Shows
80 Days: An Exploration PodcastShetland (S6.09)
Audio: Shetland
In this episode of 80 Days: An Exploration Podcast we’ll be talking about Shetland, a group of about 100 islands, fewer than 20 of them inhabited, in Scotland, 210 km (130 miles) north of the Scottish mainland, at the northern extremity of the United Kingdom, around 340km or 210 miles from Norway. The islands total around 1,500 km2 (or 560 sq mi), making them similar in size to the nearby Faroe Islands [recommend listening to this past episode], American Samoa or Gran Canaria.
Among the settlements on Mainland, the largest island, is Scalloway, a fishing port. Lerwick, also on Mainland, is...
2025-02-2800 min
Shetland with Laurie PodcastAufguss: The incredible power of sauna in ShetlandThe older I get, the more I crave experiences that ground me, that allow me to truly connect with the natural world. I find myself increasingly seeking spaces that offer respite from the constant hum of digital noise and the demands of modern life. Believe it or not, but I spend most of my days sitting at a computer – not the open spaces and horizons that you see on my Instagram stories!So, when Haar Saua invited me to visit their sauna on the beautiful St Ninian’s Isle beach for anAufgusssession, I didn’t have to think...
2025-02-1311 minShetland with Laurie PodcastChristmas and New Year in ShetlandChristmas in Shetland is something I’m asked about time and time again. What does Christmas in Shetland look like? What traditions do you have? What do you eat, and so on. And, to be honest – it looks a lot like Christmas all over the world, and certainly throughout the UK. We have the John Lewis advert, Wham, Buble and the great hunking turkey on the day.
We’ve lost so many of our Christmas traditions over the years, and I’ve pondered how to sugar coat this and make it sound less like an accusation. The truth is...
2024-12-2010 minShetland with Laurie PodcastShetland: Your Essential Travel Guide (Topic: weather)
To celebrate the release of Shetland: Your Essential Travel Guide, I am recording a few snippets from the book.
This week, we are looking at one of the more in depths topics within the book and the chapter; Weather.
Climate and the weather are something that most visitors are keen to understand before they arrive and, locally, is a topic that opens most conversations. The most common questions are: how hot – or cold – does it get, is there much snow and how cold is the sea? Visitors always ask what they shou...
2024-08-2611 minShetland with Laurie PodcastShetland: Your Essential Travel Guide (Brief History)To celebrate the release of Shetland: Your Essential Travel Guide, I am recording a few snippets from the book.
This week, we are looking at The Basics chapter; Brief History.
Shetland’s human history goes back thousands of years, and it has been home to a succession of people since Neolithic times. The evidence of these lives can be found across the isles, intertwined with how we live today.
In this episode we look at Shetland's history, from the arrival of Mesolithic hunter gatherers to the first fa...
2024-08-1219 minShetland with Laurie PodcastShetland: Your Essential Travel Guide (Shetland at a glance)To celebrate the release of Shetland: Your Essential Travel Guide, I am recording a few snippets from the book.
This week, we are looking at The Basics chapter; Shetland at a glance.
Shetland is an archipelago partway between Scotland and Scandinavia, straddling the North Sea and North Atlantic at a latitude of 60° north. Shetland’s position has long made it an important trading point, sculpting its past and present. Far from being insular and remote, Shetland is a crossroads in the North Atlantic, where every aspect of life is underpinned by a strong sense of com...
2024-08-0513 minShetland with Laurie PodcastA ghostly tale This is a short one - as requested by my daughter, Lena.
Not only is Windhouse Shetland’s most haunted house, but it has also been suggested that this is the most haunted house in the UK.Windhouse is in the island of Yell, Shetland’s largest trio of North Isles, and just a short ferry ride from the Mainland. The ruined house sits on the crest of the hill on the approach into Mid Yell. Its foreboding silhouette, dominating the skyline.Windhouse, commanding views in all directions, is the site of an ancient settlement. The house itse...
2024-07-0503 min
Our Scotland: A Fantasy 24 Hours in ScotlandS2E10 Laurie Goodlad's pick of the ShetlandsThis past season has taken us from Orkney to Glasgow, Edinburgh to the north coast, around the highlands and islands and many places in between.
This is our final episode for season two and joining me to share their perfect day is Laurie Goodlad.
Laurie has written for the Lonely Planet and featured on travel shows, blogs and tourism campaigns.
Laurie is on instagram as Shetland with Laurie, and that will give you a clue as to where we will be.
Laurie’s links:
Shetland With Lauri...
