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Sunday 18th June

Keith and I had 2 great days in Orkney. We cycled around visiting places we knew 35 years ago when we lived in Stromness. There is a big new primary school, a very good cafe by the pier and whilst some shops have closed, others have opened. Stromness is looking good.

Sarah and the boys at Wharebeth Beach, West Mainland, Orkney, early 80's
We had a picnic near the beach where we used to walk with the boys when they were young. It must have been quite a walk for them when they were little. I was struggling with my bike on the way back up the steep hill!.






Later Keith took the ferry home and I cycled into Kirkwall to wait for my overnight ferry to Shetland.

36 miles on Saturday.




Sunday

It was nice to have a cabin on the ship. I did not wake up until the tannoy announcement giving a time check on arrival . Then it was a quick spin around Lerwick (Street cleaners out) but nothing open at 07.45 am,so headed up North. Ferry over to Yell then ferry to Unst. 50 miles cycling today.
Shetland feels much more Scandinavian than Orkney. The streets have Norse sounding names.There are a lot of Voe's, and rocky inlets. The inland area of the island is like Pennine style moorland.
Camping tonight at a lovely hostel, with use of kitchen etc. Very poor Internet signal so cannot download photos-they will follow but not tonight.

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