Orkney

Been  to  Orkney  twice,  three  times  if  you  count  the  Scrabster ==  Orkney ==  Shetland ==  Orkney == Scrabster  round  trip  as  two  visits  !

Amazed  at  the  difference  between  the  O's  and  the  S's .  Two  very  different  experiences  and  being  in  the  mid  eighties  very  different  m/vans  as  well  !!  However,  having  read  this  &  several  other  posts/articles  I  reckon  it  must  be  a  cert  for  2  years  time  as  long  as  the  van  &  I  keep  going.

I  only  stayed  at  Kirkwall  &  Clickimin  so  a  few  C.L.s  could  keep  me  learning  I  think.

Brian

P.S.  Something  to research  this  winter  perhaps

B

It certainly is, Brian.  I'm rather put off Shetland by the long ferry crossing. 7.5hrs seems to be the shortest and I can't face being ill for that length of time!

Sat  out side  at  the  pointed  end  both  ways,  TW.  Had  a  warm  coat,  flask,  a  good  book  &  my  best  binocs  ==  I  wasnt  wasting  the  chance  of  seeing  something  nautical &  natural  by  sitting  inside  &  probably  zizzing  !  For  a  Landlubber  I  do  well  on  top  of  the  water,  not  even  the  southern,  flat  bottomed  seacow  Scillonian  III  on  a  dodgy  day  managed  to upset  my  digestive  bits 

I'm the opposite, Brian. Roslare to Fishguard near did for me

Might  be  worth  getting  the  plastic  out  TW  &  buying  one  of  those  old  Skyvan / Skybus  'planes  &  converting  that  to  m/home  standards  !! 

Tinny I am one of the worst Sailors - but I so wanted to see the Shetlands!  Flat calm for both ways.  If it had looked like bad weather I would have stayed on the mainland!  I went via Orkney so it wasn't so long as the Aberdeen Marathon crossing for both me and the dogs!  You don't get the true picture of the distance on the weather maps! 

PS the Scillonian nearly did for me - I will fly to the Isles of Scilly next time! 

I want to go to Shetland as well, Pippah, but I can't face that trip. Crossing from Orkney is certainly the way to do it but even so it's a far longer voyage than I want to make. I can just about cope with the crossing from Gill's Bay to St Margarets Hope I think.

Maybe I should adopt Brian's suggestion.

Is  there  a  night-time  ferry  you  could  use,  TW  ?? Then  a  couple  of  pills  and  a  sleep  might  make  it  feasible  for  you  --  If  you  can  I  assure  you  --  you  wont  regret  it  !!

Pippah  --  Careful  with  your  language  young  lady  !!  In  both  cases  Orkney  &  Shetland  residents  take  umbrage  if  you  call  Scotland  the  Mainland  ==  In  both  cases  it's  the  largest  of  the  Islands 

B

It's a possible solution, Brian, and one I've thought about. We'll see. Thanks for your input - and Pippah.

Is  there  a  night-time  ferry  you  could  use,  TW  ?? Then  a  couple  of  pills  and  a  sleep  might  make  it  feasible  for  you  --  If  you  can  I  assure  you  --  you  wont  regret  it  !!

 

Pippah  --  Careful  with  your  language  young  lady  !!  In  both  cases  Orkney  &  Shetland  residents  take  umbrage  if  you  call  Scotland  the  Mainland  ==  In  both  cases  it's  the  largest  of  the  Islands 

B

Write your comments here...Is there such a thing as night in Shetland? It's so far north that it must be light all night in the summer!