Let Scapa Travel use their extensive local knowledge to create a memorable holiday, tailored specifically for you. Written around AD 1200 by an unnamed Icelandic author, the Orkneyinga Saga is an intriguing fusion of myth, legend and history. This week-long fully-escorted Orkney & Shetland tour is a new addition to the McKinlay Kidd programme, building on our extensive knowledge of the destinations. Clicking on the link below will redirect you to the Wilderness England website. Scotland's Northern Isles by Motorhome. Only a short distance away is Sumburgh Head Nature Reserve with its famous lighthouse overlooking the cliffs. Advertised flight prices are based on UK flights departing from London. Sail away to lands steeped in history, wildlife and stunning scenery, far from the jostling crowds, to the haunting beauty of the Orkney and Shetland Isles. Orkney & Shetland Guided Island Hopping Holiday - HF Holidays Orkney Islands, group of more than 70 islands and isletsonly about 20 of which are inhabitedin Scotland, lying about 20 miles (32 km) north of the Scottish mainland, across the strait known as the Pentland Firth. Sign up today and start discovering. Shetland & Orkney Multi-Centre Walking Holiday | 2023 & 2024 Enjoy free time in Kirkwall this morning. Usually the coach will arrive at the overnight stop between 16:30 and 17:00 hrs each day. Please contact us for information on child prices. Our newsletter features exciting new itineraries, blog posts from the team, and fabulous competitions. Scattered off the northeast coast of Scotland, Orkney and the Shetland Islands are staggeringly beautiful. They constitute the Shetland Islands council area and the historic county of Shetland. We can book package holidays including flights from the UK, hotel . These are at additional expense and, if available, details will be provided with your tour documentation. ORKNEY AND SHETLAND HISTORICAL - JSTOR Home Booking holidays since 1939, ATOL Protected. 2023 HF Holidays Limited. Uncover Orkney's Ancient Secrets. We guarantee to refund this service charge if you believe that arranging your holiday through McKinlay Kidd has not met your expectations for value. From Glasgow and Edinburgh, we travel northwards through the Kingdom of Fife to reach Dundee, which sits overlooking the River Tay. Youll board your ferry to Orkney in the afternoon and arrive in Kirkwall, the historic capital of Orkney, later this evening. All our holiday prices include a service charge of 9 per person per night towards the costs we incur in researching, planning and designing your holiday. We use your data to prepare holiday proposals and to make bookings for you if you choose to go ahead. Spend two days exploring some of the many island treasures, including Scalloway Castle and Jarlshof, an outstanding example of . The Vikings left their mark, such as the beautifully proportioned round church at Orphir as well as their grafitti which we now admire as works of art! Double room - this is a room for two people sharing one large bed. This trip is operated by our England team. Language: EnglishCurrency: Pound SterlingTime Zone: GMTTipping: 10 to 12% is usual for hotels with 10 to 15% being usual for restaurants. Entry RequirementsWhen travelling between the UK, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man in most cases an official form of identification such as a Driver's License will be ok. Outside these hours you can email one of our team atreservations@hfholidays.co.uk, or make a booking online. 10 Day Shetland & Orkney Car Tour. The coach will continue on to Glasgow, for passengers wishing to end their tour there. 18 Hours of Midsummer Sun. Thousands of seabirds including gannets, guillemots and kittiwakes nest and feed in the Noss Nature Reserve. We will never share your data with third parties for marketing purposes. ARE YOU A SOLO TRAVELLER WILLING TO SHARE? We'll always treat your personal details with the utmost care. These range from traditional luxury to contemporary Hotels. Take in the breathtaking Old Man of Hoy a 450 foot sea stack and perhaps Orkneys most famous landmark. Overnight: Busta House Hotel/Brae Hotel, Shetland (or similar). To prevent further attacks, a series of four barriers were constructed using Italian prisoners of war. The far-flung Orkney and Shetland Isles offer the active traveller an invigorating and rewarding holiday experience, with jaw-dropping natural scenery and wildlife spectacles. A fitting finale to the holiday, this walk along the magnificent granite coastline around Muckle Roe offers a chance to admire the windswept isolation and remote beauty of Shetland. However the earldom began, by the time of Earl Sigurd we are heading into more reliable territory - although still laced with myth and folklore. We love the opportunity to use our first-hand knowledge and experience to design and deliver the perfect, bespoke holiday experience for you. "The staff was xtrenely king and helpful! Shetland travel guide - Responsible Travel How do I get there? More likely we will be sailing for part of a night or a very early/late start and a long day. Book your