Walls Show makes a comeback

The country shows are making a welcome return, and today [Saturday] is the turn of the West Side to put on its long-awaited event.

The Walls Show is taking place from 12 noon, with a wide variety of exhibits and entertainments being promised.

It is the first time the event has been able to happen since 2019, before the pandemic struck.

And it follows the highly successful Cunningsburgh Show, which took place on Wednesday.

The Voe Show also took place last weekend, marking the beginning of the much-anticipated show season.

Among the exhibits today will be the very best in livestock, as well as crafts and baking.

Expect to see plenty of garden produce and flowers, too.

A Walls Show parade will take place this afternoon, with this year’s show princess and attendants.

Stock judging will be taking place, and commercial and charity stalls will be there.

Coastguard celebrates 200th anniversary

A celebration took place today (Saturday) to mark the 200th anniversary of the Coastguard service.

The event was held on board the NorthLink ferry Hrossey, providing a maritime link to the occasion.

Alex Dodge, the senior coastal operations officer in Shetland who has worked for the Coastguard over the last 21 years, said: “To be operating for 200 years is quite a milestone.

“We are an island surrounded by water and have relied on the services of the Coastguard from the start.

“Interestingly its first prime role was to stop smuggling and recruit for the Navy, but saving lives is the major reason for the service and over the years it has helped save many thousands of lives.

“This event is to celebrate that history, reflect on the past, including many rescues, and remember those who have lost and celebrate the successes.

“While the service has change, particularly with the advances in technology, the prime role remains the same – to save lives.”

SIC depute convener Bryan Peterson said: “The Coastguard has provided such an important service to a maritime community like Shetland for 200 years, so it is appropriate we celebrate their work.

“Our islands owe a huge debt of gratitude to all the staff and volunteers who have worked with the Coastguard in various capacities.”

Whale of a problem

By Adrian Darbyshire

Inconsiderate parking by orca watchers is a Shetland-wide problem, community councillors heard.

This issue was raised at a meeting of the Association of Shetland Community Councils on Tuesday.

A paper presented by Alastair Cooper of Delting Community Council highlighted inconsiderate parking by groups whale watching, bird watching and loch fishing who blocked roads and lay-bys on single tracks lanes.

This, he said, was a Shetland-wide problem, and it required an island-wide solution. Orca chasers were said at the meeting to have made “twitchers look like well-behaved children”.

Delting Community Council has contacted Police Scotland and Shetland Island Council’s highways division about the problem parking.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Mark Burgess of Scalloway Community Council spoke of being caught up in the “madness of whale chasing” himself in the past and admitted: “We’ve all been there and all done it – blocked roads, parked where we should not, even gone across people’s gardens.”

He said the same thing happened with those hoping to catch a glimpse of the “mirrie dancers”.

Mr Burgess said it was quite a unique situation to the isles and suggested there should be a Shetland-specific countryside access code.

This could be made available to passengers on the NorthLink ferries, he said.

He also proposed that a responsible wildlife watching video should be produced.