Lerwick to Lerwick, via Sumburugh Head

Day out on the bus today to the south of the island. £2.50 to travel down on the slow bus, visiting the smaller villages (and delivering the papers/magazines at a local shop in one of the villages - the driver chucked the bundle out of the front door of the bus onto the pavement on the opposite side of the road to the shop) on the way, being dropped off at the en of the line atGrutness Pier along with two girls who were on their way to Fair Ilse for the summer, to the newly constructed bird observortory there. The 'Good Shepherd' ferry boat was waiting for them and the supplies brought down on the bus to go to the island. We asked about the time of the return buses but were directed to the wall of the tiny waiting room at the quayside - by the time we'd looked at it and realised that there there were no return buses on the same day,the bus had gone!!!

The airport is not too far away so decided we would be able to get a bus back from there. Turned the opposite way to the airpot and walked to the most southerly part of Shetland, Sumburugh Head, a bird reserve and lighthouse there. Weather very overcast and the cloud was only just higher than the 100m cliff the lighthouse sits on. Lots of birds nesting on the cliffs - saw our first British puffins today - but after being spoilt by getting so close to them in NE Iceland, these were not nearly as photogenic.

Walked the three miles back to the airport - a stunning location, between two sandy coves, with the runway starting virtually in the water one end and finishing virtually in the water the other end. The road crosses over the runway, with traffic lights controlling the (few) cars and buses - very like Gibraltor airport. The rain was just starting u as we arrived at the airport building - amazingly large - and also about to have a runway extension built. Just missed a bus back to Lerwick - had to wait two hours to get the 'express bus' -a minivan with 16 extremely tiny seats in it - and cost us £5 each for this trip - double what it cost on the way down.

Miserable evening now, cold and very wet. Glad we are in the hostel and not in the tent. Weather looks to improve a little by tomorrow evening, ie the rain is forecast to stop, leaving it cloudy but dry - so planning to camp on Orkney when we arrive there at 11pm tomorrow night.