The northernmost point of Britain's northernmost islands

February 09, 2014


The longest journey we took while we stayed in Shetland was the trip to Hermaness. It is located in the north of Unst, which again is the northernmost island of the Shetland Island, making it the northernmost point of Britains northernmost islands. By the way, Unst also has Britain's northernmost bus shelter (which is always decorated with much love and even has its own website). In short, Britain's northernmost everything is in Unst :)

Our journey began early in the morning, when we took the bus from Lerwick and started to hop from island to island. It is all really well and smoothly organised: there's the busdriver on the Mainland taking you to the ferry, where you are instantly picked up, on the other side another (smaller) bus waits for you, driving you cheerfully across Yell, next ferry, and then you are in Unst. The even smaller bus (8 people max, I think) that waited there drove us all across Unst up to the Unst Heritage Centre, where we were warmly greeted by the wonderful ladies who work there. The centre once was a school house, and now serves as a little museum with stories about the famous lighthouse Muckle Flugga, life on Unst and of course artefacts of the beautiful lace knitting. The ladies working there are mostly teachers, who once taught there when it still was a school. They impressed me very much, they were so enthusiastic and put so much love and effort in their exhibition and workshops - if you ever happen to be in Unst, don't miss this lovely centre.

The staff of Lerwick's tourist bureau reminded us to tell the bus driver in Unst that we want to go back the same day, so that he or she picks us up again in the afternoon and drive us back to the ferry. So we had a few hours for our stay in Unst. Hermaness was still some kilometres away from the centre but one of the ladies suggested to drive us up to Hermaness so that we only had to walk back. Did I already mention how friendly and lovely Shetland's people are...?

I lack the words that describe this wonderful place Hermaness. There was sunshine and colours and a landscape that reminded me of a science fiction story so unearthly it seemed to me. So instead of trying to put this into words, I let my pictures speak. Come with me...
















The sheep's television: watching fishing boats float by...


These whitish blobs are sheep - just to put the vastness of these amazing cliffs into perspective...





21 comments:

  1. stunning images. wish I could go there for a walk this afternoon.

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  2. I love the atmosphere in your photos so much!!!

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  3. Such spectacular vistas! I know that I would have loved visiting with the ladies of the Unst Centre.

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  4. beautiful, the colours are amazing. I love Scotland, I'm putting the Shetland islands on my bucket list :)

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    1. Thank you! And great to hear, that Shetland is on your list now! If you visit, please bring pictures! Would love to see Shetland through your analogue photographer's eye! :)

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  5. Love it, again! Feels like I'm watching still from a Wes Anderson movie. Do you use a special "Trick" to edit them?!

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    1. Wow, thank you, Maja! I'm so happy that you said that - I just saw his new film, which was so beautifully made! I cannot get enough of the look of his films.

      I edit my pictures in Photoshop and work very much with solid colour layers and different layer modes. I think almost the only tools I use in Photoshop are the layer palettes.

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  6. I really fell in love with this chap! I have another picture where it looks as if it is smiling! I will show this in another post, which will be dedicated to the sheep of Shetland :)

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  7. awesome! Have to add this to my travel wishlist :)

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  8. Die Natur sieht wahnsinnig gigantisch aus. Das muss eine Traumreise gewesen sein.

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    1. Ja, die Landschaften dort sind atemberaubend schön. Und, was auch nicht ganz unwichtig ist, wir hatten viel Glück mit dem Wetter...

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  9. Great serie ! This place looks wonderful.

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    1. Thank you! Yes, it's a beautiful place - it had an almost magical atmosphere...

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  10. what a beautiful place, it sounds like it is even more special than it looks with such friendly inhabitants. i never considered shetlands as a holiday destination but you definitely changed my mind! x

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  11. What a gorgeous blog!! I have a love going to the edges of land masses (like this most northern point in Britain) For some reason I find it fascinating to hit the edge and not be able to go on any further! New follower here for sure!

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  12. wow ! I've been watching Pride and Prejudice some days ago and since then I've been longing for some british landscape like these one. So so beautiful ! I hope one day ...

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  13. such a beautiful place! your blog is full of wonderful pictures, i think i'll have to come back soon!

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  14. Very difficult to do justice to such a special place on a day trip. We have stayed on Unst several times - your photos bring back super memories.
    The bottom pic shows the Muckle Flugga Shore Station; stayed there twice - Magic:-)

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  15. This is just beautiful, it is so hard to put the magic of the Shetland Islands across but I feel you have done this wonderfully! Thank you.

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  16. the best i have ever been spent a week her camping ..must go back love it

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