Shetland trip.

[Hezbez]

Yes the ferry can be really busy. To help increase availability and to help keep costs down for regular travellers there is a facebook page called 'Share a cabin on Northlink'

Also, from memory there are only about 6 dog friendly cabins on board, so get in early if you need one, or check daily for a cancellation.

 

[Beltie]

Forget Yell for Restaurants and Pubs, there are non, but you may find a small cafe.
On Unst I don’t think there are any but must admit we look out for any community halls having an event and join them.
Mainland is well serviced with Pubs, Restaurants and Cafes though sparse outside Lerwick and Scalloway as for food we always sniff around the marinas for returning fisherman who normally are glad to give you some very fresh fish in return for a good chat.

There are a couple on Unst, both near Baltasound, one next to the boat museum and 'The Final Checkout' on the main road in the same area.

 

[barryd]

We’ve been doing the Orkney’s for a number of years now but back in the pre Covid days we decided to do the North Ronaldsay sheep festival to help repair the waaall, we got on the ferry at Kirkwall and the banksman that’s the guy who guides the ships crane ! looked at my van on the jetty prior to us boarding and said
“ I it’s quite big but we’ll give it a go “
I knew we would have to be lifted off onto Ronalsay but i thought it might not be too bad surely they have lifting devises for larger vehicles ? ? ?
They did . . . Cargo nets and a spreader beam.
Tried to upload the video of the lift onto the pier but it’s too big for the server.
here’s a couple of stills from video.
To say it was squeaky bum time is to say the least, on the return trip most of the islands population turned out to watch us leave. Fortunately we were mainly in one piece. But NEVER again.



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OMG!! I Would have had a heart attack. Thats amazing though. Looks like they have done that before. You could always stick the video on youtube if you have an account. Would love to see that.

 

[Tony50]

Have a nice trip.
Good job you are not going to the Isle of Arran,their new ferry that was 7 years late, won't fit in the harbour, were they measuring in inches instead of mm, ? It's an absolutely disgrace and an embarrassment for the people of Scotland

 

[Montecatini]

Yes the ferry can be really busy. To help increase availability and to help keep costs down for regular travellers there is a facebook page called 'Share a cabin on Northlink'

Also, from memory there are only about 6 dog friendly cabins on board, so get in early if you need one, or check daily for a cancellation.

You're right in that these cabins have proved very popular. There were always kennels available (just off the car deck) but in addition there are now 8 pet friendly cabins provided onboard.
3 of these are 4 berth & the other 5 are 2 berth.

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[Kelsae2]

Noticed some people coming on with dogs when we were boarding and the staff were informing the people that dogs were only permitted in the cabin or out on the deck. Not allowed anywhere else.
It would be a long journey to be outside if the weather was bad, at least it wasn’t, it was sunny leaving Aberdeen.

 

[Kelsae2]

Sitting in the sun and some late showers on Unst. It was cheaper to come straight here in one day and work our way back when it suits.

 

[Kelsae2]

Been up to Hermaness nature reserve today. Bit breezy so didn’t walk too far. Came back round and intended to go as close as we could to the new Spaceport launch area, but you can’t get close enough to it to see anything. All fenced off now. Went up to the old radar station and had some lunch. Again very windy.
Victorias Tea Rooms are closed now except for coach parties. We were looking forward to having lunch there. Speaking to one of the old boys who stays locally, he said they can’t get staff. I think the Baltasound Hotel is the same now, although it has been taken over again, so something might happen with it.
Been mixed weather today, started sunny and has now finished sunny, with showers in between.

 

[Hezbez]

Victorias Tea Rooms are closed now except for coach parties. We were looking forward to having lunch there. Speaking to one of the old boys who stays locally, he said they can’t get staff. I think the Baltasound Hotel is the same now, although it has been taken over again, so something might happen with it.
Been mixed weather today, started sunny and has now finished sunny, with showers in between.

Aww, Victoria's Tea Rooms was the best tomato soup ever.