2024-06-1947 minShetland with Laurie Podcast5 reasons to visit Shetland in winter
If I had a penny for every time I was asked about winter in Shetland, I’d be a millionaire – and then some – and there are many reasons to visit, but you need to ask yourself first ‘what do I want from a visit’.
If the answer is puffins, light, activities, and long hikes with a picnic, you’ll likely want to visit in summer when the days are long, and the hills are dry enough to walk anywhere. If you’d like to feel the sting of the wind on your cheeks and the raw power of mo...
2024-01-2315 minShetland with Laurie PodcastShetland's haunted places - a Halloween special
Hallowe’en is almost upon us, and it's that time of the year when the veil between this world and the next is at its thinnest, and we can expect to experience the most paranormal activity. Shetland had its own unique blend of hallowe'en tradition influenced by Christianity, with its roots firmly placed in old pagan customs.We might dismiss Halloween as a purely American import into Shetland, and the UK more generally, but Shetland did have its own version of Halloween in centuries past.To give a little context, I’ll draw you back to the 19th c...
2023-10-3143 min
The Milk BarJason Forrest in The Milk Bar - Episode 697Recorded for release 31st October 2022
This Week we talk Health, Halloween, Dogs and Documentaries with Dr Ranj, Sarah-jane Crawford, Aston Merrygold (JLS), Richard Felix, Laurie Goodlad, Jodie Kidd amongst others.
2022-10-3056 min
Shetland with Laurie PodcastAn interview with Ann Marie Anderson, author of the Peerie Ooricks booksWelcome to episode 21 of the podcast - this week’s show is with Ann Marie Anderson, author of the popular dialect children's book series, Peerie Ooricks.
Ann Marie grew up on the west side of Shetland, and now lives on the island of Whalsay. She is a writer and artist who has created the lovable Ooricks – small characters who explore Shetland’s landscape, language and culture.
In today’s show, we speak about her series of children’s books, her love of the language and Shetland’s culture and the ways we can help to preserve and...
2021-06-0838 min
Shetland with Laurie PodcastShetland dialect with Chloe Irvine *spoken in the dialect*Welcome to episode 20 of the podcast. Today’s show is a bit different, and due to popular demand, we are carrying out this interview, predominantly on language, in our native tongue.
In today’s show, I speak to Chloe Irvine who grew up on the island of Whalsay and has just completed her degree in Journalism at Edinburgh Napier University. Chloe talks to us about the transition between living in Shetland and studying on the mainland (Scotland), and how she has had to deal with varying degrees of language discrimination during this time.
We speak abou...
2021-05-2546 minShetland with Laurie PodcastThe Shetland Bus Operation with Bill MooreHello and welcome to episode 19 of the podcast. Today we have a very special guest and a fascinating topic to explore. Today I welcome Bill Moore, a local historian, to speak to us about the history of the Shetland Bus which was an undercover operation between Shetland and Nazi-occupied Norway during the Second World War. It’s a fascinating episode and I really enjoyed taking a deeper look into this period of our history with Bill.
On the show, we discuss many elements of the operation, including its roots and some of the early missions that took pl...
2021-05-181h 00
Shetland with Laurie PodcastSome of Shetland's best walksIn today’s show, I talk about a few of my favourite walks in Shetland.
I begin by talking about the Eshaness Circular that sits in the northwest corner of Shetland and represents the best section through the flank of a volcano in the UK. It boasts the UK’s largest sea cave and some impressive coastal features, and 2,000-year-old archaeology.
I then consider walking some of Shetland’s National Nature Reserves, and, in this, I include the National Reserves of Hermaness, Noss and Sumburgh Head.
Finally, I share a few of my favour...
2021-05-0452 min
Shetland with Laurie PodcastA guide to Shetland's archaeologyWith thousands of scheduled sites and monuments, you may be at a loss as to which archaeological treasures to visit when you’re only in Shetland for a limited time. This podcast will outline the top archaeological attractions and take you on a voyage of discovery through 6,000 years of human history.
In the show, we begin in Shetland’s Mesolithic Period where hunter-gatherer people first arrived here, in search of food. From the Mesolithic, we journey through the Neolithic and see the first farmers settle in Shetland, beginning a long period of occupation. After the Neolithic comes the...
2021-04-271h 12
Witches of ScotlandEPISODE 33 LAURIE GOODLAD - THE WITCHES OF SHETLANDZoe and Claire talk to Laurie Goodlad - who presents “Shetland with Laurie” podcast / insta pages - she is a podcaster, tour guide, historian and museum curator who was motivated to research the Witches of Shetland - listen as she names all the people she has found in local records, and as we discuss the controversial cremains of women accused as witches which can be seen in the Scalloway Museum.
