Photos and the City

Tag: Shetland

  • 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.

  • Stanydale Temple

    A stop and wark around Sandydale Temple in Shetland.

    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.

    A stop and wark around Sandydale Temple in Shetland.

    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.

    A stop and wark around Sandydale Temple in Shetland.

    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.

    A stop and wark around Sandydale Temple in Shetland.A stop and wark around Sandydale Temple in Shetland.A stop and wark around Sandydale Temple in Shetland.

    An Oystercatcher (?) in full flight.

    A stop and wark around Sandydale Temple in Shetland.

    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.

    A stop and wark around Sandydale Temple in Shetland. A stop and wark around Sandydale Temple in Shetland.

  • 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.