Best of the British Isles & Faroes

Having arrived independently to Edinburgh, the historic and vibrant capital of Scotland, you can make your way to the hotel for your included overnight stay. This hotel stay has been included to allow you some time to soak up the sights and sounds of Edinburgh, its rich culture and impressive architecture.

After breakfast at the hotel on day 2 you will have further time to explore before joining your included transfer to the Port of Leith to board the M/V Sea Spirit. After settling in to your comfortable accommodation and familiarising yourself with the ship, you can enjoy a welcome cocktail and your first dinner on board.

The first port of call on your Arctic expedition will be the Orkney Islands, and the quiet town of Kirkwall is where we will anchor. Kirkwall is the capital town of the remote and beautiful Orkney archipelago and it has a rich heritage that is a delight to explore. You can join an included tour of the “Ancient treasures of Orkney” as well as a tour through the St Magnus Cathedral, considered the finest medieval building in the north of Scotland.

Your tour will take you through the gentle rolling landscape of Orkney and into the Neolithic Heartland; an area designated as a World Heritage Site due to its wealth of pre-historic archaeology. You will see the Standing Stones of Stenness as well as the Ring of Brodgar; a huge ceremonial circle of stones dating back almost 5000 years. You tour will also include a visit to the 5000-year-old village of Skara Brae where you can see the remarkable Neolithic village which was revealed from beneath the sand dunes by storms just 150 years ago.

Day 4 will bring us to Fair Isle in the sub-Arctic Shetland Islands archipelago. Fair Isle is located approximately half way between the Orkneys and the Shetlands and is a birdwatchers paradise. The lush grasslands and spectacular cliffs of the isle are teeming with birdlife and over 345 different species have been recorded here, the highest number for anywhere in the British Isles. Whilst exploring this beautiful island you can hope to see a variety of species including Arctic and Great skuas, Northern fulmars, Northern gannets, kittiwakes and puffins.

Moving on to Mainland, the largest of the Shetland Islands, we will dock at the port of Lerwick to take an enjoyable walking tour of this historic town, including a visit to the award-winning Shetland Museum. We will then hop on to a coach for an impressively scenic overland trip which will take us through the fertile countryside of Dunrossness and some of the Shetland’s most picturesque destinations. Places we may stop at include the historic lighthouse at Sumburgh Head where the rugged cliffs and grassy slopes blanketed by beautiful wildflowers attract thousands of seabirds including myriad puffins. We will also visit Jarlshof to discover one of the most remarkable archaeological sites in the British Isles.

Concluding our exploration of the Shetland Islands, we now make our way to the birdwatching hotspot island of Foula, where the cliffs are home to numerous seabirds, including the largest colony of great skuas in Great Britain. Our stop here should reward in plenty of sightings alongside an introduction to the rich history and folklore here. In the afternoon we will move on to the island of Papa Stour to witness its spectacular volcanic landscape of caves, stacks, arches and blowholes, all supporting a range of marine flora and fauna.

We will now make our way to the exceptionally scenic Faroe Islands where rolling green hills, bright blue seas, colourful houses, traditional fishing ports and abundant birdlife combine to create some unforgettable landscapes.

We will spend 4 days here visiting some of the highlights of the islands, with our first port of call likely to be Tórshavn. Your visit here will include a tour of Kirkjubøur, the southernmost village on Streymoy, located just a 15 minute drive from Torshavn. In medieval times Kirkjubøur was the cultural and Episcopal centre and is the island’s most significant historical site. Your tour here will include visits to the medieval Magnus Cathedral and Roykstovan, a 900 year-old farmhouse/museum which is thought to be the oldest wooden house still in use today. On your way to and from Kirkjubøur you will have a magnificent view to the west of the islands of Koltur, Hestur, Sandoy, and Vágar. As we explore around, we will learn all about the way of life here including the Viking heritage which the locals are immensely proud of.

Our next stop is likely to bring us to Klaksvík, the Faroes’ second-largest town, where some fantastic hikes around the impressive mountains and bird-watching excursions will be on offer.

Throughout your time in the Faroe Islands there will be opportunities for thrilling Zodiac cruises through the more remote areas of the archipelago, its bird cliffs and unforgettable natural wonders.

We will now spend a relaxing day at sea sailing back towards Edinburgh. On day 12, upon arrival back in the port of Leith, a transfer will be provided either to the airport or to a downtown location.