Our self-drive touring holiday of Orkney & Shetland gives you the opportunity to experience the landscapes, wildlife and archaeological heritage of these magical, and very different, parts of the UK. Copyright 2018 Premier Holidays Ltd | Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone companys access charge. Tallest Sea Cliffs in Britain. In a land thats been largely tamed, they remain rare unspoiled outposts of rugged coastline and remote beauty. Shetland & Orkney Multi-Centre Walking Holiday | 2023 & 2024 Both have featured recently on the BBC, yet in very contrasting ways: Orkney is hailed for its rich folklore, prehistoric sites and abundance of wildlife, while Shetland owes its ever increasing . Youll board your ferry to Orkney in the afternoon and arrive in Kirkwall, the historic capital of Orkney, later this evening. The Abbey was restored at the start of the 20thcentury and the Abbey now welcomes visitors from around the world who flock to enjoy its peaceful atmosphere. Do take a walk in the gardens which stretch down to the water. Outer two berth cabins included on the Orkney to Shetland and Shetland to Aberdeen crossings. Arrive in Aberdeen at 0700 and enjoy breakfast on board before disembarking and continuing your onward journey. Well also visit the Ring of Brodgar and the Standing Stones of Stenness, which together with Skara Brae and Maes How, form the Heart of Neolithic Orkney UNESCO World Heritage Site. Orkney Guided Island Hopping Holiday - HF Holidays BSpoke's cycling experts can tailor-make your perfect cycling holiday where you can travel at your own pace or in a group of like-minded individuals. But the surrounding dwellings and outbuildings date from thousands of years earlier. Continue to the rugged Shetland archipelago to visit Lerwick as it hosts the annual Tall Ships Races. 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. Free time will let you explore Kirkwall and St Magnus Cathedral before setting sail for the mainland. High levels of cover from an award winning provider, 3-year fixed price with no tie-ins - T&Cs apply. Overnight Orkney, Take the opportunity to visit one of Orkneys smaller isles. Time to return home. 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. Orkney & Shetland Start your journey by travelling from Orkney from Scrabster near Thurso, where you will find your hotel which is . Overnight Ferry. From Glasgow and Edinburgh, we travel northwards through the Kingdom of Fife to reach Dundee, which sits overlooking the River Tay. (Read 1 review) Late availability on these dates: 15 Apr, 13 May. Spend two days exploring some of the many island treasures, including Scalloway Castle and Jarlshof, an outstanding example of a prehistoric and Norse settlement. Today visitors can see eight dwellings, each connected by a series of low passageways. Overnight Orkney. Shetland: The northernmost part of the UK, Shetland is wild, rugged and beautiful. If so, please follow the booking process for a twin room and we will do our best to find you another group member of the same gender to share with. Please see Terms and Conditions for further details. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking and breakfast. If you're flying here, public bus services connect with all the main airports in Scotland too. Today is your final day in Shetland, but as the ferry does not leave until late afternoon you could take the opportunity to explore Shetlands ancient capital Scalloway. Later we travel to the dramatic sea cliffs at Eshaness which have been created by the constant pounding of the Atlantic waves. A key event in the global calendar, the annual Up Helly Aa Winter Fire . 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. Specialists in offering a range of adventure holidays, tours and incredible wilderness experiences. HF Holidays LimitedUnit 1, First FloorImperial PlaceMaxwell RoadBorehamwoodHertfordshire WD6 1JNUnited Kingdom, Monday to Friday: 9.00am - 5.30pmSaturday: 9.00am - 1.00pmSunday: ClosedBank Holidays: 9.00am - 1.00pm. This expanse of water has played witness to some monumental events. As a British citizen you will be entitled to free emergency health care on the NHS.If you are visiting Scotland from outside the United Kingdom and fall ill or are involved in an accident and are from any member of the European Economic Area or Switzerland, you can obtain free or reduced cost treatment with The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Orkney Islands Walking Holidays | Wilderness Scotland British Isles Cruises 2023 | Cruising Holidays Youll find our Escorted Tours to be memorable - for all the right reasons! Orkney Holidays 2023 - Expedia Our Premium category includes a unique collection of luxurious and stylish boutique Guest Houses and small 4* Hotels. It took 300 years to complete and is one of the finest examples of Norman architecture in Europe. Registered office: Gilbridge