tailor-made holiday to Offers with Premier Holidays. All we ask is that you write to us within 7 days of your return and explain your reason for claiming the refund. Copyright 2016 - 2023 Scapa Travel. It makes everything so easy, especially when youre chauffeur driven from your own front door. If you are planning to bring alcohol, tobacco or souvenirs into the country, you need to be familiar with the UK's custom laws. In each case, it is not necessarily added to the bill. Copyright 2018 Premier Holidays Ltd | Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone companys access charge. Do take a walk in the gardens which stretch down to the water. A wonderful car tour of the stunning Shetland and Orkney Isles off the far north coast of Scotland, plus some of Scotland's finest castles and gardens on the way. This amazingly well-preserved village was built 5,000 years ago. Today we bid farewell to island life and make the journey to St Margaret's Hope where the fast Pentland Ferries catamaran waits to transport us across the Pentland Firth. Now it forms part of the World Heritage Site in the centre of the Orkney Mainland, along with the tomb of Maes Howe, the Ring of Brodgar and the mighty Standing Stones of Stenness. The unspoilt landscape of Shetland has a rugged beauty shaped by the sea at the end of the last Ice Age. Be the first to hear about all things HF Holidays. Youll be in good company if you choose to take dinner at your hotel, a popular destination for locals as well as visitors. Later you could take a 10 minute ferry journey to the Isle of Bressay to explore the rich natural heritage and incredible wildlife. The Ring of Brodgar in the Heart of Neolithic Orkney. Ayre Road, Kirkwall, Scotland, KW15 1QX. It is a wild and dramatic place. The Orkney Islands were the Orcades of ancient classical literature. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA's Code of Conduct. Archaeological Treasures of Orkney and Shetland, Location:Northlink Ferry (1); Busta, Shetland Islands (1) and Kirkwall, Orkney islands (3), Admission to Scalloway Castle, Jarlshof, Ring of Brodgar, Stenness Standing Stones, Maeshowe, Skara Brae and Italian Chapel, Touring by luxury air-conditioned coach with reclining seats, All baggage handling and hotel tips are included, Services throughout the tour of a professional Tour Director. We'll make a visit to view the remarkable paintings that can be found inside the simple corrugated metal exterior. Shetland's other great Viking site is over on the northern island of Unst, reached by a succession of roll-on, roll-off car ferries from Mainland, the largest island in the group. The event is taking place on Saturday 6 May, with the additional bank holiday on 8 May. 9 miles (15.5 km) with 1,280 feet (380m) of ascent. Below is a list of some tour operators that organise regular trips to the islands. Travel by overnight ferry to Lerwick, the capital of Shetland, arriving at 0730 and enjoy a leisurely breakfast on board before disembarking. Later this afternoon we travel to the port to join the ferry bound for the Orkney Islands. Savour your chance to try lamb with its distinctive flavour due to the seaweed diet of the sheep, or sample local seafood including mouth-watering prawns and delicious stir-fried squid. Stretching off Scotland's north coast are Shetland and Orkney, two very special archipelagos where Scotland meets Scandinavia. The Old Man of Hoy. You could visit the mighty Cathedral of St Mangus, which was begun in 1137. Any additional charge for the single supplement will be confirmed at the point of final payment and bookings are accepted on this understanding. All our carefully-curated itineraries are designed by our experts. All sorts of nature abound here, from seals and otters to ponies and hundreds of birds, making it a wildlife lover's paradise. Arrive in Aberdeen at 0700 and enjoy breakfast on board before disembarking and continuing your onward journey. The best time to visit is during what Shetlanders call the . In the afternoon well visit Maes Howe, one of the most treasured Neolithic sites in Europe. The Orkney Mainland is just Getting to Orkney can be easier and quicker than you may think. At Aberdeen Harbour, we join the Northlink ferry for the overnight crossing to Shetland. You are able to walk in and out and around them, just imagining how people used to survive here. menu. On many tours youll have the chance to personalise your touring experience by participating in some carefully planned optional excursions. Age-wise its really difficult for us to give an accurate figure for any given tour departure, but experience has taught us to expect the median age to be between 45 and 50. These unassuming islands have a truly magical quality, and civilisation has thrived here for millennia. Next, sail southwards to reach the Orkney Islands, where we'll discover the Heart of Neolithic Orkney, a UNESCO World Heritage site that includes Skara Brae, Maeshowe and the Ring of Brodgar Stone Circle. Once we make landfall expect day sailing among the islands and skerries. Highlights of Orkney and Shetland - 6 day tour - Scottish