Still Heading North - Shetland

Leaving Orkney on the overnight ferry, people had told me how different I would find Shetland and they were right. Driving out of Lerwick on sweeping roads that seem to go on forever with the sun burning away the morning mist lingering over colourful houses, it felt more Norwegian than Scottish. I also immediately understood why people had told me Orkney seems more remote. Perhaps it’s because of the money associated with the oil and gas industry in Shetland, I’m not sure. One thing I was glad about was that there seemed to be far fewer cattle here! Phew! Much better when walking with a dog.

I decided to make the most of the blue sky and headed south to Sumburgh Head, driving across the runaway for the airport (bizarre) and visiting Jahlshof on route, a site looked after by Historic Scotland with ruins from the Iron Age, time of the viking settlers and medieval times.

We then went to the UK’s longest tombolo which is a beach connecting the mainland to St Ninian’s Isle. What a perfect place to spend the rest of the day and night. We walked around the isle, went in the sea on both sides of the beach and enjoyed a stunning sunset after a short, sharp thunderstorm with some fellow campers from Scotland and Belgium. Perfect end to a busy first day on Shetland!

Next the road took us to Scalloway to an excellent museum that tells more about the story of ‘The Shetland Bus,’ a special operations group that linked Shetland and Nazi occupied Norway during the Second World War. I walked to see the memorial to those involved who lost their lives, which is built from stone from both Shetland and Norway. 

After our jaunt south, we were back in Lerwick and missed a sighting of orcas by 20 minutes! I am hoping I will have another chance during this trip to spot them. After a visit to the brilliant Shetland Museum while I waited for the clouds to disappear, we took the ferry (yes another one!) to the island of Bressay. Here we had the rest of the day walking various routes, taking in the views across to Noss, the lighthouse and from the top of Ward Hill, the highest point on the island.

Today I ran the UK’s most northerly park run before heading back to Mainland to continue our journey north and west. A coffee stop at ‘The Hatchery’ second hand bookstore (I could have happily spent ALL day here,) a walk to Culswick Broch, a visit to Shetland’s original cake fridge, a swim (for Poppy) at a waterfall and a delicious chip shop supper has completed the most perfect day on the road. 

Feeling very grateful as I settle down in the van for the evening with a new book and a cake fridge treat. Poppy of course is already fast asleep. 

Orkney - Island hopping

After the winds of Storm Floris abated it was time to take some of the inter island ferries to see what some of the other islands offered. Our first trip was three days on Hoy. What a beautiful island for walking! We did the coastal walk up to the staggering ‘Old Man of Hoy’ sea stack and the following day a walk to Moaness through the heather covered glens, with a coffee at the wonderful Beneth’ill Cafe run by the loveliest people before we headed back. It was one of those walks you just don’t want to end.

The incredible sweeping bay at Rackwick with its huge sandstone cliffs and bothy right on the beach offers free park ups for camper vans for up to a week. Bins and toilets provided. Fantastic! On our way there we stopped off at the Dwarfie Stane and crawled inside this 5000 year old rock cut tomb on the hill side.

A short ferry ride back to Mainland and over to the other side to take a ferry to the northern isle of Westray. What can I tell you? Wild beaches, an amazing heritage centre to visit and lots of cows! I came to Westray as I wanted to visit its neighbouring island, Papa Westray. We did this by taking the foot passenger ferry over and walked the entire day, which I only realised when we boarded the ferry back and Poppy laid flat out and went straight to sleep! The big draw on this island (if you like your history) is the Knap of Howar. Like Skara Brae, but for me better as you have it all to yourself and you can actually crawl through and stand in what would have been people’s homes in the Neolithic period. They are also perched on a rugged, rock strewn part of coastline rather than at Skara amongst the dunes.

Westray to Papa boasts the shortest commercial flight taking under 2 minutes, so we watched the tiny plane come into land before continuing to walk the east coast of the island. The local school on Papa have put boxes around the island for visitors to write in books inside about their visits. The children then go on walks throughout the year to collect the books and to find out why people came to their island.

Our last island hop on the most stunning of days was from Mainland to Rousay, sometimes called ‘The Egypt of the North.’ It did not disappoint. The cairns here are the best I’ve visited, especially the staggering Midhowe which is over 32m in length! After a morning of historical sights we spent the afternoon at the beach and walking the moorland carpeted in heather at Faraclett Head.

One last morning on Mainland to explore the Stones of Stenness and Blackbarn Village completed our Orkney adventure. 

Shetland is next!

Orkney - Mainland

If you know Orkney then the pictures will need no explanation. Islands littered with Neolithic historic sites and unbelievable coastline to explore. We have crawled into chambered cairns, been down a ladder into another, crossed a tidal causeway to an ancient Viking settlement - complete with sauna and witnessed the most incredible sunset at the Ring of Brodgar. So many programmes have been made about these sites and Dad always said if he could have his time again then he would have chosen to study archeology (as well as engines!) I guess that’s where my interest and intrigue for Orkney came from. To stand looking down on Skara Brae, an incredibly well-preserved Neolithic village complete with furniture is pretty amazing!

Travel is always about the unexpected and the unplanned and this trip has been no different. At the weekend I got to hear the local pipe band parade through the street in Kirkwall and there was also a brilliant car show on in glorious sunshine! Lots of motorbikes, cars and tractors had made the journey from other islands, as well as mainland Scotland plus a few from further south. The weekend also saw an invitation to a local church service and to witness a baptism of two teenage siblings in the sea! Luckily the weather held, the beach was beautiful and it was a privilege to have seen something so special.

Phew! That’s a lot for one week now I sit here and write it down. Next week we hope to island hop to other parts of Orkney.