Book #59 Wild Fire

Wild Fire by Ann Cleeves
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So, there it is then. The publishers in their wisdom decided to put the Acknowledgements at the very beginning of the book. First sentence: "This is the last Shetland novel..." There were some of us who still held on to a glimmer of hope, trying to ignore the fact that Ann Cleeves had intimated that Wild Fire would be it...

Shetland. Welcoming. Wild. Remote. It is all of these. I have been there. I love the place and I have loved this series. All good things must come to an end I suppose. So, how does Cleeves handle this swan song? What will happen to DI Jimmy Perez? No spoilers from me! This is writing of the highest calibre. A slow burner that ignites the pages, when a young nanny's body is found hanging in the barn of incomers - the Flemings. An English family who have moved to the area to give their autistic son a better life. The girl was the nanny to the children of Dr and Mrs Moncrieff.

Two families, four parents, six children. Include Magnie Ridell, besotted with the nanny, Emma. His mother and his aunt. A previous suicide. Duncan Hunter is here, natural father of Cassie, DC Sandy Wilson, DCI Willow Reeves - on-off lover of Jimmy Perez. A Perez here who seems constantly preoccupied...

Not many possible suspects then but the conclusion still managed to evade me! And what of Perez? Did Cleeves...? Didn't she...? You will have to read it to find out!

Me? I have to swallow my disappointment. This is the last Shetland...

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Book #70 Cold Earth

Cold Earth by Ann Cleeves
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So, there it is. I managed to make it last for four days. Had to finish it, disappointed that it's over. I love Shetland - these wild, Northern Isles where I followed in Jimmy Perez's footsteps in May this year. Ann Cleeves has made them her own. She understands the Shetlanders and their way of life. And how they will react to a murder in their community. This number 7 in the series is another gem - a beautifully crafted slow-burner that sees DI Jimmy Perez and DCI Willow Reeves together once again, investigating the crime. Is romance in the air or is it too soon following the murder of Fran? How is Cassie coping? Why is there no mention of Sergeant 'Tosh'? Will there be another murder? If you are a Shetland fan you will have to read it and find out.

I loved it.

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Book #34 Between Weathers: Travels in 21st Century Shetland

Between Weathers: Travels in 21st Century Shetland by Ron McMillan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you have ever had the good fortune of visiting the Shetland Isles you will undoubtedly enjoy this book. If you have ever had an inkling of visiting these northern isles you also will enjoy this book. If you enjoy enquiring, lyrical travel writing then get a copy of this most enjoyable travelogue by Ron McMillan. My wife and I were enchanted with Shetland where we recently enjoyed a holiday. I purchased a copy of this enthralling book in the Shetland Tourist Office in Lerwick. An evocative read with McMillan visiting many of the locations that we enjoyed and far more that we didn't, like Fair Isle (a must for a future visit), Papa Stour and the island of Foula.

McMillan enjoys flights on the Loganair Islander, sitting up front in the co-pilot's seat, this stubby little aircraft able to fly in most of the weather that Shetland has to throw at it. If ever a phrase was made for Shetland: "It's a day atween waddirs"... Between weathers.

This wonderful account of his travels brims with insights into the islands' wildlife, archaeology and geology and most of all it casts a warm and engaging light on Shetlanders themselves.

If you read this book and you haven't been to Shetland - you will want to.

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The Well Travelled Tilley

Those who enjoy the great outdoors will probably recognise a Tilley hat when seen perched securely on the wearer's head.  I own several Tilleys - my favourite is the Tilley hemp. Made from one of the oldest and strongest natural fibres in the world, this medium brimmed hemp Hat is hardwearing and breathable. Its natural fibre means natural fade, so the hat will change colour in time and become truly unique. One becomes really attached to a Tilley...

My hemp Tilley has travelled many miles affording excellent protection from inclement weather. The chin strap ensures that the hat remains in place when facing fierce Force eights on Shetland!

