Shetland Day 2

My second day saw me head back down south to visit another Broch - the Broch of Mousa, which I saw across the water. It is the most complete broch in Scotland, and shows the magnitude of the structure and makes it easier to understand how they lived in them.


A ferry takes passengers across several times a day - it's a short trip. The Island is actually a protected Bird area (RSPB) so you have to keep to a particular pathway which goes around half of the island. It was a pleasant walk, similar to my Ninian walk, although closer to the sea.



This site gives you lots of information about the history and wildlife.

https://www.northlinkferries.co.uk/shetland-blog/fascinating-facts-about-mousa/

The sign promised lots of things to see,  but we saw only a few birds, and some Shetland ponies.




There have been a number of shipwrecks on the island - and some of the wreckage remains. 


The Broch was great! The boards gave lots of information, and we were able to go up the circular staircase enclosed between the walls, to the top.



And just checking our latitiude


And some history









It would have been a very lonely existence on the island.


After we returned to the mainland I headed back up to the North west (It really is a small island) to head to Stenness where there is a lighthouse and some lovely coastal walks.

As I was heading out the final road I saw a sign to the Tangwick Haa Museum. A Haa is a big house - sort of like the Manor house.

It was a fascinating museum, with lots of artefacts from island life. One of the most fascinating displays was of a man who had been discovered, a bit like the peat bodies in Ireland, whose clothes were still intact. He is called The Gunnnister Man and dates from the late 17th century or early 18th.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunnister_Man




And an amazing poster which I would love to have had, which shows all the different colours of Shetland sheep!!


Another Stevenson lighthouse, at Eshaness, which is permanently closed.


and some fabulous cliffs



A short walk took me along the cliff, past a couple of small lochs, one of which has the remains of a broch. 


The cliffs show evidence of the volcano which formed this area and the many layers formed over millions of years. This is one of the top Geological sites in Shetland, and they have lots!



I'm not an expert so I couldn't identify the various features for myself. It would have been great to have done a geological tour but they aren't being offered.





There were also the remains of some old water mills.




On the way back 'home', I stopped for fish and chips at Brae and noticed the large number of hire cars parked near the hotel. Of course! I had passed the filming earlier on my way up - the next series of Shetland. I stopped to take a photo of the vans parked further up the road.




 

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