Shetlands Islands Day 210 – 211 November 7th to 8th 2018
I dreamed of a winter somewhere dark and cold, a Christmas laden with snow, showtime provided by Aurora Borealis. Instead it will be a hot Australian summer. As a taster before returning we headed for a quick, cold, visit to the Shetland Islands.
What a treat! It is cold. It is windy. It is dark – by about 4pm. There is no snow but there is a chance of seeing the Northern Lights. And there is a small glimpse of an island community and their winter life.
We chose the ferry as it seemed the ferry could travel in most weathers – flights could be delayed or cancelled . Even with a bit of rocking and rolling it was a comfortable night in a two berth cabin on the Northlink ferry crossing from Aberdeen to Lerwick.
On arriving into the wild winds and lower temperatures an orientation walk seemed less than ideal, Instead wandering into Lerwick we found a delightful café with the equally delightful name ‘Peerie Bites’ for breakfast . Porridge for me – Yay at last! And scrambled eggs and local smoked salmon for Chris. Both of us feeling we had won a taste jackpot.
Poking around the café magazines we found a booklet explaining a local literary festival ‘Word Play’ – excited to find it was beginning at the weekend so headed to the local community centre the Mareel Centre to book tickets.
While there we wandered next door to the fantastic Shetland Museum. Small but packed with well presented exhibitions of local life – archeology, natural history, social history, archives, industry. So much to take in and such a great display. Downstairs a geological and archeological history of the Shetlands displayed with artifacts, stories and dioramas showing folk-life during eras past.
Unfortunately, lunch could not be part of our visit. We had read great things about the Hay Dock restaurant to find it had closed suddenly the previous weekend – much comment and discussion in the local newspaper about its demise despite its quality food.
Upstairs I was delighted to find local life including the intricate patterned fair-isle that had crept across the world from the Shetland isles. In addition each display portrayed a different aspect of Shetland life – the war years, social life, district nursing on the islands.
Not knowing exactly what to expect we had booked two nights in Lerwick and a week in a small cottage in Levenwick. In Lerwick we found ourselves in a warm, sparkling clean, little house – perfect to explore Lerwick from. The weather was cold with biting winds, quickly switching from rain to wet bright sun. A helpful and very friendly bus driver got us on the bus into an almost deserted old town. After explorng for a short time we decided to pick up the rental car earlier. Much warmer and easier. A bright frog green eyesore, never to be lost in a carpark.
Day two because we had a car we decided to use the short daylight hours to explore the northern area. Heading for the recommended Eshaness. Not difficult to navigate with two main roads one north one south, we were quickly out of town. The first part of the drive was through deep red and brown peat bogs, the square markings of harvesting cutting through the hillsides. The sea was always close by as we travelled north,
Stopping on the hillside overlooking Voe – looking down on the small town with vivid green hills surrounding the calm water of Olna Firth. Voe has a long history and even from the hilltop older buildings dotted throughout the town were visible.
At Stennes we wintered up and walked down to the waters edge where the cameras loved the ruins of a stone cottage. Roofless with iridescent green moss emphasising patterns made by the stones in the remaining walls.
Further along – the remains of a Haaf fishermens’ village. The village had consisted of rows of long hangar-like stone huts with rooves of wood and turf, sometimes roofed with old boats! Now piles of stones remain to remind of the hard rugged life the fishermen lead.
Over the hill the Dore Holm Natural Arch could clearly be seen offshore. Looking a little like an elephant with its trunk dipping into the sea with waves were crashing against all sides. The arch is large enough for a boat to go through – proven as we watched a fishing trawler make its way around and through.
Below us as we walked the cliffs the sea was swirling around the coast filling deep caves and bays worn into the cliffside. Birds were playing on the strong wind drafts floating up right beside us on the hilltop before plunging down towards the sea and up the other side. Mesmerising.
At the top is a large stone cross erected in 1927 to mark the spot where supplies for the Eshaness Lighthouse were landed. The large cross is now pitted by the weather and glows from the green moss covering one side.
And on to the Eshaness with its lighthouse and once upon a time a volcano! The coastline cliffs eroded into shapes by the sea. The strong winds were inescapable and despite the sunlight – not conducive to walking out for too long.
Despite it being only 3pm-ish the shadows were lengthening enhanced by a beautiful light across the coast. A quick walk around the lighthouse and out to a view of the cliffs followed by a longer view as we picnicked in the car.
Time to return to our cosy home. The drive back was one of changing light. Despite being only mid-afternoon the light was glowing with a sun dropping in the sky. A brilliant yellow light was cast across the landscape.
Early dinner in our little cottage before heading out to the first of our Word Play events – an evening with Shetland writers. What a treat! I expected a bit of a lecture style on writers who came out of the Shetlands. It was local creative writing groups from across the islands who shared their wide ranging writings with us. Even the stories, prose and poems in local dialect were absorbing. The response by the audience, the feeling evoked by the writer.
