin Broch (heritage site, about 2 km), Bressay (river spot, about 3 km), Bressay Lighthouse (church, about 5 km).

    How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Lerwick?

    256 places on Spotwander: 99 lakes, dams & reservoirs, 61 rivers, islands & mangroves, 41 forts & heritage, 32 beaches & coast, 6 museums.

    Which is the nearest lake to Lerwick?

    Clickimin Loch, about 1 km by road; Sandy Loch Reservoir (3 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest river spot to Lerwick?

    Bressay, about 3 km by road; Holm of Beosetter (5 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest fort to Lerwick?

    War Memorial, about 1 km by road; Fort Charlotte (0 km) is next.

    What is a good one-day trip from Lerwick?

    Start in Lerwick, visit Fort Charlotte, then Shetland Museum and Archives, then Clickimin Loch, then Clickimin Broch, then Bressay, and drive back — about 12 km by road in all.

    What is the best time to visit places near Lerwick?

    August to December when reservoirs are full and gates may open for lakes, dams & reservoirs; September to February for rivers, islands & mangroves.

    Towns near Lerwick

    Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Lerwick’s location and population from GeoNames; see also Lerwick on Wikipedia. Data sources & credits.