In
June and July the rich meadows of the Tingwall Valley, on the B9074 north of
Scalloway, are one of the best places to see Shetland's native wild flowers,
including several species of orchids.
A
picturesque golf course lies between the Loch of Asta and the Tingwall Loch
both fine trout lochs and also home to Shetland's first resident mute swans.
Other birds include tufted duck, red breasted merganser, and common and
black headed gulls. Past the Lawting Holm and the Tingwall Kirk is the
fascinating Shetland Agricultural Museum, near the junction with the main
A971 road to the west.
Nearby there is a pub restaurant and the Tingwall Public Hall, noted
for its Sunday teas and social functions. One of the most spectacular
views in Shetland is from Wonnadale Hill, on the boundary between Tingwall
and Whiteness. Beyond the small isles lying in Whiteness Voe you can see
as far as Foula 25 miles to the west.
North
of the Loch of Strom, with its small ruined castle, is the parish of
Weisdale. Beside the small Loch of Hellister, Shetland Jewellery welcome
visitors to view craftsmen and silver smiths at work.
John Clunies Ross, `king' of the Cocos Islands was born in a particularly
beautiful area at Sound and from the main road on the hill above, at the
Scord of Weisdale, there's another magnificent view over southern Shetland.
The head of Weisdale Voe is a good place to see wading birds, while a couple
of hundred yards up the B9075 road is the beautifully restored Weisdale
Mill, housing the Bonhoga art gallery, a textiles museum and cafe.
The
largest stand of trees in Shetland surrounds the farm of Kergord, higher up
the valley of Weisdale. There are no crofts here the tenants were evicted in
the 19th century to make way for sheep farms. The secluded farmhouse of
Flemington was the wartime Special Operations Executive's HQ for the
Shetland Bus operation.
The Kergord plantations, now being managed and
extended, attract chaffinches, rooks and other woodland birds rare elsewhere
in the islands. From Kergord the road winds through the hills past peat
banks to Sandwater, another good trout loch with extensive reedbeds.
Turning
right onto the main A970 road takes you to the South Nesting junction, just
south of the junction lies one of Shetland's biggest, deepest lochs, the
Loch of Girlsta famous for its Arctic Char and, tradition says, named after
the Icelandic Princess Geirhilda who drowned here a thousand winters ago.
Following the A970 south through Tingwall and over the Windy Grind, visitors
will find a welcome on Shetland's main golf course, at Dale, just north of
the Brig o' Fitch junction which takes you back to Scalloway.
