Shetland Islands 2015Aberdeen to Durham - Sunday, 25th JulyI showered, got ready, packed and watched television whilst waiting for the call to disembark. The car deck was alive with echoing clanks of truck chains being ratcheted off and falling to the deck, metal on metal. I rode the bike off the boat and round to the parking compound in order to make full use of the excellent onboard breakfast facility. I had to show my ticket to get back on board and I had a leisurely breakfast in the restaurant and enjoyed the comfort of the ferry until 9.00. |
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photograph - Leaving Shetland |
Eventually I left the boat and rejoined the bike to make the half mile trip to the railway station. I passed a pleasant couple of hours in the Union Square shopping centre whilst it woke up to Sunday shoppers, reading and catching up on news from the outside world.I walked onto the platform and found the guard's van at the front of the train. The guard showed me where to put the bike as there were no hooks this time and helped me stack the panniers alongside. He wasn't going all the way to Newcastle but would tell the next guard to get the bike ready for me, which I thought was very kind. We had a little discussion about how long the train was and there being precious little time at each stop to unload goods. The change at Newcastle was fairly painless apart from having to carry the bike up and over a bridge. I was though, able to wheel the bike straight onto the Trans Pennine Express. I found myself in the middle of a hen do on it's way back to Tadcaster following a weekend away partying in Newcastle. The banter helped to pass the time and it turned out that we had a few friends in common, namely Dale and Alan who had provided support on the LEJOG trip in 2012. Small world. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shetland tour:
Ferries:
Routes: The trip was largely designed to follow in the footsteps of David Howarth and experience the locations associated with the Shetland Bus and visit the memorials to those involved. This was largely achieved and made a lasting impression on me, to the extent that I re-read David Haworth's book on my return with a much better 'hinterkopf' that made the story even more alive. The evening trip to Mousa to see the storm petrels was just wonderful and I can recommend this whole heartedly. Shetland is an impressive landscape with stunning shoreline scenery, unspoilt beaches, crystal clear water and big big skies. The weather was mixed ranging through glorious hot burning sunshine, strong to severe gale force 9 storm to torrential freezing rain. Constant cloud monitoring and compass gazing did not really help. Bus shelters bless them, are the cyclist best friend, offering respite in an otherwise exposed landscape. All the people I met on the islands were extremely helpful, kind and courteous. NOTE It wasn't after all my final trip to Shetland. In January 2019 my wife and I travelled to Shetland for Up Helly Aa and had a most wonderful time. On this occasion we had the luxury of our car and stayed at the gorgeous Sumburgh Lighthouse. This is an absolutely terrific event that I would urge everyone to experience, at least once in their lives. |
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When I was a kid, I had a huge map of the British Isles on my bedroom wall. I often gazed at the top and thought that the Shetland Islands looked like a dog, possibly a poodle with floppy ears jumping down with paws outstretched. I've visited its body, back leg and paw, Yell, Unst and Fetlar and the front leg and paw on the way down to Sumburgh. I've even cycled over the floppy ears of Northmavine and around the mouth, Skeld and Walls and been to its nose, Papa Stour. This was my view from the top at the wind turbines, a scene and a moment that I shall never forget.
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