Shetland will be in my heart forever

Here's my final Shetland post, and it's a long one! There would be so much more for me to say, but I fear I would still be posting about this trip several months from now, especially given how slow I can be to blog sometimes. As hard as it is to leave this beautiful place, I do have other things I want to show you. So, here are the final trip highlights.

On a glorious day we traveled by ferry to Unst, Britain's northernmost inhabited isle.

View of Unst from the ferry

The most picturesque day in Unst

There we visited the Unst Heritage Centre, which houses a stunning Shetland lace collection (sadly, photos were not allowed). We also drove up to the Hermaness National Nature Reserve. Overlooking Muckle Flugga, Britain's most northerly point, the reserve is a sanctuary for thousands of seabirds.

After about an hour's hike through beautiful grassy moorland, we were treated the most stunning views of the ocean. The breathtaking cliffs are home an array of nesting seabirds including fulmars, gulls, shags, gannets, puffins and kittiwakes. Other notable inhabitants are enumerable sheep braving the perilous drops.

An unusually tame Bonxie

Hiking in full-on Fair-Isle regalia. Such fun to wear so many woolens in summer!

Surefooted sheep!

Baaaaa!

Very noisy and smelly gannet colony

Perfect weather for a picnic!

Now to the best part of the trip. Getting to know the lovely women who signed up for this trip of a lifetime was the highlight of my Shetland adventure.  

Me, Kathy and Lori

Susan, Claire, Anne, Kathryn and Alice

Me and Kathryn

Kathy, Claire, Pat and Lori

Kathy and Claire

Pat and I

Mary-Jane and lovely expert knitter (sorry I don't know her name) at the Shetland Textile Museum

We just had SO much fun together! Chatting and laughing while we criss-crossed the islands in our mini-bus, sharing all those incredible meals at Burrastow, learning together from some of Shetland's most talented craftspeople, hanging out late at night with our knitting and our life stories, marveling together at our immense luck to be in such a beautiful place, with such wonderful company... It was overwhelming and life-changing.  I will never forget the wonderful time we had together!

Me, Kathryn, Gudrun, Lori and Claire. We're showing off our Bressays. Photo courtesy of Alice Stern.

Paula, Linnea, Susan, myself, Liz getting a master class from Hazel Tindal. Photo courtesy of Alice Stern.

The lucky trip people, on our way to one of the happiest places on Earth! Photo courtesy of Lori Graham

Cheers Shetland, it was unforgettable. I cannot wait to go back!