third set and trig info

 

On the Thursday I borrowed transport, with a plan to get two trig points done on the east side of the main road north, if I achieve this it would mean I would not have to revisit that side of the road on my big main attempt to do them all come January/ February

Trig types & Info
Trig pillars were used as the basis for a method of measuring the shape of the landscape so that maps could be created. The maps that were created with the trig pillars in the UK are the ones many of us know and use, OS Landranger and Explorer maps.

·  It was on April 18, 1936, that the first trig pillar was installed in a field in Cold Ashby, Northamptonshire. This was the start of the "retriangulation of Great Britain".

·  Triangulation is a mathematical process that makes accurate map-making possible. It works by determining the location of a point by measuring angles to it from known points at either end of a fixed baseline and, in this case, the many thousands of trig pillars.

·  Between 1936 and 1962, around 7,000 trig pillar being built across Britain, including thousands in Scotland as OS surveyors took on the huge task of mapping the entire country.

·  There are still thousands of trig pillars left in Britain although No one is sure of the exact figure it’s thought to be around 6,190.

·  The highest trig pillar is obviously  Ben Nevis, Scotland, at 1344m.. and the lowest? It's at Little Ouse at -1m in Cambridgeshire,.

·  it took a guy called Rob Woodall 13-years to complete his mission to bag all of Britain’s trig pillars recently

Hotlines

Muckle roe

Most trig points on Shetland are of the iconic triangulation pillar, designed by Brigadier Martin Hotline and commonly referred to as a hotine pillar.Notable features on hotine pillars are the Flush Bracket, Spider, Plug, Upper centre mark and Sighting Tube, Mass production of these pillars commenced late in 1935.only minor modifications were ever made to Hotine's original design. Such as a small change to the centre cap's Allen screws was made to make it harder to remove or tamper with it

'Vanessas

big Tube

At a late stage, around 1958, the secondary triangulation had progressed to the Highlands of Scotland, it was necessary to design a new and lighter pillar, cylindrical in shape, in order to avoid excessive transport costs. These round pillars, usually called 'Vanessas', were considered "less aesthetically satisfying" than the standard pillar, so they were only placed in inaccessible locations to "reduce the risk of criticism from the more sensitive element of the population

Stonebuilt pillars,

  

  often found on more inaccessible locations, these were constructed using whatever materials were to hand, obviating the need to carry too much heavy concrete mixture to the top of the hill, or so constructed to fit in better aesthetically in certain locations. Pillars were occasionally built out of local stone at the landowner's request, "in order to avoid attracting pilgrimages of hiker

On the Thursday 22/10/20 I borrowed transport, with a plan to get two trig points done on the east side of the main road north, if I achieved this it would mean I would not have to revisit that side of the road on my big main attempt to do them all come January/ February

Ward of outrabister

                As usual getting away early nearly always comes with last minute issues and this day was no different. an isolation on some boilers gave issues with HVAC pumps I was a wee bit later getting away. BUT I was all prepared with my gear and could drive straight to the first trig area, the weather was perfect no wind or rain a bit cold but that’s a bonus if you wanna run bits, I drove the scenic route towards voe missing out Brae, then headed toward Vidlin again now knowing where the left turn was, then a long single track road with plenty passing places a beautiful road, I would have liked to stop and look at the historic church outside vidlin it was very picturesque, but no time I was on a mission to get two trigs done before full darkness came, driving as far along this road as I possibly could I passed a silver and a black pair of trucks, two blokes had stopped for a chat, they moved to let me pass,

 When I parked up at the end of the road, I started to take of my jacket put on my running jacket backpack waistcoat, and remove my external trousers for running when the silver truck that I had passed made a turn near, the driver got out, he was a typical older island male coveralls on talking slow and quietly, he lit a fag and asked politely waur I wis aff tae rah day? I knew he was just being nosy but polite with it, I told him he leaned back on his bonnet wanting a wee chat! I got stressed I was in a rush islander`s like him will never get a heart attack they are so laid back. I am hard of hearing I hardly heard a word he said, but hope I said Aye at the right bits and made the correct assumptions to his questions with my hurried answers, I rushed to get away from him stressing about how I never had time for idle chit chat if I was gonna manage two trigs before blackness came.

