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Post by Jules80 on Mar 28, 2006 12:17:35 GMT -5
hey!
has anyone been up to shetland? how many days do you need up there? is accomodation and food etc expensive as its an island (well several)?
Jules
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Post by crystal on Mar 31, 2006 11:26:11 GMT -5
Hi Jules My uncle lives on shetland near Lewick. He had a bit of a mid life re-evaluation and moved lock, stock and barrel to the Shetlands from Northern England. He absolutley LOVES it. In Lewick general groceries and stuff are the same price as main land UK because it is a chain store (co-op) and they have a policy of charging the same across the whole country. However it sometimes runs out of stuff if the ferry can't get in (bad weather ect). Not sure about accomodation. There are two youth hostel which are between £10-£15 per night. I think most guest houses and B&Bs are between £20-£30 a night but not to sure. There are also camping bods which are very very basic camping houses from around £5 a night. Fishermen and shepherds used to use the bods to shelter in bad weather. There are no single sex rooms and everyone sleeps in the same room. Bods have no electricity and very little in the way of comfort. They do have toilet facilities and cooking areas. I am also not too sure about securing your bags and stuff if you stayed here - would be an experience!! There is an island hopper ferry that is apparantly very cheap and easy to use to move around once you are on Shetland. Probably the best time to visit shetland (although the coldest!!!) would be for the Up Helly Aa festival at the end of January. It is an amazing celebration to remember the Shetland's viking past. It's one all day and night party with fireworks, burning of the long boats and general viking stuff. (I don't think I am doing it justice here!!) Try this site for attractions www.visitshetland.comMy uncle says it is the friendliest place he has ever been and he would never move back down here. Crystal
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Post by Jules80 on Mar 31, 2006 12:30:41 GMT -5
Hi Crystal!
Thanks for the info! i'm actually thinking of going in late june early july when there are crazy amounts of day light! that's gotta be cool! its still in a potential planning phase. its quite expensive to get up there and stuff so we'll see how it goes. i'll let you know what we decide.
cheers!
Jules
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Post by me on Mar 31, 2006 15:06:35 GMT -5
Jules,
be sure to see the ponies! ;D
- d
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Post by Jules80 on Mar 31, 2006 15:14:08 GMT -5
forget the ponies i want to see the puffins and the seals!
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Post by crystal on Apr 7, 2006 9:35:57 GMT -5
Glad you have decided to give it a shot. It's absolutley mad that it hardly gets dark at all at that time of year.
Most of my family that have been up there have gone by ferry (16hrs - argh!!!) but last time my uncle came down he flew into Glasgow - Mega bucks - cost him a fortune but it was for a family funeral so it had to be done i guess.
Have fun
P.s what's wrong with wanting to see the ponies - cute little blighters!!!
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Post by Jules80 on Apr 7, 2006 14:17:47 GMT -5
i think we're going to fly. don't fancy the 12 hour ferry over night without much sleep. i think flying will cost almost 200 quid. but i'd rather get up there rested and be able to enjoy it then exhausted and not having slept most of the night. but i guess we'll have to see. it also costs more in train tickets to get up to aberdeen that it doesn't really seem worth it.
well ponies are cute i suppose... but i really want to see puffins!
jules
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Post by crystal on Apr 11, 2006 9:56:30 GMT -5
Have fun Let me know how you get on up there.
Beware the low flying puffin!!!!
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Post by crystal on Apr 11, 2006 10:57:04 GMT -5
Where are you flying from?
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Post by Jules80 on Apr 11, 2006 14:03:25 GMT -5
do puffins have a habit of flying into ppl/things?
i believe we'll be flying from edinburgh...
nothing is finalized yet... but i'm thinking of doing almost all my traveling by plane cause its cheaper... here's what the itinerary is looking like so far (bear in mind this could change):
June 22: arrive in Manchester take the bus to stoke and stay with my grandmothr a few days.
June 26: evening flight to edinburgh... 20 quid (return bus from man to stoke is 6.50)
June 27: train to stirling
June 29: train to dunfermline (visit family)
June 30: possibly return to edinburgh... depends on my friend... might just meet him at the airport on july 1st
July 1: flight to shetland at 11 am
July 6: fligh back to edinburgh arrive 15:20 pm... thinking flight to london at 18:25... that'll give be enough time right? (booking this seperately is about 100 pounds cheaper than going through BA)
July 7 and 8: visit friends and family in london and explore a bit.
July 9: flight home at 3:30 from Gatwick
I was going to get a train flexi pass to do all this but then realized i'm not a "youth" when i'll be travelling (i'll be 26 then) and the pass costs 325$ CDN whereas all my flights (which are not yet booked) will cost (me plus the trains i've indicated plus getting to and from airports) 175$ CDN... oh that doesn't include the shetland bit cause that obviously was never going to be done by train.
any thoughts on anything? anything special and/or not well known i should see in stirling?
Jules
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Post by Jules80 on Apr 11, 2006 14:38:56 GMT -5
crystal, one other question about shetland... what kind of chances are there for weather in shetland that are crappy enough to majorly delay a flight or cancel it?
Jules
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Post by crystal on Apr 13, 2006 9:07:23 GMT -5
Think you should be fine at that time of year. My gran has been up in early June and said the weather was brilliant. They get this gulf stream flowing past the islands in summer that makes it quite nice.
Have fun
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Post by Shmemily on Apr 19, 2006 7:12:48 GMT -5
I'm going to be in Shetland just a few weeks after you. You'll have to let me know what it's like up there. Staying with a friend in Lerwick. Yay seals!
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