House, Keel Square, Sunderland SR1 3HA. If a service charge has already been added, no further tip is required. All Rights Reserved. P&O Iona; Anthem of the Seas; Regal Princess; MSC Virtuosa; Queen Mary 2 . Our home for tonight is in the delightful village of Bray which overlooks Busta Voe. Buses and trains to Orkney. In the afternoon well visit Maes Howe, one of the most treasured Neolithic sites in Europe. Please note that a family room is normally a standard double or twin room with either a sofa bed or a rollaway bed. Soak up the history and imagine life in eras gone by! Well also visit the impressive archaeological site of Jarlshof. Our first walk on Orkney follows a clifftop coastal path from Marwick Bay to the Brough of Birsay, overlooking RSPB Marwick Head reserve. Known as the Churchill Barriers, we will use these causeways to reach the little island of Lamb Holm. Take the opportunity to visit one of Orkneys smaller isles. If you only require a specific response to this enquiry and have no interest in receiving occasional information, news or offers from McKinlay Kidd in future, please email unsubscribe at mckinlaykidd dot com. Experience a unique blend of Scandinavian and Scottish culture, as the Norse history and heritage still shapes these islands today. Ferry: Sail from Shetland to Orkney on the evening sailing on a Monday, Wednesday & Friday, depart Lerwick at 1730 and arrive in Kirkwall at 2300. All our carefully-curated itineraries are designed by our experts. Borealis. Only a 20 minute drive from Lerwick, you can discover the ruins of Scalloway Castle, visit Scalloway Museum, or enjoy a stroll through the picturesque harbour. Sailing Fair Isle | Orkney to Shetland | Shetland To Orkney 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. Dinner will be served on board and we will arrive in Kirkwall around 23:00 hrs. These unique islands are home to some of the most breathtaking coastal scenery to be found anywhere in Britain. A stunning island destination closer to home, the Shetland Isles are one of Scotland's most popular and it is not hard to see why. A BSpoke Tour is all about being as restful or as adventurous as you desire. Its a great way to make new friends! AccommodationThe price of this tour includes hotel accommodation/ferry cabin with en-suite bathroom. 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. Sign up for our newsletter and be the first to hear about trip news, blogs and offers. With their northerly location, the best time to visit is between March and November, with the long days of summer a particularly appealing time. Citylink buses run to Aberdeen, Gills Bay and Scrabster so you can catch your ferry to the islands. These tours are inclusive of superior tourist class accommodation, transportation, selected admission fees and many meals. We then have two full days to tour Shetland. Its name, meaning Earls House, was bestowed by Sir Walter Scott when he used the ruins of the sixteenth century lairds house as a fictional setting. Island hop the wild Scottish Northern Isles on this week's holiday to Orkney and Shetland From 895 to 1015 7 days ex flights. Discover the Castle of Mey and its magnificent gardens. Photo: juvlai, CC BY-SA 2.0. Youll find comfortable public areas with free Wi-Fi, as well as a cosy bar, and handy drying facilities, too. With a strong norse influence, these island groups provide a surprisingly contrasting cultural experience when compared to the Hebrides. We also offer a fly-drive holiday as an alternative way to visit Orkney & Shetland. (Do find time to pop in for a tour of the traditional whisky making process.) Overnight Orkney. The rest of this evening is free to relax and, perhaps, enjoy a wee night-cap in the bar or get some fresh sea air before retiring for the night. As you sail below, the screeching is deafening, and youll feel very outnumbered, a stranger invading their territory. [1] Usually the tour will depart the hotel between 08:00 hrs and 08:30 hrs in the morning. All sorts of nature abound here, from seals and otters to ponies and hundreds of birds, making it a wildlife lover's paradise. 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Orkneyinga saga - Wikipedia Jarlshof - explore this historic site, where people lived for more than 4,000 years, to see outstanding examples of Bronze Age and Viking houses, Scalloway - tour through this attractive fishing port that was once the island capital to visit the imposing ruins of 17th Century Scalloway Castle, Maeshowe - investigate this impressive chambered tomb and see the Viking graffiti left 1,000 years ago, Skara Brae - discover how early man lived at this amazingly well-preserved Stone Age settlement of dwelling houses complete with beds and chairs, Kirkwall - enjoy a three-night stay in this bustling port dominated by 12th Century St Magnus Cathedral, Movie locations Moondogs, The Long Hope and The Spy in Black.