overnight to lerwick (shetlands)

I left lastnight on the late ferry from Kirkwell to Lerwick. Whilst boarding I got chatting to a fello cyclist that was from Lerwick called Gordon. We actually cycled past each other on the Orkney mainland – he has a Dawes bike too – but looked lighter and not so chunky as mine – not sure the make and model?

The night ferry was odd – we were the LAST people to get on and my hands had turned into ice. As I boarded there were like tones of people lying on the sofas, lying on the floors – it felt like I was in some rescue centre of a horrific storm – was very jealous and next time I will do the same – sleeping bag, roll mat – taking the gas stove maybe taking it a step too far?

The ship sailed at 11:45pm and docked at 7:30am. Now from the moment she sailed till the moment she docked there was THE most shockingly loudest snoring man I have ever heard in my whole entire life and years of living. I could just not believe what I was hearing –it was incredible the level of noise that was being projected from this guy – his poor poor wife. So needless to say very little sleep was had and I arrived in Lerwick all of a fuzz and in desperate need of some sleep.

The youth hostel I was staying at wasn’t far to cycle and it was really nice. The warden was a charming and helpful man that made you feel all safe and warm inside – kind of like a Dad.

I was going to meet the fello cyclist, Gordon later for a short shore excursion around Lerwick. And although a little overcast the views were amazing. Shetlands (and well near around Lerwick) and very hilly and remind me of the Lakedistrict. The land is very rich and the cut peat for fuel… and well this reminded of Ireland. I was shown the cycle routes around that area and it really looked very nice.