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| Orkney and Shetland Classic Coach Tour |
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 A wonderful leisurely tour through spectacular scenery in a small immaculately restored classic touring coach will give you a holiday you'll never forget.
- Accommodation - The Itinerary - Some History - Inclusions - Customer Comments This is a 10 day tour departing April 26th, and a 9 day tour departing 5th July or 16th August.
Accommodation
Hotels and inns are of a very good standard. We prefer to use those which are privately owned and operated by the proprietor.
Specific overnight locations are not always stated in the description of each tour since these will vary because
accommodation is very limited. Friends travelling together are requested to share a twin room. Virtually all hotels have all rooms with en-suite facilities, but in certain of the more remote (and interesting!) areas some rooms are without such luxury.
The Itinerary
Monday: Stirling, Perth, Blairgowrie, Glenshee, Braemar, Balmoral Castle, Crathie Church, Ballater, Banchory, Aberdeen.
Overnight sailing on P&O Ferries' ship to Lerwick, Shetland, arriving 8.00am.
Tuesday: Full day tour to the south mainland - Fort Charlotte (1653) is the only intact Cromwellian military structure
surviving in Scotland; Clickhimin Broch, Scalloway; an optional boat trip to the island of Mousa to see the most complete of Scotland's several hundred brochs; St Ninian's Isle (12c chapel and Bronze Age site); Shetland Croft Museum (a restored 19c croft house); Jarlshof; Sumburgh Head.
Wednesday: Full day to the north and west mainland - via Aith Voe, Busta Voe, Hillswick, The Drongs to Esha Ness
lighthouse. Views along the Grind of the Navir (Gate of Giants) - some of the most beautiful and dramatic cliff scenery - alive with birds - exposed to the Atlantic Ocean.
Thursday: Full day tour northwards to Wadbister Voe, Laxo, Toft. Ferry to the island of Yell, along the east coast via Hamnavoe to Gutcher. Ferry to Unst, Britain's northernmost island. Muness Castle (1578), Baltasound, Haroldswick, Burra Firth, with views of Robert Stevenson's Muckle Flugga lighthouse. Return by the west coast of Yell, Sullom Voe, Mavis Grind, Busta Voe.
Friday: Morning tour to Walls and Sandness, views to Papa Stour. Free time in Lerwick; afternoon ferry past Fair Isle to
Orkney. Four nights in Kirkwall.
Saturday, Sunday, Monday in Orkney - There will be a comprehensive tour of the mainland including Scara Brae (a Stone
Age Village); Maeshowe (possibly the most magnificent chambered tomb in Western Europe); Ring of Brogar (stone circle); Earl's Palace and Barony Mill; Birsay; Broch of Gurness; Rennibister Earth House; the Gloup at Deerness; the Italian Chapel; across the Churchill Barriers to Burray and South Ronaldsay; Scapa Flow. One full day tour to the south Islands - to Longhope and Rackwick on Hoy. May also include Rousay, (Midhowe Cairn) and Shapinsay (Balfour Castle).
* Tuesday Steamer to Scrabster. Along the north coast of Caithness to Tongue, Loch Eriboll, Durness; down the dramatic
Sutherland coast to Scourie, Kylesku and Lochinver, skirting the isolated mountain peaks of Sutherland - Quinag, Suilven, Stac Polly - to Ullapool on Loch Broom, Beauly Firth.
* Wednesday Loch Ness, Fort Augustus, Fort William, Glencoe, Rannoch Moor, Loch Lomond, Glasgow.
* On 9-day tours the coach returns south from Scrabster to Glasgow on Tuesdays via Inverness and Pitlochry.
Some History
Orkney and Shetland were both peopled in the Stone Age and colonised by the Picts. After two centuries of Norse raiding and settlement they were annexed to Norway in 875 and, after growing Scottish influence, in 1468 they were given in lieu of dowry to James III of Scotland, who married the daughter of Christian I of Norway. Since these islands were part of the Kingdom of Norway only 500 years ago the Norse heritage lives on in culture, dialect and place names.
Orkney is the richest archaeological treasure trove in Britain, a land of well-cultivated, gently rolling hills, comprising
seventy- odd fertile islands famed for their cattle.
