Everytime I pitch up on Shetland, I watch the skies hopeful that I'm going to get stuck there. The closest so far, was only getting as far as Aberdeen before Flybe decided that they weren't going to go any further that day.
And, I'm afraid I need to report that both northward and return journeys again went smoothly this time, even if the weather did immediately close in for the rest of the week.
Having checked the forecast I'd gone North in the full expectation what much of the time was likely to be spent inside or possibly wrapped in so many layers of clothing that wandering along the beach would be challenging in any conditions.
However I was able to spend most of the 6 or so daylight hours on offer outside each day.
I've enthused in the past about the wonderful low sunlight during a Shetland winter and when you combine this with gentle (or no) winds you're definitely onto a winner photographically. The only thing the pictures don't reveal is the temperature - there were still traces of snow in a few places when I arrived, and for most of the weekend, it felt fine as long as you kept moving. Sitting around waiting for the light wasn't always fun!
One real bonus of the calm weather was the return of the Sumburgh guillemots - it's always a delight to both see and hear them, when they are back. It might not be breeding season just yet - but their reappearance is a reminder that it won't be long until the solstice, and the days will start to get longer again.
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| Early Light - Scat Ness |
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| Calm Seas - Quendale Bay |
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| Fair Isle and Lady's Holm, south end of Shetland |
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| Returning Guillemots - Sumburgh Head |
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