Shetland, the Scottish archipelago that marks the northernmost region of the United Kingdom, gets its name from the Norse word hjalt, meaning “hilt”. With a population under 25,000 people and with a single burgh, Lerwick, the islands only have three settlements with a population over 500.

Quite the dog and pony show, Shetland has its own breeds of, well, dogs and ponies. Due to the remote nature of the island chain, animals distinct to Shetland include the Shetland pony, Shetland sheepdog, Shetland cow, Shetland pig, Shetland goose, Shetland duck and Shetland sheep.

For this blog entry, though, I want to focus on another peculiar beast, the decommissioned boat. Shetland residents have come up with creative ways to use boats no longer seaworthy.

Garage Roof

Not sure if a car fits in there, or just some equipment, but it empties onto the roadway. :shrug:

Future Seating Area

These boats will shield folks from the wind when they stop to rest during hikes outside Lerwick. I think they will soon pour concrete around it.

Lovely Little Shed

Ain’t it cute?

Pilot Boat

Who knows what plans they will have for this boat, when it completes its mission of guiding cruise ships into and out of the terminal.