Looking for clues ... the landmarks of the TV series

Columnist and Senior Features Writer

Sunday 3 March 2013

SHETLAND is braced for an influx of "set-jetters" – the nickname given to dedicated fans who visit the locations of their favourite television shows and films – as the eponymous BBC drama is screened next Sunday.

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By Susan Swarbrick

Based on author Ann Cleeves's quartet of books, the two-part murder mystery starring Douglas Henshall as brooding DI Jimmy Perez, showcases the islands in spectacular fashion.

Who better to play tour guide for the Sunday Herald than Cleeves herself, who arrived in Shetland in 1975 to work as an assistant cook at the Fair Isle bird observatory.

Our morning is spent pottering around the south mainland, Cleeves pointing out the dramatic views over the Loch of Spiggie and giving a lesson in the natural colours of sheep fleece here (there's four: white, grey, murret and black). We soak up the breathtaking panoramic of St Ninian's Isle, smelling the salty sea air and feeling the wind whip our hair, before ambling our way north to Leebotten, where seals cheekily pop their heads up alongside the historic Sandsayre Pier. Peering towards the nearby island of Mousa, we try to catch a glimpse of the iron-age broch, above which storm petrels soar in the summer months.Levenwick, which inspired the fictional Ravenswick in Cleeves's novels, is home to a stunning, secluded beach where, despite a distinct nip in the air, it's impossible not to dip a toe for a paddle. At Lerwick we park near the harbour before passing through narrow streets to a ramshackle stone house perched beside the water. It is here that the fictional Perez lives. The property is privately owned, but the exterior was used during filming by the BBC. After lunch at Hay's Dock Cafe Restaurant in the Shetland Museum (the cullen skink is sublime), we continue our adventure north. Cleeves was on set during filming in the Whiteness area. "It's a beautiful setting – it fits the image I had in my head perfectly with a croft, valley and water," she says.We visit Voe, home to the red-and-white sail loft featured in the show, before calling in on Cleeves's friends Jim and Ingirid in nearby Brae for some freshly baked bannocks (sadly, it's not on the official tourist trail). But if you're in the area and looking for hospitality, you won't go far wrong with Busta House Hotel, a former laird's home which overlooks a scenic inlet. The remainder of the afternoon passes in a kaleidoscopic whirl, passing through rugged landscapes punctuated with mossy hills, swathes of purple heather, and sparkling lochs strung with mussel ropes that glisten like jet beads in the sunshine. "Shetland has a very different feel from all of the Scottish islands – even Orkney, which is the closest to it," confirms Cleeves. "It's like coming abroad, but without the hassle of needing a passport. The people are so friendly and always pleased to see you. I hope seeing Shetland on screen will entice people to come visit."Thanks to Promote Shetland. For more information, including flights, ferries, accommodation and itineraries, visit www.shetland.org or call 01595 989898.Looking for clues ... the landmarksof the TV series

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Looking for clues ... the landmarks of the TV series

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