Day 12 Thursday 30th June 2016 Lerwick Shetland
I was woken by the early hours of the morning by the ship’s fog horn as we neared Shetland. Then as Azura neared Lerwick harbour we still had sea mist but by the time the ship was ready to drop anchor the sky was clearing.
After breakfast we joined the queue of independent travelers going ashore. After a smooth trip into Lerwick’s harbour and after picking up our local map we headed for the tourist office where there was free (fast) wi-fi.
We then walked past the post office and the Queen’s Hotel along Commercial Street until we met a local gentlemen. Our conversation ranged from the current political climate to the details of how Shetland and Orkney came to be ‘loaned’ to Scotland in lieu of a dowry. I was interested in the locations of the TV series ‘Shetland’ and we were literally yards away from Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez’s house. This is where he sits outside sipping whisky watching the boats in the harbour.
As we walked down Twageos Road these are some the various views.
Our objective was the Knab and on the way we had spectacular views of Azura as well as passing houses for widows, erected by Arthur Anderson, who was one of the founders of the original P&O and a native of Lerwick.
Twageos Street stopped and we joined a path to the Knab. Once on the Knab we had spectacular views as well as the nesting places for lots of different species of sea birds.
Along the path to the Knab.
And once on the Knab we had some wonderful views.
As we walked back to Lerwick we spotted seals as well as birds feeding in the sea below us.
Once back in Lerwick itself after a quick call to an ATM we went to “Coffee & Keetchin” for coffees. The owner was rushed off her feet but told us that she didn’t mind as in the Winter they were not very busy so having lots of customers was great. The TSB Bank across the way as well as a BT wi-fi hot spot both worked while we were sitting outside the cafe.
After a prolonged coffee break we walked further along Commercial Road (in the opposite direction) until we had passed the bus station and the Da Wheel Bar. Our plan had been to walk along to the shopping centre but we decided it would be easier to go back and find somewhere to have a drink and to eat.
Notices in windows in Lerwick
These notices in shop windows did make us smile.
Captain Flints’
I was surprised just how hard it was to find a pub to get a drink or a meal with a drink. We went back to the Queen’s Hotel and had a look at its formal dining room and into its very small bar which was packed and had no where to sit on its handful of tables and decided to look elsewhere.
Not obvious at first but Captain Flints’ is a bar over the Premier Corner Shop. We climbed the stairs and were pleased to find lots of room, a friendly atmosphere and best of all lots of different types of beer. Food was in short supply but we were told it was OK to go and buy some crisps from the shop below and eat them with our beer. Plus the wi-fi was fast and easily connected to.
Just down the road from Captain Flints was the Harbour Fish and Chip shop (in Harbour Square). The large number of passengers from the ship choosing to have their lunch onshore had caused the chip shop to be running out of fish. I did manage to buy one of the last breaded fish and there was more than enough for two when bought as a fish supper with chips.
After our shared fish supper we caught the tender back to ship – today the queues were short.
The sailway was the traditional Great British Sailaway. It was cold but the entertainment team gave it their all!
Here’s a view of the Knab from Azura.
Once the pilot left Azura he joined the next ship into Lerwick, which was National Geographic’s Orion.
Dinner was an excellent fillet steak and assorted vegetables preceded by Greek salad and then followed by Summer pudding.
Just as in the first days of the cruise the casino in Brodies was closed and now after we had left Iceland it was to remain closed for the rest of the cruise.
At no time during the day did Vodafone provide anything more than a poor GPRS signal which just as in Stornoway and meant no mobile data.
The concierge rate for sending postcards via P&O dropped to £1 to be sent before 2 pm.
Our last port of call before returning to Southampton was Kirkwall in Orkney.