Shetland Autumn 2023 Day 7, Friday Sept 8th: Whalsay

This was our first proper day, ie it was a trip to Whalsay to the Heritage Centre to see the knitwear display in particular, so proper in that it was knitwear focused! Since I have been coming to Whalsay I have enjoyed the display of local knitwear tremendously. 

We had booked the ferry for 11.15 and were so pleased as it was another glorious sunny day and the sea looked calm! We have had some interesting journeys on the ferry to Whalsay! 

Leaving Laxo

As we arrived a hearse arrived and several of the funeral party were crossing as foot passengers. This was a reminder of how different life is when travel between the islands is ‘normal’. We felt very much intruders in their day of grief. 

We had planned to drive away from the ferry and find a spot for lunch before the Heritage Centre opened in the afternoon. We drove towards Ibister and stopped at the Youth  Centre where we had been on our first visit. 

View for lunch

Surrounding area 

When we were here previously there was a tea which just about fitted in before we went back of the ferry.   I had been to a ‘use a knitting belt and knitting fair isle in the round with only 3 needles  class’ with Amanda Pottinger and Janet many years ago now. (I have looked this up, it was 2017). It was a super class and definitely worth travelling to Whalsay for. I still use the fair isle pouch that I made for my Filofax! The class converted me to knitting in the round, including a yoked jumper,  with the stitches just on two needles! 

Filofax pouch with hand spun mixed purple colours yarn

We were at the Heritage Centre  soon after 14.00 and I was really pleased to see that Linda Shearer was ‘on duty’ during the afternoon. She told me that Britta and Wilma were coming over during the afternoon. I had a good chat with Linda and later with Britta and Wilma too. It was great to have a long session both looking at the knitwear and the folders of samples, newspaper cuttings etc that were  also available to study during the afternoon. 

 Several lace cardigans to examine and underneath this one is some lace knitted by Linda’s mother, Ina Irvine, a beautifully fine lace spinner and knitter who is sadly no longer with us. This one was a duplicate of one knit for the Queen of Norway.

An unexpected delight was to see the items that were knitted by the designers who had the patterns in the Shetland Wool Week Annual for 2022. Due to illness I had not been able to see these last year so it was great to be able to get up close to them this year.

This is from one of the folders, a 1930’s waistcoat with 19 different patterns. 

To me this is what  a trip to Shetland is about - about seeing how Shetland lace and fair isle were  knit in the past. Total immersion in knitwear for the afternoon. 

We caught the 16.15 ferry back. The sun was still out and it was a glorious drive back to Scalloway. I tried to take a photo from the motorhome showing the wind farm pylons. The windscreen should have been cleaned first! It is impossible to give a scale for these. I did look up the height and believe this to be 155m and there are 103 of them. They can be seen from most places on mainland as well as from Whalsay. 

It had been beautifully sunny all day. As we were getting out of the motorhome at the campsite, which must of been closer to 17.15 I noticed the outside temperature was 23C. This was unreal for us to experience in Shetland in September! 

What a great day it had been. 

Shetland Autumn 2023, Day 6 Thurs Sept 7th Arriving in Shetland

When we looked out of the cabin window all we could see was fog, but this was better than rain and could  signal good weather for later in the day. As we were having breakfast we noticed the pilot boat come along the ferry and transfer the pilot. This was the first time we had seen this, so quite exciting. We then realised we were going into Lerwick from the top end, which might have been the reason with the fog for the pilot. 

We had a nice breakfast on the boat and got off the boat swiftly- being nearly last on we were nearly first off. We used to go to Tesco for an essentials shop but more latterly have found the Co-op to be better in virtually all respects. It’s also only just down from the ferry. The first job though was to book our inter island ferry journeys when booking opened. As it seemed calm we were going to Whalsay tomorrow and see the exhibition in the Heritage Centre there. Then there was the return trip to Unst to book. All done swiftly and efficiently. 

