Lerwick and Moussa of the Shetland Isles, Scotland
Our second day in the Shetland Isles saw us continuing to retrace the steps of the ancient Vikings as they made their way westward in search of new lands and trading partners. Some of the first people they encountered were the enigmatic Picts, or “painted ones,” that inhabited Scotland and its outer islands from at least 1000 BC. Little was known of these people of short-stature and dark skin until the turn of the last century when great storms out of the North Sea literally blew away the sod and overgrowth that had kept their former communities hidden and forgotten for centuries after they had gone. We had a chance to visit one such site today; a place called Jarlshof on the main island of the Shetland group.
Jarlshof is a remarkable site of half-sunken homes built along the shoreline, which undoubtedly provided the Picts and later settlements almost everything the community would need to survive in a rather isolated locale such as the Shetlands. The simple but well-conceived dwellings minimized exposure to the strong winds that frequent the North Sea and attracted little unwanted attention from passing ships that might have contained raiders from the Norse lands. Still, the Picts did have their problems and were not content simply to hide and hope for the best. They are also famous for their brochs - amazing mortar-free stone towers that reach 40 or more feet in height and served as a virtually impenetrable defense where the community could be safe and hold out in case of a raid. Unfortunately, the broch at Jarlshof has undergone many unwanted modifications through the years and is no longer a perfect example of their ingenuity. However, not far away on the Isle of Moussa, we were able to visit the best-preserved broch left in all of Scotland.
Of course, our day wasn’t entirely spent focused on the historical aspects of the Shetlands. We also had a chance to experience just how prolific the wildlife can be in these islands which are bathed by the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. From the bird cliffs of Noss to the gray seals lounging at Moussa, we saw first-hand how these currents provide a bounty that can be harvested from the coastal estuaries without much need to venture out into the tempestuous North Sea. The people living here throughout the centuries have been able to sustain themselves on the almost limitless supply of fish, seabirds, and seals that abound in these waters. And though commercial fishing in recent years placed a heavy strain on the fish and seal populations, the discovery of oil has provided a diversionary income and allowed conservation efforts to be put in place and hopefully ensure that the wildlife here will recover and continue to thrive as it has in the past.
Our second day in the Shetland Isles saw us continuing to retrace the steps of the ancient Vikings as they made their way westward in search of new lands and trading partners. Some of the first people they encountered were the enigmatic Picts, or “painted ones,” that inhabited Scotland and its outer islands from at least 1000 BC. Little was known of these people of short-stature and dark skin until the turn of the last century when great storms out of the North Sea literally blew away the sod and overgrowth that had kept their former communities hidden and forgotten for centuries after they had gone. We had a chance to visit one such site today; a place called Jarlshof on the main island of the Shetland group.
Jarlshof is a remarkable site of half-sunken homes built along the shoreline, which undoubtedly provided the Picts and later settlements almost everything the community would need to survive in a rather isolated locale such as the Shetlands. The simple but well-conceived dwellings minimized exposure to the strong winds that frequent the North Sea and attracted little unwanted attention from passing ships that might have contained raiders from the Norse lands. Still, the Picts did have their problems and were not content simply to hide and hope for the best. They are also famous for their brochs - amazing mortar-free stone towers that reach 40 or more feet in height and served as a virtually impenetrable defense where the community could be safe and hold out in case of a raid. Unfortunately, the broch at Jarlshof has undergone many unwanted modifications through the years and is no longer a perfect example of their ingenuity. However, not far away on the Isle of Moussa, we were able to visit the best-preserved broch left in all of Scotland.
Of course, our day wasn’t entirely spent focused on the historical aspects of the Shetlands. We also had a chance to experience just how prolific the wildlife can be in these islands which are bathed by the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. From the bird cliffs of Noss to the gray seals lounging at Moussa, we saw first-hand how these currents provide a bounty that can be harvested from the coastal estuaries without much need to venture out into the tempestuous North Sea. The people living here throughout the centuries have been able to sustain themselves on the almost limitless supply of fish, seabirds, and seals that abound in these waters. And though commercial fishing in recent years placed a heavy strain on the fish and seal populations, the discovery of oil has provided a diversionary income and allowed conservation efforts to be put in place and hopefully ensure that the wildlife here will recover and continue to thrive as it has in the past.
