Safe Return Doubtful

The only visitors I had during my three days at Kirkabister were the residents of the house on the hill, who said hello a few times, and as I have become accustomed to, asked me if I needed anything.

Each day also two guys offering ‘coasteering’ came with their clients and parked. I know a little about coasteering only, as the guy who claimed to have invented the sport, from Pembrokeshire, spoke at one of the Outdoor Ed conferences I organised a few years ago. The guys use two venues, one at Ling Ness further down the coast, and here. The attraction at this location is Hog Island, which they swim over to in relatively sheltered water. For beginners the best sort of coastline are rocky inlets with out serious cliffs, less than 5 metres or so, and with plenty of shelter. The trainers who run the business, Sea Scotland, tell me this is by some way the best venue in Britain.

Roja would certainly have taken part, and I’d be keen once bionic, so maybe in a couple of years. But for now, we made do with some spectacular hiking around the headland.

On the first day I was keen to get down to Stavaness, and it’s salt water Loch. Once out on that particular peninsula there is a feeling of real remoteness, though it’s only a couple of miles from the road. There were a couple of heavy showers on otherwise a fine day, with very little wind. When the showers came in, so did the most with them. During one such shower, I thought I heard voices in the mist, and sure enough soon after emerged a woman and her young son, locals who camping out for the night by the loch.

The return leg was inland, alongside the loch, and any inland hiking here takes twice as long as the coast, as it’s usually path-less, deep in heather and boggy. The whole outing took more than four hours, back just in time for the rugby warm up internationals.

The following day we hiked at the other venue the coasteerers use, Ling Ness, just a few miles further south. Both have relatively easy access to the bit of coast they want to use. Ling Ness offers less excitement for the coasteerer, but is a more sensible option in wild weather. It’s also got an incredible house on one of its small sandy beaches, the owners of which I became introduced to by our dogs.

I finished Sunday back in Lerwick, where I was last 34 days ago. I will spend my last week up here on the only bit of the main islands I haven’t been, the far south. I’m in Lerwick to stock up at Tesco tomorrow, and take the option of an Indian takeaway tonight.