Journey's End

Dover - Shetland Day 38
Kirkwall, Orkney to Lerwick, Shetland

Distance cycled: today 4.8km, total 2227.5km
Ascent: today 44m, total 15,596m

Highlight: interesting hour talking on overnight ferry from Orkney to a 78 year old Shetland crofter. He was fascinating to listen to but so thick accented and I would have had no chance of understanding him had I not lived in Scotland for many years. With a lack obvious short day cycle routes on quiet roads near Lerwick, I gave myself the day off spent pleasantly reading, visiting the excellent Shetland museum and watching a poor film.

Lowlight: not a lot of effort being made on Sunday morning for visitors to downtown Lerwick. Cafes, museums, shops, tourist info were all closed, much to the bewilderment of hundreds of cruise liner passengers who had been run ashore and were now wondering what the heck to do, I think they really need to get their act together, as it was a pitiful effort all around - and if it were, I would take it off the cruise liner itinerary until they do.

What else? the fairly new Shetland museum was top notch - well laid out and fascinating. Many things learned of which the most interesting for me at least was that the Shetlands were literally pawned to Scotland by the King of Denmark (which at that time had Norway in its kingdom, which in turn had conquered and settled Shetland in the Viking times) in 1468, He didn't have enough cash to pay the dowry for the wedding of his daughter Margaret to James III of Scotland. Whilst Norway made many efforts to regain Shetland, it always stayed as part of Scotland thereafter.

Photo: one of the bewildered cruise liner passengers was good enough to take this shot to confirm that I really did make it to Shetland (and at least gave him something to do for 5 minutes)!