Imagine then my dismay when we reached Aberdeen airport on 14th May having disembarked from MV Hrossey an hour or so earlier and I suddenly realised that I had left my Tilley in the cabin. By the time I was able to contact NorthLink ferries the Hrossey had departed, en-route to Kirkwall, Orkney! So had my hat! A day later I received an email from NorthLink saying they had found my hat and it was at their Kirkwall office. They said they would send it to me free of charge - and so they did. My Tilley arrived today - I had my old friend back after it had travelled rather more miles than originally planned.

Thank you NorthLink....

The Rain Goose

Of all the birds we longed to see on our recent holiday on Shetland, the Red-throated Diver, known by Shetlanders as the Rain Goose, figured at the top of the list. It is a characteristic bird of Shetland’s moorland lochs. It has also been called the Lum (old Norse Lomr) and hence many small Shetland lochs (shuns) are known as Loomieshun.

The Red-throated Diver is a rare bird in Britain with only about 900 breeding pairs. These are confined to Scotland with more than half nesting in Shetland. Divers are superbly adapted for life in the water. Their bodies are streamlined with legs positioned at the back of the body to provide efficient propulsion when they dive and swim below the surface in pursuit of small fish. As a consequence divers can only move on land with difficulty, so their nests have to be close to the water’s edge.

Our hotel was located in Veensgarth, a few miles northwest of Lerwick. The owner, Gordon, has provided accommodation for many birders over the years. Discussing our interest in the Rain Goose he directed us to a small loch on East Burra, the loch of Gershon, where he knew birds were nesting. Red-throated Divers are specially protected by law as a Schedule 1 species and as such great caution needs to be observed when approaching a possible site, so as not to disturb them.

We set off on Thursday morning 12th May for the drive, much of this on single track roads with passing places provided at regular intervals. East Burra is sparsely populated and we encountered hardly any other vehicles on our journey. It is a wild, rugged place and a strong south-westerly was blowing. Reaching the loch we alighted from the car, clothed in plenty of warm clothing. Just as well as the wind was determined to make life most uncomfortable! We stood at the loch-edge for more than an hour getting colder by the minute. Nothing. No Red-throated Diver to be seen, just a solitary Shelduck. Really disappointing. That evening, back at the hotel and enjoying a single malt, Gordon appeared. “Did you see them?” he asked. “Afraid not” we responded. “Well, they were there this evening!” he replied (he lives close to the said loch). As Friday 13th May was to be our last day on Shetland we decided to try again the next morning.

We packed the car and set off early for the journey to East Burra. We stood at the side of the loch for another hour in another force 8. Nothing. Just a couple of Curlews. No Red-throated Divers. A huge disappointment again. It wasn’t to be, not on this visit.

Does make me more determined to go back to Shetland though. It’s a beautiful location with friendly locals. I could happily live there…..

Shetland Series 3 on BBC

I am just one of many fans of the Shetland series of books written by the author Ann Cleeves. Of the six books that so far comprise this series, four have been adapted for television by BBC scriptwriters. These episodes that made up series 1 and 2 loosely followed the plots in Ann's books, although on one occasion they decided to change the identity of the murderer. Only scriptwriters in their infinite wisdom get away with this. For all that the first two series were enjoyable; the main characters known to all readers were there: DI Jimmy Perez, DS Alison McIntosh, DC Sandy Wilson, Sgt Billy McBride and Fiscal Rhona Kelly. Two books have not been adapted for TV and Ann is in the throes of writing book #7 entitled 'Earth to Earth'. She herself has said: "The TV adaptations are very often very different from the books - the scriptwriters cut some characters and add others, cut big chunks of plot and sometimes they even change the murderer!" 

So, I have watched Shetland series 3 to its conclusion with both dismay and anger. This series is only based on characters created by Ann Cleeves. It is not remotely based on any book. It created plot lines that are irreversible and clearly pay no heed to the fact that Ann is writing a 7th book. The programme includes the gratuitous and totally unnecessary rape of DS Tosh McIntosh, who come the end hands in a transfer request, to leave Lerwick (Shetland). This single act will have a cataclysmic affect on the 7th book that Cleeves is writing. You cannot undo something that has appeared on TV and will remain in the minds of all her fans who have read her books and await the next with great anticipation. Did the scriptwriters consult with Cleeves over the outcome of TV series 3? Would she have agreed to this horrible development? I think not. How can any reader now look forward to book #7 with great anticipation having watched this travesty of television? Can Cleeves' 7th book in the series adopt the happenings of this latest TV series or will she just ignore them?

