Sumburgh

We picked up our rental car today. We didn't get it right away so we could get over jet lag before I tried to remember how to drive on the left side of the road. We've got a cute little red car from Bolts car hire. It's an automatic, so it's just the left side (and single track) - I don't have to drive stick. 

And the first thing I wanted to do with the car was to drive to Sumburgh. It's the mound at the very southern tip of Shetland, home to a lighthouse but also a perfect habitat for PUFFINS! I've been watching them on the web cam for years - we are luck enough to be here at just the right time to see them in person this year. They're only here April - early August. 

Somehow, it hadn't occurred to me that we'd have to climb UP the mound. You can see it was a bit of a climb. 

From the top, we could see down the cliffs, but also back to Jarlsholf (excavated prehistoric site) and the airport. 

And on those cliffs were: PUFFINS! And gulls and rabbits. It was entrancing. 

On the way home, we stopped and watched the airplane land. They have to close the main road before planes land!