Accessibility in Shetland: all you need to know about accessible travel in Shetland

From your journey here to the most accessible venues, accommodation and tours for your stay, we’ve worked with Ability Shetland to put together a guide to accessibility in the islands.

Shetland

By boat

NorthLink’s passenger ferries to Shetland provide easy access and a full range of facilities for those with accessibility requirements. These include cabins (including hoists), lifts, Changing Places toilets, and wheelchair accessible restaurants. Staff are on hand to assist passengers either through the terminal or from the car deck with a wheelchair if required. Walkways make it possible to use a motorised wheelchair from terminal to ship.

By air

If you require assistance please make arrangements a minimum of 48 hours prior to travel through your airline (Loganair). Highlands and Islands Airport Limited Group (HIAL) and Loganair staff have received training on supporting passengers with additional requirements and support can be put in place for passengers, including airport assistance, MERU seats, wheelchairs, and ambulifts on and off the aircraft.

Top tip – If you require assistive equipment, you can contact Ability Shetland for more information about how to access equipment during your stay.

ABILITY SHETLAND

Getting around Shetland

Most venues have designated disabled parking bays for blue badge holders.

Inter-island ferries

If you require assistance on the inter island ferries, please contact the Booking Office to discuss as each ferry is different, and some are more accessible than others. For example, the Yell ferry has lifts to the passenger lounge but other ferries don’t. For the booking office, call +44(0)1595 745804 or visit shetlandgov.uk/ferries. If travelling to Bressay as a foot passenger, the upstairs passenger lounge is not accessible so you may wish to bring a blanket and wrap up warm for the 7-minute crossing.

The ferry to Fair Isle and Foula are not wheelchair accessible.

Public transport

Shetland’s public transport network consists of a fleet of low-floor accessible buses with designated areas for wheelchairs.

There are two accessible taxis available in Shetland (Sinclair’s Taxis and Allied Taxis), just advise your requirements when booking.

Accessible toilets

Shetland has a lot of disabled toilets, which include grab rails, however, the majority don’t have a changing bed. There are 4 Changing Places toilets in Shetland. Shetland’s leisure centres have excellent changing facilities with flip-down changing beds, and some with hoist equipment, and are always happy to accommodate anyone who is out and about and needs to use these facilities. Shetland’s inter-island ferry terminals also have accessible toilets.

Changing Places facilities

Sumburgh Airport
Voe Public Hall
Esplanade Public Toilets, Lerwick
Islesburgh Community Centre, Lerwick

Accessibile toilets in shetland

Top tip:

Remember to bring your Radar key for access to some disabled and Changing Places facilities.

BUY THE GUIDEBOOK FOR MORE INFORMATION ON VISITING SHETLAND AND ACCESSIBILITY

Accommodation

For the most comprehensive list of Shetland accommodation, visit www.stay.shetland.org which has information about accessibility for each property or get in touch with Ability Shetland who can help with specific needs and questions. Please note that, although many are listed as accessible, they may not have specific equipment such as hoists and wet rooms available. It is always best to get in touch with accommodation and discuss your needs and how they can best be met. Some properties will have ramps and ground floor rooms, but they may lack fully-accessible wet rooms, so it’s always a good idea to check.

Here are a few accessible properties you may wish to check out:

Shetland Glamping, Bigton – modern, luxury glamping pods set in the sweeping South Mainland. There are three pods, including the accessible pod, Tirrick. Tirrick is wheelchair accessible and includes features such as level entry, wide doors, full wet room with grab rails and minimum 1.5m turning circles for freedom of movement within the pod. A mobile hoist and mobile shower chair is available for use in Tirrick if required. (shetland-glamping.co.uk)

Shetland glamping

Shetland Hotel, Lerwick – has one fully-accessible wheelchair room, complete with wetroom. Hoists can be arranged if necessary. (shetlandhotels.com)

Islesburgh House Hostel, Lerwick – has disabled parking and facilities, including a six-bed accessible dorm with adjoining wet room. There are also accessible twin rooms (without en-suite), however a lift to the first floor gives access to the kitchen and wet room. Ensure that you phone to let them know that you require an accessible room +44 (0)1595745100.

