Tour features
- Tour starts and ends in Inverness
- Professional guide
- Small group, 4-8 participants
- Attractive, well thought out walking programme, comprising of no more than 6 miles or 4 hrs a day.
- Attractive programme of visits to places of interest: museums, archaeological sites, cultural sites. Entry fees included.
- Transport from Inverness to Scrabster return.
- Ferry from Scrabster to Stromness return.
- Six nights accommodation in Bed and Breakfast accommodation in Kirkwall.
- Packed lunches on walking days.
- Minibus transport
Accommodation
This is either in carefully selected Bed & Breakfast accommodation or Guest Houses. You can rely on the quality of the accommodation that we find for you – its comfort, its food and the professionalism and welcoming nature of those who run it. The B&Bs and guest houses we use are more personal and the quality of the accommodation is as good or even better than of hotels in the same category. Double and twin rooms that are occupied by two people always have an en suite or private bathroom.
If you have particular requirements or prefer to stay in a 4-star hotel, please let us know so that we can do our best to meet them.
Details of where you will be staying will be sent to you well in advance of your holiday.
Dinner is not included in the price, but your guide will take you out for supper every evening. We usually eat in a different place each evening, giving you the opportunity to try a range of Scottish dishes and ambiances.
The Orkney Isles, Scotland
Orkney is a place of big open skies, rounded hills, beautiful beaches and well kept farms. Only on Hoy does the landscape take on a wilder feel, with rolling hills and towering cliffs.
Orkney is also notoriously rich in archaeological remains. It is said that if you scratch the soil, it bleeds archaeology. Above all, in visiting Orkney you get a feeling of continuity, the sense that for thousands of years people have worked the land and left their mark.
The low-lying Orkney Isles have been favoured by farmers for over 5000 years. Its fertile soil and an abundance of good sandstone first attracted Stone Age farmers from the south. They settled the land, cultivated it and established villages. They also worked together to build tombs, temples and other sacred sites.
The number and quality of ancient monuments that remain from this period, testify to Orkney’s pre-eminent position at the centre of Neolithic Britain. Later, the Vikings came, first visiting in the summers to fatten their livestock and later, colonising the islands, occupying and reusing farmsteads that had stood for millennia. And today, farming continues. Beneath many of today’s modern farms are the remains of Viking farms and, beneath that, layers of occupation stretching even further back in time.
The flora and fauna on Orkney is a big attraction too and our tour offers lots of opportunities to see many different species of birds, seals and wildflowers.
We start the tour in Inverness, travelling to Thurso where we catch the ferry to Orkney. The tour takes in Birsay, Rousay, Yesneby, Hoy and Deerness and we visit the many historic and ancient monuments on Orkney too: the Heart of Neolithic Orkney UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar, the Stones of Stennes and Maeshowe, plus Midhowe Broch and Chambered Cairn, the Dwarfie Stane, the Italian Chapel, St Magnus Cathedral and the Earl’s Palace.
Our base is Orkney’s capital and main town, Kirkwall.
Some blogs of interest…
Day by Day Itinerary
DAY 1 - Inverness to Stromness
The tour begins in Inverness, where we will travel on to Thurso and catch the evening ferry which sails past the Old Man of Hoy, arriving in Stromness at 8:30pm. We can enjoy an evening meal on board the ferry.
Day 1 Photos
DAY 2 - Brough of Birsay
Subject to the tides, our first day on Orkney begins with a visit to a small uninhabited tidal island called the Brough of Birsay, meaning ‘fort island’. Although only 600m long by 400m across, this little island offers pleasant walking and a chance to explore some important ancient and historic monuments.
Fifth-century Christian missionaries are thought to have been the first to establish a settlement on the isle. After that, the Picts established a settlement and built a fort. The Norse, in turn, displaced them in the 9th century. The most extensive remains on the isle are from this Norse period, including the remains of a small Romanesque church.
After exploring the monuments, we’ll walk around the island visiting the lighthouse and sea cliffs at the western end. Back on the Mainland, we continue our walk along the northern shore of the Mainland, by low cliffs, to Skippi Geo, a natural harbour used by Norse fishermen.
We then continue to the village of Birsay, where we visit the remains of Earl Robert Stewart’s 16th-century palace and the site of Orkney’s first Cathedral, where St Magnus was laid to rest in 1116.
4 miles/6.5km, 165ft/50m of ascent.
Day 2 Photos
DAY 3 - Isle of Rousay
To the north of the mainland, across the Eynhallow Sound, lies Rousay (meaning Rolf’s island). This hilly island has been nicknamed the ‘Egypt of the North’ due to the richness of its archaeological sites, particularly its chambered tombs.
