We have just experienced UnstFest for the first time and it was amazing, 10 days packed with activities for all ages and interests. The island was at it's busiest with people travelling from far and wide to join in. We didn't take part in everything, not by a long way, but we did do lots of thing we wouldn't have had the chance to do 'South' and enjoyed it immensely!
The event kicked off on Friday 4th July, following the start of the school summer holidays at lunchtime, with an art exhibition and a carnival in the evening, but we didn't start our UnstFest until Saturday when I worked in the kitchen at the Baltasound School fete while Dad & the kids had fun at the Baltasound Sailing Regatta and Mrs Wishy Washy's Washing Line Workshop.
On Sunday we joined in the Sandcastle Competition at Norwick Beach, a beautiful expanse of white sand and tropically blue sea, the weather held and over a hundred people turned up to take part & spectate.
Then it was along to the Heritage Centre for the Bairns Dialect Story Time & Animal Treasure Hunt, which my peerie lass won. We decided that to pass the time before the Chip Supper we would pop over to the Haroldswick Hall for a Shetland Tea and got a little more than we bargained for, a table laden with sandwiches, home bakes, tea and juice! We struggled to walk home and gave the fish & chips a wide berth.
Monday saw the Great Unst Bake Off with four lasses battling it out to bake the best Swiss roll in front of a live audience in the BJHS Home Economics room, with the winner being Anna (Far left).
A quick lunch before the Bonkers Bird Workshop making fun foam gulls, turns & bonxies and then a dash home to get ready for the Shetland Supper at Uyeasound Hall. Not only did we have a wonderful meal of soup, reestit mutton, scones, and home bakes but were treated to a visit from the Jarl Squad with their galley where the kids got the opportunity to don the Viking helmets, and shields and climb aboard the galley for a true Viking experience.
The next few day passed quietly for us with just a visit to the Swap Shop to pick up some scruffs for working on the peat bank in, until Friday when we went to the Gardiesfauld Family Picnic at the Gardiesfauld Hostel in Uyeasound, a chance for the bairns to meet up with friends from school and nursery, climb trees and play.
Saturday saw great excitement on Unst as The Revellers arrived, a Shetland folk rock band. Extra ferries were laid on and over 1,000 people crossed the Bluemull Sound. The guys put on an early charity fund raiser for the under 18's in aid of NSPKU, which was the one we took the kids, to and then a later set for adults. I have seen a lot of headline rock/metal bands and The Revellers can hold their own against those. They are amazing and definitely not to be missed!
We ended UnstFest quietly with a visit to the Farmers Market in the afternoon and a Chip Supper at Uyeasound Hall in the evening, a perfect end to a fantastic week.
If you have never visited Unst then you should, and definitely during UnstFest, you'll find us quite easily, we are "The island above all others".
No comments:
Post a Comment