The Shetland Islands are a group of 110 islands, only 19 of which are inhabited.

The largest island is Mainland with both the capital, Lerwick and the ancient castle town of Scalloway. The islands lie at the far north of Scotland some 300 miles north of Edinburgh and are only some 180 miles to the west of Bergen, Norway.

Known for its dual Norse/Scot heritage, the islands have been part of Scotland since 1469 when they were handed over by the King of Denmark as part of the dowry his daughter Princess Margaret when she married the future James II of Scotland.

The islands are not traditionally Gaelic speaking but had a dialect that was a mix of old Scots and Norn (similar to Icelandic). The islands have been inhabited for the last 5000 years.

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