The older I get, the more I crave experiences that ground me, that allow me to truly connect with the natural world. I find myself increasingly seeking spaces that offer respite from the constant hum of digital noise and the demands of modern life. Believe it or not, but I spend most of my days sitting at a computer – not the open spaces and horizons that you see on my Instagram stories!
So, when Haar Saua invited me to visit their sauna on the beautiful St Ninian’s Isle beach for anAufgusssession, I didn’t have to think twice. In Nordic cultures, there is a term that embodies this kind of immersive experience –In Sauna. It refers to the profound, almost spiritual feeling you get from the intense heat of a sauna; a place where time slows, and everything else fades away.
In Finland, the spiritual home of sauna, the sauna is more than just a retreat for the body; it’s an essential part of life. It’s where business is done, friendships are forged, and communities are nurtured. It’s not just a luxury, but a necessity – an intimate space for renewal and connection.
Here in Shetland, Haar have their flagship sauna on St Ninian’s Isle Beach, tucked in beneath the dunes, sheltered from the worst of the wind, and with incredible views that tease you from the door’s window. St Ninian’s is the ideal location for a sauna, and the small footprint it takes up on this sweeping tombolo simply adds to the experience of visiting this iconic South Mainland beach. With another sauna in the north at Brae, and more deep-heat ideas in the pipeline, Haar has firmly planted the seed of Nordic culture back in Shetland.
The benefits of sauna are well-known and wide-ranging, from improving circulation and reducing stress, to cleansing the body and boosting heart health. But perhaps the most transformative aspect of the sauna experience, particularly theAufguss ritual, is its ability to restore and calm the spirit. It’s a practice that goes beyond physical health – it’s deeply grounding, reconnecting us with the earth and allowing us to feel truly present in the moment.
Haar Sauna is a true haven of tradition, where the comforting crackle of a wood-fired stove envelops you in its warmth as the door closes on the cool winter air. Haar Sauna is an experience that feels timeless and authentic.
As you approach the beach, the sight of its chimney puffing smoke amidst the dunes and the backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean immediately draws you in – a perfect contrast to the raw, wild beauty of the landscape.
January’s days are sharp and short, and with the biting wind nipping at our exposed ankles, we made our way to the beach, against the cold, sharp air – the sight of the smoking sauna chimney and open beach fire surrounded by benches kicked any thoughts of winter’s grey gloom into the salty air and chill Atlantic waves beyond.
Welcomed by the flickering warmth of the campfire, burning bright and steady in the low, late-afternoon gloaming. The fire, surrounded by benches, cut through the chill of the season, coaxing us in to pause, breathe, and reconnect.
Haar Sauna is the vision of Callum and Hannah-Mary, a local couple who, after several years in Norway, longed to bring a piece of Nordic culture to this coastal landscape which was once part of the wider Scandinavian world. Their dream was simple yet profound – to reconnect people to nature, to the elemental power of deep heat, and to offer a space where the soul can find stillness amidst the rush of life. This sauna, with its gentle smoke rising into the air, is not just a place to warm the body, but a sanctuary for anyone seeking to reconnect, rejuvenate, and embrace the beauty of simplicity.
We had four deep heat sauna sessions where Callum led the Aufguss ritual with essential oils andvihtas, taking us to a place of deep relaxation and calm. These sessions of intense heat were followed by a series of cold dips in the sea. The contrast between the heat of the sauna and cold of the sea has a profound effect on the body which tingles as senses sharpen to the contrasts of hot and cold. The sauna causes blood vessels to dilate, while the cold sea causes them to constrict. Meanwhile, your heart rate increases with the heat, before slowing to steady the effects of the cold.
Vihtas, or birch branches are used to hit or massage the body with, improving circulation and connecting you with nature. The Haarvihtas were made from willow, birch and aspen, the branches collected in the first flush of spring before being dried and then rehydrated in water before the Aufguss session. The smell, heady and earthy, was an assault on the senses, and deeply ethereal. I closed my eyes, trying to absorb every drop of nature’s tonic. It was bliss – the perfect escape.
After each dip, we sat by the fire as our bodies readjusted back to a normal temperature before repeating the process in the sauna once more. Amongst good company and a winter sky becoming inkier by the minute in the gathering darkness, it was hard not to imagine that we were exactly where we needed to be in that given moment.