Shetland lying out in the North Sea almost as close to Norway as to Scotland, the group of over one hundred isles and skerries enjoy, like Orkney, a remarkably equable climate thanks to the warming effect of the Gulf Stream Drift. Much of the scenery is upland peat bog and grassland with innumerable small lochs and some low hills. The coastline, never more than three miles away, offers wide variety including winding inlets (voes); some of the most awesome cliffs in Britain, frequently weathered to form reefs, stacks and skerries; beautiful white sandy beaches, fjord like indentations. The islands are effectively a vast nature reserve and the ornithologist will be overwhelmed by the abundance of bird life. The islands lie on the great migration routes and over 300 species have been recorded. Shaggy Shetland Ponies roam freely over the hills. There are some important archaeological sites, notably Jarlshof, dating from the Bronze Age, which displays the remains of five distinct periods of domestic occupation over a period of 3000 years. The soft wool of Shetland sheep is world famous.
Inclusions
Your fare includes holiday insurance (for U.K. residents only), all coach, steamer and ferry travel; dinner, bed and breakfast, VAT and service charges.
It does not include lunches or admission charges to places of interest (for example castles, gardens and folk museums).
We are a small company, specialising in touring, having been associated with operating buses and coaches since 1960 and we aim to keep our overheads as low as possible so that you are assured of really excellent value on all our tours. Surcharges are not normally made for single rooms or private bathrooms, but these may be necessary on some dates.
Fare includes sharing a two-berth cabin (with facilities) on the overnight ferry from Aberdeen to Lerwick but does NOT
include dinner on Monday evening or breakfast Tuesday morning. Two-berth cabins for single occupancy may be available at extra cost.
Customer Comments
'We very much enjoyed the Orkney and Shetland tour: it was well organised, with magnificent weather, good hotels and beautiful scenery. We shall remember this tour for a long time!' Mr & Mrs M., Cuyahoga Falls, OH, USA.
'Many thanks for a wonderful tour to Orkney & Shetland - it came up to all my expectations. I have a wealth of happy memories. No wonder your clients keep returning year after year!' Ms E., Larkhall, Scotland.
'Thank you for the wonderful tour to Orkney & Shetland and my beloved Sutherland.' Miss A., Stuttgart, Germany.
'Thank you for giving us so many memories of a wonderful holiday in the Orkney and Shetland Isles.' Mr & Mrs N., Ashtead, Surrey.
How to Book
Click on the 'Make Booking' button to make your reservation. Enter your dates and requirements and complete the booking. We will confirm availability to you immediately or very soon thereafter. Rest assured: you will not be charged any deposit until we have confirmed the booking with you.
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| Days Of Operation: |
Mon
Tours leave on a Monday.
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| Departure Point: |
GLASGOW AND PAISLEY
DEPARTURE POINTS are PAISLEY, Town Centre, Central Way (opposite Gilmour Street Station) and GLASGOW
(junction of Wellington Street and Waterloo Street, just 100 yards from Central Railway Station). There is a fast and frequent train and express coach service between Edinburgh and Glasgow, journey time about one hour. In addition we pick up at some Glasgow hotels if we've booked you accommodation for the previous night. Please contact us if you wish accommodation for the night prior to the tour.
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| Departure Time: |
09:15
Departs Glasgow 9:15 am.
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| Duration: |
10 DAYS
The tour on 26th April is a 10 day tour, the tours on 5th July and 16th August are 9 day tours. See General Info for the itinerary.
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| Cancellation Policy: |
APPLIES
In the event of cancellation by the passenger the deposit may be forfeited. If less than six weeks' notice is given we reserve the right to impose a cancellation charge. Prior to 42 days before departure date the charge is the deposit: 29 to 42 days before departure the charge is 30% of the tour fare:
15 to 28 days 45 %: 8 to 14 days 60%: 0 to 7 days the cancellation charge is 100% of the tour fare. Cancellation charges may be covered by the holiday insurance which is included in your tour fare (UK residents only).
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| Guarantee Payment: |
DEPOSIT
A deposit is required at time of booking, with the balance due 42 days prior to departure.
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| Smoking: |
Not permitted
Smoking is not permitted on the coach.
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| Fitness Level: |
LOW
The tour involves some walking.
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Inclusions |
| Accommodation: |
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We arrange accommodation in very good hotels and inns. |
| Insurance: |
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Holiday Insurance (for UK residents only). |
| Meals: |
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The price includes dinner and breakfast, but not lunch. |
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