We had checked the cruise ship timetable and it looked as if we would be able to park on the pier and have a leisurely morning in Lerwick before driving to out campsite for the next few nights. It was still Misty and the fog had not lifted to give a cloud free day. 

First stop was the Dowry for coffee, it felt good to be back and the year between visits seemed to disappear. Then it was time to walk up the Main Street, we walked along snd looked at the C’est la Vie menu, we had lunch there last year and were delighted with the meal. This year we will fit in dinner…soon! I pottered back slowly, calling in the Red Cross Charity shop and pleased to see a great cookery book. I am eating even more wholefood as I continue with my Zoe personalised nutrition  plan (1) and am always on the look out for ideas. 

Guilt Free Gourmet by Jordan and Jessica Bourke

Paying for this led to another spinning and natural dyeing conversation with the sales assistant as I was wearing my initial pair of  fingerless gloves. She was very interested in learning more about natural dyeing and happy to recommend Bunchy’s book to her, particularly as Bunchy is living in Shetland and so knows the local conditions. She has been generous in her knowledge in the book and it is a book a beginner can learn from and I feel get good results. 

Bunchy’s book.

Then it was on to the Shetland Bookshop and I can usually pick up some books to be put away for Christmas. It looks this year as though I already have the ones I might like! Note to self to come back later in the our time here. I did choose a nice tin though and an essential propelling pencil as I could not find my spare! 

Onto Tourist Information, I was looking for some special cards but nothing really took my eye. I did go for some thin socks, I have plenty of thicker hand knit ones with me which are super warm but these sheep ones took my eye. (In hindsight the sheep look to have odd proportions, but I guess not much of them will be seen) 

Thin sheep socks

( I do own  a sock knitting machine and when I goes home I need to spend some days cranking out pairs! If all goes well a pair in 2 hours is easily achievable). 

One more shop was a must. Shetland is the place to buy decent boots and the shop for those is Beggs. I bought a delightful green pair last year and this year I am hoping to get a more heavy duty black lace up pair as my ones that I have had since about 2006 are past their best! Even having some strict criteria I had a choice and they had my size. The assistants are very helpful, knowledgeable and understanding. So I was not disappointed. 

Beggs getting ready for wool week

So then on to the library. It was suggested to me that I would be able to borrow books from the library on a temporary ticket as we were in Shetland for some time. This was true, the library staff, like the staff at home in Norfolk, were super helpful and I was able to take out 5 books. It is a super library and there is a whole room devoted to Shetland books, some are multiple copies, and there is another section devoted to non Shetland textile books too. Being able to use the library was a super treat. 

Having made ourselves lunch we decided we could go and find our campsite, for the first time we were going to the new campsite in Scalloway. This was more expensive than our other campsites and we had to pay all of the fee some weeks in advance. (Always a bit of a concern given our health conditions, but understandable). As we drove over to the campsite at Scalloway we left the damp mist conditions in Lerwick and arrived in glorious sunshine. We were met by the warden and very pleased we had booked here, the position was super and of course all the facilities were new. A caravan had arrived on the ferry with us but none of the other motorhomes were here. 

We were staying here until we went up to Unst on Tuesday. 

View of our  parking spot 

We were glad to have arrived ‘proper ‘ in Shetland and enjoyed tea, cake and for me reading of some of the library books. 

1. I had a shock last year when I was told, from a routine health review, that I had high cholesterol, high blood pressure and was pre diabetic. Also, as my father had died at 50 due to a heart condition I was labelled ‘at risk’ and had more contact with the GP surgery in a week than I had done for years. Anyone who knows me well, know I am petite and slim! I agreed to go on to the minimum statin dose (also strongly advised to do this by Dr son!) I was already interested in the Zoe programme, having suffered from digestive problems for years following severe food poisoning. So this added concern persuaded me to join the programme and in the meantime I read every library book I could get on being pre diabetic! 

