Shetland: Your Essential Travel Guide

An exciting new guidebook, celebrating Shetland’s beauty and rich cultural heritage.

Created by the travel writer and Shetlander Laurie Goodlad and the Shetland publisher Misa Hay, two passionate advocates for the islands’ unique charm, this guidebook is an invitation to experience the soul of Shetland, the most northerly islands in the UK.

After years of meticulous planning, research, and exploration, Misa and I are thrilled to announce the release of our comprehensive guide to the Shetland Islands.

With stunning colour photographs and more than 250 pages, Shetland: Your Essential Guide is a labour of love, born from a shared dedication to showcasing the islands' natural beauty, intriguing history, and vibrant community life.

Our guidebook is more than just a collection of places to visit: it's a love letter to Shetland, a thank-you for its breathtaking landscapes, rich heritage, and the adventures it offers.

It offers readers a unique perspective on exploring Shetland.

order your copy today

“This guidebook is a love letter to our islands, a thank-you of sorts. A thank-you for the summer nights, the winter storms, the calm and the chaos; they are a thank-you for the sting of salt on the cheeks and the first warmth from the May sun, and an acknowledgement of the extreme privilege I have to be able to call Shetland my home”

— Laurie Goodlad

Explore Shetland with our brand-new guidebook

Shetland is known for the Up Helly Aa fire festival, Fair Isle knitting and its beaches (it has the third best in the world, according to Condé Nast Traveller), as well its dramatic landscape, wildlife, artistic community and yes – the famous TV series. It deserved a dedicated, modern travel guide that captures what makes Shetland so special.

From Shetland with love

Our initial idea, a modest pocket guide, has evolved into something much grander — a guidebook of more than 250 pages, filled with our passion for the islands where I was born and raised and Misa moved to 20 years ago. This is not just a collection of places and facts: it's an immersive journey into Shetland's history, heritage, and the very essence of its communities and wild beauty.

More than anything, this guidebook is a love letter to Shetland. Through its pages, we invite you to explore the islands' captivating stories, delve into the significance of its place names, and discover the rich tapestry of geography, geology, community, and wildlife that makes Shetland unique.

Shetland: Your Essential Travel Guide will feature detailed information on the practical elements of a trip to Shetland – including why to not pack an umbrella – as well as in-depth guides to each area, and details of accommodation, attractions and getting about.

Born-and-bred Shetlander Laurie has made sure to include plenty of insider knowledge and tips for getting the most out of visiting these fascinating islands, such as the best beaches for wild swimming, the tastiest Sunday Teas, or where to spot puffins and whales.

About Laurie Goodlad and Misa Hay

Our paths crossed and intertwined years ago, rooted in our work at the Shetland Museum and Archives, where our shared passion for Shetland's rich heritage and natural beauty developed into a friendship.

But our story is not just about the past. After many years of employment, both Misa and I decided to embrace the path of self-employment, driven by a deep desire to pursue our dreams and share our love for Shetland with the world.

After graduation, I spent ten years working as an assistant curator at Shetland Museum & Archives, and today, I’m the part-time curator of Scalloway Museum and, alongside my blog and tour business, continue to write about the islands, most recently for Lonely Planet.

Misa Hay, who, with her background in tourism, marketing and heritage, has since established a successful tour company and publishing house.

Together, we are carving out our independence, proud to have established businesses that champion the spirit of Shetland.

And the next part of the story is our guidebook, crafted over countless brainstorming sessions, adventures across the islands, and a deeply rooted commitment to promoting Shetland as a place to visit or make a home.

Our collaboration merged an intimate knowledge of Shetland's history and culture with a love for promoting the place into a guidebook that offers both a deep, local insight and a broader appeal to visitors.