I can only wait now until October when book #7 is expected to be published. But this latest TV airing has left a bad taste....

  

Book #18 Orkney & Shetland Islands Focus Guide 2nd Edition

Orkney & Shetland Islands Focus Guide, 2nd by Alan Murphy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I guess that a travel guide is not intended to be read from cover to cover. But, I have and it required a lot of patience as the typeface is so small! The publishers have managed to cram each small page (18x11cm) with around 680 words. The content is certainly informative and provides most of what you need to know to enjoy a visit to these Northern Isles. This Footprint guide contains no pictures apart from a few maps, which is another disappointment.

Despite my 3 Star rating I shall carry the book with me on my visit to Shetland in May. At least it's pocket sized and lightweight!

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Simon King's Shetland

Fancy a visit to Shetland? I do and I am going. Simon King's short video might help to whet your appetite....

Book #16 Shetland Diaries: Otters, Orcas, Puffins and Wonderful People

Shetland Diaries: Otters, Orcas, Puffins and Wonderful People by Simon King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Simon King spent a year on the Shetland Islands filming and keeping a diary, accompanied by his wife Marguerite and young daughter Savannah. His main objective was to film otters, an animal for which he has a long time passion. He also filmed orcas; on one occasion seeing a large pod within metres of the boat in which he was travelling. His description of this event was breathtaking. He filmed puffins close up, gannets plunging into the sea to catch fish and the secretive storm petrel - on the Island of Mousa, one of the only locations in the UK where this sparrow sized seabird can be seen.

His enthusiasm for wildlife is infectious as he experienced Shetland through the changing seasons and discovered the wildlife and the warmth of community in these islands. I had the pleasure of meeting Simon in 2014 at the Rutland Bird Fair. He is a font of all knowledge concerning wildlife, particularly birds. Anyone who can instantly identify a marsh tit from a willow tit has my respect!

I loved this heartwarming and inspirational book, made all the more enjoyable as providing much location information for my own forthcoming trip in May to Shetland.

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Book #14 A Kangaroo Loose in Shetland: Excerpts from a Diary

A Kangaroo Loose in Shetland: Excerpts from a Diary by Lachlan Ness
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am infatuated with Shetland. That one word conjures up dreams of a wild, rugged and beautiful terrain. 60 degrees North, just beneath the Arctic Circle. I haven't been there - yet. Have planned a visit for many years. And will be going in May. I have a clutch of books to read about this northern archipelago. This is the first. A reverent sojourn to Yell, Unst and Fetlar by Rev. Lachlan Ness and his wife Janet.

Ness is an Australian, an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church, now retired. Well - almost. The Church of Scotland parish of the North Isles of Shetland has been without a full-time minister for over four years; a fact that comes to the attention down in Australia of Lachlan. Why not? He lets it be known that he would be available in Shetland for a time and would do his best to help the parish finally obtain a full-time minister. His offer is accepted. Lachlan and Janet spend four blissful months in 2008 in the North Isles.

This is a heart-warming story, full of humour and occasional pathos and Lachlan paints a memorable picture of life here as he discovers the remarkable beauty that abounds in these ancient islands where he finds inspiration in the warmth, hospitality, humour, long-suffering patience, faith hope and love of the people of the North Isles.

I cannot wait to go....



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60 Degrees North

The sixtieth parallel marks a borderland between the northern and southern worlds. Wrapping itself around the lower reaches of Finland, Sweden and Norway, it crosses the tip of Greenland and the southern coast of Alaska, and slices the great expanses of Russia and Canada in half. The parallel also passes through Shetland. A visit to these Northern Isles has been on top of my bucket list for many years. Finally I have persuaded my wife Ros that a holiday here would be an adventure. Her resistance to such a trip has been weakened by watching the wonderful series 'Shetland' on ITV based on the books of Ann Cleeves (I have read the complete series). She doesn't want to show too much enthusiasm about the trip but I can see that she is looking forward to it as much as me. We start our journey north in May, on my birthday.

