Muckle Flugga Lighthouse
photo from Northern Lighthouse Board
With some of the harshest and most changeable weather in the British Isles, a decent structure was needed to protect school students. 6-year-old Bobby McCauley (b1989) and his friends caught the bus there but the shelter was becoming a broken hut with a rusting iron chair.
The local council planned to remove the shelter, until Bobby wrote a letter to the local newspaper, The Shetland Times, asking for a new waiting area. His letter explained that the shelter is where he kept his bike while at school. He was growing tired of the often long, cold and wet waits each morning. The newspaper, touched by the six-year old’s feelings, petitioned the Council for a new shelter. Bobby DID get his way and a shiny, new shelter was soon installed.
Children can enjoy the toys and tv
Then his mum became involved and started putting in additions eg cushions and a hot snack dispenser. Eventually a specialist maintenance team became involved each year, helping the bus shelter became one of the island’s main tourist attractions.
Adults enjoy the tv, library, nibbles and flowers
and the views
The bus stop may have also acted as an unmanned store. There were different objects for purchase such as sunglasses and jewellery. An honesty box was left where visitors could leave payments.
On an island which sees just six hours of winter sunlight, Bobby’s Bus Stop provides a sparkly intermission from the darkness. And there’s a Christmas tree every year. The guest book suggests the bus stop is certainly very popular.
Bobby, now in his 30s, has long since left and is studying for his PhD in Glasgow, but the legacy of his Bus Shelter continues, with entrants in the visitors’ book from across the globe. Nobody could have predicted how popular it would become. There are many photos showing visitors enjoying the experience eg in the Facebook page
What else is there to visit? Shetland has excellent internal links operated by the Shetland Islands Council, including a fleet of inter-island ferries that run to half the inhabited islands. Frequent ferries go to Yell and Unst.
The Isle of Unst has only 650 residents, but tourists venture far out into the North Sea to visit this beautiful, remote outpost. Remote and moody, Unst is a flat expanse of greys, greens and rocky outcrops; Scotland’s last port of call before diving off into the Norwegian Sea’s icy waters. Walk over ancient rocks that once formed the ocean floor. Visit Unst Heritage Centre and Unst Boat Haven to investigate Shetland’s lace knitting and fishing heritage.
Explore the Hermaness National Nature Reserve, a place of global importance for wildlife; with its towering cliffs and extensive moorland, it is home to a rich variety of birds and plants. Then hike to the northerly, historic Muckle Flugga Lighthouse. Visit the replica Viking longship, Skidbladner, and reconstructed Viking longhouse at Haroldswick, some of Shetland’s Norse roots. The northerly beaches, Norwick, the Eastings and Skaw, are very picturesque. There are various Up Helly Aas, the famous fire festivals, around Shetland between Jan-March to celebrate Viking heritage and community spirit.
The replica Viking longship,
Shetland.org
Roam the grounds of Muness Castle, a remarkably fine tower house of the late 1500s. This example of tower house architecture is full of delightful touches, divided between the family, servants and visitors. It was built for Laurence Bruce of Cultmalindie, a prominent, turbulent figure accused of oppressing the Shetland people. Finally enjoy Victoria’s Vintage Tearooms with its fine array of cakes!
Many thanks to Laurie Goodlad
28 comments:
Muckle Flugga! What a great name, certainly puts a smile on my face. I would love to see the Viking ship but your photo will have to do. There's no way I'm travelling to someplace where I would have to wear a dozen layers of clothing at once.
The bus stop story is lovely, very heartwarmig.
River
Muckle Flugga means steep island in Old Norse, even though it was named relatively recently in historical terms. Once the lighthouse became fully automated, visitor no longer were taken on tours inside. However you can go to Shore Station, now the visitor centre for the Hermaness Nature reserve. The views are spectacular.
The average daytime high temperatures is 14 °C for the 2 summer months. The other 10 months may not be suitable for Australian tourists.
You are encouraging me to visit The Scottland again. What a beautiful and cultural island it is.
roentare
ring me first... I can pack a bag in 24 hours :)
I know Glasgow, Edinburgh and all the way north to Stirling and Inverness, but I have never seen any of the islands. The time has come!
Visit the Boat Haven's unique collection of wooden boats which is effectively displayed on a shingle beach. The historical mural depicting the old sixareen days adds to the atmosphere. Artefacts linked to fishing and sailing add interest. The Boat Haven, preserves Shetland’s rich maritime history. The small wooden boats fished for cod and ling.
Many thanks
from the images on line, I can see there would be great interest in Shetland's maritime history, be it fishing, sailing, travel and discovery.