Shetland Autumn 2023 Day 4 and 5/ 5th/6th Sept

As we woke up in Hoddam it was very foggy and for the first time in a long time I put on a thick jumper. We always enjoy the journey from here going further  north and over to Perth. The roads will be even quieter and the scenery is great. First stop would be Cairn Lodge Services at Happenden, this is a model for a good service station in my mind. It is off the main road, there is plenty of parking, the facilities are good, the food offering is varied, ie sweet and savoury, and of good quality, there is a farm shop and also a gift section of nice things. It is now part of the Westmorland  group and has thus recently improved greatly over the years we have been stopping here. 

Getting into the wool vibe, I treated myself to some sheep inspired poems….

The journey on to Perth was uneventful until we reached Perth and I missed the turn off! For the first time, but not the last, we would be very grateful for using Google Maps as a back up  Sat Nav, Michael was able to redirect me using his phone. (One of the many wonders of technology.) 

As always the campsite at Perth (Scone Palace) was impeccable and it makes such a difference! It would be a real treat to have Wi-Fi and Radio 4 too. Unfortunately DAB, and hence Times Radio, which I have come to prefer to Radio 4 are off the agenda until we are back into England for us. I am usually able to take photos of some super fungi around the Perth campsite. However, I could not find any this year which must say something for the weather, so instead I walked along the perimeter and just enjoyed the woodland. 

These succulents seemed to manage ! 

a beautiful autumn day 

So tomorrow we would drive a short distance on to Aberdeen and complete the first 523 miles of the journey. We had a leisurely start and just drove east of Perth for a second breakfast at Glendoik Garden Centre, another spot we really like. Food is good, lots of savoury choices for me and nice views over parts of their gardens. 

Looking down on the garden

I would also be able to look round the garden centre and try and spot some bulbs to take back with us when we stopped on the way back. 

The Christmas decorations would be in the Garden Centre when we came back and one was keeping watch over the ‘facilities’ today. 

The plan today was to investigate parking at the quay at Stonehaven so we could make ourselves lunch and overlook the sea. We got there before lunch and found somewhere to park. It was nice to take my camera and potter on the beach and look at yet another collection of different stones which I find great for natural colours in knitwear inspiration. It also looked as if the the crossing tonight would be calm. We made lunch and then suddenly lots of other motorhomes arrived and then we realised they must be trying to find a ‘wild camping’ spot for the night. Our motorhome is the size of a delivery van and we like to stay on a campsite and also add to the local economy where we can. So to be hemmed in by massive vehicles was overwhelming and we decided to move off. 

We arrived at the ferry terminal late afternoon and for the first time, we were let into the holding area before the official opening time as the queue for the ferry was reaching back to the main road. We had not experienced this before. If loading went as usual we would be one of the very last loaded. This was the case tonight too. Departure time was 19.00. Once the van was parked on the car deck I went to the Magnus Lounge to get a table for dinner and was very surprised how quiet this was given the number of cars and motorhomes taking the ferry that night. There were many more motorhomes than we could remember seeing before and wondered how busy the campsites would be in Shetland. We had a lovely dinner and I did not need to open my new packet of Kwells! We chatted to people in the lounge after dinner. It seemed that getting a cabin on the ferry has become a real problem. A Shetland lady had been to a funeral on mainland and had to wait 8 days to return to Shetland. She was bemoaning the fact that the ferry is a a lifeline service but that is not that at the moment. The construction of the wind farm and extra workers for the space centre in Unst were thought to be adding to the lack of capacity problem. 

I did some knitting! The fingerless gloves to match this year’s yoked jumper are on their way (post of 12 Oct for the completed ones) 

Once I got to the cabin I was pleased to see the complimentary Shetland Times had the results of classes at Unst Show. Scanning through the knit related  results I noticed several names I knew and was pleased to see that Hazel Laurenson had won the Sandison Trophy for best lace, hand knit openwork article. 