Our journey starts by limo from Brighton to London Heathrow from where we take a British Airways flight to Aberdeen. We then transfer to the Aberdeen ferry terminal for the Northlink ferry crossing to Lerwick on Mainland Shetland. A crossing of some 200 miles over the top of the North Sea, below the North Atlantic. These crossings are notoriously rough at times...

Lerwick is the capital of Shetland and dates back to times of Viking occupation from 500 - 1000AD.

We will spend several days on Shetland, one of the best places for birdwatching in the UK (yes, Ros is aware of this!)

Our journey back on the ferry will include a stop at Kirkwall, the capital of Orkney.

That is the plan. I hope it can be fulfilled....

Book #54 Offshore

Offshore by Ann Cleeves
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A collection of short stories, all set on islands off the coast of the UK. This set of mysteries features new cases for DI Jimmy Perez on Shetland and DI Willow Reeves on Uist in the Outer Hebrides. In 'Hector's Other Woman' set on Holy Island, we meet a young Vera, before she became DI Vera Stanhope, and the story of how she decided to enter the police force. One of the stories, 'Postcard from Skokholm', is written by Lynne Chitty, winner of Pan Macmillan's Bello imprint's short story competition. But overall this new collection of mysteries left me rather disappointed. Maybe they are too short, too few words to develop convincing plots and characters. Anyway, at just 73 pages it won't take you long to read and make up your own mind...

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Rutland Revisit

The Rutland Birdfair is over for another year. It was as good as ever, better even than last year. Unlike the journey from Sussex to Uppingham. There is no other choice than to follow the route M23 on to M25. There are then choices: M40, M1 or A1M. But the M25 is a nightmare. Slow moving or stationary four lanes of traffic. In places overhead gantry signs instruct to use the hard-shoulder as well, increasing the queue to five lanes...

The journey of little more than 150 miles took five hours. Google's estimation was 2 hours 45 minutes! It was a joy to leave the motorway system and drive country roads through Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and finally Rutland. On arriving at The Crown Inn we dumped our luggage and patronised the bar, consuming pints of Everard's award winning Tiger ale. 

The evening was pleasantly mild so we wandered off to the market square and managed to get a table at the brasserie Don Paddy's where the ale was good and the food was excellent. The cask marque awarded Timothy Taylor's Landlord ale is a terrific pint. A great atmosphere here with friendly staff serving really excellent food.

Wandering around the Birdfair is always enjoyable, often bumping into old friends and wildlife celebrities like Simon King, who had his own marquee:

Essential visits included the optics marquee, the art marquee, the clothing stands of Rohan and Country Innovation and the Shetland stand where I bagged a load of information on these sceptred isles, which I plan to visit before I conk out.

It was another enjoyable weekend and I hope to visit next year again for my 5th visit. Will definitely go by train though as we faced the same horrendous traffic on our return journey...

Great Knot in Norfolk!

A Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris has been seen at Breydon Water in Norfolk and has bird-watchers racing to get there and see it. This is only the fourth recorded occurrence of this mega rarity in Britain. The first Great Knot was found in 1989 in Shetland, the second in 1996 in Cleveland, the third in both County Dublin and Lancashire in 2004.

The Great Knot

This species breeds in the subarctic and montane tundra habitats of north-eastern Siberia. It is migratory and winters along the coast of Southeast Asia and Australia. It has been very rarely observed on the west coast of Alaska during its spring migration and has also been recorded locally in Western Europe.

Quite a turn-up for Norfolk!

Extremely Rare Vagrant on Shetland

An extremely rare vagrant has been seen this week on Shetland. The Hudsonian Whimbrel Numenius hudsonicus was first recorded on Fair Isle in May 1955. This week saw the appearance of one on Mid Yell and will become only the fourth record for Shetland.

Hudsonian Whimbrel

This brings the total number of individuals seen in Britain since 1950 to eight. Before this week's individual the most recent sighting was in 2011 from September 20th - 25th at Mizen Head, Co. Cork, Ireland.

I am not a rarity chaser but I would love to be on Shetland right now....