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Scotland, Faroes, Romania 2024
  • Darren and Janet

Scotland, Faroes, Romania 2024

A 39-day adventure by Darren and Janet Read more
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  • Trip start
    May 6, 2024
    Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    1

    Changi transit

    May 6, 2024 in Singapore ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    After an overnight stay at the airport hotel, our 9am flight to Singapore was comfortable and uneventful - the only way flights should be!

    We have an 11 hour transit in Singapore, so took advantage of their free bike hire from the airport. Their suggested trip to Changi Village was estimated to take 2 hours return, but we were barely a third of the way there after an hour... and we'd only stopped for 1 cache 🤣

    The humid weather wasn't conducive to fast riding, so we turned around at the water treatment plant and had a leisurely ride back to the airport.

    After a walk around the butterfly garden, a shower and a meal, we settled in to wait for our 2.25am departure.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    High Street, Dumfries
    5The rolling hills of northern England3Gretna GreenGlobe Hotel, a favourite haunt of Robert BurnsRiver Nith, DumfriesRobert Burns statue, Dumfries

    Queen of the South

    May 7, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Our flight arrived in Manchester later than expected, then we had delays collecting our hire car (but we did get an upgrade!), so we didn't set off north until nearly midday.

    Traffic was heavy on the motorway, until we reached the rolling hills between the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks, then and onto Gretna Green, just over the border.

    After a visit to the famous Blacksmiths Shop, where runaway couples from England have wed since 1754, we headed towards Dumfries for the night.

    Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South, which is also the name of their soccer team in the Scottish leagues. It was the birthplace and childhood home of JM Barrie (author of Peter Pan), resting place of Robbie Burns, Scotland's National Poet, and, less famously, home of Alex Graham, creator of the Fred Basset cartoon.

    We walked through the historical centre, along the River Nith and had dinner at a local pub , before walking back to our hotel to watch the Eurovision song contest semi final.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    Unusual headstones, St Michael's church graveyard
    St Michael's cemetery, Dumfries1Robert Burns' mausoleum, DumfriesBike track, near Glasgow3Blending in with the foliage, BowlingBowling Basin and canalGorse in flowerDumbarton CastleRiver Clyde and Dumbarton Rock

    Bowling to Dumbarton

    May 8, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    We started the day with a visit to Robert Burns' mausoleum in the grounds of St Michael's church in Dumfries. The mausoleum is quite out of place in the cemetery as it's the only thing painted white.

    We drove on the minor road towards Glasgow, then joined the motorway to skirt the city, heading to the northern bank of the Clyde River.

    First stop was the linear village of Bowling, hemmed in between the mountains and the River Clyde, with a harbour and locks leading to the Forth and Clyde Canal. The canal opened in 1790 and provided a route for the seagoing vessels between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde. This allowed navigation from the port of Glasgow on the west coast to Edinburgh on the east coast.

    After coffee and cake at the lock we continued to Dumbarton, our stop for the night. We visited Dumbarton Castle, which sits upon Dumbarton Rock, a natural fortress overlooking the River Clyde. The castle last saw action during World War 2, when anti-aircraft guns were placed there to protect the nearby shipyards from German bombing.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    2Castle Stalker
    14Wetherspoons Oban carpet

    To the highlands and back

    May 9, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    We woke up this morning to the first rain of the trip and the temperature had dropped considerably with it.

    We left Dumbarton and travelled up the narrow, winding road along the western shore of Loch Lomond, before continuing north towards Glencoe, the skiing and bushwalking centre of Scotland, and the start of the Highlands. The clouds got lower, the traffic got heavier and the scenery more spectacular at every turn.

    We stopped for lunch at Kings House Hotel, which is a popular stop for bushwalkers on multi day hikes, before continuing on to Glencoe and a walk down the main street.

    We then headed back south towards Oban, our destination for the night... but not without stopping first at Castle Stalker, an island castle best known in popular culture as "The Castle Aaaaarrrrrrggghhh" in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

    Dinner tonight was at the Oban Wetherspoons, part of the chain of 850 pubs across the UK. Fun fact, each Wetherspoons pub has unique carpet, representative of either the building or location. I've included a photo of the Oban threads for the record 😁    Read more

  • Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    1Bridge Over the Atlantic
    McCaig's Tower dominates the skyline in Oban11View of Oban from Pulpit Hill, McCaig's Tower in the backgroundCache in hand, KilninverEasdale Ferry2Only grass roads between the houses on Easdale1View from the highest point on Easdale, looking toward Seil IslandHaving a go at stone skimming from the official launching block

    Double island day

    May 10, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    We started the day with a visit to one of the most recognisable features of Oban, the unfinished McCaig's Tower, which looms over the city on Battery Hill. It was based on the Colosseum and planned as a lasting monument to the builder and designer John McCaig, and his family. Unfortunately he died after only the outer shell was completed and his family refused to compete it, so it remains unfinished.

