The night before arriving in Venice, I didn’t sleep. I got myself into such a state about whether I would find the apartment (I had booked something more local and less hotel-y this time). The owner was going to meet me at the water taxi stop in Venice but then because of my flight times changed to meet me at the airport instead.
How many times had I been to Venice? At least half a dozen since my first visit in 1984? I am not really sure to be honest. I had been many times to the airport as that is where I had flown from all but twice when visiting my Nonna. To the city- I had done quite a number of day trips over the years, often stopping before heading on to my nonna’s house. This would only be the second time to stay – the other time in 2015. Needless to say, I had visited many times before without any problems; all my experiences in Venice had been positive.
So, I put on my big girl pants and sucked it up. After my cousins left to fly home I had many hours in the airport to sit and think and plan. I would be fine. Even Luciano the property owner messaged to say the same thing.
He met me at the airport to give me instructions and keys and helped me get all the transportation organized to get to the city. He was a chatty man, full of information and recommendations, and by the time I went to get the bus we realized I had missed it. So he drove me to the water taxi. Very kind of him. Saved me a bus ride!
When I got off the boat, my phone started ringing. Apparently during all our talking Luciano had forgotten to give me the keys to the apartment. Luckily there were other ways in. By this point I was wandering aimlessly and taking photos, remembering how much I loved being in the city and all my worries vanished. I was reminded that I need to have a little faith in myself… I generally figure things out.
I got to the apartment much quicker than anticipated and had just enough time to run to the supermarket which was just at the corner. I decided on a snack of marinated anchovies and potato chips, with a glass of Prosecco. Perfect start to my little Venice visit. I settled in quickly- the apartment was perfect! Great location, beautifully decorated and spacious! I would definitely stay again.
I slept well. I think I was so tired from not sleeping much the nights before that I just crashed. The apartment was clean and quiet and peaceful and had delicious aromas of aglio and sugo (garlic and tomato sauce) filling the corridors. I had sweet dreams and woke ready to take on the city.
First stop was Marchini Time for a coffee and apple pastry. Luciano told me this was where the locals go- while I was no local, I could certainly pretend.
My day was spent wandering and taking pictures, eating and having coffee while people watching, wandering through shops and talking to Italians and getting lost as I took turns that my map didn’t advise, all with my travel friend, Rick Steves in hand.
I have always been a fan of an appetizer dinner so when I read Rick Steves’ suggestion for cicchetti for lunch, I was all over it.
Gelato, a Banksy… while the temperature had dropped the sun was shining and my shoes were comfy so I walked.
I slow down here. I check my phone less (unless using my map) sit quietly and watch and feel no sense of urgency if I need to wait. It’s hard to adopt the same ways when home- life is busy, things are hurried and I always feel on call. I need to channel my Italian experience and figure a way to make it more a part of my everyday life.
I returned home in the late afternoon, had take away snacks in my apartment and then headed out for a Vivaldi performance at a church. It was wonderful- stringed instruments and a piano in an old church turned into a concert hall. The city was so beautiful at night that after the concert I headed back to wander around and take some more photos before finishing up.
In some ways it felt like I had been away for ages while in other ways it felt like my vacation had just started. Trip number 5 had come to an end. That was 5 trips in one year- the most I had ever taken. I figured it was one special trip for each decade I have been alive.
Here’s to the next 50! Can’t wait to see what lies in store.
It was day 2 and we were ready! We had only been in Alghero two nights but we already had a bit of a routine and rhythm established. Coffee and a bite by the sea and then we decide we would rent bikes. The weather was perfect and the traffic was light.
We had planned to take a boat tour so figured we would ride around until it was time for the tour. Of course once we were on the bikes we decided we needed some photos. Nothing like the three mini-Marias on wheels, causing chaos by the sea.
There were a few boat tours to choose from and as we hemmed and hawed about what we wanted to see, in the end the real deciding factor was that one boat tour offered snacks and wine. Our decision was made! We headed for a quick gelato stop, loaded up on sunscreen and boarded the boat.