 

[Beltie]

Aww, Victoria's Tea Rooms was the best

Been up to Hermaness nature reserve today. Bit breezy so didn’t walk too far. Came back round and intended to go as close as we could to the new Spaceport launch area, but you can’t get close enough to it to see anything. All fenced off now. Went up to the old radar station and had some lunch. Again very windy.
Victorias Tea Rooms are closed now except for coach parties. We were looking forward to having lunch there. Speaking to one of the old boys who stays locally, he said they can’t get staff. I think the Baltasound Hotel is the same now, although it has been taken over again, so something might happen with it.
Been mixed weather today, started sunny and has now finished sunny, with showers in between.

Have you seen the sign at the Spaceport which says, 'Trespassers will be detained and may be transported to Mars' !

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[Hezbez]

Noticed some people coming on with dogs when we were boarding and the staff were informing the people that dogs were only permitted in the cabin or out on the deck. Not allowed anywhere else.
It would be a long journey to be outside if the weather was bad, at least it wasn’t, it was sunny leaving Aberdeen.

I was talking to a girl sit who was sat outside on deck with her 2 dogs the whole time of the crossing.
It was in the summer and luckily the weather was nice.

She was well prepared with a cushion, blanket, drink, sandwiches etc. She said she did the journey fairly regularly and had no option but to sit outside as one of her dogs really hated the onboard kennels. A long 14 hours via Kirkwall!

I had a look in the kennels and the space was dark, pretty cold and noisy.

 

[Razamataz]

Great tips. Freeze water bottle for the fridge and some freezer blocks to maintain temperature in the freezer.
Visit Tesco on arrival for fresh stuff.
Thanks everyone.

You don’t need freezer blocks.
Just fill freezer with frozen food.
Frozen milk and or water in fridge….. 42 hours to Santander…. Water/ milk still frozen

 

[Kelsae2]

Yes, filled the freezer and put some small bottles of water in just to make sure. Everything still solid on arrival.
Put 2 bottles of frozen water in the fridge and they were still the same on arrival as well. Won’t stress as much in future.
It was a really good crossing, pretty smooth for that route i would say.

 

[Surfer 81]

Forget Yell for Restaurants and Pubs, there are non, but you may find a small cafe.
On Unst I don’t think there are any but must admit we look out for any community halls having an event and join them.
Mainland is well serviced with Pubs, Restaurants and Cafes though sparse outside Lerwick and Scalloway as for food we always sniff around the marinas for returning fisherman who normally are glad to give you some very fresh fish in return for a good chat.

There is a tin shack with pub written on the side. It is about halfway up Unst just after the little roadside kiosk. Did not go in though.

 

[Otter Spotter]

There is a tin shack with pub written on the side. It is about halfway up Unst just after the little roadside kiosk. Did not go in though.

I forgot the Baltasound Hotel that did have a bar, but last I heard the owner was such a dick that no locals would go in and he cannot retain any staff. It could have changed hands now and with the Spaceport nearby it may have improved.

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[Kelsae2]

I forgot the Baltasound Hotel that did have a bar, but last I heard the owner was such a dick that no locals would go in and he cannot retain any staff. It could have changed hands now and with the Spaceport nearby it may have improved.

The story goes that he didn’t want any of the locals in, only tourists and spaceport residents. He has now sold up and there are new owners in. Passed beside it the other day and there didn’t seem to be much happening. Good spot there with the additional cabins in the garden area.
I was having a look at the park up at the Unst Boating Club as it was mentioned in the P4N app. Looks okay.

 

[Otter Spotter]

The story goes that he didn’t want any of the locals in, only tourists and spaceport residents. He has now sold up and there are new owners in. Passed beside it the other day and there didn’t seem to be much happening. Good spot there with the additional cabins in the garden area.
I was having a look at the park up at the Unst Boating Club as it was mentioned in the P4N app. Looks okay.

Don’t hold your breath for a cabin, unless they have been renovated, they were damp and some felt like a post war prefab inside

 

[Kelsae2]

They certainly looked like they needed renovating. Just thought they looked a good addition, especially if any workers were in the area especially with the extra work now being done at the Spaceport.