Scalloway Caravan Park – has an accessible wigwam (the door measures 822mm and may not be suitable for larger wheelchairs).

scalloway caravan park

Visitor attractions and tours

Due to the nature of some of our historic buildings and sites, some places have partial or no wheelchair access so it’s worth checking ahead to see whether or not they are accessible. Fully accessible venues include, Shetland Museum & Archives, Mareel, Shetland’s leisure centres, Scalloway Museum, Hoswick Visitor Centre, Unst Boat Haven & Unst Heritage Centre. Other venues such as Jarlshof Prehistoric Site are accessible, although the fine gravel path around the site and grass path leading to the Visitor Centre may be slightly problematic for some. Similarly, Sumburgh Head is fairly accessible but the parking at the top of the hill can be tricky if it’s very windy, but a new viewing platform is fully accessible, allowing better access to the cliffs.

Mareel offers ASN-friendly screenings in their cinema, and also have wheelchair bays which you can reserve by calling them +44(0) 1595 745500.

Seabirds and Seals have a wheelchair accessible boat for Noss boat trips, meaning that wheelchairs can transfer very easily from ship to shore, and the open deck allows easy manoeuvrability.

Local charity, Ability Shetland, has a range of wheelchairs, including four all-terrain wheelchairs, which are available free of charge to support individuals with physical disabilities and mobility issues and allow them to make the most of their Shetland experience.

Several attractions in the South Mainland include sensory bags for visitors. These kits include ear defenders, fidget toys, notepad and pencils, and emotion cards. They are can found at sites including:

Sumburgh Head Lighthouse & Visitor Centre
Old Scatness
Sumburgh Airport
Jarlshof Prehistoric Site
The Crofthouse Museum, Boddam
Dunrossness Central Public Hall, Boddam
Levenwick Community Hall & Campsite, Levenwick
Bigton Community Hall, Bigton
Hymhus, Bigton
Mainlands Mini Market, Boddam
Quendale Mill, Quendale

Enjoying the outdoors

Ability Shetland and Shetland Islands Council have a series of all-terrain wheelchair routes available to view online. These routes all follow Path’s For All’s grading guidelines. While a description of the routes can be found online.

ACCESSIBLE WALKS in shetland

Wheelchair swing at King Harald Street Playpark, Lerwick

There are 71 play parks in Shetland, many of which have accessible equipment. Lerwick’s King Harald Street playpark has an ability roundabout, a bird’s nest swing and an ability wheelchair swing – all of which can be used by anyone with mobility issues. An accessible picnic bench is also available.

Accessible play parks:

King Harald Street, Lerwick (wheelchair swing, bird’s nest swing, roundabout)
Happyhansel primary school play park, Walls (wheelchair swing, bird’s nest swing, roundabout)
Sandwick Play Park (nest swing & paved cycle path)
Voe Play Park (nest swing)
Boddam play area (nest swing)
Gulberwick Play Park (accessible roundabout)
Bigton Play Park (accessible roundabout)

Michaelswood

Michaelswood, in Shetland’s West Mainland, has picnic benches and an accessible play boat in their play area. The wooded area is possible but can be a hard push in some areas due to the terrain. An all-terrain wheelchair is available to use.

Eshaness cliffs

Eshaness is a popular beauty spot which, with care, can be accessible to wheelchairs. The car park is paved and access to the cliff area may be achieved on a dry day in the summer when the ground is not boggy. The ground is relatively flat with scrubby grass. When wet it is not possible to access with a wheelchair. Care should be taken, and individuals should assess the terrain fully before attempting to visit.

Sumburgh Head viewing platform

Sumburgh Head is a popular place to view seabirds and sometimes a passing cetacean. The ‘Lookout’ at Sumburgh Head is a wheelchair accessible platform where visitors can watch the birds coming and going from the cliffs.

Burradale Windfarm

With a gravel track leading up the hill to the Burradale Windfarm, this route allows fantastic views of the beautiful Tingwall Valley to the west and Lerwick Harbour to the east.

Accessible beaches

Some of Shetland’s beautiful beaches are partially accessible for wheelchairs, although some may require a bit of a push, and it might be worth accessing one of Ability Shetland’s all-terrain wheelchairs. Here is our pick of the most accessible:

Spiggie (Scousburgh) Beach, South Mainland – Car access right to the beach on compacted sand. A sandy slope down to the beach from the car park.
Reawick, West Mainland – car parking at the beach, grass and sand ascent on to the beach.
St Ninian’s Isle, South Mainland – parking at the beach. Be aware that the sand is very fine and can prove challenging for a wheelchair, particularly the slope down to the beach from the road. There are picnic benches overlooking the beach, so this is an ideal picnic spot, and you can park beside the benches.
West Voe beach, South Mainland, has a concrete ramp down to the beach from the parking area.
Minn Beach, Burra – Paved car park and rough gravel path that leads to the beach (300 metres). This is quite a steep hill, so the push back up may require a stop to look back and admire the views as you catch a breath!
Meal Sand, Burra – although the beach itself is inaccessible, the car park is paved and the walk to the beach viewpoint (275 metres) is down a gravel path. Excellent views can be enjoyed from the path towards the beach and out to sea.
Norwick Beach, Unst – you can park your wheelchair accessible vehicle right beside the beach and get out and enjoy a picnic on the cropped-grass area above the beach whilst watching the seabirds and possibly the odd seal.
Skaw Beach, Unst – parking almost at the beach and a short, level walk down to the beach. Beautiful views, and another ideal picnic spot.

