Da Bonnie Isle Circle by The Whalsay School and 'Tak Your Sock' knitting groups, Whalsay, Shetland.

Some more amazing images from Da Bonnie Isle Circle. Photos by Ivan Reid. 

Amanda Pottinger who is one of the organizers in Shetlands is sharing this story from Whalsay: 
"The knitting took place before the Secondary school and we had our teas in the Heritage Centre what 
used to be the farmers house. The secondary school is part of a wonderful example of Georgian style 
architecture built for the Laird in the early 1800's. The granite used to build the complex was rowed 
across to Whalsay from mainland Shetland and had to be transported up to the school from the pier. 
They employed forced labour for construction and the buildingstill cost £30,000. All the ruined 
buildings you see in Ivans photo were part of the complex, either farmers house, a mill, the midden
court where they kept the anilmals etc. It is a fascinating area withso much history.  It is also ironic that 
so much pleasure is had at school or in the Heritage centre where the Laird once had complete rule!! 
The Bruce family were ruthless Lairds (landlords) and many families were exploited and struggled to 
make ends meet during thisperiod. Any who disobeyed the Laird got exiled out of Whalsay.  The
last Laird died in 1944 and the building stood empty until 1963 when the local council took and 
refurbished the building into our school."