Shetland and Fair Isle Painting Trip Day 4 Tuesday 13th

Recovery day today...feeling shattered. Real ale maybe.

Cleaned and tidied up the midden I call home for the next two weeks.

Showered, shaved and hit the road. I don't know where I'm headed today, just follow my nose.....

Ended up in Skeld in Westerside. A lovely site, tidy and well equipt with only one other van here. No phone signal but I've got wi fi so I can get mail etc up to date.

A three hour cliff top walk this evening to see a ruined Broch and some sea stacks.

I think I've got a bit too much sun...lobster face.

Ruin with a view to die for.

One of the many Sea Stacks.

After a very heavy 'shower'

Sunset view from my van.

Shetland and Fair Isle Painting Trip Day 3 - Mon 12th May

Woke at 0530 today with a glorious sunrise streaming in the van window...must remember the blackout screens tonight. I was planning an early start to catch the Puffins before they went out fishing, the warden said 0600 may be a good time to see them...unfortunately nobody told the Puffins.... The first one to emerge was at 0730. It's another sunny day today lets hope it lasts. First stop today was to Gurtness Pier to see a colony of Arctic Terns on the adjacent headland.....very noisy. I continued on to Loch of Spiggie and Spiggie Beach.. I wasn't expecting white sand beaches in the sunshine and almost deserted.

View from the car park at Spiggie Beach.

This would be a great spot to spend the night as long as your self sufficient.

Next stop was St Ninians Isle with the best Tombola in Britain......I didn't know what it was either.

( a sand bar or beach separating two islands or an island and the main land mass ) that's what the sign said anyway.

St Ninians Tombola.

I found a nice Real Ale pub with camper van hook up and showers for tonight's stop over......result.

Shetland and Fair Isle Painting Trip Day 2

The 'sleeping pod' was great, had a good sleep even though only 6 hours. It was quite a calm crossing so that was a relief, the last time in these waters I was on an adventure sailing trip and it was force 11 !

Disembarked at 0730 ...the police were out in force searching vehicles as they left the ship, I must have an honest face as I was only held up for a couple of questions, either that or they didn't fancy the idea of searching a fully loaded camper van. My first stop was Tingwall airport to check out the parking ready for my Fair Isle stay. I drove down to Sumbrugh Head to try to see and sketch some Puffins. There were a few about but not as many as I had hoped, ended up spending the whole day there and decided to park up overnight. I parked up beside the lighthouse and was presented with a memorable sunset to give me a fitting end to a nice sunny day. I had to lower the camper roof during the night ad I didn't relish getting blown off the cliff.

Just hold still while I try to sketch.

Shetland and Fair Isle Painting Trip 2014. Day 1 Sat 10.05.14

Off to Orkney and Shetland today. Very late night last night getting everything ready for my trip and finishing off some Raku tile pictures for the gallery.

Finally got away at 0815 after 15 minutes playing with Frodo our new Yorkshire Terrier puppy, if I have time my first stop will be Tesco's in Wick for breakfast. Quite foggy for part of the way but got to Gills Bay with about 45 minutes to spare ( after 30 minutes in Tesco's ). A good crossing, quite calm and it stayed dry. Quite a bit of wildlife about, plenty of seals on the rocks plus Gannets, Guillemots, Razorbills, Cormorants, Eiders, Puffins and a couple of Skua's. Probably a lot more but I'm a rubbish birdwatcher. The crossing was just 1 hour and I'm in Kirkwall by1500, feeling quite tired so I had a kip in my campervan. I woke at 1700 just as everything was closing....bummer. Fish and chips for tea. Plenty of time to kill now as my ferry to Lerwick isn't until 2345 tonight. Spent quite a bit of time trying to get everything stored away in the van as I just chucked everything in this morning in the rush to get away, I've definitely brought too much stuff....I will need to be a bit more organised next time.

On the ferry to Shetland at 2330 and now with a pint of 'Simmer Dim' from Orkney brewery I think. mmmmm I may need another to help me sleep. I should arrive in Lerwick at 0730 in the morning. Time to check out my 'Sleeping Pod'