Lerwick is Shetland's only town, with a population of about 7,500 - although about half of the islands' 22,000 people live within 10 miles of the burgh. It is a bustling, cosmopolitan seaport with services and amenities only usually found in much larger places on the British mainland. The extensive leisure and entertainment facilities provide warm hospitality to visitors. The old waterfront is thronged with pleasure boats, visiting yachts, historic craft and working fishing boats. There's a variety of lively bars and clubs, ranging from popular "theme" bars to more traditional hostelries. We found Lerwick to be charming and its inhabitants very friendly. I would have no trouble accepting a posting for a significant period of time there. I found the "lodberries" to be especially interesting - these were houses and warehouses sitting on their own piers so that goods could be loaded and unloaded directly from the boats. Commercial Street and its environs retain a charm seldom seen elsewhere these days. It offers a wide range of fascinating small shops and is also home to Lerwick's Tourist Centre.
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