We go North

One last trip north (south yesterday with OH).

First stop a takeaway lunch from Britain’s most northerly fish and chip shop, Frankie’s, The No.1 Fish & Chip Shop in the UK  (National Fish & Chip Awards 2015) – serious food that requires a wonderful view.    How we suffer.

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Then off to look at Mavis Grind – a narrow isthmus where the North Sea (right) is 33m away from the Atlantic Ocean (left).

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The heather tussocks smelled divine.

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Then northwards, past Urafirth Voe.

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The Drongs – a series of thin granite pinnacles, up to 30m high – Slender Drong, Slim Drong. Main Drong, and Stumpy Drong.

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The Heads of Groken.

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Dore Holm – Shetland’s ‘drinking horse’.

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Finally, Eshaness – (and I never knew this), one of the highest energy coastlines in the world as it is blasted by the full force of the North Atlantic.

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Spectacular cliffs that cut right through the flank of what was the Eshaness volcano. It has been described as ‘the best section through the flank of a volcano in the British Isles’. (and I didn’t know that).  I still see faces, though.

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Now this is odd – Daisy, my elder daughter,  pointed it out to me.

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It is the “spume” from the sea but it looks very strange.  Again, anyone know why/what/how?

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The lovely transparent sea water at Calder’s Geo.

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There is a cave on the north side of the geo that is the largest natural chamber in Britain – (oooh, get us!)

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A seagull with bebbie.

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Layers, lots of layers.

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And at last, with massive threats and pain of death, Flossie and Daisy managed to stand near each other without a) strangling each other or b) shoving each other over a cliff.

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A day of achievements, indeed – I may have had wine!

11 thoughts on “We go North

  1. Nick

    Sorry, still got my ornothological pedant’s hat on – that’s not a seagull, it’s a fulmar (maali)… The pipe on the top of its beak is the giveaway 🙂

    Reply
  2. Linda

    I absolutely LOVE the place names, Frances! They’re like something out of Tolkien…and yes, I see faces in those cliffs too…

    Reply
  3. Terri

    Oooh, this post takes my breath away! What a perfect day! I can almost smell the sea air. Those place names are so interesting — sounds like a magical land (and it is). How nice to have your lovely daughters along too. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  4. Highmac

    Your comment about Flossie and Daisy brought to mind the old song “Sisters”, very popular in my young day – this is the version from White Christmas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG7x8HWbDzU

    We’ve had a mixed time weatherwise “dahn sarf” – 10 days ago it was 36C, Sunday evening we had to put the heating on…

    Beautiful pictures – and our scenery is nothing like as spectacular as yours 🙂

    Reply
  5. Sam

    What a lovely place you live in! And my mom often wondered if her four daughters would ever grow up and stop shoving each other. Nope. Thanks for the picture tour of Shetland.

    Reply

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