Wildlife - to add to the list

Since the last list we can add....

• Hen Harrier
• Merlin
• Short Eared Owl
• Orkney Vole
• Basking Shark
• Fin Whale
• Bottle Nose Dolphin
• Common Dolphin

Since the last list we can add....

• White Sided Dolphin
• Harbour Porpoise
• Wheatear
• Seals - Common/Harbour and Grey
• Ringed Plover
• Whooper swan
• Golden Plover
• Gannet
• Razorbill
• Great Skua
• Arctic Skua
• Redshank
• Whimbrel
• Fulmar
• Puffin
• Red Breasted Merganser
• Guillemot
• Black Guillemot
• Red Necked Phalarope
• Shetland Wren - lots
• Storm Petrel
• Arctic Tern
• Snipe

Our final Shetland area explored - the southern tip

The last part of our trip to Shetland was in the south, visiting Sumburgh Head, it's lighthouse and museum as well as the ancient ruins at Jarsholf nearby.

In order to get to Sumburgh Head we first had to cross the airport! The barriers come down on the runway like a level crossing while the plane takes off or lands. This is the only airport in the UK that has a road across the runway!

The ruins at Jarshof were impressive, covering various stages of settlements in Shetland history from the Neolithic period around 2700 BC, through the Vikings to the 1600s. The weather had turned to more what we expected from Shetland! A bit of misty drizzle appeared and we had to get togged up in our waterproofs. If didn't last long though. 

We had a walk to Sumburgh Head and the lighthouse there, which was an interesting day as the lighthouse has a sealife museum and some really intriguing history about the lighthouse keepers that were stationed here over the years. More Puffins too which is always a cheery sight to see! Orcas are often seen from here but no luck today for us!

I hope the fog horn doesn't go off!

It's a dogs life! Purdy nearly asleep!

Dee measuring up to the height of Busta the Orca's dorsal fin

Despite looking out to sea all the time,
this is the only Orca that we have seen so far!

A nice room with a view!

We treated ourselves to a 3 course meal at the Sumburgh Head Hotel - a meal out is VERY hard to come by in Shetland - there are no pubs, hardly any restaurants and what there is never seems to be open! It was lovely! - mmmmmm! We both had local haddock, mash and veg for main.

We stayed overnight in a small carpark in the sand dunes next to Spiggie Beach, complete with seals hauled up overnight.  We went for a swim in the morning, it still looked inviting in the cloudy weather so in we went! The seals from the night before had gone, or so we thought - one popped its head up right next to us while we were in!

Drying swim gear in the mist later elsewhere
  - there is a beach in the background!
It may not look it, but it was warm enough!

A new hat and headband to remember Shetland by

Our last trip on Shetland was a late evening boat trip to see the Storm Petrels nesting and rousting in an old Broch (tower like building) on the island of Mousa. We boarded a small boat at 2230 in thick mist that added to the atmosphere. After a short cruise we were greeted by ‘Mousa Man’ made from old plastic floats washed up on the beach!

The Broch was really impressive and very well preserved, probably because of its remoteness so that people haven’t plundered it for building stones over the years like many of the others. It's 13 metres high and like all Broch’s double skinned. There was a sketchy ‘staircase’ winding it's way to the top in the gap with a low hand rail – and more like a knee rail at the top. We were welcome to climb to the top - in pitch black on tiny little stone steps that you couldn't see. We like Shetland's lack of health and safety! These pics show how light it is up here - it gets no darker than this at the moment - and this was a night which was misty.

The Storm Petrels roust and nest in gaps in the stones and there were hundreds, like bats swarming around until they find the exact spot they need to enter. They make an amazing noise - we thought it was like a cross between a dialling tone on an old phone and a geiger counter!

The video clip below is the sound of the Storm Petrels.

We returned at about 0200 but luckily were able to camp for the night right at the small harbour. The next day, after a cuppa, and a walk to another Broch ruin, we returned to Lerwick to look around their impressive museum. 

Our legs were really tired so these were ideal in the museum!
How old are we?!!

Cafes in Shetland are virtually non-existent so it would be a luxury to get some lunch before we left Lerwick and Shetland. However, we found on Mondays most shops and cafes were closed but two cafes were open. One had a table free but this was reserved ‘just in case a family came in’ and the other a very greasy spoon with a very uninviting window dressing....

After contemplating whether to go in and eventually decided to a bit later, we found that they had decided to close early so that luxury was out again!

Some pics of Lerwick harbour on a bit of a drab day before we left.

Northern Isles of Shetland - Yell, Unst and Fetlar

We mounted Muy back on the truck and left Skeld for a trip up to tour around the northern Shetland islands of Yell, Unst and Fetlar. We travelled by ferry to Yell and then another straight to Unst for some nights wild camping.

As luck would have it the ferry to Unst was out of action for vehicles for the weekend due to a new dock leveller being fitted so once we were there no other vehicles could arrive until the following Monday, which made it quieter.

Dee compared to a Gannet!

Hermaness is an RSPB reserve at the top western corner, overlooking Muckle Flugga lighthouse and Outer Stack - the most northern part of the UK. We had a great walk around the headland above some very high cliffs looking at loads of Gannets and Puffins. The Puffins were nesting in burrows right on the edges so we had to be extremely careful viewing them! They don't care you are there at all if you sit down quietly nearby.

We parked up overnight down a track next to the Loch of Cliff which had lots of Bonxies (Great Skuas) gathered at one end. They are big birds and interesting to see. 

A lovely wild camp nearby

We came across the site at Saxavord where they are in the process of building a new rocket launch pad. We spoke to a local family who were happy enough about it being built there. 

There was a boat museum and a heritage museum on Unst which were both worth a visit. Both were manned by local old boys who we quizzed on all things Shetland. There is also a replica Viking longboat and reconstructed Viking longhouse which were fun to see.

Interesting sign at the Saxavord site!

Replica Viking Longship at Haroldswick

Purdy enjoying the soft sand

Three very inquisitive seals!

This was our 2nd camp for the night on Unst

The ferry to Fetlar was only running an "on demand" service for vehicles so we had to phone to request it - we were the only vehicle on the ferry to Fetler - nice! Like a boat taxi!

Sunday morning and the bells were being rung
by a rope hanging in front of the door

In search of the Red Throated Pharalope! These birds are very rare with a few breeding pairs on Fetler. We met a 'birder' in a damp prefab cafe (at least there was a cafe) who had been waiting 11 hours with no luck. After leaving the cafe and driving to a known spot nearby, within a minute of looking we saw one!

Dee's viewpoint up Muy's ladder

We had a great walk all day around several headlands known as The Snap where we saw a pod of White Sided Dolphins (we think) feeding in the Wick of Tresta. We watched these for ages with Oyster Catchers shouting overhead trying to move us on! The dolphins were very acrobatic, some jumping right out vertically at times. 

The same hairstyle?!

Non dog friendly styles as usual!

Steep ladder stiles also non dog friendly

Purdy has to be carried/passed over!

A stop for tea at Murness castle on Yell

Dee acting out the scene on the board!

Phil acting out the scene on the board!

The weather changed and was a bit bleak
on the ferry back to the mainland!