Some experiences in life are so profound, so deeply stirring, that trying to put them into words feels like an injustice to their impact. This is one of those moments. I’ve rarely felt so alive, so rooted in the present, as I did in that space as Cal led theAufgusssession. I left feeling relaxed and recharged – and incredibly sleepy! – but also with something far deeper. The revitalizing power of theAufguss lingered in my body long after I’d wrapped myself in my Dry Robe and made my way back to the car, leaving a sandy trail behind me. My skin hummed with the energy of the experience – it was as if the heat, the ritual, and the stillness had seeped into my bones, awakening something within me that stayed long after the waves of St Ninian’s had faded from view.
If you are in any doubt whether or not sauna is for you, I can wholeheartedly say that this is an experience that everyone would love. Of course, and as with anything, there are a few contraindications, and you should check that it is safe for you to sauna beforehand (all this information is available on the Haar Sauna website)https://www.haarsauna.com/info
And as I bask in the memory of myAufgusssession, I’d like to say a huge thank you to Cal for performing theAufgussand leaving us feeling refreshed and recharged as January comes to an end. In a world that’s always pulling us in a thousand directions, the Haar Sauna, on that cold January day, offered me a rare space for stillness, healing, and connection. And in that space, I found not just relaxation, but a deeper sense of who I am and where I belong.
If you’re in Shetland, you can book your sauna session online at haarsauna.com.https://www.haarsauna.com/
Christmas in Shetland is something I’m asked about time and time again. What does Christmas in Shetland look like? What traditions do you have? What do you eat, and so on. And, to be honest – it looks a lot like Christmas all over the world, and certainly throughout the UK. We have the John Lewis advert, Wham, Buble and the great hunking turkey on the day.
We’ve lost so many of our Christmas traditions over the years, and I’ve pondered how to sugar coat this and make it sound less like an accusation. The truth is, it’s modernisation, and it happens the world over. Small island communities may feel it more acutely because so many of our traditions are still bound up within living memory – or are still practised by some. Change comes nonetheless, and there’s no stopping it.
But, for this podcast, I’ll look back at some of the Christmas traditions of past Shetland – and a few that have managed to hang on into the present day.
To celebrate the release of Shetland: Your Essential Travel Guide, I am recording a few snippets from the book.
This week, we are looking at one of the more in depths topics within the book and the chapter; Weather.
Climate and the weather are something that most visitors are keen to understand before they arrive and, locally, is a topic that opens most conversations. The most common questions are: how hot – or cold – does it get, is there much snow and how cold is the sea? Visitors always ask what they should pack, and the answer is: everything. Expect four seasons in one day, bitter wind-chills that make jaws rattle, and unexpected rain showers on otherwise clear days.
Despite sitting on the same latitude as St Petersburg, Helsinki, and the Alaskan city of Anchorage, Shetland doesn’t experience the same extremes of temperature. Shetland is about 9℃ milder than St Petersburg in winter and experiences very little prolonged snowfall. Our temperate, mild winters are thanks to the warming effects of the North Atlantic Drift, a sea current that passes through the islands, cutting short otherwise prolonged frosts.
If you are interested in buying a copy, you can order here: https://shetlandwooladventures.com/product/shetland-your-essential-travel-guide/
To celebrate the release of Shetland: Your Essential Travel Guide, I am recording a few snippets from the book.
This week, we are looking at The Basics chapter; Brief History.
Shetland’s human history goes back thousands of years, and it has been home to a succession of people since Neolithic times. The evidence of these lives can be found across the isles, intertwined with how we live today.
In this episode we look at Shetland's history, from the arrival of Mesolithic hunter gatherers to the first farmers who settled during Neolithic times. We explore the Bronze Age, Iron Age and Viking and later Norse periods before we take a look at how Shetland became part of Scotland, and why the island's remain culturally set apart from the rest of Scotland.
Ever wondered why Shetland has its own flag? Listen on to find out ...
If you are interested in buying a copy, you can order here: https://shetlandwooladventures.com/product/shetland-your-essential-travel-guide/
To celebrate the release of Shetland: Your Essential Travel Guide, I am recording a few snippets from the book.
This week, we are looking at The Basics chapter; Shetland at a glance.
Shetland is an archipelago partway between Scotland and Scandinavia, straddling the North Sea and North Atlantic at a latitude of 60° north. Shetland’s position has long made it an important trading point, sculpting its past and present. Far from being insular and remote, Shetland is a crossroads in the North Atlantic, where every aspect of life is underpinned by a strong sense of community and pride.
