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Drawn to the compelling scenery by the great TV detective show, we had to include Shetland in our June road trip. The "road" to Shetland from Aberdeen, Scotland involves a 12.5 hour ferry ride, which these days is quite comfortable. We were able to book a pet-friendly sleeping cabin, and along with our dogs, we weathered the overnight journey pretty well despite some rolling seas. The ferry reminded me of a mini cruise ship with its movie theatre, restaurant, and bar.



We tried to pack as lightly as we could for this car trip. (But add in two dog carriers and beds, a month's supply of dog food, hiking boots/poles/backpacks, a cooler, plus a couple of suitcases, and our car is pretty full!) Nevertheless in Shetland we were really regretting the absence of winter coats, hats, and gloves. It may be June, and Shetland does average 10 degrees warmer than places at the same northerly latitude, but it sure is windy and the week of our visit was unseasonably cold, with rain on-and-off every day. I felt so badly for all the livestock who live outdoors year-round - no barns for the sheep, cattle, and ponies. The island doesn't have any trees either, so there is never any shelter. The lambs especially looked miserable to me this week, but they still seem to thrive. I was thrilled by the sweet little lamb who wanted to make friends with me as we crossed her pasture on the trail to a viewpoint.



Shetland has a kind of stark beauty. It is empty moorland, rolling hills, watery inlets and lots of ocean. The capital is Lerwick ("LAIR-ick") but even that is a pretty small town. Other little settlements dot the island. We rode with another couple and a guide to the northern isles, taking two short ferry rides to arrive on Yell and Unst. We had an isolated wildlife reserve all to ourselves. Robin has been thrilled to see the variety of birds who inhabit these remote places.



On Sunday Robin drove us to Sumburgh, the southern tip of the main island and another bird preserve. Here we were lucky enough to see puffins up close - first time seeing one for me! They are not afraid of humans, and I was ecstatic to spend some time with them. (And yes Mom I know there are puffins in Maine, but they are not an everyday sight!)



A few final observations about Shetland this June: 1.) It never gets dark! The sun goes down for a few hours, but there is always some light in the sky. 2.) Along with fishing and tourism, North Sea oil has brought prosperity to the island. I visited a huge state-of-the-art fitness complex with an Olympic size pool, squash courts, and all-modern exercise equipment. It was one of an island-wide chain subsidized by oil company grants. 3.) Knowing the islands have been inhabited for thousands of years makes it all the more interesting. We visited the ruins at Jarlshof, one of many pre-historic sites which preserve a glimpse into the earliest settlers. 4.) We enjoyed two amazing dinners at a French restaurant in Lerwick called C'est la Vie. The owners moved to Shetland from France, I'm not sure why, but they cook beautifully! We also enjoyed a visit to the 24-hour "Cake Fridge," where on the honor system you can leave payment and help yourself to island-made goodies.



Shetland: you were windswept and cold; but there was much to love about you.


Next: The islands of Orkney, Harris and Lewis.


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Updated: Jun 5, 2024


Kim and Gin on the trail

Dearest Readers,


This month I will try to take you along on our 31-day road trip to northern England and Scotland. We largely have our dogs to thank for this plan. After our Finland and Rome vacations last fall and winter, one of our dog-sitters decided she didn't like Chihuahuas, and the other took a different job. It seems we are stuck with these dogs and can't leave them behind.


But, Scotland is a dog-friendly country, and the pups are welcome on ferries, trails, lodgings, and in many pubs. We love the beautiful scenery, the friendliness of the Scots, and their excellent cooking! So we made a plan to indulge our love of "the highlands and islands" by driving with dogs. They have become well-seasoned travelers by now!


But before we crossed over the border, we made a stop in England's Lake District. Nestled in the mountains, we were blessed with three days of beautiful weather, which I'm told is unusual and that clouds and rain are the norm. But WOW, the scenic beauty was beyond what I imagined! The poet William Wordsworth lived in the Lake District (Grasmere) and it is easy to see how he got his inspiration. His 1804 poem "Daffodils" beginning "I wandered lonely as a cloud" is his famous ode to the area.



