Wild & Ancient Orkney

Separated from the Scottish mainland by the stormy Pentland Firth, the Orkney Islands bristle with Neolithic treasures: chambered cairns, ceremonial stone circles and one of Europe’s most remarkable early villages.

This tour encompasses the whole range of the islands’ history, from prehistory at Skara Brae, through the Pictish and Norse periods, to 20th century events associated with Scapa Flow, which has been one of the great natural anchorages of the world since Viking times. Poetry, sagas and music will also feature during our travels, giving added resonance to these magnificent landscapes and seascapes. Much of the tour will be on the ‘Mainland’, but we will also enjoy the opportunity to take small ferries over to Rousay, Westray and Papa Westray, visiting fishing and crofting settlements to meet locals and begin to understand some of the challenges of island life in the extreme north of Britain.

We will also be privileged to survey the unique and special Orcadian wildlife. The waters around the islands are rich in marine life, supporting grey and common seals, cetaceans, and teeming seabird ‘cities’ of fulmars, kittiwakes, puffins and guillemots. Inland, rich moorland and farmland are home to curlews and oystercatchers, as well as majestic birds of prey such as the rare hen harrier and short-eared owl. They are also home to one of the UK’s few endemic plants, the rare and delightful Scottish primrose.

We will stay throughout at the Standing Stones Hotel, boasting stunning views over the Loch of Stenness.

Please note that the below itinerary is a guide to what we hope to offer; depending on weather and local factors, some visits may be adjusted nearer the time.

Travel to and from Orkney is not included in the cost of this tour. Advice can be provided on travelling by ship and air – please contact the ACE office for further information. 

This tour will be led by Andrew Wilson, BA, BD, FSAScot, an archaeologist and historian with a particular interest in his native Scotland, and member of the Pictish Arts Society. Andrew will be joined throughout by Marcus Kohler, BA, an ecologist and ornithologist who works as an international wildlife consultant.