At Burland on Trondra the Shetland Croft Trail is a wonderful place for children to see old Shetland breeds of livestock and learn about crofting history and traditional crafts such as boatbuilding.

The Burra Bridge leads to the pretty fishing village of Hamnavoe, with lovely coastal walking out to the lighthouse on Fugla Ness and along the Sands of Meal one of Shetland's finest beaches and a favourite picnic spot (with convenient car park).

At the south end of West Burra the roofless kirk of St Laurence at Papil is famous for three early Christian carved stones found in the graveyard, two of the original stones and a replica of the Papal stone are on show at the Shetland Museum in Lerwick. At Duncansclate there's a fine example of an old croft house with a thatched chimney.

A footpath from the car park leads down to the Atlantic storm beach of Banna Minn and on to Kettla Ness a wild headland with seals and colonie of Arctic skuas and Arctic terns (please keep to the edge of the nesting grounds - if you disturb these birds they'll mob you and may draw blood).

On an islet next to the bridge between East and West Burra is the Outdoor Centre, a former school now used as hostel for kayaking, walking and natty study holidays. The short turf on Burra's rocky hills and shores makes perfect hiking country. A walk the best panoramas of the islands. Beyond the hamlet of Houss lies Houss Ness, a promontory with more good walking, rock scenery, seabirds and seals. And, wherever you walk or drive in Burra, there's always that mysterious and dramatic silhouette of the isle of Foula, out on the Atlantic horizon.

Out at Port Arthur, beyond the marina and Scalloway Boating Club, visitors are also welcome at the North Atlantic Fisheries College where you can peep into the mother and baby unit of a Lobster hatchery!

Scalloway's other attractions include its heated, 17 metre, indoor swimming pool, the new youth centre, a hotel and guest houses, cafes, the college's fish restaurant, pubs, shops and playing fields. The workshop of the Shetland Pottery gives demonstrations for visitors.

Traditional boats drawn up on shore recall the Viking past: in Norse times Scalloway (`the bay of the booths') was the landing place for landowners attending Shetland's annual parliament or 'Ting', held on the Lawting Holm in Tingwall Loch, two miles north of the village.

Nearby is Tingwall Kirk, the `mother church' of Shetland, and its ancient Tingwall kirk graveyard.