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Advice please.


susisoo
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Hi,

As a newbie to the forum (so hope I'm in the right section) I'm looking for some advice. After a lot of research we are looking to move to Shetland and our problem is that as it all looks so lovely we can't decide where to head for!

 

Are there any areas that are particularly good - and also particularly bad?

Any pitfalls to look out for?

 

 

We don't want to be anywhere that is 'built up' ie in Lerwick center as we're looking for some peace & quiet. The outer isles are on our list but preferably only one ferry to Lerwick.

 

Any views and or opinions that you may have on any Shetland subject will be appreciated.

 

Moving to a place we know very little about isn't a problem as this will be the 3rd time we have done it and have thoroughly enjoyed the other 2 experiences.

 

Looking forward to your views,

regards,

susisoo.

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This is a question that crops up on a regular basis, a good starting point would be to browse some of the previous discussions.

 

Here's a few I found using the search function.

 

http://www.shetlink.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9735

 

http://www.shetlink.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6302

 

http://www.shetlink.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4101

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We don't want to be anywhere that is 'built up' ie in Lerwick center as we're looking for some peace & quiet. The outer isles are on our list but preferably only one ferry to Lerwick.

 

 

If you mean a ferry running several times a day, seven days a week, that really means Yell or Whalsay. Foula, Fair Isle, Skerries and Papa Stour are a single ferry journey but they have one ferry a day a few days of the week.

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Please be aware that you will be moving to a community in turmoil because the Shetland Islands Council is facing multi-million £ cuts and it is going to have a profound impact on these islands.

 

This is going to affect life here as never before with services slashed. You may not be looking to use many of them but nevertheless you will no doubt feel the effect.

 

You come across as nice people(although based on what you wrote I'm a little concerned that you have itchy feet). If it works out for you there are three pieces of advice I would give.

 

1. Don't come in and think you own the place.

 

2. Don't cut yourself off and live in your own little castle as a number of incomers have and embrace the true Shetland spirit which is quietness and thoughtfulness.

 

3. The main island is "The Mainland", not "Mainland".

 

Edit 4 pieces.

 

Ghostrider has hit the nail on the head.

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Just ignore anyone you see dancing around a totem pole, while a human sacrifice bubbles away slowly simmering in a large cauldron, its just a harmless minor local tradition. :wink:

 

If you consider nine months of horizontal rain and gales, then three months of bad weather as lovely, you'll be delighted with it here. However if you've been suckered in by the pretty pictures on the web etc and believe we actually get a summer that lasts longer than an occasional half day, you'll be on the next boat out. Last I can recall having a "summer" that could be counted in days rather than hours was somewhere around 1992.

 

Before actually casting anything in tablets of stone, you might want to take a "holiday" up here for 2-4 weeks anytime between December and March.

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Before actually casting anything in tablets of stone, you might want to take a "holiday" up here for 2-4 weeks anytime between December and March.

 

That's probably the best bit of advice you could get. If this is possible for you i'd come up at the end of January and take in the world famous Lerwick Up Helly Aa, the biggest and best fire festival in the world........Fact! :wink:

 

Shetland will be what you make it. If you want to be involved in community life you'll be welcomed and if not, you'll still be welcomed by many but there will be a minority few, who will shun you, talk about you behind your backs and ridicule you as the 'incomers/soothmoothers'.

 

:wink:

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Definitely visit in winter. That should be an absolute priority.

 

As Kavi says, make the effort to mix and don't isolate yourselves. Incomers (especially in the rural areas) either muck in and love the place or do about two years in self-imposed isolation and then run back Sooth saying that Shetlanders are an unfriendly bunch. They ain't.

 

 

Any queries on anything specific drop me a PM.

 

Scorrie (Soothmoother with family up here).

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Thanks to everyone who took the time and trouble to reply to me. All links, advice and comments are very much appreciated and should anything else occur to you that you think we'd like to hear, please don't hesitate to pass it on. We don't take ourselves too seriously and have had great times living in England, small mountain villages in Spain and a slightly bigger village in South Wales & take people as we find them - some good, some bad & some indifferent. We're not looking for anywhere perfect (we're too old in the tooth to think that exists) just some space & peace & quiet.

Kind regards to all.

susisoo.

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