    We drove a few miles south of Oban and visited our first island, Seil Island, via Clachan Bridge. Because the Clachan Sound connects at both ends to the Atlantic Ocean, and might therefore be considered part of that ocean, the bridge is known as the Bridge over the Atlantic.

    The hotel next to the bridge is called Tigh an Truish (The House of the Trousers). It’s named this because several years after the Jacobite rebellion - when the British government tried to suppress Gaelic culture, banning kilts, tartan, bagpipes, and language - islanders heading for work on the mainland would change into trousers here and back into their kilts when returning home.

    Our final stop, off the south western coast of Seil Island, is Easdale, one of the Slate Islands. Once the centre of the Scottish slate industry, it is dotted with disused quarries which filled up with water following a storm in 1850 and were abandoned. The island has no roads, and a population of 60 permanent residents, and has hosted the World Stone Skimming Championships since 1997. It is the smallest inhabited island of the Inner Hebrides.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    1
    1Duart Castle1Single lane road, with passing bays2Mull, southern road scenery1Iona housingOne of the many road hazards we encountered1Iona Abbey1First highland coo spotted!2The central coast road, Mull

    Mull and Iona

    May 11, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    We were up bright and early today to catch the first ferry of the day from Oban to Craignure, on the Isle of Mull.

    It's only a 45 minute crossing, so we hit the ground running at 8.15am and headed towards Duart Castle, ancestral home of Clan McLean, built on a rocky outcrop overlooking the straight. Original construction began in the 13th century, but after various periods of siege and abandonment, much of what we see today is a 1911 reconstruction.

    The main road around Mull is a single lane road, with passing turnouts at regular intervals, usually 100-200 metres apart. If you meet a car coming in the opposite direction, one of you must stop at the nearest passing bay and let the other through. So progress can be slow, with lots of stopping, headlight flashing and waving to other drivers!

    We arrive at Fionnphort in time for lunch at the pub, before boarding the ferry for Iona.

    Iona is known as the birthplace of Celtic Christianity, with Iona Abbey founded by St Columbus in 563. It has a small art, craft and tourism industry, focussing on wildlife and nature conservation. There are a small number of roads for locals to use, but no tourist cars are allowed, so walking and cycling are the preferred transport methods.

    We returned to Mull late afternoon and drove back to the east coast via the central road. The scenery along the way is spectacular, so we made plenty of stops for photos, caches and animals on the road, arriving at our accommodation in Salen after 5pm.

    The hotel we are staying in has a pub quiz tonight, so we had dinner and a night of quizzing before catching the end of Eurovision.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    2Lachlan Macquarie's mausoleum1Eas Fors Waterfall3View of Dervaig. Note the white, pencil shaped church in the village.3Calgary Bay1Why have powerlines follow the road when you can cut across the beach!2View from a cache. Me in the midground, car in the background, sheep between us

    Mull northern loop

    May 12, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Our day began with a visit to the mausoleum of Lachlan Macquarie, former Governor of New South Wales. He was born on Ulva, an island off the west coast of Mull.

    Our drive today took us north, with windier roads and more reversing into passing bays - we had good luck yesterday and could see the upcoming road, but with the windy roads and limited visibility, at one stage we had to reverse 3 times in 10 minutes after meeting oncoming cars.

    We visited the aptly named Eas Fors Waterfall, a 3 tiered waterfall that falls directly into the sea. Eas is Gaelic for waterfall, Fors is Norse for waterfall... so it is literally named Waterfall Waterfall Waterfall.

    Our lunch stop was Calgary, a hamlet on the west coast (and the origin of the name of Calgary in Canada). We were almost resigned to having snack lunch from our emergency rations, but were very pleased to find a cafe open for lunch on a Sunday! Calgary Bay is also one of the most popular beaches on Mull.

