Saturday Departures from Aberdeen.
Mini Cruise Highlights
- Orkney's Magnificent World Heritage
- Shetland’s Remarkable Archaeology and World-class Wildlife
- Breathtaking Landscapes and Seascapes
- Taste of Orkney
- Cruise the North Sea
- Enjoy the Peace and Serenity of Two Unique Destinations
Day One ~ Saturday ~ Travel to Orkney
Travel to Orkney and check into your comfortable Kirkwall accommodation for the night.
Day Two ~ Sunday ~ Orkney West Mainland Tour
Meet your Orkney host, an accredited professional Orkney tour guide and spend the day exploring the wonders of Orkney’s West Mainland. Begin your journey with a drive along Scapa Flow, a safe harbour used by the Vikings during their occupation of Orkney, and also by the Royal Navy during both World Wars. Step off the beaten path at Unstan Tomb, a unique Neolithic hybrid cairn incorporating both a burial chamber and stalls, and 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 Ring of Brodgar, a magnificent circle of upright stones with an outer ditch built more than 4,500 years ago; the ceremonial Standing Stones of Stenness, part of what was originally a ring of twelve tall stones erected in the form of an ellipse, dating back to 3,000 BC; and Skara Brae, truly awe-inspiring and the best-preserved prehistoric village in northern Europe. Don’t miss Skaill House, a 17th century manor house with an intriguing history. 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 and embark on the overnight sailing to Lerwick, Shetland. Check into your comfortable cabin for the journey.
Day Three ~ Monday ~ Shetland South Mainland Tour
Arrive Lerwick, receive a warm welcome from your Shetland guide and depart for your tour of Shetland’s scenic 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 and embark on the early evening sailing to Aberdeen. Check into a comfortable cabin for the overnight journey.
Day Four ~ Tuesday ~ Return to Aberdeen |
