Sun accompanies us up to Collafirth Hill.
From then on everything is covered in fog. Ronas
Hill, the highest point of Shetland, is for us a flat field with pinkish rocks
and wandering sheep who appear and disappear. Fog changes between gleaming
white and threatening gray.
Going down we aim at the burn on Monius and then want to continue towards Lang Clodie Wick. The app shows trail going down to the beach but walking along the beach does not seem doable. Of course, we have too short visibility to make long plans. At some point between troll castles and folded grassland we spot lower part of Lang Ayre with some stacks floating further away. Dreamy landscapes, tiring climbs into whiteness, new and new hills appearing in front of us.
Finally at Lang Clodie Loch we pitch our tent because according to some people this should be the best campsite in Shetland. View, shelter and water. The shelter part proves a bit tricky. We abandon our first choice quickly after the tent starts flapping around. After dinner and crawling in our sleeping bags heavy rain starts. The wind pushes the tent down on us with me clinging on the tent pole to keep it from bending too much. Fighting the storm with carbon fibre seems kind of ridiculous so we pack and escape before the tent breaks apart. I was exploring the surroundings before so I know that the crossing over the river on farther side of the loch is shallower than by the waterfall. In approaching darkness we wade through the river and find ourselves in a more peaceful place. Up a bit there’s a crack in the rocks that leads to a kind of flat area surrounded by hills. Perfect with wind from current direction. Tent up again and we finally get some rest.
Views were nice though, as was the water.
Walked 16 km today.
Going down we aim at the burn on Monius and then want to continue towards Lang Clodie Wick. The app shows trail going down to the beach but walking along the beach does not seem doable. Of course, we have too short visibility to make long plans. At some point between troll castles and folded grassland we spot lower part of Lang Ayre with some stacks floating further away. Dreamy landscapes, tiring climbs into whiteness, new and new hills appearing in front of us.
Finally at Lang Clodie Loch we pitch our tent because according to some people this should be the best campsite in Shetland. View, shelter and water. The shelter part proves a bit tricky. We abandon our first choice quickly after the tent starts flapping around. After dinner and crawling in our sleeping bags heavy rain starts. The wind pushes the tent down on us with me clinging on the tent pole to keep it from bending too much. Fighting the storm with carbon fibre seems kind of ridiculous so we pack and escape before the tent breaks apart. I was exploring the surroundings before so I know that the crossing over the river on farther side of the loch is shallower than by the waterfall. In approaching darkness we wade through the river and find ourselves in a more peaceful place. Up a bit there’s a crack in the rocks that leads to a kind of flat area surrounded by hills. Perfect with wind from current direction. Tent up again and we finally get some rest.
Views were nice though, as was the water.
Walked 16 km today.
Add a comment