Paula was the only one of us who thought to bring her swimsuit which worked out perfectly because someone needed to stay on board to take photos. Soon enough, all the swimmers were asking to have their photos taken. Thank you Apple for AirDrop… Rather than just snap and be done, I kept moving around the boat to make sure I was getting people at good angles and that the lighting was good. Karen needed to remind me that the pictures didn’t have to actually be good. I was retaking until they were photos I would appreciate. I stopped short of editing them before airdropping them. Lesson learned!
The water was clear and apparently a little fresh! But the sun was shining and it was hot- it was definitely a perfect day and spot for a dip.
After our three hour tour, we were back on our bikes and headed back to get ready for the evening. It was to be our last dinner out. We headed to Rafel for an aperitivo and then settled in for dinner. I was determined to try a couple Sardinian specialties before leaving and managed two at this meal. The food was delicious, the ambiance outstanding and the company perfect! We had packed a ton into our short visit. It was just what I hoped it would be.
Dinner was delicious and I am not sure any of us could have taken another bite but we weren’t ready to call it a night. So, we headed back to the place we had had our first meal together when we arrived on the first night. The server had told us that on Saturdays it became like a discoteca and he hadn’t exaggerated. As we walked up, we could hear the band doing an amazing cover of the Cranberries. The place was packed but as usually worked out, there was a spot for the three of us and soon we were toasting with some Prosecco rosé! Cheers to us! We started planning where to go next year…
We had the bikes for 24 hours so once we were up and packed the next morning we decided to take a ride in the opposite direction- away from town. It was early, we thought it was cooler until we stopped at the bar for our morning drink and snack dripping with sweat. We had definitely lucked out with the weather.
And that was it. We rode back, and went straight to return the bikes. Some last minute packing, a goodbye snack and we were off to the airport. We sat and talked until the last minute and then shared a teary farewell. I will be forever grateful we had this time together. Until the next time!
Up early in Milano, Mom, Dad and I headed to the train station. They were headed back to Pordenone and I was heading to the airport.
When I was with my cousins in the UK earlier in the year, we started talking about going away in the fall. I’ve been to Italy quite a few times but I’ve never travelled further south than Rome. I thought Sardinia would be a good location to meet up for a long weekend away (I was already planning to be in Italy) and so we started looking at cities that were reasonable from London. We decided Alghero would be our destination.
I was the first to arrive. I had booked a flat with multiple rooms before even knowing who would be joining me. If nothing else, we would have our own rooms and not have to share beds. It turned out to be a good thing because of how hot it had been.
I walked to the supermarket to pick up some basics (Prosecco, coffee and milk… and water!), had a shower, took some photos of the sunset to let my cousins know what was waiting for them and then anxiously waited for them to arrive.
And just like that, we were together again- the three mini Marias. We went for a delicious dinner by the sea with some drinks (Thanks, Aunty Lin!) spent some time catching up and settled in for our first night in Alghero.
I hadn’t picked up anything for breakfast so the next morning we headed back to the beach. The plan for the day was to wander. We would head to the historic city centre and see where our feet took us. Coffee and a view- that was our first order of business.
The beach was busy but not too busy. The weather was hot. We were definitely fortunate with the forecasted weather. There seemed to be more Italians than anything around which meant that I had a lot of opportunity to practice my Italian. I quickly realized it was even rustier than I had first acknowledged.
I had decided that I wanted to try to eat as much gelato as possible. Luckily my dear cousins were of a similar mindset so we saved room and made a stop. There was always a gelateria nearby.
We walked back and by the time we arrived at our place, we were all sweaty -unbelievably sweaty! and in need of a little rest and refresh before heading out for the evening. We had booked a Sardinian cooking class and meal for our first night.
We had just enough time to freshen up before we were off again. This time it was to the countryside, about 20 minutes out of town, to our cooking class with Irene.
What a marvellous night! First we each made our dough. Half of us made dough for tagliatelle and the other half prepared the pasta for ravioli. We learned to make gnocchetti, maccheroni, and cavatelli. We then turned some of the cavatelli into orecchiette- that was the hardest one of all. Luckily these were just for practice.
By the time we had finished learning how to make the different shapes, our dough had rested and we were ready to start the real work. Some of us were better students than others. Some of us needed to be checked by the teacher a few times. In the end, we all made tagliatelle and a ricotta-filled ravioli.
