niceday Posted May 6, 2006 Report Share Posted May 6, 2006 From yesterday's Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/country/article/0,,1767954,00.html "...So where are the best places to head for this summer?... 2 The Shetland Islands "The absolutely in place at the moment is Shetland," says Bob Macbeth, publisher of Travel GBI. "It's got the freshest air in Britain, bags of Viking history and great abbeys. The people are friendly, you can get back to nature, and it has the finest lamb you've ever tasted." Shetland is very proud of its indigenous breed of sheep, which have horns, short tails and double coats. They are small, hardy and very wild - so approach with care. The islands - which number around 100, of which only 15 are inhabited - have a population of 22,000. The numbers have barely increased over the past 200 years, and in the summer people are outnumbered 10 to one by puffins, which make Shetland their home from mid-April to mid-August. The islands have 900 miles of coastline, 138 beaches and 6,080 archaeological sites dating back as far as the Stone Age. Shetland is about to get direct flights from Stansted, but don't tell the stag parties." Not sure I have ever seen an Abbey in Shetland, are there any? Also not sure stag parties would find it that interesting! Good to see some positive publicity from the UK national press though, can't hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted May 6, 2006 Report Share Posted May 6, 2006 While I don't like to knock anyone who's talking up Shetland, poor old Bob Macbeth either has never been to Shetland or is a bit odd. Even with the best will in the world nobody is going to be all that inspired by your atypical Shetland Parish 'abbey'. Last time I looked at the Brae Kirk I was mildly underwhelmed. And I'm surprised he's latched on to the Shetland breed of sheep as a major tourist magnet. Is this really one of our strongest selling points? As for the stag thing, I would contend the beer halls of Prague still have the edge in terms of splendour and cheapness over the delights of Da Wheel Bar. But maybe I'm just being defeatist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMouth Posted May 6, 2006 Report Share Posted May 6, 2006 He can't even be talking about the Abbey building society - the nearest one is Aberdeen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wally jumblat Posted May 6, 2006 Report Share Posted May 6, 2006 An Abbey in Shetland? I assumed he was talking about one of our many world-famous taxi drivers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic Posted May 6, 2006 Report Share Posted May 6, 2006 The islands.......have a population of 22,000.......and in the summer people are outnumbered 10 to one by puffins, which make Shetland their home from mid-April to mid-August. Is nobody going to mention the 220,000 puffins??!!! 8O Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diminormite Posted May 6, 2006 Report Share Posted May 6, 2006 im not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turrifield Posted May 6, 2006 Report Share Posted May 6, 2006 I am-220,000 puffins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diminormite Posted May 6, 2006 Report Share Posted May 6, 2006 anyone seen "guy x" did you see what they did to puffins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mhari P Posted May 15, 2006 Report Share Posted May 15, 2006 This article appeared in yesterday's Sunday Times and thankfully, no mention of abbeys http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2100-2177404.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niceday Posted May 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2006 This article appeared in yesterday's Sunday Times and thankfully, no mention of abbeys http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2100-2177404.html Wow - what a fantastic article. He really does appear to have been genuinely moved by the place. Good on him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hambone Posted May 15, 2006 Report Share Posted May 15, 2006 http://shetlandtoday.co.uk/shetlandtimes/content_details.asp?ContentID=19196 How about this one though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifi Posted May 15, 2006 Report Share Posted May 15, 2006 This article appeared in yesterday's Sunday Times and thankfully, no mention of abbeys http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2100-2177404.html Wow - what a fantastic article. He really does appear to have been genuinely moved by the place. Good on him.Pity they didn't use a picture of Shetland though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Njugle Posted May 15, 2006 Report Share Posted May 15, 2006 This article appeared in yesterday's Sunday Times and thankfully, no mention of abbeys http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2100-2177404.html Wow, the guy really 'got it' didn't he. I'm always keen to gush about the place, but that guy surpasses even my gushing. Wish i owned a guest house now, that kind of hype could buy you a range rover this summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McFly Posted May 16, 2006 Report Share Posted May 16, 2006 Pity they didn't use a picture of Shetland though! Yeah! That picture looks suspiciously like Skye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomblands Posted May 16, 2006 Report Share Posted May 16, 2006 I noticed this on Shetland News this morning... Mousa is top Scottish attraction It is slightly misleading. The list isn't a "top 40" style list in the style of "1=best" but more a list of "40 things to do in Scotland". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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