Cool breeze, tight squeeze

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.