Orkney Explorer

Join tall ship Lady of Avenel in Kirkwall, a traditional harbour town in the Orkney Islands. The Orkney’s is a fascinating archipelago dating back to Viking times oozing with ancient ruins and villages, standing stones and beautifully secluded sandy beaches.

As with all our sailing holidays, there is no set route or itinerary. Depending on the wind and weather, you may sail out to the island of Rousay, which is a particularly beautiful sail and a very rustic mooring spot. Rousay is home to some impressive Bronze Age excavations.  Perhaps you will sail by the island of Hoy with even more ancient ruins and abandoned buildings.

Wherever you sail, the wildlife in the Orkneys is spectacular; from high moorland to immense sea cliffs, unspoilt wetlands and pastures, it is a haven for sea life, birdlife and mammals ashore. Orkney has 36 Sites of Special Scientific Interest and 13 Special Protection Areas and 13 RSPB nature reserves. Towering cliffs are home to over a million seabirds, including puffins, thousands of grey and common seals and an array of marine mammals.

There are frequent encounters with Common, Bottlenose & Whitebeak dolphins onboard these trips, and Risso & Whitesided dolphins are also occasionally sighted. Basking sharks have been scarce the last few years but are still seen and seem to be returning – and we know the hot spots! There are plenty of whales in this part of the world too. Our most common encounters are with Minke – Humpbacks are a less frequent visitor, while the real star of the show is the resident pod of Orca if you’re lucky enough to see them gliding through the water. So keep your eyes peeled and have your binoculars at the ready!

Your final destination is the town of Scrabster in mainland Scotland. Still an important fishing hotspot for North Scotland, this sweet harbour town has easy rail links from Thurso for onward travel.

Your ticket price includes all meals on board and use of twin private cabins.

There are currently no voyages scheduled. Please get in touch with the VentureSail team to find out what’s available, or if other upcoming voyages might be suitable.
Call us in the Office on 01872 487288 or email [email protected], and we will be happy to help you find your next adventure!

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Orkney Explorer

Guest berths: Rig:

Travel insurance notes

As this is an active adventure holiday, we advise that everyone has the appropriate personal accident travel insurance whilst onboard in addition to standard travel insurance which would cover you in the time between making your booking and departing for your adventure. These policies can sometimes be combined so please check with your travel insurance provider.

Please read more information on our Insurance guidelines page.

FAQ

Travel Planning

From: Kirkwall

To: Scrabster

To see where the ports are, along with your likely sailing area, please view the sail area & highlights.