We left the kitchen pretty proud of our work and all went to sit down where we enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by Irene and her son. This included our pasta. Of course the next thing to do was check prices of pasta machines. We were hooked. How satisfying an experience! And how delicious! Thank you to Irene,
It was back to the house where we sat and enjoyed a little snack while discussing the day. We nursed our bug bites, marvelled at a newly appeared blood blister and made plans for future pasta making and the next day.
We were up early on the train heading to Brescia to see some cousins we hadn’t seen in quite a while. I stayed with Dad’s cousins Rita and Arrigo for a month when I was here in Italy studying so I thought as we were going to Milan we would stop for lunch and a visit.
How lovely it was to meet up with them and Tiziana. Arrigo commented that Dad and Rita are like two women who have just met up for the first time after being separated for a long time- they reminisced about so much! It was lovely to watch.
We had an amazing lunch full of seafood and laughs. The seafood was absolutely delicious and though I couldn’t quite believe how much we managed to eat, it was so light and fresh that it didn’t leave us feeling heavy. After we walked around old Brescia so we could spend a little more time together.
Il peso di tempo sospeso
It was another hot day. You would have never guessed that it was already the middle of October. It had been 30 degrees all week. Hot! What a sweet surprise when we found that our place in Milano had air conditioning.
Sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for. Perhaps I had gotten used to the warmth and sweating while sleeping because having the air conditioning on all night had left me all congested and foggy in the morning. Oh well, no time to be sick. So few days, so much to see! We were up early, before it was too hot and heading to the Duomo.
With Rick Steve’s in hand there is never a need for a tour guide. We rode the elevator to the terraces, wandered around, took the stairs down, walked 15 steps forward, turned to the left looked up and started the tour!
From the Duomo we headed back out and through Galleria Vittorio Emmanuele II which was something to see. I love that Rick writes about not only the history but the craftsmanship. There is so much to appreciate. And while we didn’t take a spin on the bull’s testicles, we did enjoy a spritz and some lunch nearby which I think was luckier!
With renewed energy, we headed to La Scala and finally Piazza degli Affari to check out the infamous middle finger sculpture in front of Borsa Italiana -the stock exchange.
In front of the Italian Stock Exchange!
Hot and tired we decided we would head back to relax for a bit. SOMEONE was restless and had found a fishing store nearby so decided while Mum spent some time reading and catching up on the news, we would go for a little wander to find the shop. We found the shop, realized it wasn’t the right kind of fishing so listened trustingly when the shopkeeper told us the fishing shop that would suit us better was just 10 minutes up the street on the corner. 30 minutes later, completely drenched with sweat and with 5 minutes to spare before the shop closed, we arrived. By the time we got back, we’d been gone for almost an hour and a half. Poor Mum wasn’t sure what to think.
As always, there was no time to rest. I caught my breath, sat under the air conditioning to try to stop sweating, freshened up and changed clothes and then began to search for a restaurant that served traditional Milanese food and was in walking distance. Luckily we were in such a great location that this wasn’t a super hard challenge.
And that was it! My time with Mum and Dad had come to an end. How fortunate I am to have had this time together with them. In the morning we tidied up, and then made our way to the station. A little sustenance before parting ways and that was that! I got them on their train before heading to find mine. Next stop- Alghero, Sardegna!
When I book a holiday, I try to include as much as possible into a trip. I know I will probably be tired after the trip is over but I never want to assume that there will be another. I would rather live in the moment and seize the opportunities while they are presented. It is for this reason that with only ten days of holiday (12 days in the end) I included numerous stops and activities.
When I talk about Italy, I always talk about how it feels like I am coming home. I should have realized that in coming home there would be a lot of people to see and to catch up with. As well, when I come back I just get into daily life and so this is why I haven’t been blogging. We have been zipping around to see family and friends- lunch with this one, dinner with that, un caffè with another. And I have been trying to speak and listen and sometimes translate so I haven’t been very good at taking photos.
