Isles and Trials

Tag: water

  • Shetland

    Shetland

    I took the overnight ferry to Shetland. I couldn’t convince any others in the family to join me. I originally thought I would bring my bike. There were marked bike routes. Then maybe I’d hire a bike. It was foggy and hilly when I got there. (It’s probably been hilly for some time.) So I aborted the bike idea (it would have taken me a LONG time to cover the 25 miles to Sumburgh to see the lighthouse.

    I really thought the island would be a lot more deserted – but it was kind of bustling. (And there are only like 2 roads so that made things a bit more trafficky on those routes.)

    Here is a video with a bunch of highlights.

  • Smile – windmills

    Smile – windmills

    If you zoom way in – there are some windmills. They can be seen from a golf course named for (owned by) a famous person back home. We didn’t visit this golf course.

  • Cool old suspension bridge

    Cool old suspension bridge

    Over the River Dee

  • Seals!

    Seals!

    The seal preserve about a 30 minute drive north of Aberdeen was amazing! (I should have brought my American iPhone as my Scottish one doesn’t have as good a camera.) It is in Newburgh. (And to be clear – that is pronounced Noo-burra!)

    The landscape at the seal beach!
  • Palm trees

    Palm trees

    I really love palm trees. Back in 2023 I was a bit taken aback to see them in Ireland. They have them here too. While Aberdeen is a beach town, it probably won’t crack 70F while we are here. (But if it does I will probably head to the beach.)

  • The Firth of Forth

    The Firth of Forth

    I was really into bridges as a kid. It is cool to go over this truss bridge (once the longest of its type in the world) and see a suspension bridge (that was also once the longest outside the US). ScotRail trains have fairly dirty windows.