Wanting to move to Shetland

[Nigel Bridgman-Elliot]

We haven't visited yet, but plan to next year.

 

I've not lived in London all my life, having lived in Kent with 10ft+ snow drifts, Cumbria, Devon, town and country alike, its nice not to have to go out and chop firewood anymore for an open fire with the joys of central heating, but its so hot here, its never on and instead we have to pay for air conditioning!

 

We'd rather do self build than buy someplace, that way we'll end up with a property just as we like it.

[Infiltrator]

Nigel, read my post above, Shetland doesn't get much snow, the winters are mild, windy and wet.

[paulb]

nigel come in the winter. the summer is deceptive. you must get the worst weather before you decide. try coming up on the ferry in a strong gale.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=eaNimTgLJjA

were not joking the wind is the killer.

[PJ of Hildisvik]

Christ talk about putting someone off coming here,

Perhaps Nigel would like to spend a night on Ronas Hill in a Blizzard with 120mph winds and a windchill of minus 20, yes it is one place to appreciate a 60 deg North winter, though 99% of Shetlanders have probably never been to the summit, always safely in their cars at Collafirth Hill

Rant Over, thanks.

[Nigel Bridgman-Elliot]

I do miss a good bit of snow, I remember the fuss my parents made when I waded through several miles of it waist deep snow across the fields one winter to get home as the bus refused to go down the road.

 

I used to live in Manston in Kent, it was pretty windy there a lot of the time, I can still remember crawling along on my cycle trying to stay upright, bits of the roof blowing off in the wind. (An amusing tale when I was working with my dad on a customers car, it was windy and after a loud thud the customer came out to wonder what had happened, and there was this huge dent in the top of their car! they asked my dad what had happened, and they thought he said a 'A cow just fell off your roof onto your car' so looked rather bemused at him, then he pointed to the cowl lying by the side of car..

 

http://www.pilotweb.aero/content/airfields/airfield.aspx?af_id=79

 

> One reason for the breezy environment is that Manston is 178 feet

> above sea level. It also has the sea on three sides, just over two miles

> away at its closest point. "It's like a big aircraft carrier," says James.

 

I appreciate that the weather will be not ideal, and whilst I like a good walk, I'm also happy indoors tinkering with things. (Though I imagine somehow I'm going to be outdoors for years building homes!)

 

But I am looking forward to some clean air, the stuff down here is really awful, and the waters none too good either!

 

If its cheaper to come in the winter, then we might well do that

[Infiltrator]

It's cheaper to come in the winter for good reason..

 

Paul - I thought this was the link you posted.

 

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vhsBfNxWILg

 

PJ - we're not trying to put him off, it's just far too easy to get a 'Mills and Boon' idea of the place from adverts and brochures rather than an experienced view.

[paulb]

oh yes its cheaper. bring a tent. kent is NOT like Shetland. you will die up here if you mess up. The wife got us diitched at the end of April this year if there was no help we would have been in trouble. waist deep and very strong wind.

Fetlar is an isolated island there is no secondary school if you get a family to move there you will have to send the kids to lerwicks hostel. the primary school must be indangered with the drop in population. the only shop is open part time. no petrol. it will take you most of the day to get from fetlar to lerwick and back. and you do need to travel to lerwick for a lot of stuff.

but if you really want to do it you must do it. dont debate it to long just move. sorry to be a kill joy but your the best part of 2 days travel to get to London.

[Infiltrator]

Marston may be pretty windy but when you record wind at 131 knots you better make sure things are well secured.

 

http://www.fettes.com/shetland/storms%20climate%20change.htm

 

http://www.fettes.com/shetland/wind%20extremes.htm

 

http://www.fettes.com/shetland/storm%20history.htm

[PJ of Hildisvik]

I agree it is the wind that can get waring over time, but we don't get that much rain , 40 odd inches, compared to Fort William and the Western Isles who get 140in or more, shame.

And when we occasionally get a proper scandinavian cold snap it is stunning here with the intensity of the light reflection of the snow

Then we have the Northern Lights, but solar activity is at it's lowest ebb right now, but it will get better.

Then theres the whole well being feeling you get when you are over 60deg north and away from the smog ridden overcrowded mainland of the UK.

The plus points greatly outway the minuses, unless VE get to build the wind factory that is,and stuff it all up.

[Nigel Bridgman-Elliot]

One reason I'm keen on an earth sheltered concrete dome home, don't want it to blow away in the wind. Building it though could be fun..

 

I'm not sure my lightweight car wont blow away in the wind though, perhaps a good idea to get a nice old fashioned landrover instead.

 

I was around during this:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Storm_of_1987

 

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ciBox3QHYq4

 

Our old brick built house didn't fair so well, the roof blew off, all the windows blew out, and the internal floors also vanished in the gale, along with all the concrete fencing, lucky it had a cellar!

 

I remember another time before then when the front wall blew down, and I had to crawl along on the ground holding onto the grass to reach it and move it in off the road.

 

Since then, I like to over-engineer solutions, I've since found out that railway sleeper sized fence posts really do hold up well to high winds.

 

I'm a practical person, rather than someone afraid to get their fingers dirty with a bit of hard work, and at the age of 42 experienced enough to know that things aren't easy no matter where you go.

 

But trading a bit of bad weather for low crime, a bargain if you ask me!

[PJ of Hildisvik]

And with cheap flights to Bergen in the summer from Sumburgh, it's great, better than shopping in the Granite city anyday!!

[paulb]

getting the concrete up to fetlar will be difficult your going to have to think about the issues. your going to be spending a fortune in preparing the hole for the shelter. the stone is hard. getting equipment up there will also take planning smallish ferry. then you will need a contractor that amount of concrete is more than you can handle. then of course you will have fun with the planning they dont like alternative ideas hence all the grey hurle.

have you thought of the expanded foam buildings this gives you insulation and strenght.

it may be wise to look at how the old shetland folk built there homes. our old bit of the croft is a lot warmer and draught free than the 80s extension.

we do get less rain than mainland britain but its get powered it hurts with a storm force wind behind it.

[PJ of Hildisvik]

Nigel, if the freight route to Kristiansund gets going, (not to be confused with Kristiansand in Norways south) timber could be imported so you could build a small type of "Stofa" log cabin, would fit beautifully in the enviroment. just a thought!...now waiting for the negatives of this idea coming along

[paulb]

And with cheap flights to Bergen in the summer from Sumburgh, it's great, better than shopping in the Granite city anyday!!

are they going to cancel them as well. hope the holiday comes off. but what about all that carbon would a rowing boat not be more green. i know this daft englishman with one in slightly used condition.

[PJ of Hildisvik]

^^^^^ If they cancel the Norway connection, that would be the last straw, i would be on the last plane out , no return!!!!!