Want to get involved in sail training boat trips in Shetland? There are a number of different ways you can volunteer.
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*Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have had to cancel this trip. We hope to reschedule for 2021, please contact us if you would like further details when available.*
Join us for a guided tour of Lerwick Harbour to discover more about the growth of Lerwick from a small collection of trading booths and huts to the bustling commercial capital we see today.
We are delighted to be working with experienced local guide Laurie Goodlad to offer this new half day trip for 2020, which will let you see Lerwick as you’ve never seen it before!
Lerwick grew with the arrival of Dutch fishermen from the 1600s. Their arrival every June meant that locals flocked to Bressay Sound to trade with these foreign visitors. Laurie will introduce you to Lerwick at this time, and describe its continued growth, which saw it overtake Scalloway, Shetland's ancient capital, in size and influence by 1838. She will detail the second herring boom of the 19th century, which saw boats like Swan take to the water in their hundreds to execute the summer fishery, and bring you up to date with our current fishing industry, which is still the mainstay industry here in the islands.
Laurie will also tell tales of the ‘smugglers’ who built the town’s foundations and point out Jimmy Perez’s house from the sea on this leisurely tour of the picturesque Lerwick Harbour.
There are two tours available to book on 19th & 22nd May: 9.00am – 12.30pm and 5.30 – 9.00pm.
To book please e-mail us on info@swantrust.com.
Your trip will begin with a safety briefing including how to work the lines on deck and set the sails. We will then put this into practice, while we delve into Shetland’s past and explore the Lerwick waterfront.
Included in voyage
Want to get involved in sail training boat trips in Shetland? There are a number of different ways you can volunteer.
Learn more
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, resultant government restrictions and event cancellations, the Swan Trust has cancelled all 2020 sailing trips. It is hoped many 2020 trips will be rescheduled to next year, which will be advertised on their website as they are confirmed. To protect its volunteers, the Trust also cancelled maintenance sessions and regular meetings for the time being, but hope to resume these as soon as restrictions allow.
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The Swan Trust and Shetland with Laurie are working together for the first time to offer guided tours of Lerwick Harbour aboard Shetlands traditional boat, The Swan. See Jimmy Perez’s house from the sea and hear tales of smugglers, Dutch fishermen and the rise of Lerwick to Shetlands capital.
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