On this fifth and final part* of his nine-day tour of the bus routes of Scotland’s offshore islands, BOB HIND reaches a terminus nearer the Arctic Circle than London, seeing again at first hand how vital these services are for communities happy to make a 10hr round trip for a dental check-up and endure periodic power cuts * Part 4 last month
DAY 8 CONTINUED
Long and fast journeys to nowhere
The busy journey from Scalloway reaches Viking bus station at 08.35, where I wait alone for the 09.00 to Hillswick. I soon find out that as well as being devoid of any comforts, the bus station is well outside the town centre. In fact, there is a more popular stop adjacent to the shops at The Esplanade (another long shelter).
At 09.02, a brand new 16-plate Volvo B8RLE with 46-seat MCV Evolution body appears, operated by R. Robertson & Sons of Westsandwick on the island of Yell. We are headed north but not before a driver changeover that delays our departure until 09.06. I am charged £3.80, then we circle the town, pass the ferry terminal and climb away from the bustle of Lerwick.
A signpost tells me Hillswick is 38miles away but the timetable shows that the journey will take only 67min. No wonder a bucket with al…
