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Hoswick Visitor Centre
Hoswick Visitor Centre caters for both locals and visitors. We have a wealth of local information about the surrounding area and its history and heritage. We love to share this knowledge with all our visitors.
Our hope is for you, your family and friends to not just enjoy our cafe, light meals and refreshments but to explore our local area with its nature walks, geopark and lovely scenery. Find out more about our history and heritage. Purchase art, gifts, crafts and keepsakes from our shop within the visitor centre and bring back a bit of Shetland with you when you go home. Be sure to visit the other local shops selling handmade jewellery and designer woollen garments and accessories in our creative quiet village.
Our open-plan design is accessible to all our visitors. We have a ramp at the entrance and fire exits, wide doors, an accessible toilet and a small lift to help assist you up to our mezzanine floor where you will find local information regarding our history and heritage.
We look forward to welcoming you and hope to see you here soon.
Opening Times:
Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm
Full Breakfasts till 11:30am Monday to Friday only.
Kitchen closes 3pm
Café
We sell a variety of coffee and tea and light refreshments. We also offer light lunches, homemade cakes and ice-creams & lollies.
HVC Crafts
Our shop sells arts & crafts, handmade items, accessories and books all related to Shetland.
Our Heritage
Come and see our archive of photos and information of our local fishing and textile heritage.
Things to Do
We have a number of local walks and points of interest in the quiet village of Hoswick. There is something for everyone.
PICTURE Gallery
Have a look at our picture gallery of images taken from inside the centre and the local area. Be sure to bring your camera so you can take back memories with you.
Visitor Information
We have information boards and leaflets about Shetlands points of interest along with information on local tours, places to stay, maps and more.
Customer Safety First
Current recommended Covid 19 measures are in place to ensure your visit to the Centre is as safe as possible. When entering, all we ask is to wear a mask when entering, sanitise your hands and enter your details for track and trace. All of our staff wear masks. There are hand sanitiser stations at various points within the building along with clear screens separating tables. All tabes are cleaned thoroughly before each sitting. We use a card system to show your table has been cleaned as is ready
Our Café operates to the HCCAP Food Safety Management System with all staff being appropriately trained. For users of Sandsayre Pier (ferry departure point for Mousa), Sandwick Social and Economic Development has a specific Safety Policy applying to the use of the Pier.
Our SSED team has regular training and will respond to feedback on safety-related matters.
SSED has a current Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults Policy.
Visitor Information
Several wall maps are displayed, describing areas and related topics such as the Geology of Shetland which is a UNESCO Geopark (see website). Other maps in the Centre illustrate suggested routes for local walks.
For interest, there are several vintage maps of the local area (e.g.) from 1901 and a Directory of old place names.
A large wall map of Shetland is helpful when planning routes and timing for visitors exploring Shetland.
The Centre offers a Visitors Information Service, including leaflets on topics of interest and descriptions of different areas of Shetland. For further information, please ask the staff.
Sandsayre
Information in the Centre describes the big community effort, which was needed to secure and preserve the listed, stone built, Stevenson design Sandsayre Pier.
The geology of Shetland is significant in this area. There is no remaining evidence of the Sandlodge copper mine. For more information, see the interpretive boards in this small interpretive centre.
This is also the waiting room for those looking to board the short ferry trip and explore the ancient site of Mousa broch.
Leave your name and email below along with what you are looking for in the message box. Or you can call us at +44 (0) 1950 431406.
Maureen Jepson2022-10-15Good food and prompt service
Emma Williamson2022-10-13Lovely place , fab crafts nice home bakes homely feel
Bob Stinger2022-10-01Lovely place. We had the delight in watching a frustrated woman take a hammer to a bag of dye during Shetland wool week. Nice lemon & ginger tea .
Maggie Zergi2022-09-20Lovely staff Excellent food Well worth a visit if you go to Shetland
John Bishop2022-09-08Part off coach trip from Lerwick Fred Olsen cruise. Boat trip to Mousa and then coffee and carrot cake, provided at the visitor centre cafe. Absolutely the best carrot cake ever and great coffee. Staff on the coach and boat excellent very informative good job.
Charmaine Welsh2022-09-0523/8/22 Ambassador cruise trip. During our Shetland Contrasts bus trip, Edna and Steven took us to the Hoswick visitor centre for afternoon tea. I had the great pleasure to meet Betty and we chatted about knitwear , weaving and the island. She asked what cake I would have and I explained about my food intolerances and she told me she was the same. She spoke with Sarah Marie, who got me a coffee cake I could eat. Which is incredible as I had experienced 11 days of food issues on the cruise ship. The coffee cake and peppermint tea were fantastic and I really enjoyed my visit and it was very informative. The staff, food, drink, items on sale and amenities were fantastic and I hope to return some day. Thank you so much.
jane amend2022-09-02Most lovely chat with Shetlander. The quiche was the best in Shetland.
Nigel Jones2022-08-25Lovely café and food with very accomodating and welcoming staff in a building that was previously a wool spinning and weaving workshop. Historical displays and some of the old weaving equipment and machinery. Situated in Hoswick close to beach and other shops.