Liam's Mousa Memory: Daughters and Crabs

Another departure from the Orkney trip report here, Liam has supplied me with this reminiscence of our last day in Shetland last year, and as I failed to get to the end of the series myself, this rounds off the matter nicely. More tales from Orkney next week!

 

Our last day on Shetland provided us with an opportunity to correct a minor itinerary error. Sam and I resolved to get up early (around six I think), shoot up to West Burrafirth to get the ferry to Papa Stour, shoot back down to Sumburgh Head to pick up Fran and Mike with time spare for the officially planned Mousa day trip. With an improved familiarity with the roads of mainland Shetland and the tribal cacophony of Animal Collective blasting from the car stereo, we sped to West Burrafirth and boarded the Papa Stour ferry. And lo and behold, our fisherman friend from Vementry was one of the ferry fellas! 

Papa Stour Ferry Terminal

Liam on Papa Stour

Sam on Papa Stour

He was quick to introduce us to the other members of the crew, "These are the island baggers I was telling you about," said he to his friends. We felt pretty good about ourselves just then, maybe it was that we hadn't fully woken up and were still a little dreamy in the brain. Whatever; it was an awesome coincidence. So Hamish said it was cool for Sam and I to hop off the ferry at Papa Stour for a quick snap before joining them on the immediate return trip back again, as we were pushed for time. This meant that we didn't get to look around the island, but I'm sure we will in the future when we inevitably return to Shetland. 

From the Mousa Ferry

The last island of Shetland

Walking on Mousa

Car, back down the road, picked up the others (Fran was lost somewhere looking for puffins I seem to recall) and then on to the jetty in Sandwick to catch the boat to Mousa. This boat trip is run by the RSPB for a cost of about £15 per person, however, we were not heading there to look at birds (although watching the terns divebomb into the water was pretty cool), but to check out the rather interesting looking Iron Age Broch, easily visible from the mainland due to its surprisingly unweathered stature.

Mouse Broch

Back then we were broch noobs, and were thoroughly impressed by the size of the structure, and of how much remains in tact. It was absolutely fantastic; strangely adorned keystones, scary cubby holes, stairs that you could actually go up, all helping us to feel close to the past; tangible history that gives you a special feeling. The experience blew our broch fuses, and none since have come even close. Sorry to all of Orkney (even the little child-made model brochs, which I still hold as being better than some of the actual ruins), but there it is, all other brochs seem mundane by comparison. 

Inside the Broch

Outside the Broch

After a brief stomp around the island and a debate as to whether our morals would stretch to us jumping the wall and entering forbidden territory to bag Mousa's satellite island, we were treated to an excercise by the Oscar Charlie helicopter crew. A person was lowered down to the very island we were coveting, to be "rescued" a few minutes later. It seemed like a lot of trouble to get to that particular island (by the way Oscar Charlie crew, if you EVER need volunteers for that exercise, we're your men!), so we put a pin in it for the time being and settled on the beach for lunch. Well, sausage rolls and that, wholesome bagging fayre! And something about crabs and daughters at the end there, but it's faded from memory.

Mousa Cliff Architecture

That's the story of our last day on Shetland, after Mousa we headed back to Lerwick for the ferry home, excitedly planning our next adventure!