    Our route home took us along a series of hairpin turns, part of the course of the Rally of Mull, where the island's roads are closed for a round of the British Rally Championship each October.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    2Tobermory waterfront
    Aros Castle1View from Aros Castle2Cill An Ailean cemetery1Tobermory waterfrontTobermory waterfrontAros Forest1Aros Waterfall, Aros Forest1Salen Wrecks, a restoration project abandoned in the 1970's

    Destination: Tobermory (not the Womble*)

    May 13, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    We had an easy day today, with only a few kilometres of driving planned. We began with a visit to Aros Castle, an abandoned 13th century castle just north of Salen, our base on Mull.

    Next stop was a walk in Cill An Ailean, a forested area with an ancient chapel and cemetery.

    We continued north to Tobermory, the colourful capital of Mull. The name is derived from the Gaelic Tobar Mhoire, meaning "Mary's well", which refers to a well dedicated in ancient times to the Virgin Mary.

    The city centre is concentrated along one street on the waterfront, running between the ferry terminal and the marina, with multiple souvenir shops, a bakery, pub and distillery most prominent.

    We snacked on local produce from the weekly produce market at the marina, topping it off with some fare from the award winning fish and chip van by the pier.

    On the way home we stopped for a walk in Aros Forest, with multiple waterfalls and views across to Tobermory harbour.

    *For those unfamiliar with the 1970's TV show, the main Wombles are Great Uncle Bulgaria, Tobermory, Madame Cholet, Orinoco, Wellington, Tomsk and Bungo)    Read more

  • Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    1Road on the left, river on the right
    1Fishnish to Lochaline Ferry2Single lane road along the western shore of Loch Linnhe53Corran ferry crossing, at the narrowest point of Loch Linnhe1Fort William, view from across Loch Linnhe1Glenfinnan Viaduct... as close as we got1Neptune's Staircase2

    Mull to Fort William

    May 14, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Our final morning on Mull, after grabbing a couple of caches we caught the ferry from Fishnish to Lochaline. This ferry has no bookings, just turn up and wait in line. We got to the terminal 20 minutes before departure, so had no problem getting a spot.

    The weather today has turned very Scottish - overcast with drizzly rain all day. Fortunately most of the day was driving, taking the scenic route up the western shore of Loch Linnhe, to Glenfinnan.

    Lunch stop was at Corran, watching the ferry go back and forth across the loch.

    Our plan for the afternoon was to visit the Glenfinnan Viaduct, the tall, arched bridge made famous by the Harry Potter movies. But it seems everyone else had the same idea. We arrived a few minutes before the steam train was scheduled to travel through, and the carparks were already at capacity and had been closed, leaving many people to park along the main road and walk great distances. We were happy take a snap of the viaduct as we drove past!

    We arrived at Fort William and visited Neptune's Staircase, the longest staircase lock in Britain, rising boats up 20 metres through 8 locks.

    We walked back into town for dinner at a local hotel.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    1Steall Waterfall
    1Only a few minutes outside Fort William1On the way to the West Highland Way1Glen Nevis walk, final section2Our morning tea companion1Fort William High Street1On the way down from retrieving a cache, near West Highland WayApproaching Steall Falls

    Walking Wednesday

    May 15, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Back to sunny days with 24 degrees forecast, so it's shorts out again!

    We had a full day around Fort William, so we began with a walk along a section of the West Highland Way, a 96 mile walking trail from Glasgow to Fort William. The section we walked was along the Old Military Road and was the site of the Battle of Inverlochy (1645), one of the many battles between Highlanders and Royalist troops.

    We headed back into town for lunch in the High Street (soup and a Scotch pie, while watching a busking bagpiper). We visited the West Highland Museum and browsed the shops, before heading towards Glen Nevis for the afternoon.

    Glen Nevis is a valley near Ben Nevis (the highest mountain in the UK), and the most popular walking track is along the gorge to Steall Waterfall, the second tallest waterfall in the UK at 120 metres. It's a 3.5 km walk along uneven terrain, so took us an hour to walk in, and about 45 minutes out, with a steady stream of walkers going in both directions.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    1Cille Choirill Church and graveyard
    Inverlochy Castle ruins3Fort William hydro pipes, originally built to power the towns aluminium smelter3Commando Monument, Spean BridgeLaggan Reservoir, one of the 2 dams that supply Fort William's hydro plant1Cache stop1Pitlochry main streetPitlochry fish ladderRiver Tummel, near Pitlochry damPitlochry, walk from dam back to town

    To Pitlochry

    May 16, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    We departed Fort William after a visit to the supermarket and a couple of caches, on the road to Pitlochry for the night.