Monday was the day to spend with my cousin Giulia. She no longer lives in town and has a busy work schedule but planned to come down to spend time together on Monday. I have been watching her and Carlo on Instagram and have been marvelling over his posts about dough. When they came down, he shared that he is starting a dough business. He has partnered with a local mill to use local organic flour and has been working on his recipes. Soon (in two days!) he will be hosting his first private lesson. He brought some of his samples for us to taste before we headed out for lunch. We started talking about distribution in Canada. Perhaps this could be another business opportunity for me! Anyway, some fresh ricotta salata with lemon zest, artichokes, olives, and a little white wine and we had the perfect aperitivo.
Lunch was going to be either fish or meat. The decision was easily made- while we were all excited for fish, it would mean more time in the car travelling. If we went to eat meat, we would have more time to sit together and talk. Meat it was!
And what a meat feast we had! We started with two dishes that are local and typical of “our” region – frico (fried cheese with potato and onion) and prosciutto cotto con cren (horseradish). Yum! Next up was a steak and peas for me, finished off with fresh pineapple and rum gelato.
With full bellies, we decided to go to the stables where Serse and Carla have their birds. They have about 50 chickens, 6 quails and I can’t even remember how many canaries. It’s an impressive space and endeavour and it was great to see in person because we had already heard so many stories. We met Pio, the original and some of the others we had heard stories about. At one point we noticed one looking out the window of the car. It must have scampered in when we arrived. Not long before we were leaving we noticed another little white head peeking out of the back windows. Seems that two had gone in but we had only let one out. The second left a little surprise on the front seat- could have been worse!
We returned home after a full day of visiting and zipping about. Jet lag, lack of sleep along with the heat had left me very tired by the time the evening came.
Friends came to pick us up to go see their daughter Tania in town. These are friends I have had for more than 40 years. The parents are friends from my father’s childhood. Whenever we meet up, it’s like no time has passed- we laugh, we reminisce and we catch up on all that has happened in between our visits. Tania’s sister, Luana popped over when we came back- I didn’t think we would have a chance to connect but she made time after work for a quick visit. Luckily they all know where to find me- I can’t imagine being anywhere other than Number 3. A visit to my cousin Sara and her family and the rounds were done. And so too was my time in Cordenons. Bittersweet, to say the least.
Three days were far too few… I should have stayed longer- it’s what everyone kept saying to me. I was just glad to catch up and reconnect. I often wonder if I stayed longer if I would be invited back as often. It’s hard to overstay your welcome when your days are so limited. But nostalgia hit me this time. So many people, and so many memories. Perhaps it’s because I am getting older. This time I wished I could stay longer. Next time…
Do you have a place in the world that no matter how long you stay away it always feels you’ve come home the moment you arrive? I am fortunate to have a few places that make me feel this way.
It’s Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend and as I sit on the wall outside my Nonna’s house, one of my most favourite places in the world, I am counting my blessings and calling to mind all that I am thankful for.
I knew this year that if I were to travel I wanted to go back to Italy. And I couldn’t imagine a trip to Italy without a stop in Cordenons. On the way to the airport, my nephew asked me how many times I had been to Italy. I told him I didn’t know but that it was many.
After our first family visit when I was 11, I was smitten. The language, the food, the people and most importantly, my family- I knew even back then that this was a place I would always want to be and where I would always be happy.
I have been here for weddings, for birthdays and for no particular occasion at all. Now coming back, so many years after those first few times, there is such a feeling of nostalgia and homecoming. As I sat in the back of the car, coming from the airport, the mountains came into view in the distance. My face lit up and under my breath I gasped, “the mountains!” My father laughed. He said they’d always been here. For me, it was kind of like seeing an old friend. How many days had I leant out my bedroom window looking toward the mountains? I had even put in my request this time to have the bed closest to the front window prepared.
Next year marks 30 years since I lived here with my Nonna. There are so many sweet memories. I still see and hear her as I move around the house. I still remember her routines and all the things we did together. She was my sounding board and my confidante when I lived here. If I was excited or upset, I would come home and we would have a good chat. Sometimes I would talk and talk and talk and she would listen and nod. I never knew if I was actually making any sense but it didn’t matter. I can’t imagine ever coming to numero 3 and not feeling her presence or missing her.
