It's the little things

The touring season in the isles has begun and we have visitors from Germany, the USA and Australia for our first summer trip.

The first tour of any year is always exciting. It is the time I meet old friends and make new ones in the textile industry of Shetland, and each year the itinerary of the tour changes a little. This time around we have added some new ponies, sheepdogs and what must be one of the cutest sights in the world: baby lambs! We even got to hold the squiggly, wriggly bundles of energy.

Today, Saturday is our last day of the current trip. We have had spectacular weather with wall to wall sunshine (even on a day when Lerwick was shrouded in haar, sea mist, the Westside was bathed in bright hot sun), and amazing views. Not only have we managed to glimpse Whalsay, Skerries and Foula well but Fair Isle was clear on the horizon, leading to that most Fearful of Dilemmas: Puffins or Fair Isle. What to photograph first?

As these are textile tours we have done lots of history and heritage, and we have also looked at contemporary practice. People in Shetland are constantly innovating, and new things appear each year to delight and surprise. I love this first trip. I get to see Shetland through visitor eyes, and rediscover the delight of exploring and discovering all over again. Here's to the next few months of tours and the Shetland summer!