orkney & shetland: from stones to sagas

• Encounter the remarkable Neolithic tomb at Orkney’s Maeshowe and cheeky graffiti left by later visitors

• Walk the walls of Skara Brae, a well-preserved Neolithic village that offers a vivid glimpse of life 5,000 years ago

• Explore Lerwick on a Shetland-focused tour, discovering the popular TV series’ real-life locations

• Uncover over 4,000 years of Shetland’s history at Jarlshof, from Stone Age houses and Bronze Age farms to Viking longhouses and a medieval manor

• Admire an extraordinary landscape of rolling hills, heather moors and dramatic cliffs

• Enhance your understanding with the expertise of Dr Mindy MacLeod, a specialist in runic writing and the literature of the Scandinavian world

MONDAY 19 JULY 2027 – ARRIVAL (D)

We gather in the lobby of our hotel in Glasgow at 4.00pm to meet tour leader Dr Mindy MacLeod and to take an orientation stroll in the neighbourhood of our hotel. Afterwards, there is a talk by Mindy in our hotel before a welcome dinner in a nearby restaurant. Please note: an arrivals transfer from Glasgow airport to the group hotel is included for all participants; contact us for further information. Overnight Glasgow.

TUESDAY 20 JULY 2027 – TO ORKNEY (B, D)

We commence with a visit to Glasgow’s cathedral, dedicated to St Mungo and the only medieval cathedral on the Scottish mainland to have escaped the destruction of the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation. Alongside it is the Glasgow necropolis, an extensive nineteenth-century cemetery that includes memorial sculptures by the likes of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Australia’s Bertram Mackennal. In the afternoon, we travel together to Edinburgh airport for the short flight to Orkney. After checking in to the hotel, we enjoy a light dinner together in our hotel. Overnight Kirkwall.

WEDNESDAY 21 JULY 2027 – THE MIDDLE AGES ON ORKNEY (B)

After breakfast this morning we meet for a talk by Dr Mindy MacLeod in our hotel. Afterwards, together with our local guide, we take a walking tour of Kirkwall. The largest town on the Orkney group, its name comes from the Norse for “church bay” and it was indeed settled by Norsemen in the eighth century. The most imposing structure is St Magnus Cathedral, a mix of Romanesque and Gothic styles. Construction began in the twelfth century to commemorate the pious local saint and earl of Orkney, St Magnus Erlendsson. Nearby are the ruins of Bishop’s Palace. Constructed around the same time as St Magnus Cathedral, it may well have been built by a crusading bishop who was a friend of St Magnus’s nephew. The Earl’s Palace was built later, in the seventeenth century, by the earl of Orkney in an elaborate Renaissance style. After lunch at leisure, we have a tour and tasting at a whisky distillery in Kirkwall. The industry had clandestine origins in the late eighteenth century, but by the middle of the nineteenth century a number of local distilleries had been licensed to produce the distinctly smoky, salty and sweet whisky that is the unique result of the harsh climate and heather-rich peat of the islands. Overnight Kirkwall.

THURSDAY 22 JULY 2027 – 5,000 YEARS OF ORKNEY HISTORY (B, L)

Today we begin to encounter the millennial history of the Orkney islands out in the striking landscape. The islands are thought to have been settled ca 3,700 BCE from mainland Scotland and this morning we visit a number of monuments associated with this Neolithic period. Maeshowe Chambered Cairn is the finest Neolithic monument to survive in north-west Europe, constructed ca 5,000 years ago without metal tools or powered machinery. From the outside, it resembles a grassy mound – “howe” comes from the Old Norse for “hill” – but after walking a 10-metre-long low passage inside, a complex stone architecture is revealed. The site is carefully oriented to take advantage of the winter solstice. The nearby Standing Stones of Stenness are similarly ancient, perhaps the earliest henge monument in the British Isles. Originally, twelve stones were arranged in an oval shape of approximately 30m in diameter and surrounded by a rock-cut ditch. At the Ring of Brodgar the shape was much closer to a perfect circle; it was constructed perhaps 1,000 years after the chambered cairn and Stenness henge. We have a simple lunch at a local café before continuing to the Brough of Birsay (“brough” rhymes with “loch”), where the remains of a ninth-century Viking settlement and twelfth-century monastery are still visible. Please note that the site is only accessible at low tide, via an uneven causeway. This visit is only possible pending local sea conditions. We return to the hotel, where the evening is at leisure. Overnight Kirkwall.