Dad and I went for a walk and reminisced about all that has changed and all that is still the same. It is funny the things that stick in your memory. As we walked, I pointed to a house and recalled the first time we had come to Italy. I was almost 11. Steven and Tommy and I used to ride our bikes around and every time we passed the house on the corner we would call out, “Ciao Zia Maria” at the top of our lungs. Without fail, every time, a woman the same age as my Nonna would open the window and wave out to us.
Dad mentioned that Zia Maria is long gone, as is her daughter but I remembered her granddaughter with the dark hair. I couldn’t remember her name but remembered she was a little older than I was. Dad was pretty sure the house was abandoned but as we passed the infamous window, I looked up and saw a woman standing there. We waved, she opened the window and soon enough we were inside having a chat. It was in fact the granddaughter that I had remembered, Claudia. As we told her our stories she laughed and recounted similar memories to us. I love the connections I feel when here- it’s not the same as being at home in Canada. There’s history that’s bigger than me here! Of course this unexpected find needed to be celebrated with my first gelato.
We spent much of the day with my cousin, Maria Laura and her family. We ate, we drank, we reminisced and we laughed. Spaghetti alla carbonara for lunch and a beautiful grilled feast for dinner. By the end of the night our bellies and hearts were full.
I am only here for a few days. I wish I had longer… I’ll just have to return soon!
It has been a year of unexpected travel bonuses. The 2023 Europa League final when we were in Budapest and now the UCI World Cycling Championships. It’s also been a year of wonderful travel experiences.
It was a good long journey to Glasgow. An uneventful 14-hour ferry ride followed by a loungy breakfast stop at Starbucks before boarding the 3-hour train to Glasgow.
When an early check-in was offered to us, we didn’t hesitate to take it. It was quickly apparent that many cycling teams were starting at the hotel and when we headed to our room, we realized we were right next door to the tan for China. We saw them on bikes, getting massages and just hanging out. And they bikes lined the hallways.
We were pretty exhausted by this point. All I wanted was a shower and to wash my hair. I figured I’d take a chance and dry it, hoping for a little more manageable hair than I’d had pretty much the entire trip. Nina decided to go out and explore a little and by the time I was done, she was back with some drinks and snacks. We toasted our trip which was almost at the end.
The under 23 road race was coming into Glasgow for the final stretch and we had seen the route as there were barricades everywhere. How fortunate were we to catch the last couple of laps! We found a corner and cheered our hearts out as the riders zipped by, especially when Canadian and Danish riders passed (and riders from England and Italy).
That night was truly our last supper of the trip. Burgers and Aperol Spritz seemed the perfect meal over which to discuss the highlights and talk about the weeks to come as we prepared to return to our lives. As usual, our selfie was an experience in itself, taking numerous shots before we settled on one that was “fine”.
Not surprisingly, we were in bed super early- it had been a busy trip, that’s for sure!
Packed and organized early, we had decided to go for an early breakfast to get the day started. Nina had some things to take care of so I took advantage of the few short hours I had before we had to catch our buses and went out to explore Glasgow.
It was the final day of the cycling championships so people were already on the course. The city wasn’t busy yet so it was a great time to be out.
Glasgow has some amazing street art so I made sure to include a couple of murals on my route. I wished I had had time for more. I also wanted to see the Lighthouse, St Enoch subway station (though I think I missed the boat on that one), Barras market and the river. Also bumped into some of the cyclists who’d be racing in the morning road race.
The selfie-exhaustion pose
While out I started to think that I hoped if I ran late that Nina would just head to the station without me. We were heading to different airports and she had to leave before I did as she had a longer journey. Then I realized that we wouldn’t actually say goodbye if that happened so I got my butt moving so I wouldn’t be late.
We headed to the bus station, took more selfies and then went our separate ways. It’s always a bit sad saying goodbye.
Travelling isn’t always easy and not everyone travels well together. As I watched Nina’s bus pull away I thought about how grateful I was for the opportunity to travel together, grateful to have found a friend on that train 10 years ago who loved travelling similarly to me and who I could spend multiple weeks with and want to do it again. I am grateful that Nina is a part of so many wonderful memories and experiences. I can only hope we meet again!
