Safe Return Doubtful

  Just across the hill from Mu Ness Castle is Easting Beach. Parking is at Hannigarth, a spectacularly situated holiday rental property. From there it is just a kilometre’s walk across the field to the sands of Easting.   My exploits today began here. These days are with a strong,…

  In July 1881 ten of twenty six haaf fishing boats were lost in a storm just a few miles northwest of Gloup. 58 fishermen lost their lives, all from small communities, with Gloup being hit the heaviest. Haaf fishing already had a name for being dangerous, using just 30…

  Not everyone relishes a nine hour Atlantic storm and 60 mile per hour winds and torrential rain, but I do. To take pleasure in the van rocking around and the rain drumming on the roof will seem strange to many. Skill is required to position the van so as…

  The border in question is the strait between Mainland and Yell which I crossed on Wednesday evening, after a calm in some squally weather. A rainy morning had led to little physical activity other than a journey on foot up to the renovated house that I had admired for…

  Sand Voe was recommended to me as a good starting point for the trek up to Fethaland, which though it may sound like a pillow outlet, is actually a stark and beautiful part of the Shetland coastline. The usual starting place for the hike is just over the hill…

Though there are a few campervans around during the day, they disperse at night. Many of them are rentals, and the facilities in them are less appealing than in one’s own van, also the people who rent them are often on their first trip in such a vehicle, and take…

  Though the title for today may sound like a crime novel, it is actually the name of the northwestern part of the Esha Ness peninsula, and it’s many rocky outcrops. Esha Ness’s lighthouse is a Stevenson build (by David, one of the ‘lightthouse’ Stevensons that included, if only briefly,…

Tough going on Muckle Roe Friday 7th July Rain delay this morning. Fronts tend to come through very quickly up here. I heard the first drops on the roof about 5 am, and by 10 it was fizzling out. I had a second coffee and read more than usual, and…

Muckle Roe Island Thursday 6th July Aside from the sports complex and high school, which were built and opened in 2017, the rest of the town of Lerwick is rather grey. Many have given up on applying paint to the outside of buildings, as with the weather blowing so fiercely,…

From an island population of 6 to the 7,000 of Lerwick Wednesday 5th July The morning ferry arrived on time at 9:45 and stimulated the only human movement I had detected since it left on Monday afternoon. On board was one vehicle and twelve hikers from Fife. The vehicle and…