So we have our first pair of visitors to Da Old Sea Barn and we wake up to a grey, wet, murky morning – dreich as a Shetlander might describe it. So what to do? Trusting the weather forecast we set off to the lovely local Tangwick Haa museum to do an indoor activity whilst… Continue reading A windy day!
Shetland – an island of rocks of many colours
The Shetland archipelago is made up of around 300 islands of which sixteen are inhabited. We are on Mainland – an island which is itself quite diverse in terms of its landscape and rock formations. In fact it is almost two islands as the north, North Mavine – where we are staying – is joined… Continue reading Shetland – an island of rocks of many colours
Another Shetland surprise
St Magnus Bay Hotel, a listed building, dominates Hillswick. The wooden building was prefabricated in Norway for the Great Exhibition in Glasgow in 1896. It was purchased by the North of Scotland Orkney and Shetland Steam Navigation Company and re-erected in Hillswick in 1902. As a result Hillswick was even advertised as a health resort!… Continue reading Another Shetland surprise
A Shetland surprise!
In 2008 a Shetland croft garden won a gold medal at Chelsea. It included 20 tonnes of Lewisian gneiss stone from the island of Yell and was designed by Martin Anderson, a regular visitor to Shetland, in aid of the Motor Neurone Association. When we stayed in North Roe in 2009 we were surprised to find… Continue reading A Shetland surprise!
A weekend of contrasts and stunning photography
After being holed up trying to keep up with all the excitement of the election for a few days we were determined to get out on Saturday despite it being one of the coldest, wettest and greyest days we have had here so far! It was well worth it! A trip up to North Roe… Continue reading A weekend of contrasts and stunning photography
Two weeks or so on – part 3
A gloomy day! Election today – there are 27 polling stations around Shetland. The ballot boxes will be gathered together after 10pm and sent at 1.30am on a special plane to Orkney for counting. The result from Orkney and Shetland is often one of the last to be declared. Some other bits and pieces we… Continue reading Two weeks or so on – part 3
Two weeks or so on – part 2
Hillswick lays on one side of the Ura Firth – a finger shaped inlet off St Magnus Bay a semi-circular bay facing onto the Atlantic, around 19 kms in diameter. The waters of the bay are over 150 metres deep and because of its shape it has been suggested that it may be the result of… Continue reading Two weeks or so on – part 2
