Orkney Island Holidays
Other Holidays
Highlights of Orkney and Shetland Holiday
Download your illustrated "Highlights of Orkney and Shetland Holiday" Brochure for the most comprehensive and full details of this special holiday.
A two centre Holiday using two lovely Hotels in both Shetland and
Orkney, with an evening cruise on the Northlink Ferry from Shetland to
Orkney with evening meal on board. Experience some of the very best that
both Orkney and Shetland has to offer, the United Kingdom’s two most
northerly island groups. You will be guided by island experts Paul &
Louise Hollinrake. We will share with you the highlights of our
experience and knowledge of our home islands of Orkney and those of our
northern neighbours in Shetland. Louise has been a lifelong fan of
Shetland - from the age of ten anyway, visiting for many holidays as a
teenager and every year since 1985 with Paul who is equally
enthusiastic. 
The approach and mix will be the same as all our Holidays: friendly
groups of like-minded individuals, interesting days, peaceful nights,
long evenings, both of us on hand. We use good quality hotel
accommodation, both with ensuite facilities and each chosen because it
has some character within its local setting and is located within easy
reach of the sites we plan to visit in that part of Orkney or Shetland.
In Shetland we use the Sumburgh Hotel and The Lynnfield Hotel in Orkney.
In summer all the islands' special birds are in residence, and the
flowers are abundant. Shetland's history and archaeology show the same
influences as those of Orkney with subtle yet significant differences.
Seeing both groups of islands adds to the appreciation of all. There
will be a little walking, but nothing too arduous. Bring your walking
pole! We will look after you.
Main Features
· Huge RSPB sea bird cliffs with puffins galore, razorbills, guillemots, shags, fulmars and gannets.
· Red-throated divers, storm petrels, curlews, oystercatchers, redshanks, eider ducks, great & arctic skuas, tysties, hen harriers, short eared owls, pintails, wigeons, shovelers, twite, wheatear and many other wetland, sea & moorland birds.
· An unforgettable night time boat trip to see the Stormie Petrels on the isle of Mousa.
· A special visit to RSPB Mill Dam Wetland Reserve where Paul is the Warden.
· Carpets of colourful wild flowers and rarities like Primula scotica, oysterplant and northern marsh orchids.
· Spectacular rock formations with differing geological histories.
· An evening cruise aboard the ferry from Shetland to Orkney with dinner on board and the opportunity of sea-watching for birds and cetaceans.
· Long sandy beaches, including the magic of St Ninian’s Isle, peace & tranquility.
· Weather permitting it may be possible to do a short trip in our own workboat from Shapinsay in Orkney, to nearby uninhabited islands with their special flowers, seals and birds, with a visit to a unique colony of “tysties” otherwise known as black guillemots.
· Get close up and personal with both Atlantic grey seals, and harbour or common seals.
· Orkney's World Heritage sites including Skara Brae Neolithic Village, Ring of Brodgar, Stones of Stenness and Maeshowe Chambered Cairn.
· Shetland's Jarlshof, Mousa Broch and complexities of Scatness Dig.
· The long twilight evenings of the simmer dim.
· Orkney’s Scapa Flow, Italian Chapel, Churchill Barriers and Tomb of the Eagles.
· Spiggie & Tingwall lochs in Shetland, Harray & Stenness lochs in Orkney.
· Shetlands new and award winning museum in Lerwick & ancient capital of Scalloway.
· Burroughston Iron Age Broch on Shapinsay.
· Staying in two fabulous island hotels with excellent food & accommodation, and friendly staff.
· The services of Paul & Louise Hollinrake, two very experienced guides with many years of experience sharing their island passions with guests.
Specimen Itinerary
(Please note that the itinerary is flexible and may be altered to make best use of weather and other conditions each day. It also gives folk the chance to opt for more or less exercise on some days, as we can often split into two smaller groups.)
| Day 1 | - | Travel to Shetland. Meet as a group before dinner at the Sumburgh Hotel. We can meet you at the airport and transport you to the hotel close by. If you come by ferry there is a convenient bus service from Lerwick to Sumburgh. Night Sumburgh Hotel |
| Day 2 | - | After visiting Jarlshof Archaeological Site we will go the puffin paradise of Sumburgh Head. Then via Spiggie Loch to the scenic island of St. Ninian’s and its Pictish/Norse settlements. Night Sumburgh Hotel. |
| Day 3 | - | In the morning we’ll explore the recently excavated Iron Age village of Scatness, then on to the ancient Shetland capital of Scalloway and the Loch of Tingwall. Night Sumburgh Hotel. |
| Stormie Petrel Visit | - | We will visit the island of Mousa on one of our nights at Sumburgh (weather permitting) to see the World famous Broch and its breeding stormie petrels, aka alamootie, or oily squirts! |
| Day 4 | - | Via Dunrossness flowers and birds to Catpund Viking soapstone quarry, with local heritage, wildlife and Shetland stories on the way. Then to the excellent Shetland Museum in Lerwick before taking the Northlink ferry to Orkney, with dinner on board and the opportunity of sea-watching for birds and cetaceans. Night Lynnfield Hotel. |
| Day 5 | - | An archaeological tour of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Area – Skara Brae Village, Maeshowe Tomb and the Ring of Brodgar Stone Circle -- plus the spectacular cliffs of Yesnaby where we will search for the delightful flower the Primula scotica, an Orkney speciality. Night Lynnfield Hotel |
| Day 6 | - | Scapa Flow and the Churchill Barriers, via the Italian Chapel to the Tomb of the Eagles in the island of South Ronaldsay, where scenic walks, birds, flowers and archaeology await you. Night Lynnfield Hotel |
| Day 7 | - | A day trip to our home island of Shapinsay with its Iron Age broch and Mill Dam RSPB Wetland Bird Reserve. Weather permitting it may be possible to do a short trip in our workboat to nearby uninhabited islands with their flowers and birds. Night Lynnfield Hotel. |
| Day 8 | - | Depart after breakfast. We can transport you for a morning flight, otherwise the airport is about ten minutes away by taxi. |
Costs include
Full board ensuite Hotel accommodation at both the Sumburgh and Lynnfield, Transport within Orkney & Shetland, evening Ferry between Shetland and Orkney with meal on board, Daily excursions as per itinerary, Comprehensive Guiding, Entrance fees.
Extra costs
Travel to Shetland at the start of your holiday and return travel from Orkney once your holiday has finished, Tips to Hotel staff at your discretion, Personal insurance, Extras for packed lunch top ups as you require, Things of a purely personal nature.
Travel tips
Flights to Shetland and from Orkney can be arranged from most UK airports, usually via Aberdeen, Glasgow or Edinburgh. We advise contacting Ridgeway Travel in Orkney for booking the best deals on these flights. You can also travel by ferry using Northlink Ferries. See our brochure for full details of travel options.