Photos and the City

Tag: road trip

  • Exploring Yell

    exploring Yell, an island north of Shetland mainland.

    View from my hut in Yell towards Fetlar. I got the feeling most people drove straight through Yell to go to Unst, which is a shame as Yell has a lot to offer. Sometimes it is very hidden (and took several attempts to find it) but the journey is always stunning.

    exploring Yell, an island north of Shetland mainland.

    View towards Unst and the busy ferry port.

    exploring Yell, an island north of Shetland mainland.

    The house on the hill is actually on sale, I´ve been seeing the offer a few times now and it looks stunning. And must have great views from there.

    exploring Yell, an island north of Shetland mainland.

    I started my round trip around Yell on the West Coast, looking at beautiful lost houses and trying to not run over any sheep. The tourist office of Shetland makes beautiful little guides of the different areas, telling a bit of history and pointing out places of interest. But to be honest Yell doesn´t make it very easy to find these points, but as already said, the search for them is stunning. Even in the everchanging weather.

    exploring Yell, an island north of Shetland mainland.exploring Yell, an island north of Shetland mainland.exploring Yell, an island north of Shetland mainland.

    View towards Shetland Mainland, I was already almost in the South of Yell.

    exploring Yell, an island north of Shetland mainland.exploring Yell, an island north of Shetland mainland.

    The Old Haa Museum – the house was built in 1672 by a local merchant and became the home of various merchants and Hanseatic Traders.

    The Old Haa Trust, formed in 1984, acquired the building from the Shetland Amenity Trust, with the proviso that they would “look after the building on behalf of the people of Yell.” (oldhaa.com)

    Extensive repairs and renovations took place and the Old Haa was transformed into a museum showcasing local artefacts and history. And there is a lovely garden and tea room.

    exploring Yell, an island north of Shetland mainland.exploring Yell, an island north of Shetland mainland.exploring Yell, an island north of Shetland mainland.

  • Tingwall

    View over Tingwall, the old norse parliament in Shetland, Scotland.

    Tingwall derives from the Old Norse Þingvöllr (field of the thing), a thing or ping was the word for a Norse parliament. It is situated in Loch Tingwall and the former mould is still visible. This mould, Tingaholm, was created with handfuls of earth from all members of different districts. Built like this every man taking part in the parliament was able to say he was standing on home ground. The men wet with the Earl on an annual basis.

    View over Tingwall, the old norse parliament in Shetland, Scotland.

    Tingaholm was once surrounded by water and the only access was via a stone causeway.

    Although we have documents relating to meetings in Tingwall from 1307 onwards, the only reference to the thing meeting on the holm comes from a letter dated 1532. (thingsites.com)

    In the 1570s Earl Robert Stewart moved the thing to Scalloway, but Tingaholmwas used at least once more

    in 1577 when over 700 Shetlanders came to make complaints against the local Foud, Lawrence Bruce, to royal commissioners from Edinburgh. (thingsites.com)

    View over Tingwall, the old norse parliament in Shetland, Scotland.

    View over Tingwall, the old norse parliament in Shetland, Scotland.View over Tingwall, the old norse parliament in Shetland, Scotland.

  • Scalloway

    A walk through Scalloway in Shetland, the biggest settlement on the west coast.

    After my walk on the beach, I drove back a few minutes to Scalloway, the largest settlement of the west coast of Shetland and the former capital.

    Unfortunately, the museum and the castle were closed, so I just walked around the shoreline further into Scalloway.

    A walk through Scalloway in Shetland, the biggest settlement on the west coast.

    Scalloway Castle was built in 1600 and was originally surrounded by water. The land was reclaimed from the sea and the castle now towers over the city. North of Scalloway lies Tingwall, the traditional home of the Parliament for Orkney and Shetland since Norse times. The Vikings used to arrive on the beach of Scalloway and travelled further north to hold their parliament.

    A walk through Scalloway in Shetland, the biggest settlement on the west coast.

    Lovely houses along the streets, often colourful or with a nordic reference.

    Scalloway was an ideal location for a settlement. It has a large and sheltered natural harbour and sits at the fertile Tingwall Valley’s foot, providing rich agricultural land. There is good access to fresh drinking water, and the surrounding hills protect it from the worst wind. (Northlinkferries.co.uk)

    A walk through Scalloway in Shetland, the biggest settlement on the west coast.

    Shetland Bus

    During World War II Scalloway became the base of the “Shetland Bus” operation of the Norwegian Resistance and the British Secret Service. After the occupation of Norway in 1940, a fleet of small fishing boats with Norwegian refugees arrived in Scalloway. It was the start of the Shetland Bus operation

     involved small wooden fishing boats that plied across the North Sea in winter, under cover of darkness, carrying refugees from Nazi-occupied Norway and bringing weapons and supplies. (Northlinkferries.co.uk)

    A walk through Scalloway in Shetland, the biggest settlement on the west coast.

    The British government wanted to support the resistance and to provide an escape route for refugees and compromised agents, so those boats and their young volunteer crews were deployed to do that. The crossings were made during the darker winter months, to reduce the risk of detection, so the crews had to face storms as well as the risk of capture or sinking by the enemy. (Shetland.org)

    It was a dangerous operation, many ships sank and are remembered with the Shetland Bus Memorial.

    A walk through Scalloway in Shetland, the biggest settlement on the west coast.

    The memorial was constructed with stones from the lost crewmen’s home districts in Norway. Celebrations mark the day of Norway’s independence every year.

    A walk through Scalloway in Shetland, the biggest settlement on the west coast.

    One of the factors that led to the establishment of the Shetland Bus operation in Scalloway was the shipyard and workshop operated by William Moore and Sons. A new pier and slipway were constructed and parts for the engines were brought by agents from Norway. (Shetland.org)

    Prince Olaf even came for a visit during the war.

    A walk through Scalloway in Shetland, the biggest settlement on the west coast.

    Opposite the slipway is the Norway house, which used to house the Norwegian crews and provided the sleeping quarters and a dining room.

    A walk through Scalloway in Shetland, the biggest settlement on the west coast.A walk through Scalloway in Shetland, the biggest settlement on the west coast.A walk through Scalloway in Shetland, the biggest settlement on the west coast.A walk through Scalloway in Shetland, the biggest settlement on the west coast.