Birdwatching Holidays and Wildlife Holidays in the British Isles
 

The Orkney Islands

Including two nights on North Ronaldsay

It's quite extraordinary that a group of islands so close to the Scottish mainland could be so totally different in character and atmosphere not only to Scotland itself but to the west coast islands and its northerly neighbour, Shetland, as well.

Orkney is unquestionably unique and it has something for everyone. Our holiday takes in all aspects of the islands from their remarkable archaeological sites such as Skara Brae, which dates back to 3200 BC and was not rediscovered until a storm uncovered it in 1850, to birds and flowers on the peaceful island of North Ronaldsay. We'll walk along cliffs pink with sea thrift and packed with birds and delight in the peaceful atmosphere of St Magnus Cathedral.

Many people visit Orkney for a short stay and are frustrated when they find that there is so much more to the islands than just "Mainland". For this reason we'll stay not only on Burray and in Kirkwall, but will also spend two nights on North Ronaldsay. We'll also be including visits to Rousay to see "The Great Ship of Death" as Midhowe has been called, and to South Ronaldsay. All Orkney's famous landmarks such as the Tomb of the Eagles, the Churchill Barriers, the Italian Chapel and Scapa Flow will be included in our itinerary.

Orkney has a rich bird life and we'll be spending some time looking and listening for some of the islands' specialities including the elusive Corncrake, Hen Harrier, Red-throated Diver and much more.

The cost of the holiday is based upon travel by bus from Inverness to John o'Groats and the short-crossing ferry to South Ronaldsay. If you prefer to fly to the islands this can be arranged and you will be advised of the additional cost.

Your Tour Leader

Andy MitchellFor 16 years Andy Mitchell was a career civil servant in his home town of Derby and then Leeds before realising that the outdoor life was calling him. He moved from Leeds to North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory in Orkney for a year's training and ended up staying for nearly five years, as well as falling in love with Orkney. A spell of various expeditions abroad and jobs in conservation followed which gave him a breadth of knowledge and experience. He then joined the RSPB working on research into Song Thrush declines before moving back to Orkney to manage the reserves on Egilsay and Rousay. After ten years with RSPB he left to set up his own business advising on wildlife tourism and doing environmental assessment work based at his home on South Ronaldsay. Birds are his main passion - not in the sense of having to see every species but as conservation indicators. His other interests are all things Cuban, beekeeping, music (he's learning to play the fiddle) and seeing the delight on people's faces when they see those special wildlife moments.

The Ring of Brodgar Skara Brae - photo © John Mullen Marwick Head

Your Itinerary

Saturday 9th June
Our holiday begins in Inverness from where we take the Orkney Bus up to the north coast of Scotland to catch the ferry over to South Ronaldsay in Orkney. From here the bus takes us to Kirkwall where we will be based at the Lynfield Hotel for four nights. We arrive in time to check in and freshen up before dinner.

Sunday 10th June
Today we'll sample a mix of Orkney's rich archaeological and natural history as we head out of Kirkwall to West Mainland. There's so much to see and do that we'll be visiting this area again on Tuesday so that we can incorporated the amazing Skara Brae archaeological site, the RSPB reserve at Marwick Head with its sea bird colonies and the Kitchener Memorial, Maeshowe chambered tomb, the Broch of Birsay and the Earl's Palace plus lots of natural history stops.

St Magnus CathedralMonday 11th June
A gentle day in Kirkwall, starting with a relaxed breakfast before we walk down to the town to have a good look around. St Magnus Cathedral will obviously feature and there'll be a walk around the town taking in some of its history and architecture. After the initial orientation and a visit to the cathedral, the rest of the day will be free to visit the excellent Tankerness Museum or Highland Park Distillery (located close to your hotel) or to indulge in a little retail therapy. Lunch today will be at your own expense.

Tuesday 12th June
It's back to West Mainland to continue our exploration and fill in gaps of what we didn't have time to see on Sunday or, indeed, would like to revisit. The Ring of Brodgar and Standing Stones of Stenness are important and fascinating sites and we'll also have the chance to have a brief look around Stromness with its fascinating history and connection with the Hudson's Bay Company.

Wednesday 13th June
Today we take a short flight to the island of North Ronaldsay where we'll be staying at the world-famous Bird Observatory for two nights. We advise that you have a small bag to take with you as the amount of baggage is extremely limited. You can leave your main bag at the Lynnfield Hotel and pick it up when you get back from North Ronaldsay.

Thursday 14th June
North Ronaldsay is a delightful island and one of the nice aspects is that there's no need to keep jumping in and out of buses. We'll be exploring on foot but at a very gentle pace. Obviously, the island is famous for migratory birds but there is far more to it than that. The lighthouse at the north end is the tallest land-based one in Britain and one of the last to be automated (in 1998). There are important archaeological sites on the island but what is most striking is the peace, the air and the natural history with beautiful sands, stark rocky shores, acres of wild flowers and birds calling everywhere.

Friday 15th June
It's time to return to "Mainland" (Orkney's, not Scotland's!). Rather than fly, this time we're going to travel by ferry and we'll be taking a picnic lunch with us as we don't get back to Kirkwall until nearly two o'clock. Upon arrival we'll pick up our vehicle and then head back to the Lynnfield Hotel to collect any luggage which was left behind before turning south and heading to the Sands Hotel on the island of Burray, which will be our base for the final four nights of our holiday.

Saturday 16th June/Sunday 17th June
The next two days will be spent exploring the East Mainland and the linked South Isles and the order of things will be dictated by the weather (as most of life in Orkney is!). We'll be looking at some of the history of Scapa Flow from Viking times to the Second World War as well as other historical sites. A visit to the Italian Chapel on Lamb Holm is a must, as are the remains of the Hoxa Battery. The natural history highlights include the Gloup, a dramatic collapsed sea-cave separated from the sea by a land bridge about 80 yards wide. Mull Head nature reserve is a marvellous place for a slow ramble on a summer's day with Skylarks singing and the wistful call of the Curlew. We may return to Hoxa for a lovely nature walk and, in the right conditions, good chances to see whales and dolphins. We'll visit the amazing Tomb of the Eagles with its impressive visitor centre and a walk to the coast to see the tomb itself.

Monday 18th June
For our last day in Orkney we're heading north once more, this time to the island of Rousay which is a short ferry crossing from Tingwall on the north coast of Mainland. Here one of the highlights of the day will be a visit to Midhowe Broch and Stalled Cairn. It's a steep ascent and descent of around 100m and stout footwear is essential. Rousay itself is different in topography and character from the other Orkney Islands, being distinctly hilly and mostly covered by moorland with just a little agriculture confined to the coastal areas. There's only one road which "circumnavigates" the island, a round trip of 13 km. So you won't get lost! We'll have lunch in a little pub at the pier before taking an early afternoon ferry back to Mainland. We'll spend the rest of the afternoon meandering back south with plenty of stops to enjoy the natural heritage of the island and perhaps pop in to Kirkwall for an hour or so for any last minute shopping or simply to enjoy once again the peace of St Magnus Cathedral. We'll be back in the Sands Hotel in plenty of time to get ready for tomorrow's departure before our last dinner together.

Tuesday 19th June
Today is a travel day, leaving with The Orkney Bus at about 0930 hours and getting back into Inverness at 1340 hours, giving plenty of time for your homeward journey.

Please note that the itinerary can be changed without notice at the sole discretion of Island Holidays or your tour leader.

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