I dashed of jumping fences and boggy areas but it was a pleasant run I didn’t want to stop and fix some music or an audiobook(wish I had) I wanted up there get it done and get back to move on, once at the top I put my can of Brewdog on the trig for a photo( a new project to be developed) right phone out for a photo, I had the tripod selfie pole in hand with the remote switched on raking all pockets and bag twice I had left the bloody phone/camera due to stressing at the set off!

Light was fading I dashed of back to the van thinking I had left the phone in my trousers, when I got back to the van, I noticed it at the first fence- it had fell out my pocket! Memo to self always zip pockets even when harassed and stressing! Now I had a choice to make? By the amount of daylight I had left there was no chance of two trig points if I went back for a photo, but potentially no chance of two anyway darkness was coming and it was a fair drive between points, I had photos of all the others it would be a shame not to photo this one, the actual route was recorded on my watch and on strava but I opted to go take some pictures, I would have to make it just the one trig that day. I ran back for a trig top photo for my records

  

second group o Shetland trigs

 

A failed attempt -  I had been cooped up in my room in isolation for forty eight hours due to having the scoots, it felt great to be free again, to celebrate being free I went out to cycle to a trig point, one that I had been saving to do as a solo mission, for nearly two months I had been aiming to do this trig as a hard but fun trek after work some night, it looked simple enough on the map - cycle out past Busta house down to muckle roe bridge then turn right once on the island, near the end of this road take a left onto a land rover track and follow this track to its end, the plan then was to dump the bike and hike less than half a kilometre uphill to the trig point of south ward, but the land rover track didn’t end how it looked on the map! it swung left for a fair distance, when it eventually ended I looked straight ahead, which would have been left of the peak I now know! I seen a bit further on what I thought was the trig (it was a cairn) but while looking I also seen another land rover track heading out? A quick look at the map and sure enough I could take this track back to the road making it a pleasant circular route, I carried the bike over a boggy section then left it at a big boulder, I speed marched up the hill to the top, only once there did I realised that it was the bloody wrong peak, I was on one called Cummie, l had ended up on the wrong peak! Bugga, I would now need to go back to get that trig another time due to it being sunset when I reached the wrong peak, I could clearly see the correct peak but knew it would have been a minimum of 30-40mins to get to it and back to where the bike was the light was fading fast, on hindsight maybe I should have went for it! I was annoyed as I knew this was gonna cost me two and a half to three hours which is basically one of my days free time up here to re`do much of the same route

South ward hill 6/9/20 I took three hours fatigue management from work and set of to cycle up to this missed trig point leaving work at 15:30, after an emergency exercise followed by first aid training, it felt great to escape, the weather report said no rain but a mile and a half into the journey the rain was on, drizzly stuff but bad enough for me to stop and put A water proof jacket on not yet bad enough for the cape! Stopping again at the now totally flattened Moorfield hotel to take a picture, this always makes me sad looking at the flattened hotel it was a real tragedy I had burned down so many happy memories now lost in a blaze of destruction, then I cycled full on up through brae past the Busta hotel then down to muckle roe bridge, my heart skipped a beat as my back wheel skidded at speed on the loose stones at the centre of the muckle roe bridge, I hit the loose stones at speed after the steep downhill, I more or less knew where I was going this time, I was back on the land rover track again in plenty daylight this time! But also this time I was aware of the field of cows that I didn’t like! When I got to the field all the coo`s stopped what they were doing and looked at me, I didn’t like it, I left the bike and jumped a fence to circumnavigate the coo field, they followed me all the way to the closed gate  uphill at the far end of their field were they stood looking expectantly, I was then back on the higher slope of the landrover track, on foot now so slower than the last time on the bike, this time it was easy spotting my previous mistake the track forked and went left (not on map) or the correct uphill, I followed a sweep to the left last time this time heading straight up hill, I initially went out to a viewing cairn just to be sure it wasn’t there, then I marched round to the trig point which was in the centre of a very well built walled dry stain dyke,

 after a few photos (I forgot my alcohol free beer for a pic) I jogged back down to re-join the land rover track, which I followed all the way to the coo field where the herd were all looking over the fence at me! just where I had last seen them, I was glad I hadn’t attempted to cycle through the herd, it woulda freeked me oot!

