True North

For blogger Laurie Goodlad, her native Shetland remains her greatest inspiration

- Words: BETH MCHUGH

RENOWNED for sweeping, unspoiled views, ancient archaeology and unique culture, Shetland can often seem a million miles away from the Scottish mainland.

But Shetland native Laurie Goodlad is breaking the modern stereotype of her home as somewhere isolated, reminding us how Shetland’s self-sufficient communities were historically considered well-connected via sea links.

As a tour guide and social-media storyteller, Laurie centres Shetland in her work and finds new ways to share these thriving islands with the wider world. Yet she explains that coming into her unique line of work was completely accidental.

"I studied history and politics at the University of Dundee, and while I was there, I got a job in the local museum," Laurie says.

Laurie went on to gain a Masters degree in Museum and Gallery Studies from the University of St Andrews, before returning home to join the Shetland Museum.

"I absolutely loved my job and the museum, but I felt that we weren't telling Shetland's story as well as we could be," Laurie says. "We're an island, so we're quite restricted in how many people can come through the doors and see the displays.