4 Day Independent Holiday Departing Saturdays from Aberdeen.
Mini Cruise Highlights
- Orkney's Magnificent World Heritage
- Shetland’s Remarkable Archaeology and World-class Wildlife
- Breathtaking Landscapes & Coastal Panoramas
- Taste of Orkney
- Cruise the North Sea
- Uncover the Ancient Ties that Bind these Islands of Contrast
Day One ~ Saturday ~ Travel to Orkney
Travel to Orkney and check into your comfortable Kirkwall accommodation for the night.
Day Two ~ Sunday ~ Orkney's West Mainland
Meet your Orkney guide and spend the day exploring the wonders of Orkney’s West Mainland. Begin your journey with a drive along historic Scapa Flow, a safe harbour used by the Vikings during their occupation of Orkney, and also by the Royal Navy during both World Wars. Then, allow your imagination to soar as you are transported 5,000 years back in time. Continue with visits to the remarkable World Heritage sites of Orkney’s Neolithic Heartland, including Maeshowe, a Neolithic chambered tomb considered to be one of the finest architectural achievements of prehistoric Europe; the Standing Stones of Stenness, one of the earliest stone circles in Britain, dating back to 3,000 BC; the ceremonial Ring of Brodgar, a magnificent circle of originally sixty stones erected more than 4,500 years ago; and Skara Brae, truly awe-inspiring and the best-preserved prehistoric village in northern Europe. Then, pass over the peat hills of Birsay Moors to the astonishing settlement at Gurness, including the Iron Age Broch of Gurness with its battlements and a surrounding village, as well as the Shamrock, a later Pictish farmstead.
For your evening meal, we will reserve a table at a delightful restaurant where you can sample a true Taste of Orkney. Enjoy our delicious local cuisine, including Orkney’s renowned cheese, beef, lamb, fish and seafood as well as fresh produce, delectable ice cream, and award-winning whisky.
Later, transfer to the ferry terminal, Kirkwall and embark on the overnight cruise ferry sailing to Lerwick, Shetland. Check into your comfortable cabin for the journey. (B)
Day Three ~ Monday ~ Shetland's South Mainland
Arrive Lerwick, receive a warm welcome from your Shetland guide and depart on your adventure to Shetland’s picturesque South Mainland, including a walk across the sand tombolo to the famous St. Ninian’s Isle for a visit to the medieval chapel where an ancient treasure was found. Continue to the fascinating Croft House Museum to learn about 19th century life on the island, and to Old Scatness Iron Age broch and village, site of an ongoing archaeological dig and living history exhibition. Then, discover the first lighthouse in Shetland at spectacular Sumburgh Head, established by Robert Stevenson in 1821, and walk along the imposing cliffs of Sumburgh Head R.S.P.B. Nature Reserve, home to thousands of seabirds in the summer, including a thriving puffin colony. Make an optional stop at Jarlshof, described as one of the most remarkable archaeological sites ever excavated in the British Isles, and explore the ancient settlements spanning the late Bronze Age through to the Middle Ages.
Return to the ferry terminal, Lerwick and embark on the overnight cruise ferry sailing to Aberdeen. Check into a comfortable cabin for the journey.
Day Four ~ Tuesday ~ Arrive Aberdeen |
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