    Our first stop was Spean Bridge, and the Commando Memorial. It was a popular stop for the tour buses, and had the obligatory busking bagpiper setting the mood.

    Next stop was Cille Choirill, a 15th-century Roman Catholic church situated in Roy Bridge, a picturesque setting on the side of a hill overlooking Glen Spean.

    We stopped for lunch at the local pub and were the only patrons in the bar.

    We arrived in Pitlochry around 3pm, checked into our hotel and walked down the hill into town to visit the dam and fish ladder.

    The fish ladder is a series of 34 pools over 310 metres which allow the salmon to travel upstream during breeding season, bypassing the dam.

    Dinner was at a local cafe, before the walk back to our hotel.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    1Ell Shop, Dunkeld
    3River Tay, Dunkeld3Dunkeld Cathedral, rear section under restorationDunkeld Cathedral3Fountain Square, DunkeldSpittalfield1Farmland, just outside Dundee1War Memorial, Dundee Law3View from Dundee Law

    Ell of a good time

    May 17, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    We farewelled Pitlochry at our usual time of 9am, meandering south for the next few days, back towards Edinburgh.

    First stop was Dunkeld, one of the most complete 18th-century towns in Scotland, having been almost entirely rebuilt after most of the original town was destroyed during the Battle of Dunkeld in 1689.

    We did a cache-guided walking tour of the town, visiting the cathedral, riverfront and market square. Close to the market square is the Ell Shop (1757), which has an ell-stick attached to one corner, once used to measure cloth and other commodities in the marketplace. An ell is a now obsolete unit of measure which was mainly used in the tailoring business, and was originally the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger. To standardise it, Edward I of England required that every town have one official ell-stick, and Dunkeld's is still on display.
    (the word ell literally means "arm", and survives in the form of the word "elbow" (arm-bend)).

    Lunch was in a cafe in the village of Spittalfield, before continuing on to Dundee for the night.

    We drove up to the highest point of the city, known as Dundee Law. (law is Scottish for hill). It has a large war memorial at it's peak and provides panoramic 360 degree views of the city and waterfront.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    1St Andrews Old Course
    3Players lining up for photos on Swilcan Bridge, 18th fairway, St Andrews Old Course2St Fillans Church, AberdourLeper Squint, St Fillans Church, AberdourAberdour Castle, west sideAberdour Castle and gardensSt Bridget's Church, Aberdour2Silver Sands Beach, Aberdour

    Fife Coast Road

    May 18, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    We only had 80km to travel today, so took the scenic route via the Fife Coast Road.

    First stop was St Andrews, the home of golf. It's remarkably open and easy to access the famous Old Course, even allowing spectators to walk across the 18th fairway between groups. It's open to the public to play a round, but can't be booked - players must enter a lottery, and pay the green fee if they are successful - currently £320 ($600) 😮

    The rest of the coast road was unremarkable, passing through many villages, but with very few views of the coast, so we didn't make any stops until Aberdour, our destination for the night.

    We walked around town in bright sunshine, stopping for ice-cream in the main street. We visited St Fillans Church (built in the 1100's), who claim that Robert the Bruce, who was a leper, visited the church to give thanks after the Battle of Bannockburn. He did so through the leper squint, a vertical slot cut into the outside wall to allow lepers to see the service without mixing with the rest of the congregation.

    Next door is Aberdour Castle, thought to be the oldest standing castle in Scotland (also built in the 1100's). The west side of the castle is ruined, but the east side is remarkably intact.

    After checking into our hotel, our late afternoon drive took us to St Bridget's Church, a ruined medieval church with views across the bay to Edinburgh, then onto Silver Sands, the most popular swimming beach in town.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    3Midhope Castle
    Pied crowOn the way to LallybrochAlong the Royal Mile, Edinburgh1

    Lallybroch and Edinburgh

    May 19, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Final day of the car hire today, and we have a short drive into Edinburgh.

    On the way we visited Midhope Castle, better known to Outlander fans as Lallybroch. The interior of the house is derelict and can't be accessed, but they're raising plenty of funds for restoration by charging £7.50 view it from the outside.

    We drove into the city centre to drop our bags at our hotel, before heading back out to the suburbs to drop the hire car off.

