Wild Scotland - Birds and Kayaking

Embark and sail.

From golden beaches to jagged peaks, bleakmoors to heather clad hills and abandonedsettlements to picturesque villages, our daysin the Hebrides will be packed with variety.Kayakers will be introduced to their craft andwill be briefed for their adventures, beforepicking up paddles to circumnavigate tiny isletsor paddle deep into narrow waterways thatintersect this rugged terrain, while hikers mayopt for panoramic views from summits andridges. We may have the chance to samplesingle malt whisky at a distillery, or marvel atFingal's Cave, where the melodious sound ofwaves crashing against towering basalt pillarsinspired Mendelssohnn's Hebridean Overture.The rugged island of Skye, named after theNorse word for 'cloud', is a hikers' paradise.

We aim to visit tiny specks of land that bear the brunt of ferocious Atlantic storms.If weather and seas permit, we hope to land at St Kilda, a World Heritage Site, where derelict crofts bear testament to the fortitude of hardy islanders that once dried seabirds for winter food. Exposed to the full ferocity of Atlantic gales, the inhospitable volcanic stacks of St Kilda boast Britain's highest sea cliff(430 metres tall). On Lewis, we may visit Carloway Broch, and stroll among a mini stonehenge at Callanais. Home to breeding seals and vast seabird colonies, Flannan, North Rona and Foula boast spectacular cliffs, fantastic rockstacks, hidden beaches and luxuriant heaths where sheep once grazed. In favourable sea conditions it's possible to land on Hirta, the largest island (2 miles by 1 mile), to visit derelict crofts and the ancient chapel. The region is one of Europe's most significant seabird breeding colonies, with over 200,000 breeding pairs of all species and is home to Britain's largest colonies of gannets, fulmars and puffins.

Shetland Britain's most northerlyislands lie almost 100 miles north of the Scottishmainland, at a similar latitude to the southerntip of Greenland, or Bergen in Norway. Keptrelatively warm by the Gulf Stream, Shetland's100 islands experience almost 24 hours ofdaylight in summer. They abound with naturereserves and archaeological sites offering ataste of traditional island life. We plan to visitsome of Shetland's best preserved and mostcomplex archaeological broch sites (fortifiedIron Age towers) along some of the world'slargest sea bird colonies.

Mid waybetween Orkney and Shetland, Fair Isle housesa major European ornithological researchstation, and is also famous for knitwear andhistoric shipwrecks. About 3 miles by 2 miles,it is surrounded by impressive cliffs. The 70or so islanders mostly live in traditional croftson the more fertile low-lying southern part ofthe island. A bird watchers' paradise, Fair Isleattracts common species and eastern raritiessuch as the lanceolated warbler. In summer,the cliffs teem with breeding fulmars,kittiwakes, guillemots, gannets, shags andpuffins - an excellent place to view seabirdsat close range. The island also has over 250species of flowering plants, including wetlandflowers, rare orchids, alpine species andcommon wildflowers. We'll be welcomed by thehospitable villagers and may take a hike or visitthe museum. We follow the passage of time- from 5000 year old World Heritage neolithicsites, past relics from wandering Vikings andreminders of World War II occupation, topresent day crofting communities. Imposingsea cliffs teem with seabirds and cliff toppaths and bleak moors beckon the keenhikers among us, while our kayakers usepaddle-power to explore sections of Orkney'sfascinating coastline.

Disembark