Photos and the City

Tag: Shetland

Ronas Hill & The Hollanders Grave

On my last day in the Northmavine in the northern part of Shetland, I thought about climbing Ronas Hill, the highest point in Shetland, a classed Marilyn. (A “Marilyn” is defined as a peak with at least 150 metres or more.)

But in the end, I got discouraged by the dark clouds and decides to drive along Ronas Hill searching for “The Hollanders Grave”.

The Hollanders Grave is a mass grave dating from the Anglo-Dutch war in 1674 somewhere opposite Ronas Hill. I didn´t really find the grave or better said the memorial for it, but it was a beautiful drive and walk.

29/03/2022
Ollaberry

Hillswick

I started my day in the Northmavine with a little stroll around Hillswick and having some coffee in the Hillswick hotel – enjoyed outside in the sunshine. As a 2nd score of the day, I found a bottle of Shetland Reel Fliska Gin in the Hillswick shop, a limited edition and remembered how the poor guy at Shetland Reel had to peel all those grapefruits for the gin. It was worth it though!

After a visit to the fun toilet, I went on a little hike around the Hillswick peninsula – but didn´t take the camera with me. Something I quickly regret as it was stunning. But it was also nice to enjoy the cliffs without thinking about pictures.

Ollaberry

My lovely little cottage was near Ollaberry in the Northmavine – in the evening I took a little stroll along the coastline to look out for otters.

I didn´t see any otters but met a few lovely dogs and their owners. But it was also quite disturbing to see a lot of dumped cars in the area. Some even with their plates still on. According to my hosts, people don´t get fined for dumping their cars somewhere and the community can´t afford to have them towed away all the time.

24/03/2022
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