    We caught the tram back into town and had a walk through Princes Street Gardens, then wandered back to our hotel to check in.

    We enjoyed another walk late afternoon, and the streets were even more crowded than earlier, mostly with tourists. Our route took us along the Royal Mile and past Edinburgh Castle, before returning to our hotel for a welcome dinner before starting our cruise tomorrow.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    1Edinburgh Castle
    Inside Edinburgh Castle1View through the cannon hole, Edinburgh CastleCity view from Edinburgh Castle1 o'clock gun with Water of Leith in the background1Crowds in Edinburgh CastleConstruction of the grandstand for the military tattoo in August has begun1Dolly the Sheep, National Museum of Scotland1Leaving Leith harbour via the lock

    Sunshine on Leith

    May 20, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    We have most of the day in Edinburgh, before boarding our ship late afternoon at Leith, the port area of Edinburgh.

    We began with a city tour of Edinburgh, first touring the new town (not particularly new, it was planned in 1776 to relieve overcrowding in the old town), and finishing up in the old town.

    The old town is best explored by foot, and having seen much of the area along the Royal Mile yesterday, we chose to visit the National Museum of Scotland, and had lunch in the cafe there.

    At 12.45pm we visited Edinburgh Castle, just in time for the 1 o'clock gun to go off. It's been fired 6 days a week since 1861, initially so ships in Leith harbour could set their clocks by it, but now mainly for the tourists. Edinburgh Castle has 360 degree views over the city and is the city's premier tourist attraction, with tickets often sold out far in advance.

    At 4pm we made our way to the ship, leaving port at 6.30pm, headed north...    Read more

  • Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    1Skara Brae
    1Coming into KirkwallMain street, KirkwallKirkwall CathedralSkara BraeSkara BraeSkaill BeachOrkney rural scene1Ring of BrodgarSea Spirit, docked in Kirkwall

    Orkney

    May 21, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    After sailing all night, we were woken at 7am to the sound of an Arctic Tern over the ships PA system. We were a few hours south of the Orkney Islands, so had time for a leisurely breakfast before docking.

    First event of the day was a briefing about the day's activities, followed by a presentation about Artic sea birds we are likely to see. The expedition staff consists of an historian, botanist, ornithologist, geologist, marine biologist and wildlife photographer, so we'll have lectures on a variety of subjects during our sailing days. The ship isn't quite full, with 87 passengers (capacity is 114) and 84 staff and crew, so almost a 1:1 ratio.

    Our arrival port is the capital Kirkwall, on the largest island, Mainland. The Orkney's are made up of 70 islands, with only 14 inhabited. Kirkwall has 10,000 residents and a cathedral, so is classed as a city.

    We were scheduled to leave on the last bus, so we had time for a walk around the city, and some caching, before our tour.

    We drove across to the west coast to Skara Brae, a stone built Neolithic settlement, older than Stonehenge and the Great Pryamids. It was only uncovered in 1850, so is very well preserved.

    On the way back to Kirkwall we stopped at the Ring of Brodgar, a large standing stone circle, like Stonehenge. It originally contained 60 stones, but only 27 are still standing.

    Dinner was back onboard the ship, due to set sail at 11pm tonight.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    1
    111Collecting nesting materials11Coming in to land1Fulmars nesting on cliff ledgesFulmars nesting on cliff ledges1Oliver puffin watching3Ship anchored off Fair Isle

    A circus of puffins

    May 22, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Our wake-up call this morning was the sound of clanking chains as the anchors were dropped off the coast of Fair Isle.

    Fair Isle is the most remote inhabited island in the UK, halfway between Orkney and Shetland. The island is 4.8km long and 2.4 km wide and is home to 40 people.

    We were ferried to shore by zodiac, with the promise of seeing puffins... and we weren't disappointed! It's currently breeding season and they were busy furnishing their burrows with fresh grass, making multiple trips back and forth to sea to rest. They are much more at home on the ocean, and prefer to spend minimal time on land.

    Fun puffin fact - they only have their bright beaks during breeding season, the rest of the year it is grey.

    After observing the puffins for a while we walked almost to the other end of the island to the Community Hall, where the locals had put on a spread of morning tea for us. They were also selling their famous Fair Isle knitwear, and souvenirs made by the school. Currently the school has 5 children, but will go down to 2 in the new school year in July.

    We walked on a bit further and collected the only cache on Fair Isle, then walked back to the harbour. In total today we walked 11 km.

