Monday 26 June 2017

Simmer Dim

While the rest of the UK have had very hot weather, up to 32 degrees in places, Shetland has had strong winds, cool temperatures 11- 16 degrees together with some thick fog. Thinking back to when we visited  Shetland on holiday, back in the late 1980's it was even cooler mostly not more than 10 degrees in June, often with hail.

                                                                                        German ship in Lerwick today

Shetland however does benefit from the long days, nearly 23 hours daylight, known here as the `Simmer Dim'. Last weekend the Simmer Dim Motorbike rally took place with around 400 folk attending, its always a sell out weeks before the event.


                                                                                      National Geographic Orion & Marco Polo

The roads seem busier with many tourists visiting, while Lerwick harbour is full of yachts, many from Norway. A lot of these visitors have been attracted to Shetland by the recent BBC TV series Shetland which should be back on our screens later this year, it will feature Shetland, Glasgow and Norway.



Two friends are due to arrive in Shetland soon, one for a day on a cruise and the other making the usual yearly pilgrimage to Walls in the west mainland. It will be good to meet up with them.


For our holiday this year we are heading back to Sheffield to see family and friends, just a 620 mile 22 hour journey via Orkney. The ferries go by this route a few times a week, you arrive in Orkney around midnight so anyone going here for a break will have to know where they are intending to stay.


In the bay at Fladibister, a number of oil related ships have been gathering. Two are oil tanks waiting for the next order so they could end up anywhere in the world but the two larger ones have parts of an oil rig which will be transported north once the gigantic crane arrives on site.



Shetland is awash with colour at the moment, the wild flowers look superb with lots of Orchids mix in with others. We even have two Northern Marsh Orchid growing in our lawn, first time we have seen them here. Like elsewhere in Shetland i have cut round them, they are so special.

My photography class today in Lerwick - more on this next time


next time we take a closer look at the south end of Lerwick

check out my other blogs

shetlandsky.blogspot.co.uk
shetlandsfp.blogspot.co.uk (Wildlife)

and on facebook - Shetland Aurora Hunter- just send a request to join

www.amazingshetland.co.uk (Canvas prints)

Sunday 11 June 2017

Shetland Tourism

Shetland Tourism has taken a hit this last week when the contract for Promote Shetland was not renewed by the council. This has been run by the Shetland Amenity Trust for the past 8 years and they did some tremendous work running the website, live streaming of Up Helly Aa , publishing the 60 degree north magazine. as well as running several webcams.- all this may stop

                                                                                                    Scalloway boat yard

                                                                                                       Scalloway visitor
                                                                                   A cruise liner leaves Lerwick
                                                            Shetlanders have a good sense of humour


With the oil industry in a decline tourism should have become a priority and it will also leave a gap for people wanting information on moving to Shetland. It certainly helped us when we moved to Shetland just over three years ago.

Tourists are being encouraged to come outside the normal summer season. Winter is becoming quiet big with several Up Helly Aa's a great attraction and of course a chance to see the Aurora ( join us at Shetland Aurora Hunter) - send a request on facebook., music galore and plenty of stormy weather if you like that. The wildlife is also a big draw with plenty of Otters and a chance to see Humpback Whales with plenty of birds about.

You have to be prepared for poorer internet and mobile phone connections. I recently was persuaded to change to EE- a bad move as i found it has limited coverage in the south mainland, so i soon returned to Vodafone ,a lot better signal

We will soon be returning to Sheffield for a holiday,  just a 21.5 hour journey by ferry (14 hours via Orkney) and road. Not looking forward to traffic jams but it will be good to see family and friends, Skype has kept us in contact over the other 11 months of the year.

If i can help you at all please don't hesitate to send me a message

check out my website at http://www.amazingshetland.co.uk