The Shetland Islands are an archipelago of more than a hundred windswept islands, of which only 16 are inhabited; the rest are havens for wildlife. Towns and villages are few, but there are thousands of archeological sites throughout the islands, including the remains of prehistoric fortresses and settlements. Arrive dockside at Lerwick on the largest island, where you have a choice of shore excursions. Drive to the southern tip of mainland Shetland to visit the uninhabited island of Mousa, site of a 2,000-year-old broch (round stone tower), 43 feet high, the best-preserved in the world; explore its beehive-like chambers and climb the internal staircase to the top for panoramic views; cross to Shetland's east coast for a view of St. Ninian's Isle, where a cache of Pictish treasure was discovered in the 1950s (the Picts were tribes known to the Romans as "painted people"); venture into the Shetland countryside for a visit to a croft for an authentic crofting experience with a local crofter and his sheep dogs, watching as they execute precision herding maneuvers - without a single word; visit Jarlshof near Sumburgh Head to see a 5,000-year-old settlement with remains dating from the Stone Age to the 17th century AD, a microcosm of Shetland history; then ride to the top of Sumburgh Head for views of the sea, seabird colonies, and Shetland's first lighthouse, built in 1821 by Robert Stevenson (grandfather of the writer Robert Louis Stevenson); lighthouses were the family business, and there are Stevenson lighthouses all over the Highlands. Alternatively, you can visit Mousa Broch, then explore its island, a breeding ground for European storm petrels, Arctic terns, and guillemots; a 2-mile walk includes a visit to a seal pool, and sweeping views of wildflowers and the North Sea - or head to the west mainland for a visit to Scalloway, its 17th-century castle, and the Scalloway Museum; learn about the village's clandestine role in World War II, and visit a farm that breeds Shetland Ponies. A tour through Lerwick takes you to its lifeboat station, lodberries (waterside houses for unloading ships), the town hall, and the Shetland Museum and Archives, followed by time to explore the town on your own. Aboard ship this evening, a local historian will lecture on the "Shetland Bus", a secret operation during World War II that smuggled agents in and refugees out of occupied Norway at night by way of fishing vessels. ...
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