How lovely to see so many classes for knit items, in the County show in Norfolk there are now no classes for handicrafts. Such a shame given the importance of spinning, knitting and weaving in the history of the county. 

Shetland Autumn 2023 : Day 2 and 3 : 3rd and 4th Sept

We left home on Saturday, specifically so we could travel up the A1 and cross on the A66 with the least number of lorries! Sunday, we have found is a good day to travel this, potentially the busiest part of the journey. Today was no different, we got away fairly early and it was quiet, not  by Norfolk standards but for this part of the journey. We stopped at Wetherby Services, busy with coaches of sports teams but so good to see so many youngsters taking part in sports. Pret was our chosen brand here, a wide choice of savoury snacks and so much better than the Costa offering yesterday. The coffee was good too. 

We then drove on and along the A66, the weather was good and good weather and little traffic made this very enjoyable as the views are superb. There are few decent stops along the road and the ones that are there, tend to get blocked up with people out for a Sunday lunch. We suffered nightmare parking, I guess inconsiderate is a more accurate term,  last year at Mainsgill Farm Shop. We drove across to Reged which now has plenty of decent parking. It was hot and sunny and we made our own lunch and enjoyed what still seemed to be summer. 

From here it was a relatively short journey up the M6. This was quiet and past experience tells us it gets quieter from now on. Our chosen stop is a Hoddam Castle, near Ecclefechan. It is far enough from the route to hear no traffic, a very spacious camping site and we planned to spend the next day there doing no driving. I was, and still am, finding brightness a problem especially when outside. This seems to be a side effect of having the cataract operations earlier in the year and now being able to see so much better! So I was very much looking forward to a rest day where I would have greater control of the light! (1) 

I spent the following day doing lots of textile related things. I had got my digital microscope with me and brought a skein I had spun quickly from a hand dyed silk hankie. At the time I just wanted to know that fibre I knew was silk was taking up the natural dye. (2) now I had time to look at the spinning, measure the diameter of the yarn I had spun and take a look at the individual silk fibres. 

Individual silk fibres about x 200 - notice all the fibres have some colour. Being silk there is quite a bit of reflection fr9m the light in the microscope.

I had the microscope with me as I was going to use it to look at some fine yarn spun by some Shetland friends, more later. 

The weather on the rest day was good, during the late  afternoon I went around grounds with my camera, tripod and newly acquired grey card which I hoped would help me get a better colour representation in a photo of yarns which I have dyed. (3) 

Hoddam Castle, some photos. I just love the texture of the tree bark. 

It had been a great rest day and we had one more overnight stop planned before we got the ferry on the 6th in Aberdeen to go to Shetland. 

Notes

1. If you get told you need a cataract operation don’t worry about it! It is painless and to me the worst part was the month after each operation when there was a huge long list of things I could not do, including gardening! I was fortunate to have the second one done about a couple of months after the first one. The time between was tricky, one ‘new’ eye and one old one! The old one saw red as a very warm red and the new one was much bluer in tone! Now I am aware that people will see colours differently! I am very fair skinned and this has probably not helped with my sensitivity and at times pain, due to my new found brightness. The up side is I don’t think I have seen this well since I was about 15! 
2. Some time ago, I was wanting to dye some wool and silk and bought some merino and silk from a yarn supplier, only to find that the ‘silk’ did not take up the natural dye. I needed to reassure myself that silk did actually take up my natural dye. Reassured but I now know if I definitely want silk yarn the best way is to spin it myself! 
3. Digital cameras ‘see’ objects differently from our eyes. Hence we can get disappointed about the colours when we upload a photo, and even more so when we print one. There are various ways of ‘correcting’ for this when doing a lot of digital  photography. Using a grey card is one of them. Since then I have used it to get better colour representation but have gone back to my old notes from when I did Digital Photography with Alsager U3A! I am now using a combination of methods. This was one of the results of knitting the grey yoked jumper with the cochineal/indigo dyed yarns …. I had to refresh my memory of, or rather relearn, how to do this.