Day 18 - Whalsay Island and East Central Mainland

We took the ferry from Laxo to Whalsay this morning.  It is a bit further than the other islands we have visited and it took 30 minutes but it only cost £9.60 return for us and the car.  On our return we explored the area south of the Laxo ferry terminal.  It was still windy but a lot warmer and yet another day of full sun.

 

Whalsay is more densely populated than anywhere else in Shetland and has a population of about 1000.  I read that many millionaires live there and we did see some very impressive houses.  Having said that we could only find 1 small shop which was also the Post Office and 1 very comprehensive hardware shop and a big leisure centre.

 

Laxo Ferry Terminal

 

Whalsay Ferry Terminal

 

We first made our way to Skaw on the north east tip, where we found the Whalsay Golf Club, claiming to be the most northerly Golf Club in the UK. It is also next to Whalsay Airport.   We walked through it and were warmly greeted by a man just about to tee off so we didnt feel we were trespassing.  There were remains of an old stone church near the 2nd tee so we walked over to it then came back to the car.  Paul went into the clubhouse to see if they served coffee.  There were just 2 men in their, drinking cans of Guinness who told him he was more than welcome to have a coffee but would need to make it himself.  He didnt bother.

 

Whalsay Golf Club

 

 

Part of the golf course

 

Rabbit at the church ruins

 

Remains of old church

 

View from golf course with Out Skerries in distance

 

Whalsay Airport - landing strip

We went to explore more of the island, which is very scenic, and stopped at a few lochs and coastal areas where we could park safely.  Along the roads, the only place to stop were the passing places so we didnt like to leave the car unattended.  

 

Burial mount next to a loch

 

Beach alongside the road

 

Church and cemetery at Kirk Ness

 

One of the many lochs on the island

 

A loch around every corner

 

Symbister Ferry Terminal - marina

 

Fishing Museum - with Norwegien Flag.  We didnt visit as you had to go 

and get the key from the hardware shop

 

Loch with dried up areas near the harbour

Symbister House on the hill with marina in the foreground

 

Eider family

We couldnt get on our preferred ferry as it was the smallest of 2 running that day and soon filled up with camper vans and tradesmens vans.  We had to wait 45 mins for the next so I went for a walk along the sea front.  I saw a Great Skua pecking at what looked like a dead seal and the gulls were interested too so the Skua was fiercely defending what he had found. 

 

Great Skua trying to scare off the gulls

 

Great Skua feeding on remains of a seal or large fish

`

 

Headland on Mainland on ferry back.  

I could see a side on face with a beard and hat. 😀

 

Once back on mainland we drove around the region known as Nesting which is the area south of the Laxo ferry terminal.  This again has some spectacular views and we kept stopping when we could.  We saw some Highland Cattle with their calves.  

 

View over moorland

 

One of the lochs at Nesting

 

Wildflowers

 

Grassy hill

 

Rock Pipit

Highland Cow

 

 

 

 

Highland Cow and Calf

 

Some sort of goose?

We drove through Kergord and were very surprised to see a couple of woodland plantations with very tall trees.  They included sycamores and firs are not native but were apparently created in the early 20th century.  They looked totally out of place and although in full leaf, they just didnt look right.  We couldnt stop so I took some photos from the car.  I heard and then saw a lot of rooks, something we havent seen anywhere on Shetland - only hooded crows.  

 

Woodland on Shetland

 

Trees that have been planted on Shetland

 

Our last stop was to the hamlet with the dubious name of Twatt.  There was one in Orkney last year.  We drove through but there was no village name, but that is like any other hamlet in Shetland.  Only the bigger villages have signs as you enter them.  We did see a direction sign though. 

On the way back we stopped at a village store to get something for dinner.  Outside was an old telephone box.  We have seen a lot of these around Shetland.  A few have working phones inside but most are empty and some dont have a door.  I suppose to remove them would be costly so they have just been left.  None are used for defibralators or libraries as we see at home.

Shetland phone box

I finished writing this at 23:45.  It is getting dark but there is still some light in the sky over the harbour area.