Where the Sun Doesn't Stop Shining
The gap in blogging has not been pure laziness. I have just returned from a two-week holiday in the Orkney and Shetland Islands, which was supreme....
The first week (in Orkney) was with Ma 'Ding. It was originally intended to be a bit of a family event, to co-incide with the folk festival, and to spend time with Pa 'Ding, whose health is a bit precarious. Sadly, due to hospital "stuff", Pa 'Ding had to be left behind ,with Schwesty to act as nurse. So me and Ma 'Ding were left to have a week of solid bickering. I knew that this was bound to happen as we have our differences. It's never catastrophic arguments, and I do love her to bits, but I do object to her fussing over stuff - I just wish she'd turn her attention to her more significant and destructive habits, rather than what she eats, how high that hill is, whether it is past her bed time blah blah blah. Unfortunately I do tend to act like a kid around her, and it all gets a bit stupid. Luckily, though, once the music had started, we had something to distract us. And the Orkney Islands themselves are sensational - friendly, packed with great scenery, loads of historic sites (I went inside a neolithic burial chamber wooooo), and I even had an unlikely opportunity to dribble over a handsome young bagpipe player (from a distance obviously).....
Then I went onto the Shetlands alone. It's a different world, the scenery is extremely dramatic, and the people so friendly it's frightening... I couldn't move a step, with my suitcase, without some chap wanting to help. One practically ran the full length of a street to help me up some steps. And once I'd unburdened myself of my hefty luggage, I ended up walking miles and miles and miles. I tried to see some puffins, but unfortunately the afternoon I went onto Hermaness Head was the one iffy-weather day of my holiday, and when the howling gale and mist set in, I did seriously contemplate whether I've ever find my way home. Luckily I thought of lovely big cuddly Ray Mears, and everything seemed to work out! The puffins, however, had wisely run away to find shelter so I never did see them. D'oh.
I also had a weird "spotted". Whilst staying in a converted RAF station on the northern most tip of the northern most inhabited island in the UK (on a level with Greenland) I spotted Nick Berry (Eastenders, Heartbeat...) having dinner with his family! I also got befriended by some local folks (fairly tipsy they were), who bought me endless whiskies, and gave me their address, making me promise that I'd come back, and tell anyone I knew to come to the Shetlands, and stay in their house! That seemed to be the general Shetlands attitude, just bubbling with enthusiasm and helpfulness. I think they're fairly isolated and just pleased to welcome anyone! Other honourable mentions must go to Helga and Janet (retired lesbian?? travellers who I kept bumping into all over the place), Jim the Youth Hostel Warden (who offered me a lift everywhere), the English bloke on the Unst Ferry who invited me on a maiden voyage in his new dinghy (I politely declined, as I was slightly scared), and the bus driver who went on diversion just to drop me at a supermarket (I needed some washing powder), and also the lady who showed me how to spin wool and knit with a knitting belt at the Heritage Centre on Unst (I was unsurprisingly crap!).
And to the endless sunlight, the beautiful sunset on Norwick sands at about 11pm on my final evening on Shetland, and to all the old and evocative ruins (all over Orkney and Shetland) which I spent hours clambering around. If you like a bit of space, are lucky with the weather (I was), and have somebody like-minded with you, I think it would be an immensely romantic place to go for a break.
I will try and post some piccies (I took about a zillion, but am currently missing the upload lead) to prove the loveliness of the Northern Isles though I might have to edit out the many dull and "experimental" ones!
Now, alas, after a mammoth three ferries, two buses, one train, and a ride on the underground (two days travelling in total) it is back to the frickin' grind. Arggggg. Argggggggg. Argggggggggggg.
