sun

Please check out my new website at www.amazingshetland.co.uk

Not many people would believe that Shetland was the second sunniest place in the UK during June. With 226.2 hours it was only just beaten by Valley in North Wales by 4 hours. This is a lot better than last year when it was wet and cold.

In Speyside there was plenty of signs of whisky making, besides the distilleries we had passed on the way down we also came across this store of empty wooden barrels soon to be introduced to the whisky.

Not every car or van can make it around all the areas in Scotland.

Our second week in Sheffield was wet - very wet, with one day in particular very bad with flooding on the east side. This proved to be a problem as we went for a meal but found roads flooded and closed. On one road a car was left in a pond which had formed in a dip, leaving the driver in around 4 feet of water.

It was good to meet up with family and friends and we spent all the week visiting, sometimes two or three people a day.

The above waited too long before making a decision on whether to move to Shetland, so glad we moved here just over 2 years ago.

                             Illegal immigrant will try anything to get into the country, this one failed

                 In Sheffield you still have to wait along time to get work, no matter how keen you are ! Shetland however have the lowest unemployment in the UK

I did have one day to look around so while Diane went shopping with Wendy I went round some old industrial sites in the east end. The steel industry which once was so important to Sheffield has almost disappeared. The large area that Forgemasters covered was now left empty, waiting for redevelopment, only a few insects remain (below)

The journey back to Shetland was uneventful and we made the journey from Sheffield - Aberdeen with an hour to spare. On the way we received some good news that the floor had been re-boarded and cushion floor laid and the new heating system was completely installed.

                            Thanks to Beryl for helping out, feeding our cat and cleaning up.

Still getting a number of Cruise liners into Lerwick and a fishing (above/ Below) boat, the Carolien from Holland spent all of 10 mins at Breiwick before heading out quickly

It was good to find out that the campaign to save the Northern based emergency tug Herakles has been successful, at least for another 5 years. Also in the news was that the crime drama Shetland  will return for a fourth series, 5.8 million people watched the BBC1 drama last time, this is excellent news for the tourist industry.

Down South

Last month we left the sun in Shetland and headed south first to Aviemore for a week then Sheffield. The weather in Scotland was hot, sunny and still each day until we left, but this changed as we exchanged Aviemore for Sheffield.

                                                                                                       Carrbridge

                                                                                             Rothiemurchus Forest

This was the first time we had been back to Aviemore since 1985 and there had been a few changes. More housing had appeared to the north of the village -this is where we stayed and several camping and caravan sites had expanded.

                                                                                                      Loch Garten

We did have some excellent meals in Carrbridge and Aviemore and it was good to find a very busy Tesco with food on the shelves, something that we don't have very often in Lerwick.

                                                                    An excellent area north of Aviemore

It was odd to see so many trees, not too many in Shetland. As many Shetland's say, `we couldn't see anything for the trees' and this was true for us. It surprising how your mind alters , we would rather enjoy the open landscape that Shetland provides than the tree clad Scottish landscape and even more than the concrete jungle that Sheffield offers.

One significant change was in the Cairngorms where a funicular railway takes you to the tops at 3,500 feet. The only problem was that you couldn't go and explore unless you went on a guided walk with a ranger at a cost of £20 for a 90 min walk.

                                                                                                      Glenmore

We walked up Carn Ban More back in 1979 and found it a tough 2.5 hour trek. This took us over  snow fields and eventually lead us onto the plateau where we had superb views. Don't think my legs could have taken this so we had to be content with views of the snow covered tops form down in the glen.

                                                                                           Rothiemurchus

During our week in the Spey valley we found many photo opportunities , to see more of the wildlife visit shetlandsfp.blogspot.co.uk

I have now finished my website, you can now buy canvas prints at www.amazingshetland.co.uk

                                                                                                 I do like these old buildings

Mixed bag - but worth it

When you think about earth quakes you might think of San Francisco or Asia, not Shetland. In the last month or so three earth quakes have been recorded around Shetland, all at sea and nothing more that 1.8 scale. However some have hit Shetland, back in 2009 a 3.3 magnitude hit Lerwick and further north with people indicating that they heard a bang or shaking around the house.

Most earthquakes in Scotland go unnoticed about 300 occur around Britain each year and most under 2.0 magnitude.

That's nothing compared with the 6,200 earthquakes that have occurred in Iceland, since the last earthquake in 2015. Increase in activity could see the largest volcano in Iceland erupt which would be bad news for any air travellers.

The huge Baroarbunga volcano may be gearing up for an eruption although there is nothing for definite as yet, but keep an eye on this. Shetland was covered in volcanic ash when the last large Icelandic volcano erupted.

The other Sunday we managed to see a Faroes Gospel Choir which had not been to Shetland for 4 years. They arrived in a very interesting way, by ship - the Juvel 11, built in 1974, now a Faroes missionary vessel which was originally a Danish fishery protection vessel. This ship spends time up in Greenland visiting remote churches to bring the Christian message.

                                                                                                         Juvel 11

                                                                                            Scalloway Castle

Da Voar Redd Up has taken place again , Shetland people are so proud of where they live. You wouldn't get this anywhere else in the UK, this is where the communities turn out to collect rubbish by the bag full. Beaches and dykes are cleaned up by adults and children alike, most of this is windblown and washed up on our beaches.

                                                                                Scalloway Castle - whats in a name

Last year  4572 participants turned out and collected 58 tons of bruck (rubbish) 1,700 tons since it started 29 years ago in 1988. Well done to all !

Its amazing to find out that 640,000 tons of fishing gear is discarded each year, this kills 136, 000 whales and seals each year (Info Shetland Times)

                                                                               Large Oil ship in Scalloway

A number of large oil ships have been gathering in Shetland waters, especially of Gulberwick where 3 vessels are carrying pieces of oil rig for the Clare Oil field. They will be heading to a site around 40 miles west of Eshaness. This will provide 64 million barrels of oil over the next 40 years

The Shetland Adult Education photography classes have been going very well this year and I was asked to put on another course in Scalloway in late June - July, this is now full. I will be starting to run courses again from September, starting with an intermediate course, drop me a e-mail if you are interested in joining.

                                The current ` Know your own camera' course folk

Scalloway on the sunny side

Working on the west side in Scalloway gives me opportunity to explore the area.  Scalloway was the ancient capital of Shetland up to 1708, when it was transferred to Lerwick. It has a small population of around 800, smaller than Sandwick

For anyone visiting it has much to offer, including a great café the `Cornerstone' which can be found near the castle. If you go in you should see a painting of one of my photos of Scalloway castle taken during Storm Gertrude (see header)

The slipway is in constant use with many boats coming in for a service or repair, always an interesting area.

Similar to Lerwick, Scalloway has many interesting lanes to explore, and many colourful houses (above) which reminds me of Tobermory in Mull

Secured just in-case the wind blows

                                                             Interesting stone plaque depicting the theory of tidal motion

Norway House

During World War 2 Scalloway was the  base for the Shetland bus, the Norwegian resistance movement. They used small fishing boats to bring refugees from Norway to Shetland then returned with weapons and agents. All the activity took place in the middle of winter in the worst of the winter weather. Norway house was used as barracks during the campaign

                                                                                              Still used today

                                                                                   Info about the Shetland Bus

Another interesting feature of the area is the number of very mature trees, quiet a rarity in Shetland.

Please check out my other Shetland Blogs:

shetlandsfp.blogspot.co.uk
shetlandsky.blogspot.co.uk