Shetland South Mainland Tour St Ninian Isle and Jarlshof
Overview
Available languages
5 hours
Mobile ticket
Discover the captivating South Mainland of Shetland, where history and nature intertwine. Explore the pristine St Ninian's Isle, famous for its Pictish silver horde, and stroll along its stunning 500m long tombolo. Witness seals basking on secluded beaches and marvel at the impressive Sumburgh Head lighthouse, nestled within a seabird sanctuary. Uncover 5000 years of history at the ancient Jarlshof site, before enjoying a warm cup of tea and local crafts in Hoswick. Optional lunch or afternoon tea can be arranged for your delight.
- Visit St Ninian's Isle and its remarkable tombolo
- Explore the Sumburgh Head RSPB Reserve and lighthouse
- Discover 5000 years of history at Jarlshof
- Enjoy tea and local shopping in the village of Hoswick
Additional Info
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
What To Expect
St Ninian's Isle
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
ancient site of Jarlshof where 5000 years of history unfold before our eyes
Options
Shetland South Mainland Tour St Ninian Isle and Jarlshof
Pickup included
What‘s Included
Air-conditioned vehicle
Meals and Snacks not included
Admission fee to Jarlshof not included
Pickup points
Kveldsro House
20 Greenfield Place, Lerwick United Kingdom
Sumburgh Airport
United Kingdom
Grand Hotel Lerwick
149 Commercial Street Lerwick United Kingdom
Lerwick-Tingwall Airport
United Kingdom
The Shetland Hotel
Holmsgarth Road, Lerwick United Kingdom
Glen Orchy Guest House
20 Knab Road, Lerwick United Kingdom
The Lerwick Hotel
15 South Road, Lerwick United Kingdom
The Queens Hotel
24 Commercial Street, Lerwick United Kingdom
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
5 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Shetland Island Guided Tour
markhA1186BG,May 24, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A very enjoyable tour of the southern aspect of Shetland, made all the more memorable by Mandy's personal approach & insights from someone who has lived & worked on the island. Having previously visited Orkney, we had wanted to see how life in Shetland compared, & Mandy fully fulfilled this for us through the very interesting detail she put into the tour, including additional stop points we has requested. Particularly enjoyable aspects of the day were the walk across the tombolo at St. Ninian's Island (including coffee & biscuits very kindly provided by Mandy for us), seeing puffins on the cliffs at Sumburgh Head, & also the very interesting museum to the Shetland Bus Story at Scalloway. The day had so much packed into it & was a highlight of our short visit to Shetland, much appreciated, thank-you Mandy !
Nice excursion.
273StephenC273,Apr 26, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Beautiful excursion thanks to Mandy. She showed us the most beautiful places on the island. Meet the famous Shetland ponies and puffins. She also knew how to advise us for our purchases of shetland sweaters. She showed exceptional kindness to our disabled boy. Thank you for a wonderful day.
Get to know Southern Shetland
allanr82,Oct 14, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Guide Mandy certainly knows Shetland extremely well. Went to great lengths to show us everything and provide all information and history. We loved that the islands were Norse but became Scotland as part of a royal dowry, with Shetland thrown in as added extra because Orkney wasn't quite worth enough. Mandy has the answer for every question. Our little stop with Carol at Shetland pony farm was also great, they're little cuties and Carol knows all about them too.
The beauty and history of Shetland brought to life by an entertaining and knowledgeable Islander
Dulcie W,Jul 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This private tour for 2 people and was a 5 in every category. We had already explored the north of Shetland and advised Mandy that we would like to focus on places such as Jarlshof and Sumburgh in the south and if possible see some puffins up close! Mandy picked us in the morning at our accommodation in Lerwick in a spacious and comfortable car. She is very knowledgeable about Shetland and on the journey south she regaled stories about her island that really brought its history to life. She took us to several other attractions such as St Ninian’s Isle and we even managed to get close to several Shetland Ponies! We stopped for coffee on the way and had lunch at the Sumburgh Hotel before visiting Jarlshof. Mandy acted as our guide as we explored Jarlshof and again brought its history to life for us! After that we headed up to the Sumburgh Head Nature Reserve where we managed to get close to several puffins which Mandy had spotted! We then drove up to the Sumburgh Head Lighthouse with its magnificent views. We thoroughly enjoyed Mandy’s company throughout the tour. When she heard that we had both enjoyed watching the TV series Shetland, she took us on the way back to Lerwick to some of the filming locations and also to Perez’s house in Lerwick.
Holiday with my octogenarian mum
Elaine W,Jun 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Mandy was a fount of knowledge was able to take myself and my octogenarian mum all over Shetland keep it interesting fun and have the odd rest when needed and a cup of Tea Made good shopping suggestion and we did a great sauna and cool off in the Atlantic Ocean We bought some beautiful knitwear jewellery and fudge We did a self dry tour which was a brilliant idea as it gave me a chance to drive with a great co- driver that gave me confidence to explore Shetland more Mandy was a delightful tour guide
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