Tours Recently hailed as one of Lonely Planet's Best in Europe for 2019, the ruggedly handsome Shetland Islands comprise around 100 different islands with just 15 inhabited. Please see Terms and Conditions for further details. Today you'll be heading south to experience remarkable heritage sites. The beautiful Cairngorms National Park will bring us to the Pass of Drumocher and Highland Perthshire beyond. Discover the Castle of Mey and its magnificent gardens. Our home for tonight is in the delightful village of Bray which overlooks Busta Voe. Among the settlements on Mainland, the largest island, is Scalloway, a fishing port. Explore archaeological wonders such as Skara Brae, Jarlshof, the Ring of Brodgar, and the Standing Stones of Stenness. Our packages include car rental and comprehensive insurance for the duration of your holiday. Book your holiday today with Planet Cruise! Getting to Orkney via public transport is simple. There are so many reasons why Saga stands out from other cruise lines. Free time will let you explore Kirkwall and St Magnus Cathedral before setting sail for the mainland. Our destination is Lerwick, the island's attractive capital. Seabirds flock to this rocky outcrop in their thousands during breeding season and colonies of common and grey seal spend autumn in the waters of the bay. Consequently, bedrooms and bathrooms come in varying shapes and sizes. These tours are immensely popular so expect to be travelling in the company of like-minded travellers from around the world. Breakfast is served onboard from 07:15 hrs after which we board the coach and disembark to begin our island tour. These cliffs are bursting with an extraordinary range of wildlife, such as seals, puffins, gannets and whales. Saga Cruises; Disney Cruises; Cruise Ships. Usually the tour will depart the hotel between 08:00 hrs and 08:30 hrs in the morning. Our journey south takes us through Mavis Grind, an isthmus so narrow it is said to be possible to throw a stone from the North Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. Tour Departs: TBA hrs Relaxing hotel-based holidays in the sun, with a Saga host on hand. As you sail below, the screeching is deafening, and youll feel very outnumbered, a stranger invading their territory. On Mainland, is the capital Kirkwall whose sights include St Magnus Cathedral, the Bishops and Earls palaces and the Orkney Museum. Guided wildlife tour of Shetland Isles. Stay at this 3-star hotel in Kirkwall. Known as the Churchill Barriers, we will use these causeways to reach the little island of Lamb Holm. The innovative Shetland Museum and Archives tells the fascinating story of these islands and is well worth visiting. From wildlife and wool tours to walking holidays and fire festival fun, each celebrate a different aspect of Shetland, so you can choose a trip . Spirit of Adventure departing Dover. Family room - this is a room for three people sleeping in one large bed (2 people) and one single bed (1 person). On arrival at Gills Bay, we join the famous North Coast 500 route as we make the coastal drive southwards across the Dornoch and Cromarty Firths towards Inverness. Sign up for our newsletter and unlock exclusive tips and inspiration from our team of travel specialists. Almost but not quite a separate island, Northmavine is joined to the rest of the Shetland Mainland at Mavis Grind where the relentless Atlantic Ocean has nearly cut through to the North Sea. 895 per person for March, 945 per person for April & October, 985 per person for May & September and 1015 per person for June to August. 10 Favourite Books about Shetland - Shetland Wool Adventures Discover some of the most important Neolithic sites in Europe and uncover the mysteries of a 5,000 year old civilisation at a UNESCO world heritage site. In certain locations youll may be joined by a local guide who will provide local insight and show you the highlights. Meet Shetland ponies in their natural habitat. The Orkney Islands constitute a council area and belong to the historic county of Orkney. Find out more in our Shetland travel guide. 8 nights from. Come explor. Holidays In The UK For Over 50s - 2022/23 l Saga Travel To help you have an enjoyable holiday in Shetland, Orkney and the Outer Hebrides, take a look at these useful tips and advice provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO): Health and Travel InsuranceBritish Citizens are advised by some of our tour operators to have travel insurance before going on a tour or holiday, even if it happens to be in your country of residence. In Kirkwall you will find a bustling and friendly town with a great selection of restaurants, pubs, and local art shops, as well as the most northerly cathedral in Britain dating back to the 12th century. Absolute Escapes has an excellent relationship with a number of car hire operators and we are able to offer quality vehicles and great value for money. Stop at Weisdale to see artists at work at Shetland Jewellery, before arriving at Northmavine where you could travel to the spectacular Eshaness Cliffs with their imposing lighthouse, or hike up to the top of Ronas Hill.