Day 19 - Around Lerwick before getting Ferry

We are catching the late ferry back to Aberdeen but have our accommodation available as we are booked to leave tomorrow morning.  At the time we thought it would be good to have somewhere to go if the weather was really bad, as the ferry doesnt leave till 7pm.  It was nice not having to rush about to get out by 10am.

After packing most of our bags, we headed to a few places around Lerwick that we havent seen yet.  It was very grey and cloudy when we went out.  

We filled the car up and then made for Ladies Drive which I had seen on the map and it was also the location of the local brewery.  It turned out to be an industrial estate but there was a road off it going to a very colourful housing estate.  Each block of these wooden houses were a different colour and looked very scandinavian.  The street names were all Norwegien sounding.  

 
Housing Development in Lerwick

 
The blue section

 
Mobile Home style houses
 

We then made for The Knab which is a headland very close to Lerwick.  There were loads of people there, all clutching walking maps.  We correctly guessed there was a cruise ship in Lerwick today.  I later found it was the Costa Favolfosa which can take around 4000 passengers.  It was on its last stop before finishing at Hamburg. We heard French and German spoken.  

The Knab has a huge cemetery sloping down the hillside and we saw this from the ferry when we first arrived.  We walked around the cemetery and they I went along the cliff top path while Paul waited in the car.

 
View over to Bressay from The Knab

 
View from The Knab

 
Red Campion

 
Looking towards the cemetery

 
Coastal Poppies

 
Houses on The Knab

 
The Knab Golf Course

We then made our way to Scalloway, where we visited on the morning of our arrival.  By now the sun had come out and it was really warm.  This time we walked to the castle and around a few other streets that we missed first time.  

 
Colourful houses of Scalloway

 
Scalloway from the harbour

 
Scalloway Castle, currently under refurbishment

 
Unusual house in Scalloway

 

We came back to Lerwick via a garden centre called "Plantiecrub".  We had seen some Garden Planters in the shape of a house without a roof in various gardens and hadnt seen them for sale anywhere so thought the one and only garden centre would have them - but no.  Apparently they are made by someone near the south of mainland and he only sells to customers and not other business outlets.  

This is what I wanted.

Shetlands only garden centre .

After lunch Paul had a rest and I went for a walk around Clickinam Loch as it was too nice to stay in.  I bought a cone from Mr Stripey, the local ice cream van who was parked by the Loch.  It was a nice change from the magnums and cornettos that we had during the week.  True to his name he served up a stripey cone.

Mr Stripey Ice Cream van


I enjoyed my walk around the Loch but didn't see the otter this time.  

Small broch in the school grounds

Norwegien and Shetland model village
on the path around the Loch.

View from far side of the Loch.

Saw this boat on someone's drive.

Shetland pony


We checked in for the ferry at 5pm and it left 15 mins early.  We went on deck to see it leave Lerwick and got some great views of Bressay in the evening sunshine.  


Bressay headland

On the top outside deck

Bressay lighthouse

The cemetery at The Knab 


Colourful harbour buildings at Lerwick

We have bunk beds on this crossing so that should be fun tonight.  We had a nice meal on board and nice window seats in the lounge.  This sailing doesn't stop at Kirkwall so journey time is 12 hours.

We sailed past Fair Isle at about 9.45pm and it looks like there will be a nice sunset.  We had planned a day trip to Fair Isle but all flights from Lerwick were full during our stay.  In hindsight this was a good thing.  Fair Isle would require a lot of walking, which Paul cannot do at the moment.  At least one overnight stay is required to see it properly.  So maybe one for the future as I am sure we will come back to the north of Scotland soon.

Fair Isle from ferry 

Sunset over the North Sea



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