2021-04-2458 minShetland with Laurie PodcastA Guide to Shetland literature - what books to read (fiction & non-fiction)Hello and welcome to episode 16 of the podcast. In today’s show, I’m talking about books and literature from Shetland.
“What to read” is something that I’m asked time and time again. I’ve written a blog about my favourite Shetland fiction books, and this podcast will include those, as well as my favourite non-fiction books too.
I’ll ease you in gently and begin by introducing my favourite Shetland fiction novels and the reasons why I’ve chosen them. Where they are still available, I’ll leave a link in the show notes on my websit...
2021-04-201h 09
Shetland with Laurie PodcastShetland on Film: an interview with Greg McCarron from The Shetland Film ArchiveHello and welcome to episode 15 of the podcast. This was an accidental podcast, so I may lapse into dialect a bit more as usual, and I don’t welcome my guest in the same way! But, today’s episode is with Greg McCarron from the Shetland Film Archive. Greg has been working for several years with the Film Archive, which is a charitable organisation that collects, preserves and protects the film material of Shetland, making it publicly available to be enjoyed. Recently the group received some funding to digitise more film material, and that’s what I’m chatting to Greg...
2021-04-1341 minShetland with Laurie PodcastWitchcraft in 17th century ShetlandHello! And welcome back to season two of the Shetland with Laurie podcast. I’m absolutely thrilled to be back behind the mic bringing you another season and, more importantly, I’m touched that so many of you, the listeners, have asked for another season.
This episode is a solo show and it’s the findings of some recent research that I’ve done into the witches of Shetland - those who were tried and executed for witchcraft.
It’s going to be a long episode as I kept getting lost down rabbit holes in the archiv...
2021-04-061h 03
Shetland with Laurie PodcastAn interview with ceramicist and photographer, Ellie Duncan, Island CeramicsOn today’s show, I speak to Ellie Duncan from Island Ceramics. Ellie is a ceramicist who makes incredible one-of-a-kind hand-crafted pieces that are inspired by her love of the sea and her island home. Ellie is also a photographer who loves to capture the many forms that the sea can take.
In this episode, we talk about how she started her business and how she found herself at the potter's wheel. We speak about how the sea inspires her work and how using the colours and the dialect words that we use to describe the sea ar...
2021-03-3045 min
Shetland with Laurie PodcastInterview with writer Ann CleevesToday's guest needs absolutely no introduction - author of over 30 critically acclaimed novels, international worldwide bestseller, the creator of popular TV detectives Vera Stanhope and Shetland’s very own Jimmy Perez - I am so excited to welcome the hugely talented Ann Cleeves to the show!
In today's show, we speak about Ann's new book, the latest in the popular Vera series, The Darkest Evening, and her inspiration behind the Vera and Shetland series and about her time in Shetland and Fair Isle.
We discuss her writing routine and how she feels particularly drawn to Sh...
2020-12-0847 min
Shetland with Laurie PodcastInterview with adventurer & blogger, Bee Leask @bumblebambiToday on the show, I’m very excited to have blogger, adventurer and Shetlander Bee Leask who you may know from her Instagram @bumblebambi join me. Bee grew up in Shetland and now lives in Scotland, but Shetland is very much a part of how she identifies and it has shaped her life in so many ways which we discuss in this episode. I started following her a few years ago and was so inspired by her adventures in the highlands and Islands where she is busy ticking off all Scotland’s inhabited islands and 282 Munros.
In the...
2020-12-011h 15Shetland with Laurie PodcastLanguage in Shetland; the dialect, it's usage and challengesHello, and welcome to episode 10 of the Shetland with Laurie podcast.
This is a big one for me, and probably the most requested topic that you’ve asked me to discuss.
Today I’m going to talk about language in Shetland, and, if I’m honest - I have no idea where to start with it! It’s a huge topic and it permeates every aspect of life here; it is the very fabric that holds our community and culture together. Without this common language, that has evolved over the years, Shetland would be unrecognisable and our...
2020-11-2445 minShetland with Laurie PodcastA look at the mythical creatures from Shetland's folkloreOn today’s show, I’m tackling Shetland folklore and all the mythical creatures that inhabit our islands. Folklore was a huge part of Shetland’s society and culture in pre-modern times. Many of the folktales have been written down and, although many have now been forgotten, they can still be found in books and literature.
The dramatic coastline and moorland expanses have given rise to a rich and deep-rooted culture of folklore, superstition and deeply-embedded traditions.
In the past, education, literature and access to news was limited, even within the isles. Travel for pleasure was al...