The story of Bobby's bus stop is wonderful and a fine example of how a community will take a project and make it uniquely their own.
I made a tour around Scotland some years ago and felt in love with this country ! (despite the weather) The landscapes are so special I have seen a lot of the world but nowhere the hills and mountains in Scotland. I wished I could go back there again have been there twice ! In Edinburgh even twice and also in Gretna Green (we were already married, lol)
Oh how I would like to visit Scotland, not going to happen but I can enjoy posts about the country, not sure how I would handle the weather I hear it can be somewhat cold.
Boa Noite de terça-feira. Obrigado pelo carinho e comentário. Infelizmente nunca saí do Brasil. Parabéns pela excelente matéria.
jabblog
At first I thought Bobby's Bus Shelter was a bit of a joke. But no, it shows how a small community project can make a difference. Bobby, his mum and the maintenance team etc changed things.
Gattina
Me too. I loved the natural landscape of Scotland, history and architecture, literature and medicine. But the northern island are unique.
Luiz
For us southern hemisphere types, the Shetlands seem a long long way. However it is worth planning a trip.
Jo-Anne
I know Edinburgh best of all, and would strongly recommend the June-August summer months. However pack a puffer jacket, just in case :)
A bit of wheeling and dealing going on back then Hels.
Sounds an interesting place there and my goodness what a difference one person made and a child too. Isn't good to see people join in and help with the bus shelter.
What an uplifting story about the bus shelter. One day I hope to visit some of these far flung islands. Never say never.
Margaret
wheeling and dealing usually goes AGAINST community interests eg when wealthy business people pull down heritage buildings in the middle of the night to build a Makkers instead :( Just sometimes small communities, where each individual is significant, can pull off projects that hardly count financially.
Fun60
Starting on 1/1/1971, I used to travel for 4 weeks every year during the mid June-mid July uni holidays in our winter. Then soon after 1/1/2020, our first Covid lockdowns started and travel ended suddenly.
I know travel is harder now, both financially and health wise, but I have plans to get moving again. I hope you do too.
Since when do bus shelters have electric outlets? Also, since it is not completely enclosed, I would imagine that wind and rain would destroy everything inside.
.
However, I would visit this area for the powerful scenery and history, although, truth to tell, it is somewhat on the bleak side. It's amazing how in the old days large tracts of land (with populations!) were shuttled back and forth, for what now seem insignificant considerations of money. Look at the Unites States for example: the Louisiana Purchase, the Alaska Purchase, even the sale of the entire Connecticut Western Reserve to land speculators.
--Jim
Parnassus
There are heaps of offshore island to explore, grouped into four main groups: northernmost Shetland Islands, Orkneys and Inner and Outer Hebrides. And there are islands in Scotland's inlets, and on its iconic freshwater lochs.
So I agree that Scotland's islands have powerful histories, spectacular coasts and mountains, dismal weather and small populations. Too bleak for me to live in, but rather wonderful to visit.
Hello again, Even since reading this post, the song The Road the the Isles has been running through my head. I did a quick check on Youtube for a version with good singing, pictures of the scenery, and no weird sound effects, but no such animal exists, so I settled for clear enunciation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtsAfk6h8mI
--Jim
An historical bus shelter! What a lovely story. These islands do sound very remote and beautiful. I always wished to have visited Scotland, but not so far. I like their shortbread cookies and orange marmalade. I have tried their whiskey once, but was a bit too strong for me.
Parnassus
Many thanks! Apparently the words refer to the hills of the Isle of Skye; then later the singer passes on the way across the Western Highlands and Inner and Outer Hebrides. I had some trouble understanding the words as sung in youtube but I did find the lyrics on line :)
Vagabonde
Scotland had its own strong cultural history of which it is very proud. But I am not sure all the tourists who flood into southern and central England every year make their way up north into Scotland. Scottish whiskey is sublime, by the way, but in a small glass only :)
I would love to visit the Shetland Islands. And that bus shelter is a riot. I love how it gets redecorated, and also how it has become a tourist stop. :) Nice story, and uplifting when all the news is so sad lately.
Erika
Yes! We are so used to tourist attractions being uber expensive and sophisticated, we lose sight of small and personal expressions of excitement. But I am not sure a casino made for 5,000 very wealthy gamblers necessarily competes with a surf beach, a small zoo for animals facing extinction or indeed a bus stop that has entertained and protected two school children for 30 years.
A visit from Dr Who would add instant popularity to the attraction.
Hank
I am not sure about that :) I suppose it depends on which version of Dr Who you recommend, whether he was clearly Scottish or not, and how scary the science fiction was.
Post a Comment