The first week (in Orkney) was with Ma 'Ding. It was originally intended to be a bit of a family event, to co-incide with the folk festival, and to spend time with Pa 'Ding, whose health is a bit precarious. Sadly, due to hospital "stuff", Pa 'Ding had to be left behind ,with Schwesty to act as nurse. So me and Ma 'Ding were left to have a week of solid bickering. I knew that this was bound to happen as we have our differences. It's never catastrophic arguments, and I do love her to bits, but I do object to her fussing over stuff - I just wish she'd turn her attention to her more significant and destructive habits, rather than what she eats, how high that hill is, whether it is past her bed time blah blah blah. Unfortunately I do tend to act like a kid around her, and it all gets a bit stupid. Luckily, though, once the music had started, we had something to distract us. And the Orkney Islands themselves are sensational - friendly, packed with great scenery, loads of historic sites (I went inside a neolithic burial chamber wooooo), and I even had an unlikely opportunity to dribble over a handsome young bagpipe player (from a distance obviously).....
Then I went onto the Shetlands alone. It's a different world, the scenery is extremely dramatic, and the people so friendly it's frightening... I couldn't move a step, with my suitcase, without some chap wanting to help. One practically ran the full length of a street to help me up some steps. And once I'd unburdened myself of my hefty luggage, I ended up walking miles and miles and miles. I tried to see some puffins, but unfortunately the afternoon I went onto Hermaness Head was the one iffy-weather day of my holiday, and when the howling gale and mist set in, I did seriously contemplate whether I've ever find my way home. Luckily I thought of lovely big cuddly Ray Mears, and everything seemed to work out! The puffins, however, had wisely run away to find shelter so I never did see them. D'oh.
I also had a weird "spotted". Whilst staying in a converted RAF station on the northern most tip of the northern most inhabited island in the UK (on a level with Greenland) I spotted Nick Berry (Eastenders, Heartbeat...) having dinner with his family! I also got befriended by some local folks (fairly tipsy they were), who bought me endless whiskies, and gave me their address, making me promise that I'd come back, and tell anyone I knew to come to the Shetlands, and stay in their house! That seemed to be the general Shetlands attitude, just bubbling with enthusiasm and helpfulness. I think they're fairly isolated and just pleased to welcome anyone! Other honourable mentions must go to Helga and Janet (retired lesbian?? travellers who I kept bumping into all over the place), Jim the Youth Hostel Warden (who offered me a lift everywhere), the English bloke on the Unst Ferry who invited me on a maiden voyage in his new dinghy (I politely declined, as I was slightly scared), and the bus driver who went on diversion just to drop me at a supermarket (I needed some washing powder), and also the lady who showed me how to spin wool and knit with a knitting belt at the Heritage Centre on Unst (I was unsurprisingly crap!).
And to the endless sunlight, the beautiful sunset on Norwick sands at about 11pm on my final evening on Shetland, and to all the old and evocative ruins (all over Orkney and Shetland) which I spent hours clambering around. If you like a bit of space, are lucky with the weather (I was), and have somebody like-minded with you, I think it would be an immensely romantic place to go for a break.
I will try and post some piccies (I took about a zillion, but am currently missing the upload lead) to prove the loveliness of the Northern Isles though I might have to edit out the many dull and "experimental" ones!
Now, alas, after a mammoth three ferries, two buses, one train, and a ride on the underground (two days travelling in total) it is back to the frickin' grind. Arggggg. Argggggggg. Argggggggggggg.
posted by TheMightyDing at 21:29
3 Comments:
It's a wonderful place and we are in the grip of a thunderstorm that has been going on since around 4 this morning, its 8:30 now.
Sounds brilliant!
but what the heck is a knitting belt ?
Thanks for the comment, Jimmy, and hope you're weathering the storm up there! I might have to check out the Shetlands Folk Festival at some point, as that would combine too of my favourite things!
A knitting belt, my lovely Earth Girl, looks a bit like a small bum bag but instead of a zip compartment, it is just a padded oval with lots of holes in. Basically you wedge one knitting needle into the belt, and it sort of means you can knit one handed, and walk around knitting! I guess it was invented when ladies of years past would have been knitting and having to do their other chores at the same time. Very useful, almost bought one for you, as a pressie, but unfortunately they're a bit pricey! Have got you another slightly cheaper knitting related gift, which I think'll put a smile on your face!
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