Continuing my fascination for remote and isolated places, especially Islands, as well as my interest in strange and exotic ceremonies (no, not like that!) I had always wanted to visit the Shetland Islands (or just 'Shetland' but not, according to the locals 'the Shetlands'!) so in January 2009 I made my initial journey.
Travelling by ferry from the Isle of Man to Heysham and train from Lancaster to Aberdeen (with a change of trains in Glasgow) and finally a ferry to Lerwick, arriving nearly 48 hours after leaving home, I was finally there.
First few days were in Lerwick;
Hire car to Yell and Unst then back to Brae (visiting Sullom Voe oil terminal) on to Wormadale (the Westings Inn) and finally, in the snow, to the Spiggie hotel in Scouseburgh.
You can read more about about Spiggie.
On the return journey, I stayed with George Blundell and Jennie Blundell in Aberdeen for a few days then with my cousin Sandra Murdie and her husband Stevie Murdie, and daughters Hannah and Emma in Glasgow for a further few days before getting a train back to Heysham and a ferry home to the Isle of Man.
More about each of these later....