Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Bulbs => Ian Young's Bulb Log - Feedback Forum => Topic started by: Ian Y on April 22, 2007, 12:22:30 PM
-
Last weekend
I made a trip to Shetland and here is part 1 of a brief record of my trip.
[attachthumb=1]
I boarded the ferry in on a very sunny afternoon.
[attachthumb=2]
At 5pm we set sail for the 14 hours passage to Shetland.
[attachthumb=3]
Looking towards the sea all I could see was a great bank of haar.
-
[attachthumb=1]
Early the next morning we were sailing into Shetland.
[attachthumb=2]
Well not exactly into Shetland but into Lerwick Harbour.
[attachthumb=3]
The Ferry from Lerwick Terminal.
-
[attachthumb=1]
A few locals were there to meet me.
[attachthumb=2]
One of the magnificent landscape views that were all around.
-
[attachthumb=1]
Scalloway with the old castle.
[attachthumb=2]
I found a host of northern daffodils growing around a wee croft.
[attachthumb=3]
They looked good growing in this rough landscape.
[attachthumb=4]
Another yellow sight was a mass of celandines.
[attachthumb=5]
In one of the few areas of trees that I found.
[attachthumb=6]
Ranunculuc ficaria
[attachthumb=7]
Did I look for variation? No.
-
[attachthumb=1]
Magnificient Atlantic cliffs.
[attachthumb=2]
Spectacular sea stacks and sculptures.
[attachthumb=3]
Shingle beaches
[attachthumb=4]
My first Shetland primrose
[attachthumb=5]
Sandy beaches.
[attachthumb=6]
All to myself.
-
[attachthumb=1]
I can never resist the still lifes you can find on a beech.
[attachthumb=2]
And even creating a bit of landscape art.
[attachthumb=3]
The reason for my trip to Shetland was the opening of my exhition in the BonHoga Gallery.
-
[attachthumb=1]
Down to South Mainland.
[attachthumb=2]
A very misty Sumburgh Head.
[attachthumb=3]
And the lighthouse
[attachthumb=4]
The magnificient view was some what spoiled by the mist.
[attachthumb=5]
The fog horn was more useful.
-
Strange that the airport was built in the foggiest part of the islands.
[attachthumb=1]
The Crossing control stated wait here when red lights flash.
[attachthumb=2]
Ahead only!!
[attachthumb=3]
I am now driving across the main runway of Shetlands main airport.
[attachthumb=4]
Hope nothing is flying in.
-
[attachthumb=1]
An interesting road sign to go with the ones Lesley should us on another thread.
[attachthumb=2]
Colts foot was all along the road sides looking very nice.
[attachthumb=3]
Tussilago farfara
[attachthumb=4]
And a caltha.
-
[attachthumb=1]
I found more Primula vulgaris in a hillside I climbed.
[attachthumb=2]
Very small plants kept compact by the exposed site.
[attachthumb=3]
The harsh conditions has not prevented masses of seedlings appearing all around.
[attachthumb=4]
A very tight cushion of Saxifraga hypnoides which must be centuries old, clung to the edge of a rock face.
-
[attachthumb=1]
The reason I was climbing the hillside was to look for an ancient viking quarry and these stone 'seats' are what I am looking for.
[attachthumb=2]
The vikings carved stone bowls and troughs form the soft soap stone outbreak.
[attachthumb=3]
Steatite is a soft stone that is easily carved when it first exposed, it hardens with exposure to the air or to heat. Vikings varved the bowls out in situ and the shapes of the bowls can be clearly seen.
[attachthumb=4]
The vikings also used raised beds! Troughs and raised beds : were they the first rock gardeners?
[attachthumb=5]
You can just pick out the Narcissus leaves growing on the turf on top of this wall so they also liked bulbs ;)
[attachthumb=6]
I even found an ancient viking artifact in the remains of these walls.
-
[attachthumb=1]
The final leg as I leave Shetland again out into the sea mist.
[attachthumb=2]
And home to an equally misty Aberdeen.
-
I've never been to Shetland - the closest I've got is Aberdeen. I didn't expect the fabulous blue of the sea. What wild flowers would one expect to find there? I have never heard of Saxifraga hypnoides.
-
Heather, here is a handy site: http://www.bobbytulloch.com/categories.php?id=3
Saxifraga hypnoides is a little mossy saxifraga... grows in the Burren, too, I think..... and in Northern Ireland, see here for a map: http://www.habitas.org.uk/flora/species.asp?item=3505
-
To be honest Heather I am not sure what saxifraga it is as it was not in flower just a tight cushion.
It could be caespitosa but the leaves did not look the right shape so I am open to suggestions.
From what I saw there would be a wonderful display of flowers in about 4 to 6 weeks.
-
Thanks for the trip, Ian! For some reason the toothbrush picture immediately brought meerkats to mind... Good luck with the exhibition!
-
Lovely pictures Ian, I enjoyed them. I hadn't realised how far away from the mainland Shetland is.
-
David, Shetland is two hours nearer to Aberdeen ( about twelve hours sailing) if the ferry does not call in to Orkney en route !
-
Heather, here is a handy site: http://www.bobbytulloch.com/categories.php?id=3
Saxifraga hypnoides is a little mossy saxifraga... grows in the Burren, too, I think..... and in Northern Ireland, see here for a map: http://www.habitas.org.uk/flora/species.asp?item=3505
Thanks Maggi I will be in the Burren later on and I will look out for it. If it grows in N Ireland it shows, however much I have hunted wildflowers here, there is so much more to see.
I have very much enjoying looking at the pictures of Shetland. I go abroad to visit the mountains and marvel at the scenery and all the while there is so much of the British Isles I have never seen.
Now I have retired I hope to see much, much more.
Meanwhile the pictures on this site are a good substitute. If it has not been already done, a thread wherein people can post views and their local wildflowers would be nice (though not strictly rock gardening stuff).
-
Good idea, Heather, a "Local views and Wildflowers" thread would be interesting.
Who's first up?
-
Maggi, I love the site with local NI wildflowers you have posted. I can see now why I have never found the Saxifrage - it grows in areas I have not searched (too far from base, but not any more!).
-
I'm delighted that the NI website is useful , Heather. I hope others will find it so, too.
-
Are you sure Johnny Depp didn't leave that dagger for you to find Ian? Looks more pirate than viking ???
-
If I'd thought for a moment that Johnny Depp was in Shetland, I'd have been off on that ferry like the proverbial rat....
-
Well you could be right Anthony, I was wondering if I should report my find to the Scottish Museum ;)
Here is a close up it looks remarkably well preserved.
-
Mmm. Definitely not early Viking - more late Woolworth ::) Mind you, if a polythene bag takes 1000 years to decompose, a plastic knife could stick around? ;)
-
A lovely collection of pictures Ian, and many thanks for them. Though my own forebears were from Aberdeen and the Borders area, I have a Shetland shawl which belonged to my grandmother, so fine it's like gossamer. My sister and I were both christened in it as were my own two. Stored as an heirloom now though. Nice to see where it was knitted in the first place.
-
There is a tradition to knit a fine shetland shawl which is so gossamer fine it will pass through a wedding ring. I have a cosy shawl, not so fine but still feather light,in fine shetland wool and pattern, which was crocheted by Lyn Bezzant (famous SRGC grower, as in Crocus tommasinianus 'Lyn's Pink) and given to me as a precious gift.
-
A very interesting series of photographs, Ian.
I don't think I could face 14 hour on the sea.
Many thanks, Paddy
-
I don't think I could face 14 hour on the sea
Well, Ian was a bit wobbly when he got back. Said when he was standing still the room was moving :P