Thing Sites: Lunnasting Traditional Geocache
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(small)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
A small lock'n'lock box capable of containing logbook, pencil and small swappable items.
Thing sites, from the Old Norse Þing, are the early assemblies found throughout Northern Europe as a result of our shared Norse heritage.
When the Vikings and early Norse settlers arrived in a new place they brought with them their customs and legal systems. Political decisions were made at the thing, laws upheld and disputes settled. Proceedings were overseen by the local ruler and the law-speaker (judge), whose job was to memorise and recite the law. At some things, known as Althings, any free man was entitled to vote. At others - Lawthings - the crown and local communities acted together to interpret the law.
The thing was also a focus for religious activity, as well as trade and exchange. At Thingvellir in Iceland you can still see the remains of the booths, or huts, where traders came to do business with people attending the meeting.
The thing system for sharing and legislating power can still be recognised today. Several things continue to be active. The Icelandic parliament is still known as the Althing, the Norwegian parliament is called the Storting and the Faroese parliament goes by the name of Løgting. The Manx parliament, known as Tynwald, still holds a midsummer court on the thing mound at Tynwald Hill every year.
There are Thing Sites caches in and around the locations of Norse and Viking assembly sites in Norway, Iceland, The Faroe Islands, Orkney, Shetland, Highland Scotland, and the Isle of Man. Follow in the footsteps of the Vikings, and explore some of these fascinating sites.
A quick look at Shetland's parish names will show you that many of them contain the element 'ting'. Each of these names suggests that there was once a thing held in that area. Most of these names concern a local township or settlement, such as Aith, in Aithsting, or Dale, in Delting.
The site at Lunnasting lies in a strategically important spot, where boats could easily be pulled up across the land from shore to shore. The name Lunna comes from the Old Norse 'hlunnr' - a roller for drawing up ships, and 'eið' - an isthmus or neck of land.
Lunna has been a significant place in Shetland for many years. Lunna House, the large house you can see on the slope opposite the cache site, was the base of the Shetland Bus during the Second World War. The church is the oldest church in continual use in Shetland. There has been a church on this site since the medieval period. The footprint of the earlier chapel (the Chapel of St Margarets) can still be seen on the top of the mound beside the church. This mound was probably once a Broch.
This historic landscape contains many fascinating features. A large ruined fishing böd (booth) can be seen on the man made beach beside the Kirk. On the west side of the isthmus is a stone build harbour and lime kilns. The unusual building you pass as you approach the cache is known as the 'Gothick Cottage', while the folly on the top of the hill, known as the Hunter Monument, is said to be where the local Laird could stand and watch his fishing fleets.
Please be aware that livestock graze this area, and keep all dogs on a leash. The last few feet to the cache involve a steep scramble.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Orfvqr gur uhagre zbahzrag.