The cycle back was pleasant into brae, I paused my absolutely awesome audiobook killian jornets latest book, when I stopped at the co`op to buy beer and snacks, then I decided I deserved a pint at the Mid Brae Inn( MBI) hadn’t been there for a long time, way before lockdown but had loads of very happy memories, this time they weren’t welcoming due to all the covid stuff, I had to sign in no problem but had no mask they weren’t going to serve me without a mask, even if I sat in the beer garden, I raked all of my numerous pockets and my pannier and backpack for something suitable like a buff but there was nothing suitable. I offered to make a mask out of their roll of blue paper? This was unacceptable as apparently; according to the barmaid I could blow out a candle while my face was covered with just paper! a young girl passed, she asked if I was staying? I said it doesn’t look like it! she gave me a spare mask she had so I could get served I got a pint of beer and sat outside, it’s not the fun place it once was (hopefully those days will return) but the new beer garden is braw, the young girl who gave me a mask asked if she could get a backie on my bike(the daunder must be a chick magnet) her pal had bet her a tenner she wouldn’t ask, and I wouldn’t let her on if she did ask, but she was lovely and had gave me a mask of course I would give her a wee backie, which she enjoyed and hopefully got her tenners bet, all in all a guid wee day out,

MBI beer garden

Souther hill 245meters 8-9-20- I had taken the flexi hours of fatigue management once I had checked a weather window of course, there was a plant trip in the morning which meant I very nearly never got away, but luckily things were settled and I got away at 16:30 then cycled out toward the town of Mossbank into the wind, even on the good long downhill section toward Voe there was no chance of any speed due to the wind, I stopped to take a photo and just enjoy the view, checking the map often making sure to found the right place to stop cycling leave the bike, once certain it was the correct hill to ascend from the road this time, I had cheated and took a photo on my mobile phone of the section of the map I required which saved me time, this was a guid idea,

 you couldn’t see the hill top from the road, once I had found a place to stash the daunder padlocking her up out of sight, I set straight up a steep slope which didn’t ease off in steepness until nearly the top, it was a cool trig point with a big peat tussock I could set my tripod up on to take a good pic, I was incredibly quick going back down and maybe should have taken a bit more time to enjoy the views, I had switched my sports watch from cycle to hike and then back to cycle for the cycle through voe, then on into brae where I stopped it for a pint at the MBI again,  I was the only customer but was prepared this time with a mask, I just had one pint of tenants, they had no brown beers all the pubs are in short supply from lockdown of brown beers and stouts, but there is always a selection of lagers, ! The wind was at my back for the cycle to sellaness a very productive good day considering all

 the previous evening the sellaness bar had opened, I had went in with marshy but nearly never got served for trying to have a bit of banter, Scotland just won their football game, I was impressed by the sports memorabilia in the bar, they had a signed Maradona top and a signed Tyson boxing glove

Sitting in my cell at sellaness with the O/S map lying opened on my room desk pencil in one hand and a bottle of beer in the opther, I was circling the trig points I have left to do within reach of the accommodation on my map. it was an absolute pleasure total escapism planning wee adventures holding maps with a pencil in hand makes me smile, never mind being lucky enough to have a beer in the other hand, while I oohed and arghed at potentials for day cycles or hilltops where help would be required with transport, but this was on the third last day shift no fatigue hours left and the nights getting darker and darker earlier and earlier, knowing that when I return in October it would be dark by the time I finish my shift, the plans would just have to factor this in

The thirteenth trig point was called watch house hill trig point 7/10/20 - looking at the weather reports as soon as I arrived in Shetland that week, it said that hurricane Alex was on the way, the Wednesday looked like my weather window, I put my name on the board for two hours of early from work, I then circled with a pencil all the trig points within 30 mile of the accommodation I had left to do on the map, it was difficult to gauge how hard it was going to be how dark or how cold? Would my equipment be ok? Sometimes you’ve just gotta put a circle on the map and go for it, if you fail then so what you have learned for the next time, I had arranged to finish work at 16:30 and take the van we are using this worked out fine except a work mate Andrew brill that I had been working with had suspected appendicitis, young  Duncan had taken him to the hoppy in the van but he was thankfully back in time and I was allowed to go,

 foxy was itching at the bit when I arrived at sella, I was only a couple of mins late, he drove I directed using my map out, driving out passed brae then passed voe to take the next left for viddlin and the walsay ferry, then take the next right at Laxo then 7km up the single track road park near a lochan perfect, I opened a gate to let foxy reverse up toward a telecoms tower, got my bike and gear out the van foxy took a pic and left me with a toot and a wave,

