orkney & shetland: from stones to sagas
june 2027
dr mindy macleod
*** Preliminary Itinerary ***
Journey through a landscape of standing stones, Viking longhouses, and Norse sagas, encountering Picts, Celts and Norsemen on islands shaped by myth and memory
OVERVIEW
The landscapes of Orkney and Shetland are iconic: rugged coastlines with dramatic sea cliffs, rolling moors and extraordinary biodiversity. Though seemingly far-flung, these islands have a rich history that has been shaped by maritime cultures, from industrious Neolithic settlers to the arrival of the Norse and as part of Britain’s strategic defences during World War II.
Our 14-day tour uncovers this legacy of Picts, Celts and Norse settlers together with an expert tour leader, a specialist in runic writing and the languages and literatures of the Scandinavian world. Commencing in Edinburgh, we take a tour of the National Museum of Scotland before a short flight to Kirkwall, Orkney’s largest town and our base for the next five nights. With guided tours to the World Heritage-listed Neolithic tombs, stone circles and settlements of Maeshowe, Stenness, Skara Brae and the Ring of Brodgar, we learn about life on the archipelago ca 5,000 years ago. In Kirkwall and at Scapa Flow, we appreciate a more recent history, from the kings of Norway to the Northern Front of World War II.
Taking the overnight ferry to Lerwick, we enjoy five nights on Shetland. The island’s fame has increased thanks to the Shetland TV series, but its UNESCO-listed landscape has been an enduring witness to fascinating cultures. The Jarlshof site alone preserves Bronze Age houses, an Iron Age tower, Viking long houses and a medieval farm, and on nearby islands we survey other Norse sites and understand the enduring influence of the culture, such as in the annual celebrations of Up Helly Aa.
The tour is enhanced by the expertise of tour leader Dr Mindy MacLeod. A highlight of the experience is the sheer beauty of these islands, which we admire on ferry trips to smaller islands and on short walks in scenic locations.
TOUR LEADER
Dr Mindy MacLeod is an academic lecturer, author, translator and editor whose work centres on the languages, literatures and inscriptions of the Scandinavian world.
Mindy completed her PhD at the University of Uppsala in Sweden, where her prize-winning dissertation explored the conventions of runic writing across Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Mindy has studied in Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland and has worked at Uppsala University and Linnaeus University in Sweden. She has also lectured in Swedish, Old Norse, runology and linguistics at The University of Melbourne, Deakin University, and the University of Queensland.
Highlights
Encounter the remarkable Neolithic tomb at Orkney’s Maeshowe, and cheeky runic 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
Enhance your understanding with the expertise of Dr Mindy MacLeod, a specialist in runic writing and the literature of the Scandinavian world
Questions?
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