The Broch of Mousa

Friday 26th May

The onboard wi-fi was underwhelming but otherwise our crossing went without problems. At some point in the night the ship called in at Kirkwall on Orkney but we both slept through. The sea got a little lumpy but it had all calmed down by breakfast time when we were sailing up the east side of Shetland's Mainland. The MV Hjaltland arrived on schedule at 07.30 and after only a few minutes wait we were off the ferry.
The plan for today lacks detail but basically involves visiting Scalloway, once the principal town of the Shetlands. We visited on our trip last year and found everything closed, which we thought a bit odd for a Saturday. One might think that Friday would be a safe bet but, to be on the safe side, we decided to give them chance to get out of bed. We took a scenic route out of Lerwick and killed an hour driving. When we arrived in Scalloway there were some signs of life and the Cornerstone Cafe was open. Time for second breakfast.
Fortified, we strolled around the town for a while before heading to the museum. Even on the days that it does open they think 11 a.m. will do. The adjacent historic castle is still undergoing restorative building work. We cannot face hanging around for another hour so seek an alternative. By chance we had picked up a leaflet in the Cornerstone which advertised boat rides to Mousa, a small island off the east coast that is now an Nature Reserve. The weather is overcast, a bit breezy but dry and forecast to stay that way. A quick phone call confirmed that today's trip was going ahead. This map with it's dodgy graphics shows our land travels in red and floating travels in blue.
The skipper of the small boat that runs a daily trip to Mousa (not Saturdays) is a cheery chap called Brendan who has a few stories. When we ask him about where to buy tickets he tells us "No tickets, we just take the cash." He invites us to take seats onboard, even though it is not yet official boarding time. Over the next few minutes another ten people join us. The boat is licensed for 60 so it's not going to be too crowded. Brendan explains that we have to wait until 11.30, just in case of latecomers but there aren't any.
The sea is quite calm and the crossing takes less than 15 minutes. When we arrive at the Mousa landing stage we get a briefing about the Broch, which is the big attraction, and also about the walking circuit and what might be seen. The main inhabitants of the island are a flock of 300 Shetland sheep, quite a fluffy and cuddly breed. We have no idea if they are any good in a biryani.
 We opt for the Broch first and then the circuit round the rest of the island. We have a packed lunch which is basically what is left from last night's picnic supper. The walking is not too arduous and conditions underfoot mainly quite dry.
The Broch was built around 300BC during the Iron Age and is the best preserved example remaining. It is very visible from quite long distances and has sight lines to several Broch sites along the length of South Mainland. Subsequently occupied by invaders such as the Vikings the building is 13 metres high and 15 metres in diameter at the base. A significant  piece of masonry.
Inside the tower a very dodgy set of steps leads up to the top.
Having done the tourist essential we headed out east, across the island, to continue the circuit. We passed a couple of places that were signed as seal viewing spots, but drew blanks. We did see a nesting Bonxie (Great Skua) that fortunately did not see us as a threat.

By all accounts the Bonxies suffered badly in the Avian flu pandemic so hopefully this is a good sign. Our skipper had promised a bonus if we got back to the jetty promptly. Everyone complied and we got a detour to view various shipwreck sites with suitable accompanying tales. The patter was both entertaining and informative. 

We drive back up to Lerwick to check in to our one night only Airbnb room. We couldn't get the digs that we wanted until tomorrow so we have to squeeze into Nigel's spare room. Having paid in advance we are not surprised to find N washing a top of the range Jaguar in the car park as we arrive. The real surprise is that he has to do it himself.
It's not too bad and we are soon heading out on the town. We stop for a drink in a bar run by a lady who was a Glasgow polis. From there we move on to dinner at The Dowry, a place we enjoyed a meal at last year. The starter of olives, stuffed peppers and smoked almonds was superb and the duck confit (D) and mussels (R) really good. Even the drizzle on the way home didn't spoil a good evening.



Meanwhile in other news, 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-65725912.amp

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