Orkney to Ullapool including Fair Isle (With Chris Gomersall)

Guests will be welcomed aboard MV Hjalmar Bjorge in Kirkwall, the main town on Orkney.   Our itinerary for the cruise is not fixed, but over the next 6 days our intended passage, depending on weather we will make our way north through the Orkney archipelago making for Fair Isle, one of our main destinations where we will encounter the seabird colonies at their most busiest with adults feeding maturing young.

From Fair Isle we head back to Orkney where we will start our second part of our voyage, heading along the north coast of the mainland before turning south at Cape Wrath.  Our intention is to spend time at  Handa island, managed by the Scottish Wildlife trust. The end of our voyage will see us entering Loch Broom and disembarking Hjalmar Bjorge in Ullapool

Highlights: Fair Isle and its self-sufficient community and seabird colonies.  There will be plenty of opportunity to visit some of Orkney’s islands with time ashore and a chance to experience some of Orkney’s well known archaeology such as Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar standing stones and much more.  Although unpredictable, there is a great chance of Orca encounters which are seen ever more regularly around these islands!  Handa island and it’s seabird colonies. On our passage south there is a very good chance of large whale species, such as Fin, and dolphins should be plentiful.

Chris Gomersall is an award-winning wildlife photographer and author, with an education in zoology and a background working as a nature reserve warden and research ecologist, as well as 14 years as staff photographer with the RSPB. For many years he has spent significant periods of time working in Scotland, nowadays mostly tour leading and wildlife guiding. He first sailed with the Hjalmar Bjørge as a wildlife guide in 2003, and has since logged at least 50 cruises with us in the Hebrides, Orkney & Shetland, and the north and west coasts of Ireland. Chris will be out on deck in all weathers, encouraging guests to join him in the quest for seabirds, cetaceans and other amazing marine wildlife, as well as conducting guided walks ashore.

Please note On our best days our itinerary will be smooth transits from one anchorage to another as shown on the program we have offered. However, this is the West and North Coast of Scotland, and we, are governed by mother nature. So, on occasion, for your comfort and safety, we may need to, tweak, the original course that we are looking to follow. But wherever our tweaking takes us, our trip and destination anchorages will always be special.

Day 1: Kirkwall; An attractive important fishing town, bustling in the summer and the main ferry terminal and gateway to the numerous other islands  Our departure point will be the pontoons beside the town. We look to start boarding Hjalmar Bjorge at around 14:30, a short briefing introducing our new guests to life aboard ship, its safety procedures and getting you settled into your new home for the next 9 nights. Casting off at 15:30 we will then head for our first nights anchorage at one of the sheltered islands.

Day 2 to 6: This part of the passage will take us through the scattered islands such as Shapinsay, Eday and North Ronaldsay, then making for Fair Isle, arriving in the early afternoon with time ashore for the rest of the day. Ashore once again the following morning we depart Fair Isle making our way back to Orkney and continue exploring the islands and visiting important ancient archaeological sites.

Day 7 to 9:  Departing the Orkney’s we shall make our way westward along the north coast of Scotland before turning south after rounding Cape Wrath.  Taking in Handa island and continuing south to reach Loch Broom and the Summer Isles.  Overnight in Loch Broom where we have good chances of White tailed sea eagle and common dolphins

Day 10: A final hearty breakfast on board Hjalmar Bjorge, then a fond farewell before departing Ullapool for Inverness with our complimentary transport.