After breakfast we loaded up and called at the Co-op for food since there aren’t many shops further north. The road was fairly busy initially but quieter as we put Lerwick behind us. The early sun was soon obscured by cloud, fine views of lochs and low hills as we rode north. The stiff southwesterly helped us reach the ferry terminal by 12:18, unfortunately too late for the 12:00 crossing and the next one wasn’t until 13:55, the Saturday timetable being less frequent than midweek.
Our picnic lunch killed some time, then we rested in the warm waiting room until the time arrived for the crossing to the island of Yell. We passed through Yell quickly, pausing to look at Windhouse Lodge where we’d stayed on our previous visit to Shetland. At one point we had to dismount as a gale blasted us from the side at the top of a rise. Again we were unlucky with the ferry, reaching Gutcher ten minutes too late and having to wait an hour for the next one to Unst, the northernmost of the Shetland islands.
After landing it was only a three mile ride to Gardiesfauld hostel where we had a private ensuite room for only £16 each. We cooked and then went for an evening stroll in the late sunshine.
47 miles