Photos and the City

Tag: roadtrip

Stenness

You can either walk from the Eshannes Lighthouse to Stenness beach or cheat and drive there, which I did. At the beach, in Stenness you will find the remains of a former haaf fishing station and a lot of sheep. (“haaf” meaning deep-sea)

The remaining houses, once summer homes for fishermen are scattered along the coastline.

Built in the 19th century the ruin of a trading booth, once a 2-storey, 3-bay gabled building storing the dried fish brought to shore by the sixereen crews, now stands roofless in the middle of the beach. (Extremewavetheory.com)

During the busy times, forty boats came and went from this bay, bringing in the catch, which then was washed & salted on the shore.

When Stenness was a thriving fishing community they would have used a range of items; large Vats for salting the fish; handbarrows to carry the fish from boats and between stores; masts were set up to support iron scales to weigh the fish. Barrels, “piltik” wands and buoys would have all been common along the beach. (Shetlandamenity)

After the fishing went away the huts started to crumble and today Stennes is a quiet and peaceful corner of the Northmavine.

22/03/2022
Stanydale Temple

I made one last stop before boarding the ferry to Yell – at the neolithic Stanydale settlement and enjoyed a little walk and lunch break. Visiting the house and surrounding buildings of a probably important person.

It is not known what the purpose of Stanydale Temple was, similar buildings were found in Malta. It might have been a village hall, a courtroom or the chieftan’s hall built between 4000 to 5000 years ago. It is very similar to Neolithic houses and burial cairns in Shetland, but it is twice the size and probably had a timber roof.

Besides the large hall, there are also two smaller stone houses and about 30 mounds of stone. It was also occupied during the Bronze Age and the Iron Age – up to around 400BC.

An Oystercatcher (?) in full flight.

Yell

A short ferry ride later I arrived in Yell and went straight to my little hut with a view of the ferry to Unst.

25/01/2022
Lerwick

From the Lodberries, I continued my walk through the old town of Lerwick in Shetland. Towards the harbour, back into the maze of tiny alleys and closes to the more generous new town and back to my car.

Lerwick offers a lovely variety of independent shops and cafés. Don´t miss the antique store on the corner of Church Road and Commercial street, there are several second shops but only this one antique shop in Shetland.

I probably walked in circles a bit, but there was so much to explore. And I learned a thing about being on an island, you see the same people, again and again, I met a few from my trip to Mousa.

Lerwick Market cross –

The Market Cross has its most important day in late January when the Up-Helly-A’ proclamation (the bill) is placed there for all to read. The bill is visited by the Jarl and his squad of Vikings on Up-Helly-A’ morning during their daytime parade along the Esplanade and ‘da street’. (Shetlandvisitor.com)

A little boat exhibition at Fort Charlotte and a view towards Bressay with the incoming ferry.

It wouldn´t be 2021 without a sign like this one.

30/12/2021