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A Shetland Commute
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Shetland’s green hydrogen future
Creativity flourishes between Northern and Western Isles
What is Shetland dialect?

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Shetland has given brothers Calvin and Bradley Sharp the opportunity to get so good at dirt-biking that they’re now in the top ten motocross racers in Scotland. Part of the family that have run the Scalloway Motors auto repair shop for more than half a century, the brothers have ridden motorbikes since they were toddlers, gradually riding more powerful bikes. Calvin, 23, and Bradley, 21, are now sponsored by equipment brand @fxrracing and @northlink_ferries to line up for nerve-jangling, adrenaline-soaked races in which 40 bikes hurtle around tight corners and over huge jumps. Five years ago, along with a small group of locals including their father Alex, they helped design and build a national-class track beside a quarry just outside Lerwick, where they train most weekends. “People we race against think it’s a disadvantage coming from these islands in the North Sea,” says Calvin. “But for a lot of people on the Mainland, they have to drive for hours and pay much more for less track time. We’ve just got this right here, and a really tight-knit, friendly local scene. Shetland allows us to have this all-action life.” @scotlandisnow #shetlandislands #inspiredbyshetland #rediscovershetland #islandsofopportunity #makeyourmoveshetland #beautifulplacestowork #scottishseafarms #unlimitedscotland #visualsofscotland #wildernessnation #worklifebalance #untoldvisuals #folksouls #ig_scot #uk_greatshots #myeverydaymagic #wheretofindme #thisismycommunity #60north #shetlandphotography #shetlandlife #promoteshetland #shetland #myshetlandlife #instashetland #rediscovershetland #myshetlandcommute
A beautiful Mountain Hare enjoying some winter sun in #Shetland. ⁠ ⁠ 📸 @helenperrywildlife⁠ #RediscoverShetland⁠ ⁠ ⁠ #wildlifephotography #naturephotos #naturephotography #wildlifephotography #scottishnaturalheritage #scotnature #naturelover #wildlife_seekers #60north #inspiredbyshetland #shetlandphotography #shetlandlife #promoteshetland #shetland #myshetlandlife #instashetland #mountainhare #hare #bbcwildlifepotd #britishwildlife
A peaceful Shetland sunset (not today's weather, today is what we'd call a 'stoor o' wind'!) 💨💨 ⁠ ⁠ 📸 Gorgeous capture from @sophie_sunshine28⁠ #InspiredByShetland⁠ ⁠ ⁠ #60north #shetlandphotography #shetlandlife #promoteshetland #shetland #myshetlandlife #instashetland #scottishsunset #sunsetonthesea #sunset_love #sunsetlover #agameoftones #seasunset #coastalphotography #ukcoastline #coastalviews #seascapephotography #storiesfromscotland #ig_scot #optoutside #somewhereinscotland #hiddenscotland #travelscotland #documentingbritain #scotspirit #thewildnesstonic #thisisscotland #ycw2021 #ycw2020
A Heron (known locally as a Hegri) doing a spot of low-light fishing in Waas, on the westside of the #Shetland mainland. ⁠ ⁠ 📸 @tcj_photograph⁠ #InspiredByShetland ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ #60north #inspiredbyshetland #shetlandphotography #shetlandlife #promoteshetland #shetland #myshetlandlife #instashetland #birdlife_insta #planetbirds #bestbirdshots #birdfreaks #wildlifephotography #thetweetsuites #birdingphotography #scottishsunset #sunsetonthesea #sunset_love #sunsetlover #agameoftones #seasunset ⁠ #60north #shetlandphotography #shetlandlife #promoteshetland #shetland #myshetlandlife #instashetland
To mark #InternationalMotherLanguageDay, Laurie Goodlad explores the origins of the Shetland dialect and looks at how it lives on today.⁠ ⁠ Faeroese scholar, Jakob Jakobsen, who came to Shetland at the end of the 19th century, recorded all the Norn words he heard spoken, and those that could be remembered. He travelled all over the islands and compiled these words into a two-volume dictionary of over 10,000 words on the Shetland language which remains, to this day, the greatest work on the dialect ever undertaken.⁠ ⁠ Today, many of the dialect words still in use have their roots in the Old Norse language that was spoken here at one time.⁠ ⁠ You can read more in our link in bio. ⁠ ⁠ @ShetlandwithLaurie ⁠ #RediscoverShetland⁠ ⁠ ⁠ #60north #inspiredbyshetland #shetlandphotography #shetlandlife #promoteshetland #shetland #myshetlandlife #instashetland #shetlanddialect #shetlandforwirds #dialect #shetlandheritage #islandlife #poetry #shetlandpoetry #scotsdialect #poetsofinstagram #scots #scotslanguage #socialhistory #britishhistory⁠ #letsread #readingismyhappyplace #booktography @shetlandforwirds @shetlandmuseum
549 years ago today, #Shetland and Orkney became a part of Scotland, offered in lieu of a dowry payment to King James III of Scotland who was marrying Princess Margaret of Denmark. ⁠ ⁠ While very much part of Scotland, Shetland has retained much of its Scandinavian influence ever since, as @ShetlandwithLaurie explains:⁠ ⁠ 💬 Many visitors arrive here expecting the full Scottish treatment – haggis, kilts and bagpipes – and I find myself quickly explaining that much of the culture and tradition in Shetland stems from the close ties we had with Scandinavia and that, actually, we have only been part of Scotland for some 550 years. ⁠ ⁠ 👉 Read more about the Norse influence and some key differences between Shetland and Scottish culture via our link in bio.⁠ ⁠ #InspiredByShetland ⁠ ⁠ #RediscoverShetland #IslandsOfOpportunity #ScottishHistory #OnThisDay #60north #inspiredbyshetland #shetlandphotography #shetlandlife #promoteshetland #shetland #myshetlandlife #instashetland #storiesfromscotland #ig_scot #somewhereinscotland #hiddenscotland #documentingbritain #scotspirit #thisisscotland #icu_scotland #wildscotland #outandaboutscotland #scotlandlover #visualsofscotland #scotlandisnow #scotlandexplore #socialhistory #britishhistory