I was awoken by the sound of the wind buffeting against the house. Loud wind. Powerful wind. Tonight we take the ferry from Lerwick to Aberdeen. It’s a long, overnight ferry. I am hoping for calm waters! 🤢
It was “our last supper” as Amanda called it. Our final breakfast at North Ness House- figured that called for a big Shetland breakfast! The wind was hanging about and the rain had moved in. I had planned on doing my hair this morning before heading out but decided against it. Why bother!? It would be in knots within seconds! Amanda let us know that there was no rush to head out so we enjoyed a little quiet time with our books and packing before hitting the road.
You never know what you’ll get with a bed and breakfast. You are staying in someone’s home and sharing their space and it can either be great or a nightmare or sometimes even just awkward. I’ve never had a bad experience (that I can remember) so was hopeful.
North Ness House was no exception. Amanda and Peter, Buzz, Cassie and Nala (not sure of those spellings) welcomed us into their beautiful home and made us feel welcome. They shared stories, helped us in any way they could, offered suggestions and recommendations, fed us delicious homemade meals and baking, and really did so much to make our stay as enjoyable as possible. Our room was such a great place to come home to after our long days out. This place will definitely stay in my “fondest memories of travel” bank.
The weather had definitely turned and it was windy and rainy. Not a day to be out on footpaths or steep cliffs, that’s for sure! So, indoor activities were googled – our day would include some time at the Scalloway Museum and the Shetland Textile museum.
I knitted a row for the 100+ foot scarf, added my name to the list of knitters and then spent some time chatting with two of the resident knitters. One of them told me about the “simple” pattern she was following… sounded pretty complicated for me. I’m more a blanket knitter myself!
As we were leaving, the rain started pouring down. I mean in buckets. We decided to sit in the car to have lunch and wait out the storm. If I’ve learned nothing else on this trip I have learned patience is key- how quickly the weather changes in Shetland and Orkney!
We searched for a cafe after only to find that most were full. I can’t imagine many people wanted to be out sightseeing. I became the queen of the roundabout turnaround- so much easier than making a u-turn or three-point turn in the street. 🙂 On our drive we spotted a sign for the Isleburgh Community Centre which had a café so decided to go spend some time there. No fresh cakes but they made a good decaf latte.
We walked around Lerwick when the skies cleared. I happened upon a wedding- men in kilts and the bridesmaids in bright blue. Unfortunately I wasn’t quick enough to snap a photo and just got a shot of the aftermath!
Then we headed to the ferry. It was going to be a long one! We boarded at 1630 as we were tired of wandering aimlessly. Some dinner and dessert, ferry-style. We would be on board until 0700. Thankfully we had booked a pod again and eventually settled in for the ride.
Peter had booked us a spot on an early ferry to Unst so Amanda had left us everything so we could have some breakfast before heading out. Coffee, yogurt and fresh croissants with homemade rhubarb and ginger jam!
Unlike at home, I am not the speediest driver here in Scotland so we were worried it would take longer to get to the ferry than what Google suggested so we packed up and left with tons of time to spare.
When we arrived at the ferry there was already a queue so we got in line and soon enough were boarding the ferry. We’d been on the boat for just a few minutes when I realized we were moving. W has arrived half an hour early and got on the earlier ferry by mistake! I was apparently much speedier than we had realized.
We headed straight up to Hermaness National Nature Reserve. There were some good walks to choose from so we figured we’d just start walking and turn around when we were ready. But first we stopped at Bobby’s bus shelter.
The story goes something like this:
Waiting at the bus shelter every day when the weather is so changeable and so powerful, wouldn’t always be fun. About 20 years ago, a local six-year-old boy named Bobby decided he wanted something better to spend his mornings waiting in so he wrote the local newspaper asking for an upgrade. The local council agreed, sent an upgraded shelter and soon enough others who had read the article starting send other donations along- a couch, a microwave (was there electricity in this new shelter?), a table, curtains etc. Bobby eventually grew up and moved away from Unst but his souped-up bus shelter lives on. There is a dedicated team who maintain the shelter now.
