Weds - it ain't half hot mum

Oh, excitement, it's my first class today "Learn to Crochet" whilst Liz learns about Steeking (I don't know either)

The crochet tutor is excellent. A really good communicator and educator. At least one of her pupils is not a natural to say the least. I really should have photographed the thing that others will turn into a nice decorative square before I unpicked it it. It was forgetfulness rather than embarrassment, honestly. Still I learned a lot of the technique and should I want to continue I have all the foundations. 

And I'm not sure Steeking (whatever it is) is for Liz either! 

The afternoon class is a talk on The Prehistory Of Clothing by a professor of archaeology over at the University college. And absolutely fascinating it is too. Another excellent speaker, injecting humour into a fascinating presentation. Would have asked for access to his slides had he not been busy with others taking to him.

So here's a question. Who knows what a "Tombolo"? Well we're not only going to walk across one but also spent the evening overlooking one. Tomorrow's classes (for both of us) are down in the tiny village of Bigton which overlooks St Ninian's Isle where a superb hoard of Pictish gold was found by a schoolboy in the 1950's.

A Tombolo is a narrow sandy isthmus tying an island to the land. Like this one

In the better light before that was taken we walked over to the island

(I'll adjust the exposure on that later) 

On the way back we stopped to see this on the sand

Any guesses? Today's title is a clue. 

This will give it away

Yes it's a beach sauna, with the cold part outside

I suspect the water is taken from the northern shore of the tombolo where it is 9⁰ as opposed to the barmy 12⁰ on the other side of the sand. 

But it's a nice location

(another into the strong setting sun shot) 

And a sailing boat comes in to make the scene complete

Right tea time now, the sun is in its way down

Just 28 miles today

Tuesday, being a numpty is expensive!

No classes this morning but Liz has Knitting Two Socks on one needle after lunch and I am going to a talk/exhibition entitled Archaeological Textiles at the museum. 

So a free morning. We'd initially planned a museum tour or a trip to the Upp Helly'A exhibition. But we have to go into town. Numpty here stupidly assumed a couple of his meds were in strips of 28. No, of course they are in 14s, two weeks worth and I don't quite have enough. 

But first things first, the brewery was good enough to allow us to overnight in their car park last night, so we should get up early and get our of the way before the workday starts. Fortunately one of the places Liz had a class at yesterday does a cooked breakfast so we don't even need a morning cuppa before moving, full Scottish breakfast awaits!

So pop to Boots where the pharmacist will provide a week's supply with minimal fuss, once I show my NHS app and the repeat prescription. Only downside in the Untied Kingdom, I'm in Scotland now and they can't charge back to the English NHS so I will need to pay. Just a few pence short of twenty quid too! I really should have gone with plan B and just missed my meds one day in 3 for a couple of weeks! But that'll teach me for not checking (annoyingly one of the other meds I did realise was in 14s and so packed more than enough!)

Compensation of sorts is finding a CD I've been looking for in the 3 for a pound section!

Time to slowly head back to the museum which is the Wool Week hub, but we get waylaid by a sign informing us the distillery is just a couple of streets away. Now they are not yet distilling, that comes shortly, but they do have a Shetland barrel aged blend of two 8 year old single malts. We ask for a tasting and it's very easy drinking so we buy a bottle (we were going to anyway!). But I get chatting (as I do) and suddenly the door to the rear of the shop is opened and we are invited for a quick impromptu tour of the almost operational distillery. I wish them every success.

Off we go to our classes. 

Here's a Viking mitten (in 2/2 twill)

and an undated dropped ball of wool that is probably quite old as the peat was about 2 feet deep

We've arranged to meet back at the hub. It's a hive of activity 

Everywhere this week there is the clicking of knitting needles. 

Now tonight, we have entertainment booked, here at the museum but first, where to park for the night? Liz has found a nice quiet car park tucked away in the corner of a small estate of offices but we've just noticed a couple of vans parked on the dockside almost directly outside the museum. One of the free spaces there would do (Shetland is very laid back re such things). So that's the plan. 

Wander off to the Co-op to get something for tea and take a couple of snaps in the way back 

Altogether now "I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay, watchin' the ride roll away"

Entertainment is a traditional Shetland at home style evening of storytelling, music and song. The acoustics in the room weren't great but the music and stories were

Right time for beef but let's admire the view from the van first, eh. 

Today's milage - not many