Day 8 Lerwick and the Shetland Isles

Today we woke up to the sound of my phone ringing and it was our friend Jeremy Dare arranging to meet us for the visit to Shetland.  We were still moving and although we were in sight of land we were not due to dock until another 1½ hours at 0830.  We arranged to call him just before when we thought we could be picked up.



misty Shetland scenery

We sorted ourselves out and breakfasted before getting off soon after docking on time.  It was misty, drizzly, quite cold and with quite a strong wind.  The worst weather we had experienced.  Jeremy and Sheila soon arrived and picked us up in the nearby Coop car park.  We then had a personal tour of the west side of the “mainland” including a short walk to the Burn of Lunklet 

the Burn of Lunklet

with its waterfall.  The roads were very well kept, even the smaller ones, a result of oil and military investment into the local economy.  The landscape (what we could see) was mostly moorland with lots of heather which should look spectacular later in the year. We were 

Yell ferry

then taken to the ferry across to Yell where Jeremy and Sheila are developing their retirement home.  The crossing was short, smooth and cheap in a ro-ro ferry. We visited the house 

ferry bow beginning to open

and were impressed with the work being carried out but there was quite a lot more to complete.  After a cup of coffee we went back again across to the mainland.



windswept Jeremy, Sheila and Chris

We then travelled across the island to the home of their daughter Marianne and family who have settled in Shetland.  Their house is a 

showing road and moorland nature

redevelopment of a croft house and is modern, roomy and in an ideal location above a beach.  We had a local food lunch with all of them except George who was at the nearby school.  After spending time with Marianne, Craig and Amos we were invited to tour the island more.



rugged cliffs

The weather was better by

the drinking horse

 now and were able to see more of the countryside, the rugged cliffs, lighthouses etc.  We stopped for a cliff walk and saw a dramatic coastline with fascinating rocks and there were kittiwakes sheltering against the cliff wall.  It was now time to return to Lerwick after a 

kittiwakes

memorable, special day for us with much catching-up and the benefit of having the guided tour of the island and the family homes.  We said our farewells and returned to the ship for dinner.