The anticipation
As we approach the harbour it is clear that we are going to experience yet another beautiful undulating island with rolling hills and stone and mortar buildings. What has this island in store for us? We are at Lerwick, the capital of Shetland Islands, Scotland, about 200 km from the mainland.
Reality
As soon as we disembark it is obvious that we are on Commercial street. The flagstoned street is lined with craft shops and cafés, strung with bunting. Will the rest of Lerwick be as charming?
Gladdened: poetic justice
We decide to take the winding, flagstone paved, commercial street lined with enchanting ancient buildings paralleling the sea front for the undulations naturally imitate the gentle waves of the sea. The series of narrow lanes, appropriately called closes, leads us through the old town with 18th and 19th century buildings huddled together tightly.
Acclimatised accommodation: clustered and cloistered
Adding to the charm is the crookedness of the buildings and their erratic positions. Even the streets have different widths and slopes along the same stretch. Well, Lerwick is known for windiness. I was told by the librarian that the wind takes on various characters and blows unpredictably every which way with varying intensity. Hence the robust buildings and doors placed strategically in narrow sheltered lanes to avoid the direct path of the wind and give respite from the sea. Wouldn't living in clusters create a close community with a strong identity? There's no denying that the character of the wind has bestowed a quaint touch to the old town.
Denotation Enigma
Compounding the enchantment are the alleys ( da lanes) which have baffling names, as well as an alternative name. In actuality, the street signs display both the old and new names for the streets and alleys.
The postmen must be well versed in them. Makes me wonder if there's a system to their sorting, if not technical, or they are as good as the London taxi driver. Perhaps their knowledge of local history is excellent, for the clue to the quirkiness is to be found in the history of the islands.
Amusing Chronicles
In the 17th century Lerwick was initially established as a seaport to trade fish with the Dutch Fishing Fleet. This original settlement was largely a collection of timber huts. Then it was mortgaged by Denmark to Scotland! In the mid seventeenth century a military outpost was established, Fort Charlotte and around it the first stone buildings constructed. In the 19th century the Police Commissioners voted to modernise the names.
Betty Mann's Closs became Crooked Lane.
Leather Lane became Union street.
Sheriff's Closs became Law Lane.
Steep Closs became Hang Cliff Lane.
Yet another wonder: beach between Lodberries
At the end of Commercial Street (Da Lane) we are met with a small tidy beach flanked by old stone houses standing on the sea. These lodberries are stone merchant houses built on the seafront by merchants in the 18th century. They reach into the water with their jetties over the shingle beach. This made it easy for their haul to be dropped straight from the boats into dry storage.
Loot to boot
The Lodberries also had another underground function. They were often used to smuggle tea, tobacco, and other goods onto the island. The merchants who lived on Commercial Street even had secret tunnels built from the lodberries into their homes so that they could move their cargo unnoticed.
We walk towards Commercial Road to take in Charlotte's fort. On the way we pass Town Hall, an aristocratic building. The doors are closed. Assuming it is not open to visitors we walk past, just admiring the façade.
Fort Charlotte: fathoming the plumbing
In the mid seventeenth the fort was built as a military outpost was established. It was rebuilt after its first war and the again after a second war when it was named Fort Charlotte. It has not been manned since.What had dominated the shoreline is now in the heart of the town, the town having grown around it. The pentagonal layout is well preserved. There is a panoramic view of Brassey Island.
But what caught my eye most was how nature( ocean waves) took care of flushing out nature's calls
Repurposed
A little later we find ourselves opposite the peer at the Tollbooth. Yes, it was built to collect taxes, but it has served as a jail, museum, post office, etc. Now the navy has taken it over for one of its branches.
Oil industry fuels modern town
We now enter the modern town.traditional occupation did not meet family needs but the discovery of oil immediately opened up avenues. The Co7ncil gained from the oil industry and dutifully invested it in infrastructure, housing and schools. We come across a modern school, a rugby club. Lo and behold! we find ourselves at a lake. We decide to walk around it. We walk quite some time before we realize that very few people are up and about. As we pass by some of the new houses along the lake we see some life.
The elusive animal:short and sturdy
We spent nearly a whole day in town. Where are the Shetland ponies that have roamed the island for 4000 years? Just as I was about to give up hope, one stands contentedly grazing right beside me. It's nowhere near the Arabian breeds that are elegant. This workhorse is shaggy, has short legs, and is only slightly more than a metre tall. After all, they were mostly used for carrying heavy items in slung baskets.
There are not many around for they are in the crofts (small farms) farther from town.
Broch in a loch
A few metres more and we face a circular structure. A 2000 year old (iron age) stone fortification that waS probably built by some wealthy person to show his wealth and power. It is said to be double walled, the interior l8ned with living quarters around a central court. Being in a loch it was not accessible until a causeway was built. We were at the causeway but decided to Forgo a visit. We are quite counted to be in the vicinity.
A peek turns to disbelief
We are back at the town hall.there is some movement at the doors, so we decide to go for it. Surprise. Anyone can go in through the doors that seemed tightly shut. How mislead we were! We should have come to the doorstep to check. But here we are. The climb up the hilly polished wooden staircase leads to a massive function room. I'm stunned by the stained glass windows that depict the colourful history of Shetland Islands. These impressive works of art are accompanied by relevant information.
The fifteen panels around the main hall occupying the whole of this floor, depict the early history of the islands through the major figures like the Norse kings and earls. There is no way we would have known about the stunning hall for little of the brilliance is visible from the outside.
Lerwick flower par
In our wanderings we come across The Jubilee Flower Park that also has a bowling green and other recreational facilities. The park had started off as a piece of waste ground which was to be used for housing. However the Council bought it for recreational purposes. It is a beautiful setting for walks.
Trivia
1. The lodberries have been made famous by the BBC TV series called Shetlands. Jimmy perez who stars as the detective inspector lives in one of the Lodberries
2. Lerwick has a population of about 10,000 in total but the town is quiet for about half the population lives in a radius of 10 miles. It is vibrant in the newer parts of town. Hence there is no crowd anywhere in the old town.
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