The Long Way Home - Shetland

Day 1 – Aberdeen-Lerwick Ferry – Distance: 4.0 km

First soaking cycling from my flat to drop the keys off at the solicitors. Great start.

No problems catching the ferry which is pretty new and plush.. The sea is also pretty flat. Aberdeen looked greyer and than usual as we left sailed off in heavy drizzle. What a shame to be leaving.

Packing everything up in Aberdeen

Leaving a grey Aberdeen on the ferry to Shetland

Day 2 – Lerwick – Distance: 33.9 km

A combination of nerves and excitement about my trip and a heavy snorer in my cabin made for a poor night’s sleep.

The ferry docked at a still sleeping Lerwick at 0730. I queued up with the other backpackers outside the Tourist Information office to find out what Shetland has to offer; plenty if you like archaeology and ornithology, burger all if you like trees.

Booked into the youth hostel and dumped some stuff then explored town. This didn’t take long. Enjoyed a superb lunch of local salmon listening to some live music at the Flavour of Shetland on the pier.

Thought that I ought to do some cycling so went to go and see some brochs and castles in nearby Scalloway. Got back to Lerwick in time to see the slightly twee Viking procession, if Vikings could ever be accused of being twee.

Cooked my first conical pasta feast of the trip in the youth hostel. I think that the other inmates were impressed.

Back down to the pier after tea to see some more fiddly diddly music. Whilst the daytime entertainment seemed to be for the surprisingly numerous tourists, the evening was a real knees up for the locals and there is nothing that Shetlanders like to do more than play fiddles and get guttered. Top of the bill were Mark Radcliffe’s (overrated) The Family Mahone. They were followed by Shetland’s number one (I suspect there is only one) Countree and Westun band. Time for bed.

A broch near Lerwick

The islands to the West of Scalloway

Day 3 – Voe – Distance: 51.1 km

The plan was if it was a Northerly wind head South to Sumburgh, if a Southerly, North to Voe. The horizontally flag on the town hall definitely indicated that Sumburgh should be my destination. The Danish archaeology students who had block booked the camping bod (like a slightly posher bothy) until August thought otherwise. A headwind to Voe it was.

Had some excellent soup in a café along the road and chatted to two ladies who were cycling South with a 5 foot wooden stick. The idea was that it travels from the North of Britain to the South without use of car or public transport (including ferries) to raise money for the John Muir Trust. They were taking it as far as Sumburgh where it will be sailed to Orkney.

A few windy hills later and I arrived at the old sail loft at Voe, my bed for the night. I rocked up just as a retired couple from Glasgow cycled in from the North. They are decent coves and seem to have cycled or walked all over the globe.

Dinner was the rest of the last night’s pasta. Had a couple of pints with other cyclists in the pub over the road sharing shaggy dog stories. Absolutely no sign of the other occupants of the Bod; some deaf people who are attending a wedding in the area.

The inside of the Voe Sail Loft Camping Bod

Voe, Shetland. The Sail Loft is the red building in the foreground

Sunset over the Olna Firth, Shetland

Day 4 – Lerwick/Bergen – Distance: 37.2 km

Up and away too early today and back in Lerwick by 1030. Dumped my stuff at the youth hostel and, did email at the library then loafed about.

Good fish and chips before catching the ferry. Loads of other cyclists, backpackers and motor bikers on the ferry and all were very friendly with the exception of a very dull man from New Zealand who insisted on telling me exactly where I should cycle in Norway without me even asking. Based on his advice I suspect that I am going to do the exact opposite.

Bit of a shock when we got on the boat. To be fair the first clue was the hoards of drunks hanging over the side and jeering as we boarded. It seemed that the main custom of the of the boat was as a duty free booze cruise for Scandinavian teenagers. By the time we joined in Shetland the party was in full swing having started in Denmark and already visited Faro and Iceland.

Chatted till late with the other cyclists then headed down to the couchettes for some sleep. Although they were a little basic and somewhat resembling a prison, not that I have ever seen a prison, they were definitely superior to a reclining seat. Located in the bowels of the ship there was no disturbance from the party raging 7 decks above.

Leaving Lerwick on the ferry to Bergen

The sun setting over Shetland as seen from the ferry

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