    After lunch on the ship, we returned back to shore for free time. We chose to watch the puffins again, and with far less people this time, the puffins were more active and more numerous, much to Oliver's delight.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    1Lerwick Market Square
    1Sumburgh Head... the ocean is down there somewhereThe only whale we saw all day1Sumburgh lighthouseJarshofJarshofJarshofJarshof, inside one of the houses1Shetland ponies!Lerwick Town Hall

    Shetland

    May 23, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    We woke this morning as we were arriving in Lerwick, the capital and only town in Shetland, on the largest island, Mainland.

    Shetland is made up of 100 islands, only 15 are permanently inhabited.
    From speaking with our guide, the island group should be referred to as Shetland or The Shetland Islands, but never The Shetlands - the locals are very thingy about that! While we're on pronunciation, the capital is pronounced Ler-wick, not Lerrick. A wick is a square shaped bay, so the W needs to be pronounced.. another advice from the guide!

    Our morning tour was a bus trip to Sumburgh Head, for whale and bird spotting near the lighthouse . 3 orcas have been seen this week, but the mist and low cloud made it impossible to see anything!

    The weather had cleared slightly when we visited Jarshof, a prehistoric and Norse settlement, but this time there was a range of building remains dating from 2500 BC up to the 17th century AD, all on the same small site.

    After lunch on the ship we had a walking tour of Lerwick, mostly in the rain. We visited the museum, town hall and shopping precinct, before breaking off for some shopping and caching of our own.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    3Foula, looking towards Ham Voe
    1Papa Stour coastlineZodiac cruising, Papa Stour1One of the many caves and arches explored, Papa Stour1Shags on a rock, Papa StourFoula shrouded in cloud as we arrivedZodiac transfer from ship to Ham Voe pier, Foula1Foula1Cloud beginning to lift, Foula110pm, sailing towards The Faroes

    Papa Stour and Foula

    May 24, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    The ship sailed overnight and we arrived at the north end of the island of Papa Stour at 7am.

    Papa Stour is the most westerly island of the main Shetland group, and has a small permanent population of approximately 15. It's coastline has a wide variety of caves, stacks, blowholes, arches and cliffs. It is among these features we spent to morning cruising in zodiacs and spotting bird and seals.

    Our zodiac driver for the morning was Falcon Scott, grandson of Robert Falcon Scott (of the Antarctic), who is the resident historian on our cruise. When we visited Antarctica a few years ago the resident historian was Jonathan Shackleton (cousin of Ernest), so all we needed on our next trip is a relative of Roald Amundsen and we have the Antarctic explorers trifecta!

    We returned to the ship for lunch as the ship relocated to Foula Island, 28km west of the main group of Shetland Islands. It is privately owned and has a population of 30.

    We anchored off shore and used zodiacs to ferry us to the main harbour, Ham Voe. When we arrived the island was under heavy cloud, but as the afternoon went on, the sun came out and we stripped off layers of clothes until we were down to t-shirts... and wishing we had worn shorts!

    We walked around the coastal path as far as the airport , and returned via the main road to the school where the children were selling items to support the school of 5 students.

    The swell began to rise as we returned to the ship and we had a particularly hairy (and wet) transfer from the zodiac to the ship.

    We set sail just after 5pm for our journey to The Faroes.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    Traditional Faroese costume
    1Funningur from above5Grass roofed churchFunningur from the shipOur group attempting Faroese Chain dancingInside the grass roofed churchRiver through FunningurOld track back to Funningur3FunningurOld track to Funningur

    Fun in Funningur

    May 25, 2024 in Faroe Islands ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    After a full night's sailing we arrived in the northern Faroes at 7am, anchoring off the village of Funningur on Eysturoy (Eastern Island).

    Funningur is a tiny village of 43 residents and 900 sheep, spectacularly nestled at the mouth of a river between two mountains.

    Our first plan was to walk to the top Slættaratindur, the tallest mountain in the Faroes. Unfortunately the cloud was so low the local guides decided it wasn't going to happen today, so we went for a shorter hike along the old track between the villages... which wasn't really a marked track, more just a general direction down the side of a hill!

