Saturday 6th August, 2011
I woke to a really nice day. The first ferry came in, but the only tourist was a young guy over for the day. Once ready, I started walking. I wanted to walk round part of the coast and then cut inland to the church to pick up the book I’d given Jane the money for yesterday. I spent a while wandering along a couple of beaches and then couldn’t get any further without cutting inland a bit sooner than I’d wanted to. I got as far as a house and croft that looked wonderful – it’s got its own beach and a great view of the stacks. 
After collecting my book I walked to the end of the road to the airstrip and then headed out across the moors. I spent most of the rest of the day wandering on the moors, getting close to the coast every now and again, going round lochs and up on to the tops. I headed back to the waiting room with enough time to cook a few days’ worth of pasta and tomato sauce and to eat dinner. Then I got the last ferry back to mainland.
On the ferry I spoke to the young guy who’d got off the boat this morning. He was from Hamilton but had lived in Lerwick for the past year. He’d finished university and then got a graduate training position with SIC (Shetland Islands Council). He only had three weeks left before he moved to Plymouth to take up a permanent position. He’d been out walking every weekend and so had seen plenty of Shetland. This was his only day in Papa Stour though. At least he got to see it before leaving. He’d managed to walk the whole way round the coast and it had been a good clear day.
Talking to him made me think more about living in Skerries. If I had a campervan I could spend every weekend going to different parts of Shetland and getting lots of walking done. After a few years of doing this I’d know these islands inside out. Note to self: look up the job advert for the teaching position in Skerries and see if I fit the criteria.
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