The Orkney Islands

DAY 1

Today we travel north and enjoy an overnight stay in the Highlands. Enjoy a delicious 3 course dinner this evening in the hotel.

DAY 2

After breakfast we travel north through Sutherland and arrive in Gills Bay for the ferry crossing at lunchtime to Orkney. Arriving in St Margaret's Hope enjoy a visit to The Italian Chapel on Lamb Holm, built on the site of a former POW camp. Crossing Scapa Flow over the Churchill Barriers we arrive on the mainland of Orkney and you will have time to spend exploring the town of Kirkwall at leisure. Visit places such as St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney Museum or Bishop's Palace ruins before checking into the Kirkwall Hotel, and enjoying a delicious dinner on your first night in Orkney. 

DAY 3

A tour of Orkney today, whose sandy shores are shrouded in culture and legend.  We visit the Neolithic village of Skara Brae; 5000 years old and still standing to this day. Explore the extraordinary village here and its new visitor centre before we travel north. There's a rest & refresh stop at the Orkney Brewery which has a beautiful cafe & Visitor Centre where you can purchase some produce. And then we are on to the area known as Birsay and visit the Brough of Birsay (if the tide is right you can walk across to the isle) and the Earl's Palace ruins then onto the Broch of Gurness - a well-preserved iron age village perched on the tip of the mainland overlooking Rousay. Explore the Visitor Centre here before we return to the hotel in Kirkwall with a stop in a local Tearoom for a rest & refresh stop, which offers amazing views over to Rousay, Wyre and Gairsay. Enjoy dinner in the hotel this evening.

DAY 4

This morning after breakfast we journey to see more of Orkney's amazing Neolithic sights and firstly the stone circles of Stenness and Brodgar, which lie to the north of the Orphir Hills.  Time has preserved the sights well and you have time to explore the Barnhouse Settlement near the Stenness Stones, and the Ring of Brodgar which lies on the Ness. We stop in at the Maeshowe Visitor Centre before travelling onto Stromness where you have leisure time to explore the Stromness musuem, harbour and quaint streets, and also grab a bite to eat for lunch. In the afternoon we journey through the Orcadian landscapes passing through the small parish of Orphir, where we visit the Earls Bu and Round Kirk ruins, which offer a fascinating insight into the Viking history of Orkney and is Scotland's only surviving round church. The Orkneyinga Saga Centre recounts to life and times of the Vikings who settled on these shores. We return to Kirkwall passing some beautiful beaches such as Waulkmill and also the Royal Oak Bouy at Scapa Flow before arriving back to the hotel for our last night on Orkney. Enjoy a delicious 3 course dinner this evening in the hotel restaurant.

DAY 5

After an early breakfast we depart Kirkwall on the ferry back to the mainland and return to Thurso. Enjoy a tour along the NC500 route with a visit to John O’Groats and a stop at Dunrobin Castle near Golspie for a tour before we arrive at our comfortable hotel and enjoy evening 3 course dinner on our last night in the Highlands.

DAY 6

After breakfast in the hotel, enjoy the journey back home through the beautiful Scottish scenery.

** Sea View & Superior/King Rooms are only available in Orkney, not for overnight stops. 

(Please note there are many other noteable sights found in and around Orkney however are in remote locations or on outer islands and many inaccessible by coach. Visiting these sights would involve a good deal of walking hence may not be possible. Warm and waterproof clothing along with suitable footwear is recommended for excursions)

KIRKWALL HOTEL - ORKNEY

Looking out across the harbour of the Orkney Islands’ largest town, The Kirkwall Hotel features a high-quality restaurant, sports bar & whisky bar along with stylish en-suite rooms. A short walk from the town’s main shopping area, this 4 star hotel provides free Wi-Fi. Each room at The Kirkwall Hotel has en suite bathroom facilities with shower or bath, hairdryer and complimentary toiletries. All rooms have a flat-screen TV, telephone and tea and coffee facilities.
The Harbour View Restaurant serves extensive menus showcasing the local produce of the island, and Skippers Bar provides a relaxed setting to enjoy Orkney ales or whiskies by the waterside. Kirkwall’s attractions include the Orkney Museum and the 12th-century Saint Magnus Cathedral. The town’s Pickaquoy leisure centre and cinema is around 15 minutes’ walk from the hotel.

There is a small lift to all floors in Kirkwall Hotel, no lift in the Shore annexe. No ground floor rooms available. 

** Sea View & Superior/King Rooms are only available in Orkney, not for overnight stops.

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