Made up of more than 100 islands, only 16 of which are inhabited, it has a rich and vibrant culture, wild winters, midnight summer sun, a deep-rooted history and incredible landscapes and wildlife. Its rugged coastline of almost 1,000 miles (1,700km) has been carved and shaped by the unbridled power of the sea and there are fantastic walking opportunities across the islands’ 567 square miles (1479 sq km).
If you are interested in buying a copy, you can order here: https://shetlandwooladventures.com/product/shetland-your-essential-travel-guide/
This is a short one - as requested by my daughter, Lena.
Not only is Windhouse Shetland’s most haunted house, but it has also been suggested that this is the most haunted house in the UK.
Windhouse is in the island of Yell, Shetland’s largest trio of North Isles, and just a short ferry ride from the Mainland. The ruined house sits on the crest of the hill on the approach into Mid Yell. Its foreboding silhouette, dominating the skyline.
Windhouse, commanding views in all directions, is the site of an ancient settlement. The house itself has its foundations in an Iron Age broch, and recent excavations have revealed a burial site within the gardens of the house. Steeped in mystery and legend, Windhouse attracts both historian and ghost-hunter, keen to unpick the magic of this iconic house.
The list of ghosts alone is impressive – if not a little spine-tinglingly scary. In no particular order, there is the: Lady in Silk – thought to be the skeleton of a woman with a broken neck discovered under the floorboards at the foot of the staircase. A tall, cloaked man who passes through the wall in the kitchen. A child – a baby’s skeleton was found in the walls during alterations at one stage. A black dog who prowls the bedrooms – although the first floor and roof have now fallen in, so there is no telling where the dog may now roam. There’s the taxman – obviously – and finally, a pedlar who was found under flagstones at the door. I’m sure this list is not exhaustive, but it does make for bone-chilling reading.
Another famous story, which will make the blood run cold says that nobody can survive a night in Windhouse on 24th December. It continues that, on one 24th December, a shipwrecked mariner turned up at Windhouse, and upon arrival found the inhabitants leaving. They explained that nobody could survive this night, “no mortal was ever found alive who attempted to sleep in it on this particular night but was slain by some unknown being.” The mariner decided to stay, and in the night came to blows with a “thing” from the sea that he plunged an axe into, killing. He buried it in an enclosure nearby, and it is believed to be there still…
Whatever the truth, this once-majestic building with the armorial crest of the Neven family above the door, was once a grand home – and whatever the truth, it’s an eerie and thought-provoking place to pass.
If I had a penny for every time I was asked about winter in Shetland, I’d be a millionaire – and then some – and there are many reasons to visit, but you need to ask yourself first ‘what do I want from a visit’.
If the answer is puffins, light, activities, and long hikes with a picnic, you’ll likely want to visit in summer when the days are long, and the hills are dry enough to walk anywhere. If you’d like to feel the sting of the wind on your cheeks and the raw power of mother nature as you battle through the wind on a rugged headland before hunkering down in the evening with a good book and a dram, then you should consider the winter.
It’s no secret that winters in Shetland are long, dark and unrelenting. Many people move to Shetland believing they can handle it – they get darkness and poor weather in England too. Yet the darkness here is deeper, the wind blows stronger, the cold bites harder, and we’re not released from the grip of winter until well through spring. They say that spring arrives at a walking pace – so you can imagine how long it takes to trudge up here from London. It’s the unrelenting and often persistent onslaught of storm after storm that grinds people down – leaving us all longing for the bright emergence of spring.
But winter has a magic and beauty all of its own. I’m just home from a winter walk; I watched the sunrise over the island of Bressay and, despite having been back at my desk for half an hour, can still feel the sting of the north wind in my cheeks. I feel invigorated and energised.
In this podcast, I will go slightly against the grain, and I’m sure that doesn’t surprise you. I’ll offer you the reasons to visit Shetland in winter, along with the counter-argument against visiting at this time. Then, once you’ve been informed, and if you’re still chomping at the bit to come here in the quiet depths of winter, you’ll know that you’re well prepared for it.
You can support my work by following along on Instagram @shetlandwithlaurie or sign up to receive video tours and more on my Patreon page - https://www.patreon.com/shetlandwithlaurie
Hallowe’en is almost upon us, and it's that time of the year when the veil between this world and the next is at its thinnest, and we can expect to experience the most paranormal activity. Shetland had its own unique blend of hallowe'en tradition influenced by Christianity, with its roots firmly placed in old pagan customs.
