[Lesley Silvester]

Talking of roundabouts (Islands in England    S C A R Y!!!!

They are not Islands in England .... not in the south anyway. My ex used to call them islands .. he was from Birmingham..... took ages for me to connect  turn left at the island with the roundabout ahead!!

Absolutely. I think it is a Midlands thing as I hadn't heard it before visiting the Midlands. I always associate islands in the road with those little things that you can stop on half way across the road.

[doganjo]

Aha, that makes sense - the people I heard calling them islands were from near Birmingham!

I'd forgotten you used my motorhome, Beth.  Hope teh scary driving didn't spoil the holiday!  Mind you it was quite old, and I imagine Sue will be buying a fairly modern one.  My sister bought a brand new one at the same time as I bought mine and it's lovely to drive and a lot bigger than mine was.  My cousin now owns mine and they go away most weekend in it so it's now getting the use that i never gave it.

[Rosemary]

My latest thing is finding out about Up Helly Aa.  I hope the Northern weather will be a bit kind this year 

I'd love to go to Up Helly Aa - it's on my bucket list 

[Anke]

My latest thing is finding out about Up Helly Aa.  I hope the Northern weather will be a bit kind this year 

I'd love to go to Up Helly Aa - it's on my bucket list 

But I wouldn't want to be on that ferry in December....

[darkbrowneggs]

Yes I am a bit worried about that.  Its a 12 hour trip.  What happens about dogs.  Are you allowed to visit them at all.  Its says they can be left in a ventilated vehicle, but if you take them with you they have to be in an outside area or in a nasty looking cage.

[doganjo]

It's very windy up there, I'd worry about driving a high sided vehicle!  Ask the ferry company about Phoebe. I'm not sure you can access the cargo deck once the ferry's on its way.

[Bramblecot]

  Definitely try driving different vehicles.  I used to drive the emergency vans at work (at speed /night/bad weather), and it made so much difference when we changed makes and models.  You really need to find something you are comfortable driving over distances.  Love the sound of your plans

[darkbrowneggs]

I am asking the vet about some sort of tablet to calm her if she does need to stay in alone.  I have looked on the ferry site, and although they now allow them to stay in a ventilated vehicle it is for 12 hours and as you say I am pretty certain you wont be allowed to go below decks during the voyage, and 12 hours is a long time for anyone/thing not to have a pee and to be left totally alone in strange surroundings


If you take them out they have to be in a very horrid looking cage, and Phoebe would hate that and I am sure it would be far too cold for her for 12 whole hours.


 If we cant get something sorted then I just wont go, but it would be good as I have a better chance of seeing the Northern Lights and I could stay on the Islands and travel round to the various Fire Festivals the last of which is held in March sometime plus there are lots of prehistoric sites to see.


The other alternative is to go via Orkney which is a shorter journey,  then take a 7+ hours trip on to Shetland later.  Again its car or cage but a lesser time.


I have told you all I am a feet in first type so the deal is almost done, we are just arguing over who pays to fill it all up with fuel!!!!   I would have thought they would be happy to do that to get a sale of a motorhome at this time of year, and I bet they can offset it against tax anyway. 


I will let you know how I get on.


I am just off to buy a Tom Tom sat nav now.

[doganjo]

Phone the ferry company - is it P & O?

[bloomer]

sue


when you buy a sat nav make sure you connect it to the internet and update the maps before using it!!!


its easy to do and the first time is free to make sure its up to date for you...

[darkbrowneggs]

Northernlink Ferries seems to be the main, possibly only one.  Does anyone know of any others to try?






Bloomer - I am buying it from a really helpful guy who is going to set it up for me before posting out and says he is happy to help with anything I get stuck with.  Its a truckers type Tom Tom so you put in all the vehicle dimensions so it can plan a route.  He says the maps are updated each year and if I send the chip back to him he will send a new one out.   


He is also going to load it with all the National Trust, English Heritage, and hopefully Caravan Club sites 

[shygirl]

pentland ferries (I think) sail from Caithness way. lovely countryside on the way to Caithness. its only 90 mins to Orkney from there.  that may solve your problem. then sail to Shetland from there.
you are welcome to pop by us enroute. you can park right in the harbour here for free - walking distance to toilet/pub/castle/beach woods etc

im sure she'd would cope for a few hours cooped up. what the worst that can happen? does she chews/poop or is she nervous? she is very lucky to be going on such an adventure.
I would love to get a van and travel the coastline of Scotland - and walk on every beach !

[darkbrowneggs]

Thats great - many thanks.  I might well take you up on that if we decide on that route


Thats one of the routes I had looked at but it still uses Northernlines Ferries for the leg onto Shetland and I think its still a 7 hour plus trip.  I will look into it though, as if it was a daytime sailing then maybe we could spend time on the deck.


She wouldnt be naughty at all but she would be very worried in a strange place all alone without me for 7 or 12 hours.  And she is quite an old girl now - I dont want to take too many chances


The problem is you are not allowed to take them anywhere indoors and I think 12 hours on a small roped off section of a deck for 12 hours throughout the night on a January sailing to Sheltand might not be very nice for either of us


Phoebe is the sort of girl who wont even go out for a widdle if it is raining   

[Anke]

I am not sure bringing a motorhome for its first journey this far north at this time of year is a good idea - even on the mainland the roads are small and with snow on them really do require experience.... just look at the casualty list for the A9, A82 etc etc.

There was also a video showing a van being rocked on the Forth Road bridge recently in the high winds... The wind is worse on Shetland, although the chances of a tree falling on top of you are rather slim...

I have done the overnight sailing from Aberdeen to Shetland and loved it - but it was in early August in VERY calm seas... I think it would be as horrible for an animal as it is for humans in rough seas (listen to the shipping forecast at 5.25am on Radio 4 at the moment...)

[shygirl]

when our cows came from Shetland - It took 2 weeks before they turned up as the ferries kept getting cancelled. but if you are aiming for up helly aa you don't have much choice. im sure you would get shelter amongst building/towns if there is gales. it will be an adventure!

be careful on the ferry decks -  3 people have gone missing in the last year after going on the decks at night. no-one knows if they fell /got pushed or jumped. terrible for the families not knowing.
not trying to put you off but knowledge vital.