the faithers up north

The first trig I wanted to do on this day was a fair undrivable distance from Johnny notions Bod. it’s called the faither I love some of the trig point names this is a good name, I would like to go see the faither like the real one it was difficult to get to a bit cold and distant but hopefully a rewarding visit where I shall gain some knowledge from the faither again! somehow, I had a feeling of impending doom and didn’t really want to set off, it was all negativity in ma heid! The Bod is locked up but the outside loos were open - what ma faither woulda called a shunkie, after using the open pleasant for where I was sit down loos at the Bod, it shoulda cheered me up as it woulda been a cold morning for a bare bum outside sit down, I had previously joked in the office that I would be taking tree seeds with me and planting trees next to every sit down outside number two, then that would leave a legacy of my trail around Shetland kenjos shitty tree trail, I’ve had my scoop at the ready but fortunately not required it yet, I’ve adopted the attitude of not waiting to go when I need but going when I find a useable loo, its worked out fine I’m sure your pleased to know

Unhooking the bike from inside the back of the van, then setting off on a snowy icy road wasn’t easy psychologically, it was very cold for me and that was with five upper layers on and two sets of mitts it was proper freezing, this always makes me worried I will work too hard get sweaty then never get dry again, an issue with all outdoors winter activities skiing cycling climbing don’t get sweaty on the uphill then never dry or warm on the downhill, I kept my pace slow hoping this wouldn’t happen, slight map reading error again I headed straight behind a farm building I shoulda veered left at, then headed right thinking I had come to the sea! but I hadn’t I had came to ronas voe which is sea but heads in land, (sometimes your mind tricks you into seeing what it wants you to see!

this cost me a couple of kilometers to my journey, which also made me extremely happy when I eventually found the faither! The wisdom this faither gave me was- I was probably over worrying about the nearby sea cliffs as they truly are dramatic in this area all around the north west, this is what made me go too far to the right

I was back in good enough time to think I could potentially do the last two in the north for me this day, I started driving out straight away deciding on snacks and a cup of coffee out of the corner shop in Hillswick, a cool town with an impressive big hotel and sea cliff circled beach, along the coast, this wasn’t far out my journey, I had a good signal here also so could text some late replies quickly before driving out toward north roe, past Rona’s hill as I had previously done all the other trigs in this area, these last two were not on the mainland map but on the os map for yell and unst,

I mistakenly drove right past the first one, which I was wanting to do first as it was the harder of the two and it was midafternoon, I wasn’t doing the hard one if I felt I would be coming down the steep section with a head torch! But no point in turning back by then, I drove as far north as you possible can by road (on the Shetland mainland) and parked up, this was easy to find its actually a sort of land rover track most of the way which takes you eventually to an area called fethaland, which I really had hoped to visit with its abandoned village, carved messages crazy unique stones, I would have loved to have camped out there for a day or two, not in this weather though with the short days also, the trig was done and a quick photo taken back to van, maybe one day I shall return?

Looking at the sun coming down! the steep slope up to the next trig point on a ridge from the van, I was balancing the risks and timings I had a head torch a good one I knew was charged, I had no ice axe or crampons, there was snow hopefully not too much ice I reckoned it would take me an hour and there was two hours of daylight I went for it! Promising myself that if the light faded before I thought I could get back the steep section then I would turn around, I made good time it was indeed as steep as it looked from the road with one bad section, once on the ridge I made a mental note of where I came up but would most like to just follow my own footsteps,

Once along the ridge I could clearly see the trig it was a vanessa style I done my obligatory photos not wanting to spend a Minuet longer than required which was a shame as the views were stunning, I did follow my own footsteps back, I have friends who have made mistakes with this technique but that usually involves following someone else’s steps, there was defo only one set up there I could even make out my distinct tread and the way the shoe was facing at times, it worked out fine and I was down with plenty time for daylight

I was glad I had done the last of the north ones driving across mavis grind I wondered if it would be for the last time! I was fair chuffed with myself though, it had been a long but productive day with all objectives achieved, it was time for celebration I had conquered the north lol! My yell buddy Dunc would say that’s not the real north! That challenge is approaching my friend the true north awaits? But for this day I felt a guid fish supper at Frankie’s fish and chip shop a place I really like, this would be as good a celebration as I could get due to all pubs being shut. But No yet again Frankie’s was shut I was gutted, what to do? I had food I could park up and cook or I could drive to lerwick harbour where I knew the chippy was open then think of where to sleep and plan the next day, hell yeh lerwick here I come salt vinegar and lashings of broon sauce on that breaded supper please,

I had parked the van way down the bottom of the car park in the harbour as I wanted a beer with my chips as a celebration, I was only sat two minuet’s chips on lap beer cracked when some boy racer parked up facing me two berths away! FFS I was thinking can you no see I want peace there’s plenty space! Five mins later a girl’s car parks up along from him also facing me! Bloody hell thinks I there’s nae privacy in these parts, she got out her car went into his and they drove off! I now don’t think either of them were ever interested in an auld boy enjoying fish and chips with a sneaky beer, I opted to go park up at the lerwick bod down by the marina on reflection this may have been a mistake it was a busy area, the free car park I chose was a sheet of ice I had to watch while walking outside the van, it was late there was no point in moving anywhere or booking something eat sleep and repeat was what I had in mind, the next day should see a major objective achieved hopefully!