    The local community had made a huge effort to welcome us to the village (they only get 3 boats a year), and took us on guided walks around town, stopping at the grass roofed wooden church, and a traditional drying house where we sampled Skerpikjøt, mutton which has been wind-dried and fermented for 5 to 9 months (it had an extremely strong flavour, and isn't for the faint hearted)

    The community cooked us lunch at the local school (now closed as there are only 2 children in the village) of fish soup and pancakes (both delicious).

    In the afternoon we had an outdoor demonstration of a Faroese Chain Dance, a traditional dance accompanied by singing of local ballads. We were then invited inside the dance hall to take part ourselves. The local men, women and children enthusiastically joined in and sang the ballads with pride and gusto. It was a fun and moving experience.

    Final event for the day was singing in the wooden church. Accompanied by a violin and piano accordion, we gave it our best singing in Faroese. Again, the locals poured into the church and led the singing, obviously proud of their heritage and keen to share their language.

    The Faroese language has always been a spoken language, but was not written for over 300 years and was banned from church writings (because "God couldn't understand Faroese") and school (because it wasn't considered an academic language).
    In 1937, Faroese replaced Danish as the official school language, in 1938, as the church language, and in 1948, as the national language of the Faroe Islands. However, Faroese did not become the common language of media and advertising until the 1980s.

    Dinner was back on the ship as we sailed towards Tórshavn, the capital, arriving at 8.30pm... ready to hit the ground running in the morning.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    2
    St Magnus church1Tórshavn city centreTórshavn old townTórshavn city cenrre4Jellyfish RoundaboutNes church1The highest point of our walk3Almost at the end of our "family walk"

    Tórshavn

    May 26, 2024 in Faroe Islands ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Late last night we arrived in the capital Tórshavn, which is on the largest island, Streymoy.

    The Faroes are made up of 18 islands, all but one populated (one island only has 2 residents!). The major islands are joined together by 4 undersea tunnels, the smaller island are serviced by ferry, and the very small islands by helicopter.

    In the morning we boarded buses and visited the village of Kirkjubøur, and the ruins of Magnus Church. The village, like many others and the capital has plenty of grassed roof houses.

    Grass roofed houses are very common in The Faroes and are still being constructed. To make the roof, a layer of birch bark is traditionally laid over the roof beams, then a layer of grass upside down (ie grass down, roots up), before the top layer of grass is added right way up. The lower layer gives the roots of the top layer something to attach to.

    We returned to Tórshavn and had a walking tour of the old town, before returning to the ship for lunch.

    The afternoon was a walk on the adjacent island, from Nes to Æduvik. To get there we travelled through one of the undersea tunnels, 11km in length, and including the only undersea roundabout in the world, known as the Jellyfish Roundabout.

    Our walk was described by locals as a "family walk". It was a challenging 4km walk across the peninsula, so more sore legs for us tonight! We walked 11km in total today.

    When we returned to the ship we had some free time before dinner, so we went for a caching walk around town in drizzly rain and heavy fog.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    3Guillemots
    1Vestmanna1Uninhabited village of Slættanes, now used as summer houses. There are no roads to the village.1Vestmanna bird cliffs, boat for scale1OystercatcherGrass roofed church, Saksun3Cache find near the Giant And Hag outcropPollurin Waterfall, SaksunSome of the village streets were a squeeze for our bus2Just walked across the Atlantic, Eysturoy Island in the background

    We're on strike*

    May 27, 2024 in Faroe Islands ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    We had a plan for today, but it got scuppered by a general strike of minimum wage workers in the Faroes.... and as there were no cleaners working, the streets were not cleaned, bins not emptied and schools were closed. All the petrol stations bar 1 were also closed, so many bus companies couldn't provide transport, and locals were using their cars sparingly, so the roads were very quiet.

    Our plan B was to reposition the boat to Hvalvik (Whale Bay... like the Scottish "wick", Faroese vik = bay), then use a local bus company to drive us to the other side of the island to catch a charter boat to see the Vestmanna bird cliffs and the thousands of birds nesting there.

    We returned to the ship for lunch, then headed out in the afternoon to the village of Saksun, then back to Eysturoy Island (this time via a bridge across the Atlantic... much bigger than the one in Scotland) , for a visit to a lookout, and a scenic drive.

    Tonight's after dinner entertainment was a pub quiz in the bar, where we came a respectable 4th. *Our team name was "We're on strike"    Read more

  • Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    1Múllafossur Waterfall
    1Sandavágar churchSandavágar church interiorView from Gásadalur. Tunnel entrance is mid pictureLow cloud in Gásadalur village2Gásadalur villageWalking in Bøur1Bøur - even the chook house has a grass roof

    Farewell Faroes

    May 28, 2024 in Faroe Islands ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Our final day in the Faroes began with the ship repositioning during the night to the harbour in Midvagur, on the island of Vagar.

