Folklore & legend

Pettadale and Pettawater, Chief Haunt of the Trows

Pettadale and Pettawater, Nesting

Undated; recorded by 1899

Spence notes a handful of Shetland place names that he thought recalled the Picts, among them Pettasmog, Pettaster in Unst, Pettigarth in Whalsay, Pettafirth in Bressay, and Pettadale and Pettawater in Nesting. In the old days, he says, Pettadale was spoken of as the chief haunt of trows or hillfolk. To go by Pettawater alone after dark required extraordinary nerve.

On the top of the hill overlooking the lonely lake is a cup-shaped hollow like the crater of an extinct volcano, called Da Byre o' Hookame, probably because it was used to hide cattle.

Spence also lists other places linked with trows in the same chapter, such as the Hellyer o' Fivlagord, the Den o' Pettasmog and the Hole o' Henkie. The pin is at Nesting parish, as the exact positions are not given.

Evidence
Long-standing local tradition
Access
Open ground
Location
60.287, -1.122 (Parish-level only, treat as an area)

Sources: John Spence, Shetland Folk-Lore (Lerwick, 1899) [public-domain]

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