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Day 1 Arrival (Prices and conditions at bottom of page)After a full day touring Royal Deeside or Speyside
check into your private cabin on the ferry to Lerwick. Relax in
one of the well stocked bars and enjoy a delicious dinner in the
restaurant.
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| On waking up in Lerwick, start
your exploration of Shetland by travelling south where you
will find the main tourist attractions. Visit Mousa Broch,
the finest surviving Iron Age broch tower on its own little
island. Step into the life of a Shetland crofter at the Shetland
Croft House Museum and, one of the highlights of Shetland,
explore the Jarlshof Prehistoric and Norse Settlement. Back
in Lerwick learn some of the history of the islanders at the
Shetland Museum, or drink some of the local ale in one of the
pubs. Overnight on Shetland |
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Day 3
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A trip to Shetland would not be complete without looking at the wildlife. Its dramatic cliffs, sculpted by the sea are a perfect breeding ground for migrating birds, the most popular with the tourists being the Puffin. Seals are also plentiful and easily seen lazing on the rocks or the white sandy beaches, and a must is the famous Shetland pony, which always provide a good photo opportunity. |
Overnight on Orkney
Day 4
| Today you will have the opportunity to tour much of Main Island and visit the key prehistoric sites of the Ring of Brodgar, Stones of Stenness, Maeshowe, and Skara Brae. Standing within the circle of the Stones of Stenness preferably on an early spring day it is easy to imagine prehistoric people gathering here. A few yards away at Barnhouse neolithic village, the entrance to the largest building was aligned to the setting of the midsummer day sun. One mile distant the burial chamber of Maeshowe is directly illuminated only at midwinter solstice and the Ring of Brodgar also part of this great part of this great ceremonial centre may been |  |
| used to track the movements of the moon, such is the magic of this place. Travelling to Skara Brae on the west of Main island you step back 5,000 years. Here, preserved for millennia under sand dunes, the prehistoric village of Skara Brae remained undisturbed until 1850 where a great storm revealed the village for the first time. What is so surprising are the parallels with modern man, there are box beds, stone seats, dressers and cupboards and damp proofing. Departing Skara Brae you return to the 21st Century continue onto your accommodation for overnight on Orkney. |
Day 5
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Today you will have the opportunity to visit St. Magnus Cathedral, the best example of Norman Architecture that has survived in Scotland. The cathedral dominates the town but only yards away are buildings of comparable significance in the ruins of the Bishop’s Palace and the Earl’s Palace. The Earl’s Palace has been described as “the most mature and accomplished piece of Renaissance architecture left in Scotland”. After visiting the historical sites in the centre of Kirkwall you can then enjoy a walk along the winding flagstoned main street which is lined with houses dating from the 16th century. In this bustling |
| thoroughfare
you can shop for jewellery, pottery, amber, traditional
knitwear, and a vast variety of Orkney food. Before departing
Kirkwall no visit to the Orkneys would be complete without
a visit to the island’s only whisky distillery, Highland
Park, which was established over two hundred years ago
and still uses the same traditional methods. Enjoy a tour
of the distillery with a tasting of one of Scotland’s
finest malt whiskies. Among the many attractions on Orkney
is Scapa Flow, the scene of momentous events during both
world wars. Visit the series of causeways known as the
Churchill Barriers. Winston Churchill was responsible for
the construction of the causeways between the islands and
here the wrecks of a number of block ships can be seen
as well as what is known as the “The miracle of Camp
60”, The Italian Chapel. Among those who worked on
the Churchill Barriers were Italian prisoners of war. Far
from home, unhappy with the climate, they found religious
consolation through the unlikely form of two Nissan huts.
These were lined with plasterboard then painted with a
beautiful fresco. With further embellishments the chapel
became a moving monument to those lost in war. Late afternoon you reboard your ferry for the final leg of this extension back to Aberdeen. Overnight on ferry |
Day 6
You will wake up back in Aberdeen, refreshed
and ready to carry on with your itinerary
Package Price (per person based on 2 sharing a twin/double room)
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