As ridges go…

Sunday 2nd July 2023

To get a bit of perspective, and for some variety from the coastline, I took to the hills of the Walls peninsula this morning. There’s a wide ridge running for about 3 kilometres from northeast to southwest with only a maximum height of 249 metres at Sandness Hill, but because of the exposure to the weather straight off the ocean, the lack of trees and the stony nature of the ridge, there is a feeling that you are much higher.

Roja was delighted by the scattered lochans, or lidos as he refers to them up on High Street in the Lakes, and went on a mission to swim in each of them.

On the way up we passed a memorial sign in need of replacement, for an aircraft that went down in 1941. The crew of three of a Bristol Blenheim had taken off from RAF Sumburgh at the southern end of the Shetland Mainland at 22:00 on the 2nd September 1941 to carry out an anti-shipping patrol off the Norwegian coast. On return to Sumburgh having completed their patrol the pilot strayed to the west of Shetland and flew into northern side of Sandness Hill.

Though there is no problem with access here on Shetland, crossing fences, and indeed gates, is a problem, especially with a dodgy hip. The farmers obviously don’t trust the public to close their gates, and hence most are locked with padlocks, or a full length of tied rope that would take an age to undo. Roja can’t jump a fence any more, but has perfected the technique of squeezing under them if I give them a hoist. He then has to wait an age for me to inelegantly clamber over. Our descent seemed packed with such obstacles until we joined the coastal path and returned to Melby.

I rarely have any sound on while walking, but today was an exception with the final day of the Lord’s Test, back at the van for the last couple of hours and lunch.

There are so few buildings around that it’s not easy to find places to fill up with water. I drove to Walls and the young girl in the shop was completely unhelpful. Everywhere I have asked before, have happily said to take it. After a quick search I found a tap behind the community hall.

Then we drove to the north west corner of the peninsula to the West Burrafirth pier from where the Papa Stour ferry departs (tomorrow morning). This is an excellent stopover place, one of the best so far, though they have all been good.