English (UK)
English (US)
Français
Deutsch
Español
Italiano
Nederlands
简体中文
Tower house
Scalloway Castle
Tower house of the late 1500s built for Earl Patrick Stewart, who was accused of using forced labour to build it in 1599.
A mini guide to
Scalloway & the West Mainland
Shetland's old capital, the Shetland Bus story, Tingwall's law site and Neolithic Stanydale
Photos
1 / 2Welcome to the area
Shetland's old capital, the Shetland Bus story, Tingwall's law site and Neolithic Stanydale
Scalloway, on the west coast of the Mainland about 10 km from Lerwick, was the capital of Shetland until 1708 and is now a fishing port. Its castle was built for Earl Patrick Stewart around 1600, and the Scalloway Museum next door tells the story of the Shetland Bus, the wartime boat link to occupied Norway.
North of Scalloway, the Tingwall valley has Law Ting Holm, the site of Shetland's Norse assembly, and Weisdale has the Bonhoga Gallery in a converted mill. Bridges link Scalloway to Trondra and Burra, and further west, Stanydale Temple near Walls is the only truly megalithic structure surviving from prehistoric Shetland.
Highlights
Start here
If you only have a few hours, these are good places to begin.
Museum
Scalloway Museum
Community museum beside the castle, opened in 2012, on Scalloway and the wartime Shetland Bus to Norway; closed in winter until spring.
Historic site
Law Ting Holm
Promontory in the Loch of Tingwall, once an islet reached by a stone causeway, and the site of Shetland's parliament until the late 1500s.
Gallery
Bonhoga Gallery
Gallery, shop and café in a converted mill beside the Weisdale burn, run by Shetland Arts.
Neolithic site
Stanydale Temple
Oval enclosure of large boulders, the only truly megalithic structure surviving from prehistoric Shetland; nobody knows what it was used for.
Islands linked by bridges
Burra
West and East Burra are linked to each other by a bridge, and to the Mainland via Trondra.
Find your way
On the map
The map shows Scalloway & the West Mainland and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists nearby stops and stations.
Insider tips
Before you go
1
Ask about the castle key
Scalloway Castle stands next to the Scalloway Museum; check with the museum or Historic Environment Scotland about access before you go.
2
Combine with Lerwick
Scalloway is close enough to Lerwick for a half-day trip by bus or car.
3
Check fuel before heading west
Shetland.org advises checking fuel pump opening times before you set off, as some rural shops have limited hours.
4
Walk to Stanydale
Historic Environment Scotland describes the visit to Stanydale as a hike through a Neolithic landscape, so wear boots in wet weather.
Tips from the Britlens editors
Explore this guide
Everything for Scalloway & the West Mainland
Shetland
More areas to explore
17 sights · 6 places to eat
Northmavine, Yell & Unst
Esha Ness cliffs, Ronas Hill, the islands of Yell and Unst, and Britain's most northerly sights
Open the mini guide →
10 sights · 11 places to eat
Lerwick & Bressay
Shetland's harbour town: the museum, Fort Charlotte, Clickimin Broch and the ferry to Bressay
Open the mini guide →
8 sights · 3 places to eat
South Mainland: Sumburgh, Jarlshof & Mousa
Prehistoric and Norse sites, the Mousa broch, puffin cliffs and the St Ninian's Isle tombolo
Open the mini guide →Photo credits
- Scalloway & the West Mainland (area photo): Robert W Watt, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Scalloway Castle: Tom Pennington, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Scalloway Museum: Oliver Dixon, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Law Ting Holm: Bob Embleton, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Bonhoga Gallery: Robert Sandison, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Stanydale Temple: Anne Robertson, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Burra: Mike Pennington, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Meal Beach: Mat Tuck, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Walls: Colin Park, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Northmavine, Yell & Unst: Unukorno, CC BY 4.0, source
- Lerwick & Bressay: Florent Abel, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- South Mainland: Sumburgh, Jarlshof & Mousa: swifant, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
Keep exploring Shetland