Sun in Unst

Thursday 1st June

Sometimes there is sun in Unst and not just in some kind of anagram answer. The start of the day was much like the last couple, overcast with a fresh breeze that is probably described as a flat calm by the locals. After breakfast we decide to start the day with a visit to nearby Nor Wick beach, home to a colony of nesting tirricks and a good bet for a plodge.

The terns are about in good numbers and, even better, people are not. For a while we have this beautiful beach to ourselves. The beach shoes get a work out and prove to be comfortable and practical.

Returning from the beach we see a lapwing chasing off a crow. The lapwing goes to ground in a small, rather soggy meadow and we walk up to investigate. The meadow hosts dunlin and whimbrel as well as the lapwing which moves off to the next field and poses beautifully.

By now the sun is breaking through the clouds and we drive south to our next target. The Keen of Hamar is sometimes called a Sub-Arctic Desert. Others describe it as Europe's largest expanse of serpentine debris. 

To our eyes it is about two square kilometres of rocky moonscape on a headland but it does play host to some very interesting small flowers that seem to thrive in this environment. Thrift we know but here it grows as a pigmy version. There are a few types of small orchid including the Early Purple Orchid.

The big attraction is Edmonton's chickweed which grows here, and only here. Nowhere else in the world! In our view it doesn't look much like chickweed but what do we know. It is difficult to convey how impressive a patch of rubble lightly populated by small wildflowers actually is but this place is the real deal 

This has been another action packed morning but there is still more fun to come. We leave the desert and drive straight to the community recycling facility to dispose of three days' worth of evidence. On a whim we take an alternative route back to Haroldswick and are rewarded with the sight of a slipway of seals.

Packed lunches are fun but after four in a row we opt for soup, followed by one of Victoria's humungous scones to share.

Next stop on our tour of Greater Haroldswick is the Unst Heritage Centre. This covers island life over the centuries and has notices prohibiting photography. D loves a challenge.

One particularly interesting exhibit displays the extensive livery range of Shetland sheep.

In the field next to the museum there is a small herd of Shetland ponies including this foal.

R decides that there is a limit to the amount of excitement that one person can cope with on any given day and opts for a bit of drawing back at the Peerie Nuek. D opts to do of a bit of exploring of the nearby Spaceport. 

This involves a walk up a road, now closed to traffic, that is starting to drop off the cliff. At the top there is a fence and a forbidding notice.

The Lamba Ness peninsula is listed as a great place to spot whales but don't bank on getting there soon. Construction of the spaceport is under way.

Oh, by the way did I say that the sun is shining and the temperature has soared to a giddy 12°C.