FRIDAY 23 JULY 2027 – SKARA BRAE (B, L)

After a talk by Mindy in the hotel, we travel by private coach to Yesnaby Castle Sea Stack, to admire the stunning sea views from this wild location. Known as one of Orkney’s most beautiful sites, it is comprised of jagged cliffs, grassy slopes and views over rocky inlets. Please note that the site is safely accessible only in fine weather and a substitute activity may be provided on the day. After a visit to the Orkney Brewery, known for the quality of its artisanal ales thanks to the pristine local water, we enjoy a simple lunch and continue to Skaill House for a guided tour. It was built in 1620 on the site of a Norse farmstead and preserves among its artefacts the dinner service used by Captain James Cook on his final voyage. Our final visit of the day is an after-hours visit at Skara Brae, the best-preserved group of prehistoric houses in Western Europe. The site was uncovered by chance in 1850, when a storm blew away the sand that had accumulated over the structures. Today recognised by UNESCO, Skara Brae gives us a clear view of daily life in the Neolithic period. We return to the hotel for an evening at leisure. Overnight Kirkwall.

SATURDAY 24 JULY 2027 – SCAPA FLOW & THE ITALIAN CHAPEL (B, L)

This morning we travel by ferry to the island of Hoy and Scapa Flow, an impressive natural harbour that served as a strategic base for the Royal Navy during both World Wars. At the Scapa Flow Museum we learn about the events that led to the scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet in the nearby harbour before we enjoy a packed lunch. Afterwards, we continue to the island of Lambholm in order to visit the so-called Italian Chapel. This colourful small building was built by Italian prisoners-of-war during the construction of the nearby Churchill Barriers that protected the Scapa Flow anchorage. The workers had very little supplies available to construct their place of worship, and the resulting assemblage of nissen huts, scrap metal and concrete is both moving and surprisingly ornate. The evening is at leisure. Overnight Kirkwall.

SUNDAY 25 JULY 2027 – TO SHETLAND (B, L, D)

We check out of our hotel this morning and store our luggage, taking the opportunity to visit the Tomb of the Eagles. This chambered cairn occupies a dramatic location and a comprehensive range of bones and artefacts was discovered inside when it was uncovered by chance in the 1950s. Please note that the coach cannot arrive directly at the archaeological site and some walking will be necessary. After lunch together we take a moderate wildflower trail walk to stretch our legs, before returning to Kirkwall for dinner and embarkation on the overnight ferry to Lerwick, Shetland. We toast Orkney with a drink on board before retiring to our simple cabins. Overnight on the Kirkwall-Lerwick overnight ferry.

MONDAY 26 JULY 2027 – AN IRON AGE VILLAGE (B)

We arrive early into Shetland today after breakfast on board the overnight ferry, docking at the Lerwick terminal and making the short walk with our luggage to our harbourside hotel. There is the opportunity to freshen up and enjoy tea and coffee in our hotel before we take a walking tour of central Lerwick. The network of low, stone houses that spreads out from the port is the northernmost settlement of this size in Britain. Lunch is at leisure before we make an afternoon visit to Clickimin Loch. On the shores of the lake stands a dramatic ruin, a sixth-century Pictish fort. The Picts occupied the Shetland islands for perhaps 400 years before the Norsemen arrived, and this is one of the best examples of their “brochs” or round, drystone forts. The evening is at leisure in Lerwick. Overnight Lerwick.

TUESDAY 27 JULY 2027 – OLD SCATNESS & A NORSE SETTLEMENT AT JARLSHOF (B, L)

This morning we take a guided tour of Jarlshof Prehistoric and Norse Settlement, an extraordinary archaeological site near the southern tip of Shetland that was revealed after storms at the end of the nineteenth century. The stone structures here include Neolithic and Bronze Age inhabitations, as well as an Iron Age broch and a Norse longhouse. There is a medieval farmstead and the laird’s house dating to the sixteenth century. Numerous artefacts were also found during the excavations. There is a simple lunch together as well as a visit to Old Scatness Broch and Iron Age Village, also uncovered relatively recently, in 1975. Roadworks uncovered a site that had been continuously occupied for over two millennia. Returning to Lerwick, there is the opportunity in the afternoon to visit the Up Helly Aa exhibition, which explains and celebrates the extraordinary local fire ceremony that takes place on Shetland in January every year. The festivities culminate in a torch-list procession and the burning of a full-size Viking ship, purpose-built during the proceeding year. There is a talk by Mindy in our hotel. Overnight Lerwick.

WEDNESDAY 28 JULY 2027 – VIKING SHIPS & LONGHOUSES (B, L)

We travel today to Unst, the northernmost inhabited island in the British Isles! We first call in at the Underhoull Excavation, an ongoing archaeological dig that investigates two Norse longhouses. The island also hosts the Skidbladner, a full-size replica of the Gokstad ship that was found in a Viking burial mound in Norway in 1880. The original ship is thought to have been built during the reign of Harald Fairhair, whom some believe visited Unst (and gave his name to Haroldswick Bay). Boarding the ship and visiting the reconstructed longhouse alongside, we gain a perspective on Viking maritime expertise. At Muness Castle, the sixteenth-century ruins indicate the strategic interest of local lairds in these distant islands – and the range of foreign privateers, who destroyed it in 1627. Returning to Lerwick, the evening is at leisure.

