Right, story about sleeping in the barn last night.
15 years ago Liz was invited, along with several other ladies from around the world to travel down to the Falklands Islands to operate a women only amateur radio fortnight. A year later 4 of the ladies and a friend met up again to operate a women only radio station from Sumburgh lighthouse. Probably best not to ask why!
Anyway the Sumburgh trip was organised by Tony and Nicky (one of the lady radio hams) from Dorset who had been to Shetland previously and fallen in love with the place. It came as no real surprise to learn that a year or so later they had quit their jobs in Dorset, sold up and moved to Shetland. And they kindly offered us the use of their drive, house, hospitality etc if we wanted to visit the South of the islands. To help get us out of any wind (and Shetland does have some sometimes!) they made space in their huge barn for us.
Tony works as a custodian at the nearby museum Quendale Mill and was on duty today. So we popped over for a visit, and were there probably 2 hours. It has all sorts of fascinating exhibitions as well as the impressive mill itself. One really interesting display was the account of the 1993 MV Braer oil tank spill very nearby. Lots of original press cuttings, video footage of rescue attempts, details of just how the disaster happened etc
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Braer
The mill itself is an overshot water mill, currently only not operational because of a dry mill pond (and probably lack of expertise to run it).
Unusually it has a larger fixed threshing machine. In most places the threshing was done in situ at the farm with a portable machine and only the grain taken to the mill. Then the threshed grain is dried before being milled, once to remove the husk (which is winnowed away) and finally to produce the end product of flour or oatmeal. Interesting to go the the floor below and see all the various drive belts and gearings, more than I thought.
Chance for Liz to play the islander
That's a small but traditional kishie, used for carrying pretty much anything, especially things like peat and potatoes. Interesting that it is worn with a breast-strap, not shoulder straps. The free arms and hands, should if course have knitting in them.
After all that work carrying that kishie a rest in a hooded chair in front of a peat fire is called for. The free hands and arms ...
We leave but don't get far because in the tiny car park are a group with binoculars and large-lensed cameras. Apparently there's a yellow billed warbler hereabouts. For a couple of minutes I too stand there scanning the rare bits of shrubbery but the bird declined to put in a quick appearance so I declined to put in a long wait.
On up to Hoswick where the community centre will provide tea and cake (or possibly something more substantial). We'll put down the server's near rudeness to panicking under the stress of having 3 customers at the same time!
Look what we have here
Puffins and ponies made by our host Nicky. An interesting way to provide a little extra pin money.
Suitably refreshed we go back down to the Croft Museum. Like much of the highlands and islands Shetland suffered from Victorian landlords enforcing serfdom and effecting clearances. Many of the islanders emigrated, Australia and New Zealand being the main choices. Anyway apparently in the 1960s some hame fairin' New Zealanders realised that the old Shetland crofts were disappearing and started to campaign for the preservation of one. So in 1971 the museum opened to preserve this old traditional 'but' (kitchen and living area) and 'ben' (bedroom) croft which had been lived in right up until the 1962, but the restoration has aimed for a traditional 1880s look.
It's a cramped space and there were a few other visitors (I think it closes for the winter from next week) so I took few pictures but it would be cold and draughty so furniture was designed to combat this as much as possible - like this bed.
We had visited when last on Shetland and when I commented to Liz that it didn't appear to have changed the custodian was pleased! Cold, probably damp, certainly smoky, and in winter the cow (at least) living in the byre, the third room in the long building supposedly a form of modified Viking longhouse, this can't have been the most pleasant of dwellings.
Onwards - we want to go down to Scatness (the archaeology now reburied) and possibly walk as far as the scenic Ness Of Burgi. Of course, to do this we have to drive over the runway at Sumburgh airport. I wonder how many other runways are traffic light controlled for crossing vehicles.
It looks like rain and we are out tonight so we dip out on that walk and return back to our hosts. Dinner is at the country house Sumburgh Hotel, just 5 mins from the airport. It's busy and the restaurant is booked pretty much all evening so we have an early sitting. Given it is a fairly prestigious hotel prices are good, on par, or even less the most mainland pubs!
Anyway here we are
Clockwise from the left hostess Nicky, Liz, host Tony, my good self, and Nicky's son Marcus. The food is good - my only complaint with the meal is that Tony paid despite me insisting previously that it would be my treat! And he paid for lunch down at Skipidock a week or so ago! Shetlanders are known as genial and generous hosts and in the 12 or 13 years or so Tony and Nicky have lived here they've certainly become picked up the Shetland customs and way of life. I can definitely see the attractions of island life.
59 miles today, just pottering around the south of the mainland isle
Mine's the small lighter coloured one, top of the middle row. No accidents either although we did all wear a steel reinforced glove on the non- cutting hand.