 I hid the bike and stuff behind the tower which turned out to be part of a shooting field with targets all around, it wasn’t a long trek up to watch house trig, but it was a case of jumping up and down peat bog all the way up and back down, while at the trig, I was taking pictures of the open map on trig with my Brewdog beer, the wind caught it all the can burst wide open as it hit the ground, I had no time to capture the beer with my mouth as I was chasing my map blowing in the wind, its precious to me with all its markings on it I was happy to catch it and grateful I must take more care, the cycle back was great some of it was awesome, I had my aftershokz headphones in so I could listen to music and still hear traffic around me,  finding myself smiling often as the Vatersay boys, big country skippinish and runrig rattled their tunes through my jawbone, whilst cycling among some awesome scenery at sunset, but it was getting cold: I was worried how illuminated I was, all turned out well on the 27.5km cycle back to sellaness, which took me 1hr 35mins, my new cycle shoes were great but cold I've been keeping a list of equipment I will need to bring to continue the adventure, this day I added waterproof socks as they are warm and perhaps overshoes,

Vidlin

            Everything was going great work was settled out to allow me to get away two hours early, I had done an online meeting training session then tidied everything up good to go, as always with me there was a last minute rush to get out on time at 16:30, I got the daunder loaded up into the back of the hire van, this van is an absolute god send its ace for just throwing the bike into the back, the weather was ok cloudy but dry and only a slight wind braw, foxy was waiting outside our sellaness accommodation block, he jumped into the passenger seat we were off, I had already told foxy my plan, I would drive myself to the town of laxo (the ferry pier town to whalsay) where I would jump out take my bike then he could drive himself back to go out nightshift, robbo was coming to collect me later once I had hopefully done my chosen two trigs cycling between them, the start time drop of was done in plenty time I was delighted

           

Getting up to the first trig point on hill of laxowater was a pest, firstly the bike was only slightly hidden from site, then the terrain up and back was proper peat bog jumping hoping squidging my way up and over tussocks and mounds of damp grass and scrub heather not even a sheep track through it, totally fine though damp feet but not damp spirits especially when I got up and back in good time, I broke my little portable tripod for photos but managed to get my photos first a new better one was already on order( this turned out to be not so portable)

            Once back down I got the bike on the road and headed , full of the joys of a country road to myself in good weather, I would have liked to have stopped at the cabin museum here but it was shut, before I knew it I was at the town of Vidlin a quick look at the map (too quick) straight through Vidlin then crucially turn map over!!as the town of vidlin was right at the half way fold on my OS map, once turned over there was only a Straight road to the end of the peninsula and at the end of this road, I should leave the bike to head up the hill on the right easy, I cycled down through town and over a causeway at the harbor, where the air had a salty autumn smell to it very refreshing, I filled my lungs with this fresh salty autumn air for the steep road at the far side of the causeway, then cycled through a picturesque hamlet to the end of the road, that was much easier than I thought thinks I?  hiding  the bike quickly as the sun was going down, I headed up hill as quick as I could skirting to the right to a distant rock covered hill, this was a much better path and terrain than the previous hill, to begin with it was a land rover track then plenty sheep tracks heading up and round a lochan, once at the top, I could clearly see there was no trig point around, a mistake had obviously been made? But light was fading fast I had no option but to get back to the bike and then look to see where I had gone wrong,

            There was a crossroads at Vidlin I had missed! this is where I had went wrong the map page sat right at the town - straight ahead was not straight ahead! it was a left hand fork in town then straight ahead DOH, oh well you live and learn it was a pleasant cycle and after 30mins of cycling I seen robbo pass in the van on the other side of the road, he looked at me and slowed, I thought he was gonna turn? but nope he hadn’t recognize me I had to phone him after a while and say to turn around - oh was that you I seen ken? eh yeh robbo I’m not even at Vidlin yet mate! yeh robbo I cycle quick lol, he came back the bike was loaded in and back to sellaness in plenty time for dinner one trig done, the second shall now need to be another day

            Having checked the weather report on a site called XC weather which is popular with the locals up here on Shetland, the forecast for Monday three days after I was checking the weather looked the best that week, I put my two flexi hours in on the strength of that weather report, once Monday morning arrived going to work in the wind and rain a further weather check, on the same site revealed that the earlier forecast had changed dramatically, I was going to be running up and down trigs in heavy wind and rain! I opted not to cycle, or hike thankfully being allowed to change my hours to the Thursday.

