Monthly Report, August 2023

Another 31 Days of Shetland

Anyone who watches the stream of photographs I share - on Instagram, Threads, X, Facebook and Flickr - could have made two observations over the last month, firstly "He seems to spend a lot of time on Quendale Beach" and secondly "There are a lot of photogenic locations at the south end of Shetland".

But second things first.  Having had a very auk-centric July (which meant a lot of time spent at Sumburgh Head), I decided that I needed to ring the changes for August, and try and take photographs at 31 different places during the 31 days of August.

And Quendale Beach? Q Beach is the closest beach to the house, about 700 metres down a farm track from doorstep to sand.  And this summer I've got into the habit of walking to (and along) the beach pretty much every morning (30/31 in August) and sometimes later in the day too. At low tide and at high tide. In fair weather and in less fair weather too.

By the Numbers

Reporting Days: 31

Location: Shetland

Distance Walked: 388 km

Distance Driven: 915 km

Distance Rowed: 30 km

Photographs Taken: Thousands

Cameras Trashed: 1

31 Locations

Brough Head, The Castle, Lerwick, Quendale Beach, Fitful Head, Scat Ness, Sumburgh Head, Broken Brough, Gulberwick, Grutness, Bight of Laward, Garths Ness, Scord Beach, Hoswick, St Ninian's, Scalloway, Boddam, Scousburgh Sands, Toab, Compass Head, Quendale Mill, Broch of Burland, Helli Ness, Beach of Mail, West Voe of Sumburgh, Jarlshof, Horse Island, 60N, Sandsayre Pier, Meal Beach & Corston.

Sumburgh Head

Lerwick Harbour

Quendale Mill

Broken Brough

Garths Ness

Helli Ness

60N

Sandsayre Pier

Quendale Beach

Where there are usually gentle waves, blue skies and no people (but not always)

10th August

12th August

13th August

21st August

25th August

31st August

Camera Juggling

I've had a good run for my money.  I've been carrying digital cameras since 2004 (and analog ones for years before that), and this month I finally bounced one.  All I can say is, always check that your camera bag is properly done up before hoisting it onto your shoulder..

Next month

Current plan is to spend a few more weeks on the beaches and headlands of Shetland, before heading south by car, boat, bus and trains.