Normally a placid pawsonality - my pawtience was tested en route to the Shetland Islands when cheeky canines commandeered my kennel on the ferry! Imagine howling gales as I recall this pawticular travel tail.
In our quest to explaw the most remote and fascinating places - especially in the current climate - the excitement was palpable as we boarded the overnight ferry to the Shetland Islands.
However the hoomans were pawplexed - and I was very indognant - on seeing two spaniels snugly ensconced in the kennel reserved for me!
High seas drama and a bit of a palaver as North Link Ferries sorted it out. I calmed down and counted sheep to get to sleep in my rightful bed.
Situated between Norway and mainland Scotland, the Shetland Islands are applawded as among Europe’s top destinations. They also have delicipaws award-winning fish and chips at Frankies in Brae. Sharon always gives me her batter and half her chips but Steve never falls for my doleful eye pawformance. He should do before he starts getting pawky!
Further North of the mainland is the island of Yell where we saw a pawgeous Shetland pony. Owned and cared for by local crofters, they originated in the Shetland Isles in the Bronze Age and have stayed there ever since.
With a population of less than 1,000 people, Yell is an oasis of peace, wildlife and wild flowers where the main occupations are farming, fishing and fish farming.
We saw just three people during our stay but missed seeing the otters who had feasted on crab and left the shells littered by the shore line after their gipawmous feast!
The islands have a strong Viking heritage which is appawent on the Isle of Unst where we explawed the reconstruction of a Viking longhouse. The remains of 60 longhouses can be found on Unst - more than in Scandinavia.
Unst is Britain’s most northerly inhabited island - if you go any further you’d be in Norway. Our highlight was walking to the Hermaness National Nature Reserve at the furthermost point which is managed by Scottish Heritage.
The reserve - a dramatic cliff-top - is a haven for over 100,000 birds in breeding season including gulls, shags, gannets, puffins and kittiwakes.
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The noise was deafening and I watched the gipawmous number of them in amazement.
Designated as a national nature reserve (NNR) in 1985, it spans over 2,380 acres and takes in all the Hemaness peninsular.
Abspawlutely mesmerised at the sights and sounds I sat with Sharon while Steve took lots of photographs for pawsperity.
As I put my kennel glitch into pawspective, I reflected on how my Shetland Islands adventure had far surpawsed my expawtations.