Fitful Head and Fulfilling the Dreams

May 10, 2019

You know the feeling when you’ve been planning to do something for so long and it just doesn’t seem to happen. You’re always too busy, too tired or simply can’t be bothered because you’ve had a busy week at work, there’s all the housework to do, the garden…

I have a long list of ideas and plans and trust me, it gets longer every day. Because I love reading and daydreaming and I’m constantly coming up with new things to try and do. Some plans are bigger and more longterm and some are smaller, easier to achieve. I keep meaning to write everything down, take a note of what I’d like to do but again, usually life just gets in the way and I never get round to doing it.

But today seemed different and it feels like a start of doing things in a different way. In a way of making them happen, not just dreaming about them. Let me tell you why.

After many years of planning to do one Shetland’s slightly more challenging walks – Fitful Head, today was the day . Fitful Head is a truly majestic looking headland and one of the first sights you’ll see when you’re arriving in Shetland by plane. I find it incredibly spectacular and I always keep an eye out for the rock face in its many shades of brown and green when the plane is landing with a thought: ‘We really need to go there.’

Every couple of months or so I get together with Donna Smith to speak about work and to share new ideas and knowledge, as we both run our own small businesses, and being able to speak to someone in a similar position is always extremely helpful, inspiring and encouraging. Occasionally we’d decide to go for a walk and take photos, which we both enjoy while also having a ‘meeting’ outdoors and discussing work whilst walking.

So earlier this week I suggested we go to Fitful Head and I was delighted Donna was up for that. As neither of us have been there before we were really looking forward to it. And it didn’t disappoint, in fact it was just as spectacular as I had imagined it. It also helped that it was a beautiful sunny day with pretty much no wind.

We set off for the walk at the end of the Quendale road and after admiring a secluded little beach for a while we puffed up the steep hill to be rewarded with the most specular panoramic views of the Shetland archipelago. As the visibility was really good today we saw Noss, Fair Isle and even Foula in distance.

Our reward for the hiking effort was a packed lunch at the top with the backdrop of glistening sea, blue skies, interesting cloud formations and the sound of waves and birds.

We came back refreshed and inspired and although we didn’t spend the day working at our desks in a conventional way it felt really productive and fulfilling. So we made a deal to do this more often.

So I’d encourage you not to postpone your dreams and taking small steps to make them happen. Step by step. Right now, right here.

  1. Lynda says:

    Lovely to read this Misa and see these beautiful photos. Very inspiring – and so true that you must act on these ideas that inspire you. Don’t put it off as life moves on faster and faster each year! My plan is to learn more about Shetland this coming year to prepare for my Shetland Wool Adventure with you next June! Realization of a dream long wished for. A big part of the experience is in the planning I think, so I’ll be following you here and on Instagram and knitting something very “Shetland” over the next months. Lynda

  2. Deanna Rosenshein says:

    Lovely photos and very inspirational. I’m practicing today with my new camera (gift from husband for my Shetland trip) and you’ve made me even more eager to learn all i can about it. Thanks!
    Dee

  3. Celia Metz says:

    Thanks for the post and the beautiful photos. Do hope to make it to Shetland one day! A suggestion for your blog might be to change the color of the font. The light grey characters on a white background are a little difficult to read. But the content is lovely!! 💕

  4. Lisa C Uotinen says:

    I’m beyond inspired. I want to go! However, as a mom of three teenagers and one in college, I need to consult my sweet husband and talk to the girls first. But don’t forget me. I’m going to go, if not now, sometime soon…. thank you! 🙂

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