THURSDAY 29 JULY 2027 – THE BROCH OF MOUSA (B)

The morning and lunch are at leisure in Lerwick, before we meet and travel south by ferry to the island of Mousa. Arriving on this small island, uninhabited since the nineteenth century, we make the flat 15-minute walk from the wharf to the Broch of Mousa. The Iron Age roundhouse is the tallest broch that still stands and among Europe’s best-preserved prehistoric buildings. It is thought to have been constructed ca 300 BCE and makes for a striking panorama with the vivid green of the grassy isle. Please note that the boat to Mousa runs according to local weather conditions; an alternate activity might have to be organised on the day. Returning to Lerwick, the evening is at leisure. Overnight Lerwick.

FRIDAY 30 JULY 2027 – A TEMPLE & SHETLAND PONIES (B, L)

We begin today with a visit to the Stanydale ‘Temple’. It is the only truly megalithic structure surviving from the prehistoric period in Shetland, and is comprised of large boulders enclosing an oval area. While the purpose of the structure is unknown, scholars argue that it would originally have been covered by a large timber roof. It may have been a village hall, part of a chieftain’s residence – or, indeed, the ‘temple’ that was imagined by the archaeologist who originally excavated the site. We then visit the Scord of Brouster, a Neolithic farm site that is thought to have been constructed four thousand years ago. Three houses have been excavated here, together with walled fields and a cairn. We enjoy a simple lunch together in nearby Scalloway before we visit a local croft to be introduced to some friendly Shetland ponies. The breed did originate in Shetland and its heavy coat and strong, short legs have made it a useful companion animal on the islands since at least the Bronze Age. There is a final talk by Mindy in our hotel this evening. Overnight Lerwick.

SATURDAY 31 JULY 2027 – TO EDINBURGH (B)

We check out this morning and travel to Shetland’s airport for our short flight to Edinburgh. In addition to lunch at leisure, we enjoy a guided walking tour of the Royal Mile, the famous promenade that connects Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyrood House. We check in in the afternoon and the evening is at leisure. Overnight Edinburgh.

SUNDAY 01 AUGUST 2027 – THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SCOTLAND (B, D)

This morning we visit Edinburgh Castle, a stronghold for more than 3,000 years and an extraordinary landmark that offers views over the city from the summit of an extinct volcano! After lunch at leisure, we visit the National Museum of Scotland for a tour of the prehistoric artefacts. The collection – which includes finds from Skara Brae Neolithic village and from other sites on Orkney and Shetland – situates the objects in their broader European context and is a fitting culmination for our tour. Lunch today is at leisure, but we meet in the evening for our farewell dinner, an opportunity to discuss our tour experiences. Overnight Edinburgh.

MONDAY 02 AUGUST 2027 – DEPARTURE (B)

Tour arrangements conclude after breakfast in our hotel. Please note that a private transfer to Edinburgh airport has been included for all participants; please contact us for further information.

Radisson Blu 5* Glasgow, 1 night

https://www.radissonhotels.com/en-us/hotels/radisson-blu-glasgow

Albert Hotel 3* Kirkwall (Orkney), 5 nights

https://www.alberthotel.co.uk/

Northlink overnight ferry, Kirkwall-Lerwick, 1 night

https://www.northlinkferries.co.uk/route/ferry-from-kirkwall-to-lerwick/

Overnight accommodation is in a mix of outside and inside cabins, assigned on a first-come basis.

The Shetland Hotel 3* Lerwick (Shetland), 5 nights

https://www.shetlandhotels.com/shetland-hotel/rooms

Virgin Hotel 5* Edinburgh, 2 nights

https://virginhotels.com/edinburgh/

NB: hotels of a similar standard may be substituted.

• 3 nights’ accommodation at 5* hotels in Edinburgh and Glasgow and one night on an overnight ferry

• 10 nights in 3* hotels in Kirkwall and Lerwick (best available, comparable to an Australian motel)

• All breakfasts and 11 lunches or dinners

• All ground transport, guided tours and entrance fees to sites as mentioned in the itinerary, and tipping

• Transfer from Glasgow airport to the group hotel on arrival

• Departure transfer to Edinburgh airport from the group hotel at departure

• Talks by and expertise of an Australian tour leader throughout

• Services of a local guide throughout

A $1,500pp deposit is required at the time of booking to hold your place on tour.

A second deposit of $2,000pp is due on 21 March 2027.

We will invoice you for final payment for the tour, due on 05 May 2027.

When you book on one of tours, we ask you to accept our terms and conditions. You can read our terms and conditions here.