    After breakfast we boarded buses to Sandavágar church. It is a light and airy wooden church, with a model of a boat hanging from the beams. We learnt that every church on the Faroes has a boat inside somewhere, some to commemorate loved ones lost to the ocean, a safe return from a voyage, or as a reminder of their link to the sea. There is no point on the Faroes that is more than 5km from the sea, and all but one settlement is on the coast (the other one is on a lake shore)

    The village of Gásadalur was our final stop for the day. Until 2003 it was not accessible by road as it was considered too costly to blast through the rock and connect it's 14 residents with the rest of the country. However, following a generous government rethink, engineers completed a 1.7km-long tunnel in February 2003 to bring their blissful isolation to an end.

    The tunnel also opened up the number of visitors to Múllafossur Waterfall, possibly the Faroes most famous tourist attraction. It falls 30m off the edge of a cliff directly into the sea and has a convenient viewpoint a short walk away.

    On the way back to the ship we walked through the village of Bøur (only residents cars are allowed in the village), and had coffee and cake in a small family run cafe. The village was a base for British soldiers during World War 2, as it is close to the airport.

    We set sail for Edinburgh after lunch and had a restful afternoon of presentations and eating, before the crew talent show after dinner.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    On the bridge
    1Outside the bridge, calm seas todayQuiet in the bar, just prior to afternoon tea being served1Mmm, afternoon tea!1We can follow our route and current position on screens around the ship

    Maybe

    May 29, 2024, North Sea ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    We have a full day at sea today as we make our way back to Edinburgh, so plenty of time to wander around the ship, catch up on reading, reflect on the trip... and start to pack. We also made our first visit to the bridge.

    As we head south the weather is getting warmer, and the fog lifting. The Faroes and it's island neighbours in the north Atlantic could be described as the Lands of Maybe. Nothing can be guaranteed, as the weather has a habit of putting a stop to the best laid plans. Maybe the sun will shine today, maybe the supply boat will arrive, maybe the planes will be able land... In fact there are 37 different words for fog in the Faroe Islands. Slavtoka is a rainy mist. Mjørkabrúgv is a fog bank that sits on the horizon. Hjallamjørki is a thick belt of fog, above and below which it is tantalisingly clear. And fjallamjørki is a mountain fog, which descends from the heavens in a matter of seconds, covering small settlements "like a burst of breath on a window pane".

    We had a preview of the trip video blog, compiled by one of the trip photographers, then a final dinner where all the crew were introduced. Docking is expected in Edinburgh at 3am, and we disembark after breakfast.    Read more

  • Darren and JanetScotland, Faroes, Romania 2024Darren and Janet
    3"Weeping Girls", Oliver's favourite piece, Jupiter Artland
    1Forth rail bridge, Firth of Forth3"Rivers", water from 100 UK rivers, Jupiter Artland1"Landscape with gun and tree", my favourite installation, Jupiter ArtlandJupiter Artland gardens"Upside Down Mimi", Jupiter ArtlandEdinburgh is an incredibly busy city, awash with thousands of tourists2What better than a statue on the street... a statue on the roof!Scott Monument, Edinburgh3The forgotten centre of Edinburgh

    Journey to the centre of Edinburgh

    May 30, 2024 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    After docking in the early hours, we had time to enjoy a hearty breakfast before disembarking around 8am.

    Our tour included an extra day in Edinburgh, so 23 of us boarded a bus and began with a view over the 3 bridges of the River Forth.

    Next stop was Jupiter Artland, an outdoor sculpture park on the grounds of a 17th century manor house on the outskirts of Edinburgh. On the weekends in summer they get 1,000 people a day visiting, but today was thankfully much quieter. Following a guided tour we had lunch on the grounds.

    After checking into our city hotel, we had a few hours to spare before dinner, so we went in search of possibly the most low key tourist attraction in Edinburgh, the marker for the centre of the city (thanks JK for the tip).
    It is a black post located outside the former GPO, and marks the point where all distances to the city are measured. Unsurprisingly, we were the only ones taking pictures with it!

    Dinner with the group was in the hotel, and an early night before and early start tomorrow.    Read more

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