 

When to kick of on the big Daunder?

The plan was/is

                Before the great pestilence of covid 19 was upon us! I had a set plan which I was all excited about, who could have believed we would get a pandemic in 2020 of all the years! for me it was as they say in Scotland - a kick in the stanes, of course it was a spanner in the works for everyone; it just so happened, I had the biggest year of my life planned. Once I had ran the Falkirk fifty kilometer run at the start of the year, I felt good the next day I truly felt I was ready for the biggest running event of my life the cape wrath ultra (CWU) this race was to be on the last week of May. It would have been and now still is my ultimate running event, the plan was to get it done then hang the running boots up to take on a long distance cycle route with no need to return to work or do any running for months perhaps a year.

                After I threw my home-made dice of life in 2018 it said I should save like hell for a year then cycle of into the sunset. So that was the Original plan, do the CWU then straight to work on Shetland for two weeks after the run, then home for three weeks to pack for cycle holiday, then not to fly home from work but tour Shetland by bike for a couple of weeks, deciding I would cycle away from work on the 21^st of July after my final shift ever, I would spend my 54^th year on this planet as an unpaid unemployed cycling backpacker, I was planning a couple of weeks cycling down from Shetland through Orkney then the central highland route home, having previously done the east and west route home. Then taking a month at home before going to the Tribfest music festival with ma pals at the end of august, all packed and prepared to cycle the north sea cycle route,(that plan is now a distant memory)

                 when bob went to Nordkapp i changed my mind and wanted to cycle there, once there I could turn the bike around and then cycle the length of Europe, Nordkapp to Gibraltar instead of the north sea cycle route, then a couple that I know posted up plans to say they were going to cycle the Velo 13 the iron curtain cycle route across Europe, I thought maybe I should do that instead then head south maybe to Australia, none of those options mattered much I would be free to make it up as I went along, I would make sure I never entered any events have my house in order and hit the road a free man with the rest of my life ahead of me answerable only to me,

                Everything was on target then Bosch covid hit all plans were scuppered the CWU was postponed a full year, so was the cuddies June wedding, so was Tribfest and my niece Eilidh’s wedding all postponed a full year! What was I to do about my plans? I had absolutely no idea the first two month as nobody knew how long everything was going to go on for, nobody knew at the start it would be mid-July before the pubs got sort of opened with still no cinema no gig`s no outdoor events or gatherings, it was like the pause button had been hit on life! I’m not complaining about it for some poor souls that pause button became a stop button,

                People still asked me what’s your plan what are you doing? I never knew myself so what could I tell them? All that I knew was I had paid a lot of money for the CWU and I still wanted to do it, this meant I would not be cycling anywhere outside the UK until at the earliest June 2021, the plus points were I got time to get my bicycle up to Shetlands and get some new kit for it and the big trip, my head was spinning with changing ideas of when to go where to go what transport to use? because everything had changed I would still be doing the CWU so I had to keep my training up I still wanted to go for a long cycle trip but now I had all these postponed planned events,

During the summer solstice I was up at Shetland at work, but after work while out cycling,  I was smiling as I cycled past Mavis grind – this is a road that passes along the small gap between the Atlantic and the north sea, my favourite bird the arctic tern was swirling around as it does in those parts at that time of year, a bird that never sees winter was making me ponder if? one day I should follow their example and head from Nordkapp at summer solstice and try to make a southern solstice (without flying) to the most southern mainland road point down at Ushuaia, later on while discussing this with my work colleague mark, he mentioned the southern Atlantic Orkneys and Shetland, suggesting I should cycle of from work on north Atlantic Shetland at the solstice and head to southern Shetland, this was a thrilling exciting idea to me, one which I couldn’t stop thinking about for hours I LOVE this idea! An adventure with a new goal was on the cards the idea formulating daily. The adventure cogs in my head are still working on this idea now.