Wheelchair-friendly walks in Lerwick:

Lerwick is fairly accessible for wheelchairs, but it’s important to remember that, although venues are accommodating and will help as much as possible (providing ramps, assistance etc), many of the buildings are historic, sometimes listed buildings, and by their very nature are inaccessible. Most shops in Lerwick are accessible and some have ramps available if you ask.

The Sletts, Lerwick – fully paved coastal path with a gentle gradient
Clickimin Loch, Lerwick – a wide, paved path leads all the way around the picturesque Clickimin Loch
Cunningham Way – for this walk, you’ll need an all-terrain wheelchair. The walk leads from Ladies Drive (HU 46035 41988), in the north of Lerwick, and follows a gravel road towards Upper Sound, reaching the main road into Lerwick at Sandy Loch (HU 45389 40216).

Accessible tours

Seabirds and Seals

Seabird is an accessible catamaran with a steel platform at the stern of the boat to allow wheelchairs to transfer easily. The on-board toilet and heated cabin are only accessible to ambulatory wheelchair users.

seabirds and seals

M.V. Wootton Lass

Operated by Ability Shetland, Wootton Lass can take five passengers and is available to organisations, families, or individuals. It is based at Lerwick Marina, close to Shetland Textile Museum, and offers sightseeing and fishing trips year round (subject to weather).

There is no cost to use the boat, but donations to the charity are always welcome.

If you would like more information about the Wootton Lass, or would like to accompany passengers as a volunteer, please contact a trustee on +44 (0)7895 406005 or via the website: www.abilityshetland.com.

ability shetland

Guided tours

Jacqueline Mercer is a fantastic local guide who has a wheelchair-accessible car with two passenger seats and a docking area for one wheelchair – and is upgrading to a larger vehicle (4 passengers + 1 docking station) soon. She offers bespoke private tours throughout Shetland, donating 10% of her profits to Ability Shetland.

For more information or to book: jacqueline.mercer@rearo.co.uk.

Rainy day activities

Leisure centres have excellent facilities and will often have soft play sessions. Clickimin Leisure Centre has two sensory rooms which are available to book. The swimming pools can be chilly for anyone with limited mobility, but Clickimin does have a hydrotherapy pool with hoists.
Shetland Museum & Archives is the ideal place to while away an afternoon and is fully accessible (although there are no changing beds in the toilets)
Watch a film at Mareel

Eating out

Most eateries in Shetland will help, where possible to accommodate people, including those with a blended diet. If you need food pureed, just ask and the staff will be happy to help.

Here we have included accessibility information about popular eateries in Lerwick and included some accessible eateries throughout Shetland:

Lerwick:

Fjara Cafe Bar, Lerwick – this is the most accessible place to eat, with ramped access, disabled toilets and plenty of space in the cafe area. It also enjoys some of the best views out to sea.
Pete’s Cafe & Takeaway, Lerwick – wheelchair accessible
No 88 – Wheelchair accessible, however it is quite narrow and the toilets are not accessible. Best to book ahead and specify that you require more space.
The Dowry at Hay’s Dock is fully accessible, however the Dowry on Commercial Street only has one accessible table and the toilets are not accessible. Booking would be necessary for Commercial Street to ensure use of the table)

Beyond Lerwick:

The Cornerstone, Scalloway – accessible, they have a ramp available for use
Da Haaf, Scalloway – accessible
Braewick Cafe, Eshaness – faccessible
Hillswick Hotel – accessible
Frankie’s Fish & Chip Shop, Brae – accessible
Hoswick Visitor Centre – accessible

The greatest point to stress is that if you have specific requirements, the best thing to do is check, and check again with travel providers, accommodation providers and venues to ensure that they are aware of your requirements and that you know what to expect when you arrive.

Bear in mind that although well-connected, Shetland is a small island in the North Sea and that many specific supplies need to be ordered specially (from the mainland) and aren’t kept in stock routinely in the hospital and pharmacies. These include: