Lunna and Longfield

We've been trying to work out where we can do our final illuminations. I can't believe how unlucky we have been with weather this winter, which has badly effected the entire second half of our programme. We've only been able to illuminate two out of five original choices! We've also had to begin considering sites that weren't even part of our shortlist of thirty two. On Tuesday night I thus drove in rather poor conditiions to Fladdabister and Hay's Dock in Lerwick to check out sites.

We had a long meeting Wednesday morning at Shetland Arts and came up with two first choices that I like very much - Lunna and the Auld Chapel at Longfield. After Nayan checked and tested all the lights and controls were dry and working, we met Mike and Richard in Lunna to decide which structures might be possible to illuminate there, where I took this photo. Then last night Nayan and I drove south to Dunrossness to check out the conditions at our other first choice, the Auld Chapel at Longfield, which I have always loved. I was very happy that we were able to talk to the nearest neighbours, who are really very close to the site. We really appreciate their blessing, as, of course, we do that of the land and property owners, too.


We decided we'd like to illuminate this former lime burning kiln and the dry stane dyke in Lunna. The area has so many interesting buildings, it was difficult to choose. Practicalities ruled in the end! I like the fact that the landscape and its structure reveal so much of Shetland's history, including the Shetland Bus during the Second World War. Apparently the whole area is listed as Category C by Historic Scotland.


The sky changed colour over the time we were looking around Lunna, and by the time we were ready to leave, the colours literally stopped us in our tracks as we stood to watch it transform before our eyes.