This morning was warm, breezy & misty so we decided to take a trip to the Keen of Hamar, Unst's very own lunar landscape. It's formed of serpentine debris and although it might look completely barren it is home to some of the rarest plants in Britain and whilst we crouched and inspected the botanical life the kids revelled in the freedom, chasing each other, searching out coloured stones and peering into rabbit holes.
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| Two tiny dots on the lunar landscape |
In such desolate place it was odd to see the letters RAF formed from rocks, they must have been put there by the RAF officers who were stationed at RAF Saxa Vord years ago. It's hard to imagine the island being home to RAF personnel and their families, with all the military vehicles and 'goings-on' but for most islanders it's still a recent memory as the RAF Saxa Vord didn't close down until 2006. It must have been a sad day when people lost their friends and the school lost many of it's children but the Unst community is stronger than that and is making a healthy recovery. It's wonderful that our family can play it's part.
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| RAF rocks! |
While we were up on the Keen we were lucky enough to see not one, but two examples of Edmonston's Chickweed (Ceratium nigrescens), also known as Shetland Mouse-ear. The Keen of Hamar is the only place in the world this plant grows so we were exceptionally privileged to see it and were ecstatic when we sat down to picnic, only to notice it right behind us.
As we approached the highest point we could look back across the water and see 'wir peerie hoose' nestled in it's comfy little spot right beside the sea, and now as I sit here I can look out of my living room window and see the Keen, knowing all the precious little things it holds!
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