Guests will be welcomed aboard MV Hjalmar Bjorge at Ullapool. We will spend out first evening in the Loch Broom area. Next day will see us set off on our voyage to the Orkney Isles. The itinerary for the cruise is not fixed and very much weather dependent, our intended passage will take us up past Handa island with hopefully a chance to get close to this major seabird colony and then around Cape Wrath, following along Scotland’s north coast arriving Orkney, we will make our way north through the Orkney archipelago with Fair Isle one of our main destinations where we will encounter the seabird colonies at their most busiest with adult Puffins and other Auks feeding maturing young.
Orkney’s archaeological heritage is among the finest in the world, with remarkably well-preserved sites dating back 5,000–6,000 years, many older than the Pyramids of Egypt. We plan to visit some of these extraordinary locations, including Skara Brae, Maeshowe, and the Standing Stones of Brodgar. In Kirkwall, we’ll also explore the magnificent St Magnus Cathedral, while the Broch of Gurness offers a fascinating glimpse into Iron Age life.
Wildlife plays a major role in our journey. Orkney is teeming with birdlife, and we hope to encounter Red-throated Divers, over-summering Great Northern Divers, and an abundance of waders such as Curlew, Lapwing, Redshanks and Golden Plover, along with sea ducks, such as Eider and Long-tailed duck. Raptors feature prominently too, we’ll be watching for Merlin, Short-eared Owls, Peregrine Falcons, and one of Orkney’s true specialties, the Hen Harrier, which makes up around a quarter of the UK population. From an RSPB hide overlooking key territories, we’ll have an excellent chance of multiple sightings. In recent years, White-tailed Sea Eagles have also returned to breed on Hoy, offering yet another exciting possibility for our voyage. Wildflowers will be at their best and although unpredictable, there is a great chance of Orca encounters which are seen ever more regularly around these islands! On our passage north there is a very good chance of large whale species, such as Fin whale and Humpback, 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.
