To be honest, we didn’t have a plan when we left Shetland, beyond ‘get to Sheffield and take it from there’. Plans changed while we were there, partly once we realised that the COP 26 conference in Glasgow meant that there was no accommodation in Edinburgh, never mind Glasgow. Then, the car breaking down and running on a temporary repair didn’t help much either. I tried to book a repair while we were in Edinburgh on our way north, but either got no reply or was told that there was no chance of a booking until mid-November. I tried booking a service via the Vauxhall website. Straight in with an appointment on Monday – result!? Or maybe not. It was no great surprise when I got a voicemail the next day to tell me that there was no chance of a booking until mid-November. So, it was either get a non-warrantry repair, or hope we could return to Shetland on the temporary repair.
We headed to Inverness on 4th November, but it was a case of driving straight there with just a quick stop for something to eat. No time or inclination for exploration. We had headed so far north in just two days for two reasons – we wanted to be around for the weekend for grandson Kyle and the accommodation booked was only for a few days in between other bookings. The new place seemed like a great choice. A nice little house, well-appointed and attractive, and quite stylish although decorated at a time when gold sockets were trendy (gold sockets may have been trendy, but they were never stylish). It was also very close to grandson Kyle. Apart from the fact we wanted to stay longer, what was there not to like? There was even a birdfeeder outside the kitchen window.
Ah, well … I always say the best way to judge a business, from a global giant like Amazon, to a house rental in the Highlands, is to see what happens when things go wrong. At 10:01 on Saturday 6th November, there was a knock at the door. It was our host who immediately pointed out that we were not packing the car and we were due out at 10.00. “Ah, we’re booked for tonight as well,” I grinned. No, you’re not I was told. Not only that but someone us booked in tonight.
Now, I had checked the website and as far as I could see (I have the screenshot if anyone wants to verify it!), the place wasn’t booked until 7th, so I asked to stay the nights of 4th-6th, or so I thought. However, mine host wasn’t having any of this, telling me had the emails on his phone to prove it, as this was some major revelation and as if I had never read them before (or indeed written half of them).
What got my back up was his attitude. No, I’m sorry there has been a misunderstanding. No, will you have anywhere to stay tonight. Just, you are inconveniencing me and I need to get in to clean. So we hightailed it.
Having booked last minute we had only paid a deposit, from a previous COVID cancelled booking made a year ago. This had not been a problem, earlier, when it had even been suggested that we pay cash for the remainder, but our inglorious exit meant we left without depositing some non-tax deductible readies. But no matter, I had his bank details and paid a little later. Just afterwards, and obviously before he had checked his bank account, I received an email. Now, fair enough, a polite reminder may have been in order. But, this was no polite reminder as it threatened the Sheriff’s court. And also reiterated that the fault was entirely mine. Any sympathy we may have had for inconveniencing the guy quickly evaporated!
In many ways, this was the last straw. We had somewhere to stay the night. We had places lined up to stay for the next few days, even if they were not were we would have chosen. But we had a temporarily-repaired car we couldn’t get fixed and which might break down again if we went exploring anywhere interesting. And we had both been ill and were not fully recovered. We decided to bail out and book the boat back home.
We did manage a weekend with grandson Kyle, but the weather didn’t co-operate and it rained all day on the one day Tobias wasn’t working. I fancied a day up Glenstrathfarrar, but it was closed for the winter, even without the usual hillwalking access. Perhaps I should have gone to Glen Affric, but I went and looked at the yellowness of Glen Cannich instead. Some Badgers ambled over the road on a couple of occasions when we were out and about in the dark in Struy.
We also had a day nervously exploring out towards Ardersier and Fort George while we stayed in Inverness, but there was not much to see apart from some impressive numbers of Pink-footed Geese.
On Tuesday 9th November we headed off to Aberdeen for the ferry. Straight there with a meal break. We didn’t to risk a breakdown.we might have gone the night before, but there had been no room for the car.
The one possible upside about bailing out early was that it gave me a chance of seeing a rare bird on Unst, a White-crowned Sparrow discovered at Easting on 5th. Each morning, the WhatsApp message had come through – still present, still present … On the 9th no news until mid-day, the it was reported as found after a 30 minute search. Surely it would stay.
So, as soon as I could I headed to the Easting on 10th November. On the way, I met Rob Brookes, who had been asked to have a look for it as others for thinking of coming. He had just put the news out that there was no sign: “but I only looked for 30 minutes.” I headed down anyway, but no joy. It was quite enjoyable, in a strange way. Hanging around for two hours brought good views of Common Seal and Great Northern Diver. A family of Otters slid past. There were still Oystercatchers and Sanderlings on the beach.
I left to check the fields at Uyeasound: lots of waders including good numbers of Ringed Plovers, Golden Plovers and Turnstones. Two Scaup on Easter Loch and some photogenic Whooper Swans.
I went back to Easting in the late afternoon, in the forlorn hope that the sparrow might return to roost. A small passerine dived into the ruin as I approached. I flushed it out. It was a Rock Pipit. Sometimes things just don’t go to plan.
White-crowned Sparrow now goes in third place on my list of Unst KingDips, the ones I doubt I will ever get back, after Marmora’s Warbler and Tree Swallow.
When I Grow Up I Will Go There 