 My initial dream of summer solstice on Shetland in the north Atlantic to summer solstice Shetland in the south Atlantic by bicycle, also unlike the tern no flying! Was my initial exciting dream but logistically this is just not possible, timing and transport were against me. Researching ferry links, I could get from the UK via Denmark and Norway then the Pharos to Iceland was easy enough done, I nearly left it at that thinking there must be a boat link between Iceland and the Americas hopefully with a stop at Greenland? I had a look online sadly there seemed to be no way to do this by boat, some cruise ships poked around the area I wondered if I could get on one of those? Then I came across a trip from Southampton to New York and Niagara Falls on the queen mary2 very nice it looked and reasonably priced ideas of a bit of luxury were forming and still are  

The timing for all this is what most people that know me are most interested in? due to the fact that as I type this write up, I am a few month beyond from when I was planning to pack in work and start the big daunder adventure, so when are you going to finish work now kenny? I don’t know due to lockdown I had been throwing money at the mortgage planning to work another 2-3 months longer than planned, to get to be totally debt free, the longer I work after becoming debt free then that would potentially pay for some luxuries along the way a few nice hotel stays. that cruise ship maybe a train journey or two? just a dream so far BUT- a cruise at the south Atlantic dropping me in OZ or NZ would be grand with a cycle back home up through japan and Asia would be ideal, these thoughts have made me sensible about my plans. I shall be working my next two trips minimum potentially three or four?

Although super keen to stop working so I can concentrate on my training and my writing, if I ever get that bloody book edited and of to the publishers, (which would please me greatly I am putting in the work) hopefully I can get those projects completed before I set off travelling, as this would leave me free to start on other writing projects that I have planned, it would also let me get well ahead with my blogging and web page, working until December should make me well enough prepared financially but less well prepared fitness wise for the CWU, I would also potentially be no further forward with editing of any of my books then starting the next one. Especially as every time I am at home I get carried away with other stuff neglecting the editing,

The latest plan is fly to Shetland for work at new year then pledge to be flight free 2021 stay on Shetland for my time of work to have a cycle touring holiday, trialing the daunder and my equipment in a Shetland winter doing all the trig points do another trip at work then cycle away into the horizon after that one 

 

To be continued

Shetland trig points

 A box to tick a goal to chase a new adventure a sense of direction for my training? 

all of the above 

with the big daunder on hold due to covid 19 steps for the escape plan and big adventures are still taking place, baby steps compared to the original plan, but still moving forward 

 

My first ten Trig points on Shetland

Hurda field Hill was my first trig point on Shetland, also the one I will have been on by far the most, this hill was straight across from the Moorfield hotel before it burned to the ground! I had spent half of 7 years in that hotel roughly three weeks on three weeks off for seven years, so more than a thousand nights spent in that hotel. During that time, I would go out running and or cycling most nights, heading up to this trig point was a favourite micro adventure,

 I even made a strava three peaks running route round this peak and two others either side of mavis grind, calling it the Moorfield three peaks challenge, which I would also occasionally drag some work colleagues’ round.

My second trig point peak was Shetlands biggest hill Ronas hill first done with gary park and the two colins, way back in December 2014 nearly six years ago, on that occasion we got lashed by heavy sleet and had zero view,

 but then this glorious sunny day out in 2020, A day out cycling from the Moorfield and back in glorious sunshine 

 https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/4444056501602654657/6450876471019610740

My third peak/trig was done as part of a big run from my worksite up over the crooksetter hill which is on the approach road to work SGP, then I ran past the monument four way valve thing, I then ended up on the ferry to yell road somehow? and had to run back down to the town of Mossbank, then up to hill of swinster 139meters where the trig point is, and an interesting old building that’s collapsing built for the airfield of scatsta during the war at a guess, choosing to then run over the ridge and peat hags back to the Moorfield hotel the hard way, it was a tough but rewarding run  

The hamars of Burraland what an impressive name for a hill! but it’s not a big one, it was also easy to get to, but for me this was a wee landmark? as it was the first peak that I actually chose to start ticking of the Shetland trig points, It was still lockdown we were at work nightshift I had ran all the streets of brae (over three nights its not a big place) once that box was ticked, I then ran all the local trails that I hadn’t done before and made up a few new one, I needed a new challenge as the gym was still shut I was starting to feel like a hamster on my wheel in a cage, I had no events to train for due to the cape wrath ultra being postponed, I had a full year with an empty schedule of events! What to do now? AJ in the office told me his aunt and uncle had been ticking of all the trig points on Shetland and PING, I had the map out that day and night having a scan around, there were plenty doable trigs from the accommodation while still doing my shifts, I love having boxes to tick this was the start, the very next morning I asked my work mate robbo who is a keen wildlife photographer, was he going out to take photos after work? he had access to transport, yep he was yah beauty, I chose this hill as my next trig and first of the proper box ticking, the plan was he dropped me off, I ran to the peak and then I would run back along the main road, while he went and done his photography then pick me up on his way back, I would be running at the side of the road by then, and that’s what we done the funny thing was as I ran along I seen some crested divers near where he picked me up, when we got back to the hotel he told me what he was trying to take pictures of some crested divers that had been spotted, but he couldn’t find any he was raging when I told him yeh those crested divers were at that bit where you picked me up lol