2020-11-1736 min
Shetland with Laurie PodcastInterview with Aimee Budge from Bigton FarmOn today’s episode, I chat to Aimee Budge from the Bigton Farm. Aimee, and sister Kirsty, took over their family farm in 2014 following the unexpected death of their father. Aged just 17 and 21, they have achieved great things since they took over, including an appearance on the BBC’s hit show This Farming Life. They were also winners of the prestigious BBC Countryfile’s Farming Heroes Award in 2018
Today they manage and run the 350-acre farm, as well as another 350-acre farm nearby and an additional 300 acres of rented grazing land. Bigton Farm is in Shetland’s picturesq...
2020-11-1051 minShetland with Laurie PodcastWalking in Shetland and understanding the Outdoor Access CodeIn this show, we delve into the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and consider how we can access the outdoors safely and responsibly.
Shetland is a walker’s paradise; with long swathes of uninterrupted coastline, peaty moorlands, heathery hills and inland lochs offering something for all walkers who come here to enjoy the spectacular scenery. While we want you to enjoy every inch of our beautiful islands, we also want you to stay safe.
In Scotland, and Shetland, people have the freedom to roam and most areas are accessible through the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, but yo...
2020-11-0330 minShetland with Laurie PodcastAn interview with photographer, social anthropologist and designer, Alexa FitzgibbonIn today’s show, I chat to Alexa Fitzgibbon, an amazingly talented photographer, weaver, designer and anthropologist who first came to Shetland 12 years ago from France to study. She has since moved to Shetland and now calls it home.
In this episode, we chat about her studies on religion in the North Atlantic area and the relationships between the living and the dead. And as we are approaching Halloween, we hear about some of Shetland’s ghostly tales that she uncovered during her research and the burden of Protestant guilt that lives on in the lives of Shet...
2020-10-271h 04
Shetland with Laurie PodcastAn interview with fisherman, Arnold GoodladIn today’s show, I chat to my dad, Arnold Goodlad, about the fishing in Shetland.
Fishing is Shetland’s mainstay industry, combined with aquaculture, these industries make up 50 per cent of the island economy.
In the show, we speak about dad’s life growing up in Burra and what the fishing looked like when he was a boy – half a century ago – and what it looks like today. We touch on the oil industry and how fishing remains the greater employer even today.
We speak about what life at sea was like and how it...
2020-10-201h 13
Shetland with Laurie PodcastAn interview with Misa Hay of Shetland Wool AdventuresIn today’s show, I chat with Misa Hay who runs Shetland Wool Adventures and has just released a fascinating Journal dedicated to all things Shetland.
We speak about how she came to be living in Shetland and how she started her business running knitting and hiking holidays. Misa is passionate about many things and has a real creative flair so we cover loads! We chat about her latest creative project, The Shetland Wool Adventures Journal, what to expect in there and, most importantly, how you can get your hands on a copy!
We also sp...
2020-10-1354 min
Shetland with Laurie PodcastEpisode with Chris Dyer: Garths Croft, BressayIn today’s show, I chat with Chris Dyer, an archaeologist and crofter who also offers tours of his croft at Garths on the island of Bressay.
Bressay is a small island on Shetland’s east coast, just a seven-minute ferry from Lerwick. Home to about 340 people, Chris works his 40-acre croft with his wife and welcomes guests throughout the year.
We speak about archaeology, sheep farming, rearing pigs, growing crops and, a few of the challenges associated with living and working at 60 North.
Links that are referred to in the show:
@G...
2020-10-061h 11
Shetland with Laurie PodcastAn interview with knitwear designer and teacher, Terri LauraIn this show, I'm chatting to Terri Malcolmson who runs the business Terri Laura. Terri is a knitwear designer and teacher based in Shetland.
We chat about her work, her classes, her inspiration and the amazing benefits of wool.
You can find Terri on Instagram and Facebook @TerriLaura or on her website https://terrilaura.co.uk where you can sign up for her newsletter and blog.
To find out more about the Benefits of Wool campaign and shop products, visit https://terrilaura.co.uk/wool/
You can support...
2020-09-291h 01
Shetland with Laurie PodcastWelcome to the Shetland with Laurie podcast!Hello and welcome to the introductory episode of the Shetland with Laurie podcast.
In this show, I introduce myself, Laurie, and tell you a little bit about what to expect from this new podcast.
I am a writer and tour guide based in the Shetland Islands and this podcast explains a little about the work I do and what to expect from the podcast over coming months.
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The following are links to some of the things that I discuss in this episode:
My blog
The Growth of L...
2020-09-2234 min