After a short ferry crossing to Rousay, our day begins with the Westerness Heritage walk, a 2.5 hour walk along Eynhallow Sound. This walk takes us to Midhowe broch, the 5,500 year old Midhowe chambered cairn, Norse farmsteads and the remains of St Mary’s church.
We’ll spend the afternoon at the eastern end of the island and walk around Faraclett head with its dramatic cliff scenery and views across to the islands of Westray, Eday and Egilsay.
4 miles/6.5km, 330ft/100m of ascent.
Day 3 Photos
DAY 4 - Skara Brae to Yesnaby, Stromness
Today we head for the western part of the Mainland where we will visit the most complete Neolithic village in Europe, Skara Brae. Older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids, this stone build settlement is comprised of eight houses.
Our walk takes us from Skara Brae along impressive cliffs, past sea stacks, geos and the remains of the Broch of Borwick to Yesnaby.
Afterwards we visit the characterful and historic town of Stromness to take a walk through its winding main street all the way to the ness, or headland, of Stromness, where we get good views of Hoy. Stromness was the home Orkney’s most notable poet and writer, George Mackay Brown. It was also where ships of the Hudson’s Bay Company took on water, stores and recruited local men before heading out to the Canadian Arctic.
Up to 5 miles/8km, 245ft/75m of ascent along undulating coastline.
Day 4 Photos
DAY 5 - The Heart of Neolithic Orkney
The narrow isthmus of land between Loch of Harray and Loch of Stennes has a special significance. Many now agree the site, with its standing stones, temple complex, chambered tombs and villages, is the most important Neolithic site in Britain, the ritual centre for a 5000 years old Stone Age farming culture.
Together with Skara Brae, these monuments on the isthmus have been designated the Heart of Neolithic Orkney UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today we will explore all of these important sites, walking west to east from the Ring of Brodger, to the newly discovered temple complex and then on to the Stones of Stenness.
Afterwards we visit the Maeshowe Chambered Cairn. Orientated exactly with the hills of Hoy, this amazing structure remained intact until it was looted by Vikings in the 12th century. The runes left by these Vikings represent the largest collection of such carvings in the world.
About 2 miles/3.2km, flat.
Day 5 Photos
DAY 6 - Isle of Hoy
Our trip today is to the island of Hoy, meaning ‘high island’. After taking the car ferry to Lyness on Hoy we travel to the northern end of the island.
Our first stop is a short walk to the Dwarfie Stane, a 5,000-year-old Neolithic stone-cut tomb carved from a huge sandstone erratic boulder. It is quite unique in Britain and is most akin to the rock-cut tombs found in the Mediterranean.
We then travel to the spectacular Rackwick Bay. With steep hillsides on both sides and a beach of smooth sandstone pebbles and fine sand, the bay is a great place to walk and absorb the atmosphere. In the afternoon we walk to the old Man of Hoy, an awesome 450ft/137m sea stack. With good weather, there are fine views across the Pentland Firth to the Scottish mainland.
The walk is on a good path and takes a bit more than an hour one way. We return to Rackwick Bay by the same route.
6 miles/9.5km, 550ft/170m of ascent.
Day 6 Photos
DAY 7 - Deerness, Italian Chapel, Kirkwall
Our last day on Orkney begins with a visit to Deerness in the east Mainland. Deerness is almost an island, separated from the rest of Mainland by a narrow isthmus.
In the north eastern extremity of Deerness, the good farmland gives way to heather moorland and cliffs eroded and sculpted by the North Sea. We do a circular walk along this coastline visiting the Brough of Deerness, a remote headland that was once home to a community of Vikings. Only the remains of a chapel and hut shaped mounds survive today.
Afterwards we travel south to Scapa Flow and the Churchill Barriers. Constructed during World War II, the causeways linking Mainland to South Ronaldsay were intended to make secure the important anchorage of Scapa Flow for Allied ships.
On Lamb Holm, one of the small islands forming part of the barrier, is the Italian Chapel. Build by Italian prisoners of war during World War II, the Chapel is made from two simple Nissan huts, with an ornate façade and decorated interior.
Later in the day we return to Kirkwall to visit St Magnus Cathedral, the Bishop’s Palace and the Earl’s Palace. Built by Earl Patrick Stewart in the late sixteenth century the Earl’s Palace is regarded as the finest example of Renaissance architecture in Scotland.
