Hibbert in Shetland

[clanchief]

Shetland is currently trying to achieve "Geopark" status, & I was therefore interested to recently read some of the correspondence of Samuel Hibbert who is "famous" for discovering the existance of commercially exploitable levels of chromate and other minerals in Shetland in 1817.

 

In one of his letters he speaks about a visit to "Roeness Hill" to collect rock specimens in company with a Will Henderson from Bardister who was fishing in Roer Water. Hibbert describes having a "repast" with Henderson whilst seated at a granite table on the banks of Roer Water.

 

Just a thought, but if Geopark status is achieved, it would be a great attraction to have a "Hibbert Walk" to Roer Water to visit the very rock he sat at to partake of a "dejeuner a la fourchette" washed down by some Cape Madeira! That is if anyone knows of a flat rock at Roer water that meets the Description of being like a table.

 

Will Henderson seems to have been an interesting character and Hibbert describes him as "The Hermit". This description appears to have arisen because Henderson is described as having visited the tropical climates, mixed with high society & enjoyed the elegant pleasures of most of the capitals of Europe etc and Hibbert could not understand why Henderson was driven to terminate his days in the "vile climate" of Thule. Intrigingually, Henderson himself told Hibbert that it was sufficient punishment for his moral peccadilloes!

[Njugle]

An excellent idea clanchief, and an excellent walk to boot! I can't think of a rock to meet the table description, but there are one or two toward the far end that you could perch some kind of libation upon an perhaps lie on the ground aside, now that i think about it, there is one that is quite chair-shaped, where last year i found an abandoned copy of the 'accordion and fiddle festival' brochure, strangely. I can think of one or two culprits, deliberate or otherwise.

 

The Hibbet story sounds rather good, i must try and read it sometime.