Bird life

The route to Sumburgh Head at the extreme south is long and thin: the main road is boring and hilly when you have to follow it, but the side roads are great - hilly, but narrow, empty and with gorgeous views of the ever-changing coastline.  Everywhere there is birdsong, with very little other noise in the absence of much wind.

At one stage I was 'attacked' by an arctic tern - there was no contact but the bird kept diving toward me and giving a warning call.  Later I passed two young curlews playing in a puddle by the road.  It was a day for birds as well as views.  Sumburgh Head was a memorable destination with thousands of sea birds: razorbills, gulls and especially puffins in their hundreds.  You could walk by the cliff wall, look over and see three or four puffins on the grass a couple of yards away.  Wonderful.

It was a long and hilly ride, rounded off by a slap-up meal, cooked by yours truly: the starter was a ham butty from the leftover hostel food, then a pasta bake (thankyou Tesco).  A cheese course was followed by a fruit course, both from the leftovers.  You can't beat home cooking.

Tomorrow is a different story. I'm heading west, and we're forecast 20mph winds - from the west.