Shetland - Northmavine Community Website

Lochend

Sunrise at Houster Loch © Ingrid Laurenson

Looking towards Skelberry and Yell. © David Laurenson

Lochend, in case you don’t know, is the first road on your right going north after da Collafirth Pier and twartree miles south of North Roe. You canna miss it, its right beside the huge rocky expanse that is the bjorgs! Even though most folk aren’t just too sure where you’re at, and it’s sometimes kind of difficult directing delivery men, I’m awful chuffed to say I’m a Lochender.

Seggie flooer.© Pat Christie

With a population of less than 50 and lots of wide open spaces you really could get up to anything (including mischief) growing up in a place like Lochend. From floating peerie seggy boats down the burn to chasing the trows around the bjorgs; summer time was always a spree. The light nights were often spent playing rounders, football and kick the tinny in the parks and building kartys to speed down the hills. Of course that was after the hay and silage were cut! Though making hay stacks was good fun in itself – they were always perfect hide and seek places. Now although this was all great fun, the highlight of our summer holidays was always camping. We would get together with folk as far a field as Burra and Brae every summer and camp up the brig burn at the back of the bjorgs. We would laze around the burn in the day time then built up a fire to dodge the midges and cook wir grub at night. It was the best fun ever.

Winter in Lochend. © Ingrid Laurenson

Winter can’t be forgotten about either though. The valley of Lochend is absolutely perfect sledging material! I’m not too grown up to say that I was sledging early last year but when I was peerie many a winters day was spent whizzing down the hills until our fingers were nearly frozen. All the better if the roads were covered and we had managed to get a day off school to do it! Then if it came too coarse we would find a snow drift in a sheltered spot and dig out a peerie housie or attempt to build an igloo. It usually worked bralley good until the sheep dogs from around about came looking for us and all of a sudden the roof of the housie would be on our laps!

Lochend fae da Björgs © Ingrid Laurenson

Lochend is not only a super place for bairns it is perfect for anglers and hill walkers too. The views from the top of the bjorgs are amazing, you can see right to North Roe and Yell. But if you were ever to get fed up of wandering around the hills then Lochend is just a five minute walk to the Collafirth Pier and marina where you can jump in a speed boat and go cruising around Yell sound. Take a picnic and a fishing rod and make a day of it.

Or you can always take up rowing and race in the regatta that is held at the Collafirth pier every May. Then of course it’s not too far away from the Big Bannock chaos and carry on every August at the North Roe and Lochend Hall – but that’s another story…

Ingrid Laurenson

See more Lochend photos on the Lochend Photo Gallery page.

Lochend Page 2 >>