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.
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