We took a flight from Madrid (Spain) to
Edinburgh on 5th September and we spent one night in the city to
catch the bus next day to Aberdeen. We asked for trains fares but were so
expensive (around forty pounds one way) and we decided going by bus (13 pounds
one way). It takes about 3 hours then we took it at two o’clock in order to
arrive around five to have enough time to take the ferry at seven. It takes
twelve hours and arrives at Lerwick next morning. We paid twenty-eight pounds
for each reclined chair, similar to the tourist-class in flights and not so bad
to sleep one night!
When we arrived to Lerwick we went to the
Hostelling and we got a twin room for thirty-three pounds. This is one of the
newest hostelling in UK, very clean and staff can help you at all times. The
city is small but cosy, with a wonderful cafe (the pettit Perrie) that have
some delicious homemade scones. There is a very interesting museum about the
history of the Shetland close to the port, a fortress in the harbour, a Böd (an
old house where fishermen used to live) and a Broch (an old fortress of the
Celtas). This is the only place in the islands where you can hire a van, a car
or a bike. We hired two bikes for a day and we paid five pounds each one. We
crossed by ferry to the Bressay Island and we went from the north to the south
where the lighthouse of the main gate to the Lerwick´s Harbour is.
Buses are not running very often but you can
check the timetable at the tourist information office in Grassmarket St. You
don’t need to hire a car to go round the Shetland. We went to the south of the
island by bus (it takes twenty minutes) and spent the day walking around the
Sunburgh Head, a beautiful RSPB reserve with lots of birds, cliffs and a
lighthouse at the top of the hill. There is also a very interesting
archaeological site close to a hotel, and the funny thing is that when you go
by bus to this place you cross over the airport´s runway.
We took a bus to Scalloway, the Shetland’s
capital in the 17th century, to visit the stark ruins of Scalloway
Castle. The journey from Lerwick by bus took ten minutes and after that we went
to the Burland Farm, an open place where we met with the owner, a very friendly
woman that explained us everything about the diary life in the farm. We could
see cows, pigs, sheep and ponies (exclusively from the Shetland) and we were
feeding the poultry.
We went to Unst by bus, the northern island in
Shetland, and despite of having a couple of buses each day they are
well-connected with the ferries. After three hours we arrived to the Saxa Vord
resort in a very isolated place although close to the Hermaness Reserve. This
natural park is near a fiord with amazing cliffs and a beautiful white sand
beach. When we went there we were lost, then we asked to a very friendly girl
that gave us a lift and drop off in the main entrance to the park.
I would recommend these islands to everybody to
spend some days going for a walk in a quiet place, enjoying beautiful
landscapes, and to go for a pint of beer in the evening. If you like parties
this is not for you, have a look a holiday package to Benidorm or Mallorca.