We might dismiss Halloween as a purely American import into Shetland, and the UK more generally, but Shetland did have its own version of Halloween in centuries past.
To give a little context, I’ll draw you back to the 19th century, to a time where most people lived in crofts – or smallholdings – and lived a subsistence way of life, depending on the sea and the land around them to survive.
This time of year, as autumn transitions into winter, was one where people might finally be able to let out a collective sigh of relief as the hard work of summer had come to an end once more. The crops were harvested and the summer fishery ended. This was a time that people might expect to relax a little as the nights began to draw in and winter crept ever closer.
Samhuinn, held on 1 November, was traditionally a Pagan festival that morphed into the festival of Hallowmas as Christianity was adopted, and our traditional Pagan celebrations were given an ‘accepted’ Christian flavour – whilst still retaining many of their conventional Pagan customs. Hallowmas, or The Feast of All Saints, gives us the roots of the Halloween that we know today.
This week, I thought I would share a few ghost stories with you; so draw up a chair, dim the lights and pull a blanket around your shoulders because things might get a little spooky.
Welcome to episode 21 of the podcast - this week’s show is with Ann Marie Anderson, author of the popular dialect children's book series, Peerie Ooricks.
Ann Marie grew up on the west side of Shetland, and now lives on the island of Whalsay. She is a writer and artist who has created the lovable Ooricks – small characters who explore Shetland’s landscape, language and culture.
In today’s show, we speak about her series of children’s books, her love of the language and Shetland’s culture and the ways we can help to preserve and maintain the spoken language in Shetland.
We also speak about her work as joint convener with Shetland ForWirds, an organisation that aims to foster and promote the use of written and spoken Shetland dialect as a valued and essential element of Shetland’s distinctive heritage and culture.
You can sign up to become a member of Shetland ForWirds or access a wealth of dialect resources via their website.
Ann Marie’s work is available via her website or you can contact her on Instagram @peerie_oorick or at peerieoorickbooks@gmail.com.
This is the last episode of Season Two and I will be back in the autumn after the migratory birds depart for the summer!
This podcast would not be possible without the support of my patrons on Patreon.
You can support this podcast and help me bring more of them to you via Patreon.
Welcome to episode 20 of the podcast. Today’s show is a bit different, and due to popular demand, we are carrying out this interview, predominantly on language, in our native tongue.
In today’s show, I speak to Chloe Irvine who grew up on the island of Whalsay and has just completed her degree in Journalism at Edinburgh Napier University. Chloe talks to us about the transition between living in Shetland and studying on the mainland (Scotland), and how she has had to deal with varying degrees of language discrimination during this time.
We speak about ways that we can protect and promote the dialect and its usage, and Chloe shares a poem in the dialect that she wrote to tackle and highlight some of the feelings that are brought to the surface when language discrimination takes place.
I’ve left a disclaimer at the beginning of the show to say that, as this is in dialect, it may be difficult to understand but, we felt that it was important for you to hear the language spoken to get a sense of how it sounds when it’s spoken amongst Shetlanders.
If you struggle to understand, play it back from the start and you’ll be surprised how quickly your ear can tune into the language.
Hello and welcome to episode 19 of the podcast. Today we have a very special guest and a fascinating topic to explore. Today I welcome Bill Moore, a local historian, to speak to us about the history of the Shetland Bus which was an undercover operation between Shetland and Nazi-occupied Norway during the Second World War. It’s a fascinating episode and I really enjoyed taking a deeper look into this period of our history with Bill.
On the show, we discuss many elements of the operation, including its roots and some of the early missions that took place. We look at the locations that were used locally and a few of the men who were key figures in the resistance movement.
The early days of the operation saw equal amounts of tragedy and success, and we speak about some of the harrowing stories from a few of these risky missions, including the story of the Blia, Axel and Bergholm.
In 1943 the operation changed with the arrival of three sub-chasers, gifted from the United States. We talk about how this changed the operation and how, today, we still remember the events of the Shetland Bus at the Scalloway Museum.
In today’s show, I talk about a few of my favourite walks in Shetland.
I begin by talking about the Eshaness Circular that sits in the northwest corner of Shetland and represents the best section through the flank of a volcano in the UK. It boasts the UK’s largest sea cave and some impressive coastal features, and 2,000-year-old archaeology.
I then consider walking some of Shetland’s National Nature Reserves, and, in this, I include the National Reserves of Hermaness, Noss and Sumburgh Head.