It was amazing how much the weather had changed since the days before. There was barely any wind and the weather had warmed up. No wind meant I was a little more daring about moving out towards the cliffs to get a photo. The day before I had no doubt I could have been blown off the cliffs. In fact, when we got to the Heritage centre in town we were told the story of a young couple who were in a shelter in Hermaness over New Year’s one year when a big wind storm hit. They, cozy in their shelter, blew right off the cliffs- shelter and all! That was a little sobering…
There were more people here, at the top of Unst, than we’d seen at any other site on Shetland. I’m pretty sure a cruise ship must have come in.
Victoria’s Vintage tearooms are the northerly most tearooms in Britain. They are family run since 2014 and I’m guessing they are much bigger than what they used to be. We’d finally smartened up now that our holiday was coming to an end so went in to make reservations before exploring some more.
Peter had suggested going up to the “big golf ball”- Remote Radar Head, a Royal Air Force radar station. He told me the signs said Private Road and No Access but not to pay any heed and just go up. He said we would find some of the best views from up there, and he wasn’t wrong! We took the full road up and then got a bit stuck with nowhere to turn around at the top as there were other vehicles parked on the side. The views were outstanding.
I was a little thrown when we came down and saw the following signs that talked about the “Special Secrets Act” and then “Access to MOD property…”. I missed the MoD sign on the way up. Oops! Anyway, it looked a little abandoned and only sheep seemed to still be in residence.
There was a bench conveniently situated on the top of the hill looking down. There was a sign saying it was the highest point on the island and so an ideal place yo see the northern lights. What a spectacle that would be! There was a button to play a poem about the northern lights and one to play music. I stopped for a time to enjoy the view and the words/music.
While we were there a huge truck/lorry came up the road. I was a bit embarrassed for all my belly aching about small roads knowing that he had navigated them same loads. He couldn’t make the last little bit up to the top so waited for a small forklift to come to unload his cargo. All the space and MOD signs- we didn’t stop to see what he was unloading but I was thinking something space-related… maybe a rocket ship!?
We headed back down with bellies rumbling ready for a bite at the tearoom. I decided on the savoury cream tea which was good though not quite what I had expected.
Our walk had gone quicker than anticipated so we were a bit ahead of schedule. Nina looked at sights to see and we headed to the first one. The Swedish memorial was in an interesting area… not the most scenic spot but there’s always something to photograph if you take the time to look around.
St Olaf’s Kirk and cemetery were in a beautiful spot but as per usual, the photos didn’t do the spot justice.
We were hoping to see otters but all we saw were a whole lot of sheep. Sheep everywhere! Amanda had warned us that sheep are careless on Unst. How true that was! They were on the sides of the road, in the road, beside gates, in ditches… everywhere you looked, you were sure to see at least one sheep. And they would run when you got near. But they would not run to the open field. Oh no! Often they would run across the road or almost run right up in front of the car.
When we went through the first gate on the way to the cemetery there were 5 sheep on the other side. We weren’t sure if they were on the wrong side and should be let through the gate. They kept running ahead and away and then ran behind us so we did not bother.
That is of course until we were coming back. Poor things were ahead of us and kept backing up, looking scared and desperate for somewhere to go. All of a sudden, one of the young ones made a run and jump over the wall. Unfortunately she didn’t judge it properly and landed awkwardly on the wall where all her friends were closely waiting. That didn’t stop the others as they tried to jump over her. We were standing watching in a bit of horrified dismay, not knowing what to do and not wanting to scare them anymore. One got stuck between the wall and the wire fence. Poor thing. We quickly left through the gate when all but one were over. I guessed that they were in this area because they’d jumped the fence in the first place. I had faith they’d find their way back to the flock.
There were even signs that warned about the sheep and having your dogs off leash. It said frightened sheep often run from dogs and fall right off the cliffs! After watching the sheep try to jump the wall I was not surprised to read this.
We breathed a sigh of relief as we closed the gate only to find a Shetland pony waiting on the road in front. Hadn’t noticed him/her before! You certainly had to pay attention all around, more than usual. At least with no trees or long grasses along the side of the road all the animals were visible. It was just about judging whether they’d run out in front of the car.
Dodging sheep as we drove across the island, we finally came to a stretch where there was just the open road, no sheep lying waiting to run out. It was no wonder the roads were clear because as we turned the corner we came to a bus shelter full of sheep. Not sure how often the bus comes by because these guys looked to be quite established. Of course as soon as we stopped to take photos they got panicked and started trying to get out. Maybe they knew when the people showed up they needed to move out. I can’t imagine who’d want to shelter in there as the sheep had obviously been there a while. As soon as we left and got back in the car, they were ready to resume their posts.