After our evening meal, we will board the ferry where we have cabins, and depart the following day early in the morning to sail back to the mainland.
6 miles/9.5km, 645ft/196m of ascent.
Day 7 Photos
DAy 8 - Stromness to Inverness
After breakfast on the ferry, we disembark in Scrabster and drive to Inverness.
Shetland Orkney walking tours combined
Every year we schedule Shetland Orkney Island walking tours back-to-back, so you can combine the tours into a two-week holiday with 6 walking days on the Shetland Islands and 6 on the Orkney Islands. If you book both tours, the transport between Shetland and Orkney is included, as is an extra night’s accommodation in Orkney.
Terms and Conditions
General Information
- Aspen Outdoors Ltd – Aspen is a Scottish limited company. We are VAT registered and hold an Adventure Activities Licence. Either Alastair Ewen or Jen Brooke will correspond with you about your tour. If you have any questions, please email or call.
- Participant Pack – Well before the tour starts, we shall email you a participant pack that provides detailed information on the itinerary, where to meet, what to bring, details of your accommodation, and information about your guide/s.
- Hiking equipment and clothing – You will need to bring walking boots, a waterproof jacket, and trousers, warm layers, and a hat and gloves. A more comprehensive kit list will be set out in the participant pack.
- Deposit – A 20% deposit is payable at the time of booking. If a booking is made within 56 days (8 weeks) of the tour starting, the entire sum shall be sought at the time of booking.
- Balance of payments – The balance must be paid 56 days (8 weeks) prior to departure.
- Participant Travel Insurance – You are strongly encouraged to take out travel insurance to cover personal accident, medical expenses, lost luggage, etc.
- Company insurance – Aspen Outdoors Ltd holds insurance for the activities it provides. Its insurance policy is through HISCOX Insurance Company Limited. The insurance cover includes public and products liability insurance (up to £5 million), employers’ liability insurance (£10 million) and professional indemnity insurance (up to £5 million). If you would like to see a copy of our insurance documents, please get in touch.
- Safeguarding your payments – The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT) provides financial protection under The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 for Aspen Outdoors Ltd, and in the event of their insolvency, protection is provided for: Non-flight packages. ABTOT cover provides for a refund in the event you have not yet travelled or repatriation if transportation was included in your package. Please note that bookings made outside the UK are only protected by ABTOT when purchased directly with Aspen Outdoors Ltd. In the unlikely event that you require assistance whilst abroad due to our financial failure, please call our 24/7 helpline on 01702 811397 and advise that you are a customer of an ABTOT-protected travel company. You can access The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 here. You can find out more about ABTOT here.
- Minimum number of participants – Four clients is the minimum number for our guided holidays to go ahead. In the event of us having to cancel through insufficient numbers, we will let you know at least 42 days before the start, and we will offer you an alternative holiday. If the alternative does not suit you, we will refund in full all money paid.
There is no minimum number for private guided itineraries. - Single Rooms – A limited number of single rooms is available on all our holidays at a supplement. In some places, if you are staying in a single room, you will share the bathroom with one other person.
There will be no supplement if you are willing to share a twin room – with two single beds – with another member of the group of the same gender. This will always be a room with an en suite bathroom.
Terms and Conditions
- Participants must disclose information on any relevant medical condition or treatment that may have a bearing on their ability to take part.
- Participants must provide information to Aspen Outdoors Ltd on their skills and experience in the activity (winter hillwalking, summer hillwalking, multi-day treks, bushcraft activities) to help determine their competence and suitability for the activity.
- Participants must read the information about the activity with particular attention to the grade/difficulty of the hike, the length of day, the distance to be covered and the height gained.
- The objectives of the event, for example, the ascent of one or more peaks, are not guaranteed being subject to weather conditions, snow conditions and the capability and competence of participants in the group.
- The objectives of the event may be modified or abandoned, subject to weather and snow conditions and the capability and competence of the participants in the group.
- The event may be postponed or cancelled, subject to adverse weather and snow conditions. Should this happen, the company shall either provide a full refund or rearrange the event.
- Participants must consult the equipment list provided by the company and follow other instructions provided to them before the activity to ensure that they are appropriately prepared for the activity.
- During the activity, the participants must follow the instructions of the instructors to ensure their safety.
- Should you wish to cancel your holiday after your booking has been confirmed you should write to us. The date of cancellation is the date on which we receive your letter or e-mail. A sliding scale of cancellation charges applies as follows:
- Greater than 56 days (8 weeks): the deposit only
- 28-56 days prior to departure: 50% of the full price of the tour
- less than 28 days: full fee.