Sunshine Shetland croft hopes to brighten summer days in Brindister
A NEW attraction is set to open this weekend, offering folk the chance to visit an authentic crofthouse and get up close with sheep, lambs and ponies.
Sunshine Shetland oo croft will welcome people along to Brindister, Gulberwick, from Saturday to step into a 150-year old crofthouse and pet caddy lambs.
The work of Heather Davidson and partner Tim Dix, the idea was initially devised as a way of selling Heather’s handcrafted woollen sheep directly to her customers.
But the plan “grew arms and legs”, and the pair then decided to strip a crofthouse on their land back to basics to give visitors a chance to step back in history.
They also added to their collection of sheep and Shetland kye by bringing in hens and Shetland ponies for folk to get up close to.
Sunshine Shetland will open to the public for the first time this Saturday from 11am till 4pm, with entry £5 per person.
It will then open every Friday and Saturday thereafter for folk to pop along during the same times, charged at £15 for adults, £5 for 5-15 year olds and with under-5s free.
Davidson said she had needed a place to sell her handmade oo sheep when the idea for Sunshine Shetland was hatched.
“We kind of thought about having somewhere tourists and folk could come along to, and then it grew arms and legs,” she told Shetland News.
“We took the crofthouse and stripped it back to make it even more like an old house, made it like it used to be.
“My felt sheep has taken a bit of backstep with everything else that’s been going on now.”
Folk can go into the crofthouse and help themselves to tea, coffee or biscuits as they sit before the fire.
And Davidson said the building has “quite a calming atmosphere”.
“Most folk that have come in so far have said, ‘I could stay here’.”
The pair took over the Brindister croft around three and a half years ago, but Davidson said it had historically been in her family.
“My dad worked there for 60 years on the farm,” she added.
She said folk have donated several old items to them, including a 100-year-old toilet door, while the windows have been covered with old boards to give an authentic feel.
Both locals and tourists are encouraged to visit Sunshine Shetland, and Davidson said there was plenty to see.
“Come out and see all the Shetland animals and also get to see an old, traditional Shetland house,” she said.
“We’ll be there to speak through any questions and tell some of the stories.”
She said she was initially “really daunted” about the idea of welcoming folk along, but said her pride in what they now have has overcome that.
“I want to show it off,” Davidson said.
“I think it’s just going to grow and grow. We’ve had folk come and say, ‘my bairns would love this’, because we have the caddy lambs at the moment.”
Anyone looking for Sunshine Shetland this Saturday or after is encouraged to look for the bright red tattie digger in Brindister, which is close to the croft, with signage also in place.
Davidson added that it was only three miles out of Lerwick and the crofthouse was “not far for folk to walk” from the parking area.
She thanked Adrian Parks for helping them with the woodwork on the crofthouse, and all of their friends and family for their help and support.
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