Scotland’s Orkney Islands

Is this trip right for you?

Please ensure you consult your local government’s advice regarding domestic travel prior to booking this trip.
This trip is new to our range this year. And while we have thoroughly researched every detail of the logistics, new destinations and working with new partners can sometimes throw us some unexpected surprises. More often than not, it’ll be a great surprise. But every now and again there might be a hiccup. We like to think that’s what puts the ‘adventure’ in ‘adventure travel’.
Scotland can be cold at night throughout the year, especially at the start and end of the season. Please bring appropriate clothing for adverse weather conditions, including base layers, hat, gloves, scarf, waterproof clothes/umbrella and anything else that you think may be applicable.
As accommodation on this trip is twin share, single travellers will share a room with another traveller of the same gender. This trip is a great opportunity to get to know other like-minded people, so embrace it while you can. However, if you’d prefer not to share, a single room supplement is available at an additional charge (some exceptions may apply). Please ask your travel consultant for more details. Also, hotels in Europe can seem small by Australian or American standards, and often don’t have double beds, but rather two single beds that can be pushed together/apart.

Itinerary

Day 1

Welcome to Scotland! Meet your local leader and fellow travellers at Inverness Railway Station. Exact times and further details can be found in the ‘Joining Point Instructions’ of your Essential Trip Information. From here take a train to Thurso, and on arrival, transfer to the nearby port of Scrabster to board a ferry over to Orkney. The ferry journey is a scenic adventure in itself, so keep your eyes peeled for the Old Man of Hoy – the tallest sea stack in the UK. Disembark in Stromness and catch a local bus with your group to Kirkwall – the largest centre in Orkney. After a long day of travelling, it’s time to settle into your accommodation and perhaps cosy up in a pub. Your leader will recommend some options to have drinks, plus hopefully with some live music on offer too!

Accommodation

Guesthouse (1 night)

Meals Included

There are no meals included on this day.

Special Information

This afternoon’s meeting will take place at 1pm in the ticket hall of Inverness Railway Station. Please look out for your leader who will be waiting in the fixed seating area, holding a sign with the Intrepid logo. Make sure you are on time for this important meeting, as the group will leave Inverness straight after. If you can’t find a flight that arrives on time we recommend you book an additional night in Inverness prior to the start of the trip. Please note that today’s journey is quite long, involving a train, taxi, ferry and local bus, and our arrival into Kirkwall will be at around 9:30pm.

Day 2

Stretch your legs this morning on a walking tour of Kirkwall – the beating heart of Orkney. Your local leader will fill you in on the town’s history and Viking culture plus some of the hotspots, including 12th-century St Magnus Cathedral, the ‘Peedie Sea’ birdwatching area and the narrow maze of streets in the centre of town. These streets are home to the traditional ‘Ba’ game each year – a unique sporting spectacle that your leader will tell you about. This afternoon, you’re free to explore the city at your own pace. Perhaps retrace your steps, stopping by the craft shop, museum or other historic sites that piqued your interest. Your leader might also suggest a short hike up to Wideford Hill, offering great views across Kirkwall and the islands. Otherwise, there’s a whole range of craft and jewellery shops, pubs and even the acclaimed Highland Park whisky distillery to visit. It’s totally up to you!

Accommodation

Guesthouse (1 night)

Included Activities

Kirkwall – Leader-led Walking Tour

Optional Activities

Kirkwall – Wideford Hill Hike – Free
Highland Park Whisky Distillery Visit & Tour – from – GBP30

Meals Included

Breakfast

Day 3

It’s time to explore Orkney in more detail today. Head off with your travel crew in a private vehicle towards some of the islands’ most historic sites. Begin heading south to the Italian Chapel – comprised of two Nissen huts converted into a stunning chapel by Italian prisoners of war. Cross the remarkable Churchill Barriers – built in WWII to keep enemy U-boats out of the waterways of Scapa Flow. These barriers now connect smaller islands in Orkney with the mainland, and dotted in the sea are a number of shipwrecks nearby. Continue west to perhaps Orkey’s most famous site – the prehistoric village of Skara Brae. It’s northern Europe’s best-preserved Neolithic village predating Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids, and forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage listed ‘Heart of Neolithic Orkney’. Pop into an old schoolhouse building for a picnic lunch of local Orkney produce (and perhaps meet the producers), then begin your return journey to Kirkwall, stopping by the renowned Ring of Brodgar Standing Stones, another UNESCO World Heritage listed site, dating back over 5,000 years.

Accommodation

Guesthouse (1 night)

Included Activities

Orkney Islands – Ring of Brodgar Standing Stones
Orkney Islands – Italian Chapel & Churchill Barriers
Orkney Islands – Orkney Mainland Day Tour
Orkney Islands – Picnic with Local Orkney Produce
Orkney Islands – Skara Brae Prehistoric Village Visit

Meals Included

Breakfast
Lunch

Please note that for the remainder of 2021 the group will not be visiting Shapinsay Island, as services to and from the island are reduced and businesses on the island are shut due to the effects from Covid restrictions. Instead, you will spend the day in the historic village of Stromness. You’ll take a walk along the coast to see lots of seals and the town itself offers lots to see and do, from historic attractions to a much more modern museum with arts and crafts. Its quirky narrow streets are a joy to explore and are unlike anywhere else in the UK.