Finally, I share a few of my favourite walks for archaeology. I look at Mousa Broch, Culswick Broch and, lastly, the Neolithic temple at Stanydale.
All this and more in today’s show!
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With thousands of scheduled sites and monuments, you may be at a loss as to which archaeological treasures to visit when you’re only in Shetland for a limited time. This podcast will outline the top archaeological attractions and take you on a voyage of discovery through 6,000 years of human history.
In the show, we begin in Shetland’s Mesolithic Period where hunter-gatherer people first arrived here, in search of food. From the Mesolithic, we journey through the Neolithic and see the first farmers settle in Shetland, beginning a long period of occupation. After the Neolithic comes the Bronze Age, a brief period that precedes a long and, often difficult, Iron Age. We look at how the Vikings and Norse settlers brought a wave of change to the islands and, finally, explore Shetland’s transition into Scotland, and what that has meant for us culturally, today.
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Stanydale Temple at the Spring Equinox blog
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Hello and welcome to episode 16 of the podcast. In today’s show, I’m talking about books and literature from Shetland.
“What to read” is something that I’m asked time and time again. I’ve written a blog about my favourite Shetland fiction books, and this podcast will include those, as well as my favourite non-fiction books too.
I’ll ease you in gently and begin by introducing my favourite Shetland fiction novels and the reasons why I’ve chosen them. Where they are still available, I’ll leave a link in the show notes on my website for you to buy them.
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You can find the full show notes at www.shetlandwithlaurie.com
Hello and welcome to episode 15 of the podcast. This was an accidental podcast, so I may lapse into dialect a bit more as usual, and I don’t welcome my guest in the same way! But, today’s episode is with Greg McCarron from the Shetland Film Archive. Greg has been working for several years with the Film Archive, which is a charitable organisation that collects, preserves and protects the film material of Shetland, making it publicly available to be enjoyed. Recently the group received some funding to digitise more film material, and that’s what I’m chatting to Greg about in this call.
When I was listening back to the call, I realised that this was an interesting topic and would make a good podcast episode. Also, for those keen to get involved, listen to Greg and find out how you can volunteer to help the Film Archive.
Greg is also an old friend who now lives on the Scottish mainland and works for Scottish TV, so it was really lovely to catch up with him.
In this episode, we find out about the films that the Shetland Film Archive holds, a little bit about the history of film in Shetland and some of the technical stuff that I was unsure about - like when we start to see sound coming into these films.
I found out so much about the history of film and why it’s such an important historical tool.
So, let’s dive in and hear what Greg has to say.
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Shetland Film Archive YouTube channel
Shetland Film Archive Facebook page
Sailing boats and burning galleys - Greg’s favourite quirky film in the archive
Hello! And welcome back to season two of the Shetland with Laurie podcast. I’m absolutely thrilled to be back behind the mic bringing you another season and, more importantly, I’m touched that so many of you, the listeners, have asked for another season.
This episode is a solo show and it’s the findings of some recent research that I’ve done into the witches of Shetland - those who were tried and executed for witchcraft.
It’s going to be a long episode as I kept getting lost down rabbit holes in the archives and I found out so much about this shocking period in our history.
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Support me on Patreon
National Database of Witches in Scotland
Lawrence Tulloch’s Shetland Folktales, buy the book
Listen to the story of the Fetlar witch
Witches of Scotland website
On today’s show, I speak to Ellie Duncan from Island Ceramics. Ellie is a ceramicist who makes incredible one-of-a-kind hand-crafted pieces that are inspired by her love of the sea and her island home. Ellie is also a photographer who loves to capture the many forms that the sea can take.
In this episode, we talk about how she started her business and how she found herself at the potter's wheel. We speak about how the sea inspires her work and how using the colours and the dialect words that we use to describe the sea are important to her collections.
We speak about her photography and how she has been taking photographs since she was 11 years old, and why it's important to slow down and live in the moment.
We also discuss the problems associated with plastic pollution and how everyone can do their bit to mitigate these.
All this and more, in today's show!
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Island Ceramics website
Cyan clayworks, Edinburgh
Podcast episode about Shetland dialect and language
Support the podcast on Patreon
Today's guest needs absolutely no introduction - author of over 30 critically acclaimed novels, international worldwide bestseller, the creator of popular TV detectives Vera Stanhope and Shetland’s very own Jimmy Perez - I am so excited to welcome the hugely talented Ann Cleeves to the show!
