Moving to Shetland

[trout]

Right everyones had their say ... topic .. at hand ..

[Westfield7]

Ok, having read all of the posts in this thread, I hope the O.P does not mind if I hijack the topic so to speak, I was going to start one anyway.

 

I havent sold my own house yet, but have seen a few properties on Yell and Fetlar via websites. Can someone from those Islands please post your comments on life from your perspective. Things like weather i dont need to know, its going to be a full 4 seasons in 1 day i guess sometimes. Is there any work on the Islands to be had or do you need to travel to Shetland or the mainland for that? , how do you get on for food and fuel supplies etc etc.

 

The above are the kind of silly questions I was refering to back in my first post and there will be more......

 

Thanks all

 

Rich

[paulb]

both places are very nice. however if you live in fetlar your going to find it hard to commute. yell you can commute to lerwick but it costs. some very nice shops on yell. if getting a croft plan to be busy. we won't warn you of the weather but our children nearly had a month off from school this winter. im sure other will say this all the islands are called shetland not just the mainland. you should get work. good luck but visit the places first.

[shetlandpeat]

@ Westfield7

 

Get hold of Longdog, he moved up last December and has a blog describing this.

 

http://moder-dye.blogspot.com/

[Longdog]

Cheers for that plug SP Trip 'home' to see folks is odd, too hot and sunny and so many trees and hedges, very odd feeling.

 

Back to the thread. Me and my wife both 'commute' from mossbank to lerwick for work. It takes it's toll as more or less a 60 mile round trip each day it's tiring and also expensive.

 

If you have kids it complicates it too with school/childcare.

 

I wouldn't like to think I was travelling from yell to there each day, both time wise and cost (ferry every day isn't cheap)

 

If I lived on one of the islands, which I'd love, I'd have to be either working from home, have some sort of work there, or be lucky enough to not need to work.

 

For all the possible draw backs of Shetland it's the best move we made, we've only been back 'home' a day and already miss it.

[shetlandpeat]

Fuel prices are high and housing can cost. But, you will be well accommodated. The healthcare and welfare is 2nd to none. You will get the chance to join in most activities, I don't think you can get bored.

Even for just a life experience, to live overseas yet still within Great Britain.

The multitudes of folk who visit, even those called peat are great.

 

Island life on an Island will enhance your life.

[Shoogler]

For work in Yell and Fetlar it depends on what skills you have. If you are a building tradesman there is plenty demand. On Yell and Fetlar there are opportunities in salmon and mussel farming work, either at sea or onshore, plus fish/shellfish processing. Yell is full of very active communities and Fetlar is crying out for residents. There are excellent ferry services if you needed to commute to mainland Shetland for work.

[Guest Anonymous]

Ok, having read all of the posts in this thread, I hope the O.P does not mind if I hijack the topic so to speak, I was going to start one anyway.

 

I havent sold my own house yet, but have seen a few properties on Yell and Fetlar via websites. Can someone from those Islands please post your comments on life from your perspective. Things like weather i dont need to know, its going to be a full 4 seasons in 1 day i guess sometimes. Is there any work on the Islands to be had or do you need to travel to Shetland or the mainland for that? , how do you get on for food and fuel supplies etc etc.

 

The above are the kind of silly questions I was refering to back in my first post and there will be more......

 

 

its life in the goldfish bowl throughout Shetland , but even more amplified in smaller communities, Shetland natives are very tollerant but have thier ways (and i'm local native if that matters), its a "suck it n see" scenario. P.S. a kid is a goat, (& a closet is a s""t house)

 

Thanks all

 

Rich

[shetlandpeat]

@Westfield7 Here is another blog from Abby

 

 

 

http://shetlandmylove.blogspot.com/

 

 

You could check www.shetlopedia.com

[Guest Anonymous]

go for it , try it n see what you think , you may well just blend in

[EM]

The healthcare and welfare is 2nd to none.

Except dentistry which is a total joke. The NHS dental waiting lists are so long they will not even estimate how many years till you can have non-emergency appointments.

[shetlandpeat]

Sadly that is a national problem, been here in Lancashire for 6 years, nearest available dentist, Liverpool, If I can get there to register...30 miles or more away.

But, private dentists are now doing work for similar prices as NHS, and you get to be THE CUSTOMER.

[tom thumb]

]The healthcare and welfare is 2nd to none.

Except dentistry which is a total joke. The NHS dental waiting lists are so long they will not even estimate how many years till you can have non-emergency appointments.

 

also as i have found out if your patner gets a serious illness as in our case cancer, then they are take off the island to aberdeen for treatment for months on end .

[Guest don't know]

Just remember...

 

... we want a more peaceful way of life. Somewhere that children can run around free without having to worry.

Hmmm. You can certainly get that here, but be aware that Shetland is not all "Simon King" lah de da. Part of the character of the place is a habit for indulging to the extreme. Be aware that Shetland is a year round party zone, highly boozy and probably has proportionally more smackheads than any inner city.

 

A few of the areas in Shetland to avoid are Hoofields, Nederdale, Sandveien, and Staney Hill. These areas of the town have a bad reputation!

 

Also you do realise that unless you get a job on Yell or Fetlar there will be loads of travelling and costs involved to get anywhere. If you don't have a job lined up before you get here then the best you can do is buy a one way ticket with Northlink back to Aberdeen...

[Westfield7]

Thanks for all your posts and pm`s., and also the blog links. Had a good two hours reading the blogs and as is usual with the internet, got somewhat sidetracked by other Shetland links.

 

A lot of you mention travel costs, I accept that in order to travel anywhere there will be some money involved at some point. What are the current rates for travel between the islands and Sheland, also between Shetland and the UK ( both with and without a car)?. Also I note that Peat metioned fuel was expensive - again how expensive? As a guide my local station is running at £1.15 per litre for unleaded.

 

Childcare and associated bits are not required as I dont have any, well not that I`m aware of ... . Shoogler mentioned about the building industry on Fetlar, not sure just how busy they are, but being an electrical engineer I guess I am some use to someone, I can turn my hand to almost anything , so any work would be seriously considered.

 

I have had a few pm`s stating that your local councils are having to make huge cutbacks for the coming year, and will cause some disruption to work and housing amost other things. This is happening here as well, I guess a lot of councils overspent during the boom years and now is the time to close the purse strings. As Peat has already metioned there are a lot of issues that are arising from these posts that we have on the mainland here as well - the dentist one for example is another classic for the way the NHS is run, or rather not run.

 

I am calling at the estate agents on Monday and find out what feedback they have had so far, lots have viewed , had some silly offers as you do.... Might have to swap agents if I dont get any joy.

 

Thanks all for your comments and please keep them coming.

 

Regards

 

Rich