 5&6 White grunafirth-173mtr & hill of ollaberry  - 119mtr for grunafirth we parked at a very remote area called heylor with good views over to Ronas voe and Ronas hill, robbo took plenty cool pictures, I had a fair trek to get into this hill and up onto the ridge, first of all choosing to go north to septa field hill to be sure I was on the right hill, then back along the ridge to the trig

 and down to meet robbo again, who by then had been taking photos of an old sheiling, I showed him on my map an easy hitter we would be virtually driving past on the way back, on a high road called hill of ollaberry he said he may even walk this one with me, he started but at the first fence crossing decided his old knee wouldn’t cope, good views over to work and sullum voe from the trig, I wish Robbo had done it I’m sure he could have done managed it, it would have made good photography among the bog cotton 

7&8 Hostaberg 197 mtr and the dudd 90mtr this was a cracking morning out after work in glorious weather – first off all the road we drove to the first trig was actually through a tree tunnel at one part, some people think you can’t grow trees on Shetland this is a lot of lies probably started by the sheep farmers, who kill any chance of trees, I have ran through woods on Shetland which are really cool the trees are small which makes it even more appealing, wherever there is no sheep trees grow, there was a parking view point looking way out toward Sumburgh from a high point, marked on the map as a viewpoint not far from where robbo dropped me off, he went back there to take in the view, while I trudged ran bounced and hopped all the way up to the trig, to be rewarded with cracking views and a truly fun run back down, with perfect timing to meet robbo and move on,

 next we wanted our photo taken at the sign for the town called Twatt, when we found it the sign was not like the ones I had seen in photos? that’s because the signs I had seen were for twatt Orkney I felt a right twat (pun intended) the Shetland town of twat didn’t have its own sign! still we had fun pointing at each other at the sign

 – next we parked up in the town of aith and I ran up the easy hitter trig point called the dudd –

 we left there and were on our way back, robbo spotted some ponies and asked if I minded him stopping to take pics of Shetland ponies which of course I didn’t, the ponies it turned out were in a field attached to Shetlands famous honesty cake fridge, this cost me £20 in cakes the prices were on the cakes, I had only notes so bought £20 worth and shoved the note in the honesty box, there was some vegan ones suitable for me so it was worth it,( robbo gave me halfers also) the route back then went over what’s known locally as the Aith alps back, which is very scenic route, all in all a rewarding morning for everyone

Sae breck 62mtr this trig is at Eshaness near the lighthouse which was built by the Stephenson family, which was a coincidence at that time as I was planning doing the Stephenson way route of kidnapped, I had been to eshaness before to see the impressive sea cliffs listen to the cannonball chute, and perhaps one day I would like to visit the huge sea cave,  this time robbo dropped me off and went away orca hunting, the jungle drums (AKA group chat) had been going mental a pod of orcas were out following the coast, robbo had his good camera at the ready. I first of all visited a graveyard I was passing! Another new habit! After running to the trig

 I went to the lighthouse car park and spoke to some other folk out to get a look at the pod, robbo met me there he had just missed the pod round the coast, we were in luck here as the pod were passing and we had a good vantage point, we photo’d the orcas and then drove round the bay to where we hoped they would come in even closer (they never) when we parked we met a bloke called Steve who was a professional wildlife photographer, the three of us walked out over some sea rocks and sat for ages chatting waiting for the orcas that never appeared, it was all a good morning though

Sneugie 219mtres – this peak high above the fishing village of voe commands fine views I like voe the harbour is obviously at sea level where the pierhead bar and bakery is then the town itself rises up steeply in both directions from the harbour at least 50mtrs up each way steeply to the roads in and out. A proper crossroads town four ways – scott drove from work. he dropped me off and then went off  with his camera, I ran up to the peak and back, it was nice views but I had the scoots it was a quick up and down before dinner, scared to be too far from a loo too long and no trowel with towel to hand!

sneugie