Our final stop before the ferry was Muness Castle. It was just a quick stop for a few photos and then we were headed down to the ferry. We were very early so I thought I would get out and get a few photos. Of course no sooner had I left than they started ushering the cars on. A quick run back and we were headed back to Yell.
We had not thought of places to go in Yell as we hadn’t planned on doing more than driving across. The only thing I had read about was the White Wife.
The story of the White Wife, or Da Wooden Wife as she is called by the locals is a sad one. It seems to be a repeated story of shipwreck and lost crew, some heroics but ultimately devastating loss. Months after the shipwreck, the figurehead, Da Wooden Wife, from the ship washed ashore, still in pretty good shape. It was erected on the shore near the crash site as a memorial.
Of course, we had been early and had all this extra time and then suddenly we were out of time. It was a race to get back for our scheduled ferry. There was some doubt of my driving and whether I would get us back on time. I wasn’t too concerned- they’d let us on earlier, surely they would let us on a later ferry. The tension was thick! 🙂 Sure enough, trusty ol’ leadfoot Mel, we made it back just in time.
We made our usual stop at Scalloway Butchers for dessert and then headed back to our home away from home. We had a bunch of the food we had packed for lunch left so planned on eating it for dinner. What a lovely surprise when Amanda came to offer us some of the curry she had made! It was our last supper at North Ness House.
It was our last night so we needed to get organized and prepared to leave. Our time in Orkney and Shetland had been magical. I had come to the conclusion that Scottish people as a whole are patient and polite. There are so many single track roads with passing points that in order to drive, you have to be prepared to wait your turn at some point. And every time someone waits, both drivers acknowledge each other with a wave. There seemed to be no room for impatience as I imagined you would be off the road in a ditch or off a cliff if you weren’t willing to wait!
Fethaland is an abandoned fishing settlement at the extreme north end of Mainland Shetland. Heading out, we knew this would be our longest drive yet. (I know I say this in every blog) One whole hour! 🙂 It’s amazing how far you can get in an hour on these islands. It was still unbelievably windy and we had been told on not-so-great days the place to go was a lighthouse.
I could not believe how powerful the wind gusts were. I was tempted to do a jumpy photo but was pretty sure I’d actually blow away. Mary Poppins came to mind. There were moments I had a hard time actually walking a straight path.
📸: Nina
We had snacks in our pocket so expected to be walking and hiking for a while. We only saw two other people on the path- it certainly was not hard to get people-free photos.
The wind was so strong that even the sheep were taking shelter. When in doubt, look at the animals and take a cue!
We’d hoped to get to the lighthouse but on the end abandoned the walk. It was so hard walking up the path- I was concerned about staying upright coming back down. Never mind, while descending we were getting hit by the foam from the sea that was being carried along by the winds.
The waves were so powerful and it was awesome to stand and listen to them crashing against the rocks. We had snacks with a couple of seals by the old fishing station and then we decided to head back.
We knew there were cows in the area but didn’t see any until we were ready to go through the last stile. There they were, all waiting for us, looking for an escape, or so it seemed. Being not-too-familiar with cows, I was not sure if they would move if we got closer so we approached slowly, asking them politely to move. Luckily they were well-trained and moved out of the way. I guess it really doesn’t hurt to ask nicely- even the biggest cow might move out of the way! ☺️
I am getting used to driving on the left/wrong side of the road. It has been tricky at times because rather than zip along, I want to look out the window and stop and take photos. I love the phone boxes in the middle of nowhere.
And so it was back to Scalloway as the day was getting on. A little bit of shopping to round things off and then a lovely dinner at No88 in Lerwick. There was freshly caught seafood on the menu so I settled on the crab. Nina had the lamb There were so many yummy sounding choices. I had forgotten what a lot of work it was and before long I was elbows deep in crab! Seriously! At least it was delicious- so delicate and sweet. Lemon posset with meringue for dessert and my belly was full.
Memoirs of a Wannabe World Traveller 