This morning you will be leaving Edinburgh and flying north to Orkney. With a bit of luck you’ll see the Lowlands of Scotland rise into the craggy Highland mountains beneath you – huge lochs and rivers that span coast to coast look no more than potholes and puddles. The landscape grows wilder the further North you go, until the hills submerge into the sea below. Within moments of the Scottish mainland disappearing, the grass and heather covered islands of Orkney come into view.
Touch down in Kirkwall and head out on a mini-coach trip. First stop is the collapsed sea cave known locally as ‘The Gloup’ – gulls rise on buffets of sea air and waves crash underfoot on Orkney’s eastern edge. Next take a tour of Sheila Fleet Jewellery HQ – exploring the converted church and workshops filled with three decades of award-winning designs. Then onwards, passing over the Churchill Barriers built by Italian POWs and seeing the scuttled carcasses of old ships lying in the water. Golden beaches and sand dunes have built up against these man-made intrusions, changing the landscape of this unique setting. Your guide will be on hand to give context to these extraordinary scenes and discuss the tragedies and victories of Orkney’s war effort.
Enroute back towards Orkney’s Mainland, stop at the Italian Chapel. From the outside just a Nissen hut with a small bell tower, but inside a poignant reminder of the power of human endeavour. The spiritual stillness and delicate fresco that adorns the walls are timeless counterpoints to the horrors of war.
From here it’s just a short transfer to your accommodation for the next three nights.
Your Accommodation in Kirkwall
Located on the outskirts of Kirkwall, the hotel is traditionally furnished, offering you the chance to find out just how comfortable Orkney chairs really are! The owners have put tremendous effort into creating a genuine feel throughout the hotel. All rooms are individually styled with Orcadian names.
Boasting an excellent reputation as a destination for locals, the restaurant features menus packed with local produce, including lamb or mutton with its distinctive flavour, due to the seaweed diet of North Ronaldsay sheep, plus local seafood including mouth-watering prawns, succulent salmon and delicious stir-fried squid. The hotel has ample lounge areas and a whisky snug, where you will be tempted to try a dram or two from a very wide range.