In today's show, we speak about Ann's new book, the latest in the popular Vera series, The Darkest Evening, and her inspiration behind the Vera and Shetland series and about her time in Shetland and Fair Isle.
We discuss her writing routine and how she feels particularly drawn to Shetland as a place that she has been visiting for over 40 years.
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Shownotes:
Buy Ann Cleeves’ books and support local booksellers.
The Darkest Evening by Ann Cleeves.
Ann talks about Eve Eunson’s latest exhibition of Fair Isle chairs in Shetland Museum & Archives - this is the link to that exhibition.
Ann is a patron of the Fair Isle Bird Observatory Appeal. The Observatory is a key part of the Fair Isle community and was lost to fire in 2019. Fundraising efforts are underway to reinstate this research and holiday facility and donations are gratefully received.
You can book a trip to Fair Isle by visiting the Shetland Islands Inter-Island Air Service page or Inter-Island Ferry page.
Mareel is Scotland’s most northerly arts and music venue which Ann recommends to get a taste of the local culture. You can find out more about what’s on, here.
Get a taste of a few of Shetland’s many festivals here.
Ann also recommends a visit to Eshaness in Shetland’s north-west corner. This is where some of the filming for the TV series was done and you can read more about Eshaness here.
Take a look at my Shetland TV Series tours.
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This podcast would not be possible without the support of my patrons on Patreon.
Generating an income from Patreon means that I can allow time to do these and buy all the hardware and software associated with podcasting. This has been a dream of mine for so long and you have really made it possible!
You can support this podcast and help me bring more of them to you via Patreon.
Today on the show, I’m very excited to have blogger, adventurer and Shetlander Bee Leask who you may know from her Instagram @bumblebambi join me. Bee grew up in Shetland and now lives in Scotland, but Shetland is very much a part of how she identifies and it has shaped her life in so many ways which we discuss in this episode. I started following her a few years ago and was so inspired by her adventures in the highlands and Islands where she is busy ticking off all Scotland’s inhabited islands and 282 Munros.
In the show we speak about community, belonging, overcoming challenges and we talk a lot about hiking in Scotland and the beauty of our island communities.
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Shownotes
Instagram @bumblebambi
Walk Highlands website for walking in Scotland and Shetland
I Am An Island, a book by Tamsin Calidas about living in the Hebrides which we talk about in the show.
Shetland by Numbers, a website by Walter Scott
A list of Shetland’s Marilyns
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This podcast would not be possible without the support of my patrons on Patreon.
Generating an income from Patreon means that I can allow time to do these and buy all the hardware and software associated with podcasting. This has been a dream of mine for so long and you have really made it possible!
You can support this podcast and help me bring more of them to you via Patreon.
Hello, and welcome to episode 10 of the Shetland with Laurie podcast.
This is a big one for me, and probably the most requested topic that you’ve asked me to discuss.
Today I’m going to talk about language in Shetland, and, if I’m honest - I have no idea where to start with it! It’s a huge topic and it permeates every aspect of life here; it is the very fabric that holds our community and culture together. Without this common language, that has evolved over the years, Shetland would be unrecognisable and our heritage far less rich and nourishing to those who live here.
This is such an emotive topic for me and it brings up so many feelings of both pride and also fear and sadness. It brings me pride because I’m deeply proud of our language, its roots and its place in our culture and heritage, and it brings me fear and sadness because, as with any other marginal language, it’s under increasing threat. It’s onstantly being eroded, changed and lost by external forces for various reasons which I’ll discuss as we explore the topic more deeply.
My accent and the language we speak here is something I am constantly asked about - especially when I have people on tours and they pick up on my strong accent, the intonation of my voice and the way I pronounce vowels in particular. Guests often apologise that English is not their first language, and to that, I tell them that it’s not my first language either!
So, let's dive in!
Links from the episode:
Blog about the Clearances in Shetland, as referred to in Rhoda Bulter’s poem.
Shetland For Wirds, a group that promotes and preserves Shetland dialect.
Dialect map of Shetland - this is where you can listen to the local accents which differ throughout the islands.
The Collected Poems of Vagaland - my favourite Shetland poet
Hairst is Coosed - The Rhoda Bulter Collection of poems
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If you have enjoyed listening to the podcast, you can support it and help me bring more of them to you via Patreon. Patreon also gives you access to unpublished essays, videos and much more!