As Robin explained, the Lake District is really more about the hills and mountains, although the lakes are all the more pretty for their rarity in England. I loved their names: Grasmere, Windermere, Buttermere, Derwentwater, as a few examples. I look forward to a longer visit in the future.


From Keswick we are currently making our way north towards Scotland's most northerly and remote island chain, Shetland. We've stopped over for a couple of nights in Stirling, which has a few interesting attractions of its own. One is a cool engineering marvel, a kind of ferris wheel for canal boats trying to travel between a higher-up canal and a lower one, without a cumbersome series of locks. It's called the Falkirk Wheel and was nicely set up for visitors. Another draw in Stirling is the "Kelpies," two very large horse sculptures built in 2013. I felt especially sympathetic for the poor horses brutally wounded and killed in the medieval battles we've been learning about. We visited the Battle of Bannockburn site (from a 1314 battle in which Scotland successfully defended its independence from England). The visitor center was great with its multimedia history lesson, but oh the carnage!



On Wednesday at 6:30 PM we will board a ferry in Aberdeen, and travel overnight, arriving in Lerwick, Shetland at 7:30 AM Thursday. We have a dog-friendly sleeping cabin and are hoping for calm seas.


I have to confess, we got hooked on the TV detective series "Shetland" a few years ago and were impressed by the amazing scenery in the show. We had to include a visit to the island, remote as it is, in our plans. If you're not yet a fan of the show I highly recommend it! I will try to post some representative photos when we get there.


Until then, I'm wishing you calm seas and clear weather as well.


🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🐑 ⛴️

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Updated: Aug 16, 2024

Dearest Gentle Readers,


Are you all enjoying Season 3 of Bridgerton on Netflix? If you have Apple TV, you might like another drama featuring hapless Americans amongst the English nobility -- check out The Buccaneers!


Devon

Meanwhile back in real life, Robin thought Devonshire would be a scenic place for us to visit, and he was right! In mid-May we took another road trip and stayed a few nights near the town of Ilfracombe. Devon is a large county with all kinds of terrain, but we concentrated our time on the north coast and Exmoor National Park.


We had a great time and loved all the scenic beauty, but the roads were SO SCARY -- to me anyway. I'm blessed with a spouse who is an excellent and confident driver. He didn't seemed to mind the steep, narrow, twisting roads with deathly drop-offs -- never mind no way to pass if a vehicle comes barreling towards you! So, I tried to relax in the passenger seat and enjoy the views.



Bonus treats while walking in Exmoor National Park: 1.) a close encounter with a band of about two dozen wild horses. 2.) Hearing the calls of a cuckoo bird by a stream. Loved them! Listen towards the end of this video for "cuckoo, cuckoo...."





Guernsey

Also in May, I finally got to fulfill my wish to visit Guernsey, a "Channel Island" (along with Jersey) between England and France. Perhaps you have seen the movie, or read the book The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - if not, I recommend both! The Channel Islands are actually closer to France and have many French influences, though they are "self-governing dependencies of the British Crown." They were occupied by the Germans from 1940-45 (subject of the novel) and there are still many signs of this on the islands.


A short flight from London brings you to Guernsey, which I found charming in an understated way. The scenery was not as sweeping or dramatic as say, Scotland. I did appreciate how nicely-kept everything was, and enjoyed the flowers and greenery everywhere. There are no fast-food chains on the island. Queen Victoria made a surprise visit in 1846, and this major event was commemorated with statues and monuments! Victor Hugo also resided there in exile for 15 years, and it's where he wrote Les Misérables.



A walking tour with a local guide, part of Guernsey's annual "walking weekend," was interesting and fun. We learned that Guernsey has thousands of apple trees, and cider (the hard stuff) is made on the island. She told us a story about her daughter preparing for her wedding last summer. She made a deal with the island's cider farm to donate apples, which she and her fiancé drove around collecting from friends' backyard trees. In return, they got more than enough cider for all the drinks at their reception.


I did not go to Jersey this time around, but I'm very happy to have visited one of the Channel Islands. More islands are coming up in June as we begin our road trip to Scotland. We'll be traveling by car and ferry, and I hope to have lots more scenery to share with you!

💂‍♀️ 🫖 🇬🇧 🍺


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