Letters / All year round destination
I was delighted to be asked by Visit Scotland’s local office to be the guide for National Geographic’s Digital Nomad on his recent short visit to Shetland – http://digitalnomad.nationalgeographic.com/2013/01/08/right-place-wrong-time/ Although the weather was low cloud and drizzle with a strong SW wind we had an excellent boat trip with the Dunter III around the north of Bressay to the see the Old Red Sandstone cliffs of Noss and the gannets returning to their nesting ledges.
“One of the greatest places I’ve seen” was his comment to me as we sailed just a few yards below 600 feet of sheer drop from the Noup. No mean statement from Andrew Evans who, as one of National Geographic’s top journalists, spends most of every year travelling the world ‘tweeting’ to thousands of followers from some of the most exotic and remote locations imaginable.
That was in the morning. In the afternoon we headed for Northmavine. After a brief stop at Mavis Grind for Britain’s shortest coast to coast walk and to admire Geopark Shetland’s Geowall we arrived at Esha Ness. “Awesome, just awesome” was his comment as we looked from the top of the towering cliffs out over the crashing waves at the head of Calder’s Geo to the foaming sea around Moo Stack.
On our way back to Lerwick we stopped at Frankie’s Fish and Chips in Brae for a very late lunch that we had forgone earlier to make to most of the daylight. By then Andrew understood the meaning of one of the Shetland phrases I’d taught him earlier by declaring that he was “black fantin”.
I’ve always said that Shetland should be an all-year-round holiday destination and that our short daylight hours and variable weather should not be a deterrent. Apart from the seasonal visitor centres and most of the nesting sea-birds, everything else we have in summer is here all winter. Andrew’s reactions during his winter visit are no different than I’d expect of any other visitor to the isles. Our tourism industry should be doing more to attract winter visitors and I have to ask why it isn’t?
Andrew was well aware of the UNESCO endorsed Global and European Geopark movement and was very interested in our rocks and landscape and amazed by what he saw here and by the Volcano Trail pack I gave him.
Shetland is one of only three Geoparks in Scotland and to encourage all year tourism was one of the reasons that Shetland worked so hard to achieve this status. The internationally recognised designation of Geopark Shetland (and for the other Scottish Geoparks) is not given nearly high enough prominence or promotion by Visit Scotland nationally, or by Promote Shetland locally.
Our Geoparks highlight and promote the understanding of the basis to the Scottish landscape, flora and fauna, and yet, despite this being Visit Scotland’s ‘Year of Natural Scotland’, it ignores Scotland’s three Geoparks completely. Why?
It would be good if our hotels, guest houses, B&Bs, craft outlets, restaurants etc. could be actively encouraged use the fact that Shetland is a Global Geopark in their advertising. Shetland’s Geopark officer at Shetland Amenity Trust has put in an enormous amount of effort developing all kinds of interpretive facilities for the visitor all across Shetland. This is in the form of panels, trails, leaflets and even a mobile phone app, yet I don’t see these being promoted anywhere by our tourism providers. Why?
Geopark Shetland is now a fantastic visitor destination. Later this year Shetland will be inspected to be re-validated as a Geopark. It would be good if, by then, we could see more promotion of Geopark visitor facilities locally (and nationally) and that our tourism providers had a little more encouragement in highlighting our Geopark. It really is a case if you don’t use it, you will lose it.
Allen Fraser
Shetland Geotours
Meal
Hamnavoe
Burra
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