HEBRIDEAN SECRETS Discover Scotland’s beautiful landscapes aboard the MS Serenissima 14th to 23rd May 2019 f ever an archipelago was made for expedition cruising it is the islands off Scotland’s Iwest coast. You can travel the world visiting all manner of exotic and wonderful places, but remember that some of the finest scenery, fascinating history and most endearing people may be found close to home. Nowhere is that truer than around Scotland’s magnificent coastline, an indented landscape of enormous natural splendour with offshore islands forming stepping stones into the Atlantic. One of Europe’s true last remaining wilderness areas affords the traveller a marvellous island hopping journey through stunning scenery accompanied by spectacular sunsets and prolific wildlife. With our naturalists and local guides we will explore the length and breadth of the isles, and with our nimble Zodiac craft be able to reach some of the most remote and untouched places. There is no better way to explore this endlessly fascinating and beautiful region that will cast its spell on you than by small ship. Whether your interest lies in wildlife, gardens, photography, ancient history or simply an appreciation of this unique corner of the kingdom, this voyage has something for everyone. With no more than 95 travelling companions, the atmosphere is more akin to a private yacht trip and ashore with our local experts we will divide into small groups thereby enjoying a more comprehensive and peaceful experience. Learn something of the island’s history, see their abundant bird and marine life, but above all revel in the timeless enchantment that these islands exude to all those who appreciate the natural world. St Kilda www.noble-caledonia.co.uk +44 (0)20 7752 0000 Puffins Canna House North Rona home to over 5000 breeding pairs small museum, enjoy a display of THE ITINERARY Sula Sgeir Stornoway and renowned as the least visited a typical crofting activity such as Day 1 Oban, Scotland. Embark the Handa national nature reserve in Britain. weaving and take in the views at this MS Serenissima this afternoon in dramatic site on the wild Atlantic St Kilda Inverewe Oban. Transfers will be provided Stac Lee coast. This afternoon we will board Shiant Islands Day 5 Stornoway & Shiant from Glasgow Central Railway anna Islands. On leaving the island the Zodiacs for a cruise around the SCOTLAND station and Glasgow International Barra Muck capital of Stornoway, today’s tour spectacular basalt cliffs of the Shiant Mingulay Lunga, Staffa Airport at a fixed time. Sail this Iona takes you across the island to Islands, a group of little islands evening. olonsay Oban the beautiful west coast and to located a few miles off the shores of Jura Callanish. Described as Scotland’s Lewis. This is an excellent place to Day 2 Barra & Mingulay. Today we Stonehenge, the Callanish Standing spot puffins, razorbills, guillemots, will land on Barra which is near the Stones date from around 3000BC. seals and hopefully white tailed southern tip of the Outer Hebrides There are a total of 32 stones in a Eagles. and visit Castlebay, which curves was occupied on and off for at circular and avenue design. The around the barren rocky hills of a least two thousand years, with the stones stand like a petrified forest Day 6 Handa & Inverewe. Arrive beautiful wide bay. Here we find last 36 Gaelic speaking inhabitants on the flat top of a peninsula which over breakfast at Handa where we the 15th century Kisimul Castle, evacuated at their own request reaches out into East Loch Roag. will use our Zodiacs to explore the seat of the Clan Macneil and a key in 1930. Immediately after the Visit the excellent visitor centre magnificent sea cliffs of Torridonian defensive stronghold situated on evacuation, the island was bought to learn more about the site and sandstone which rise from the a rock in the bay. We have time to by the Marquess of Bute to protect venture out amongst the stones Atlantic. The island comes alive explore the castle and then explore the island’s thousands of seabirds themselves to experience their each summer when nearly 100,000 the town and maybe visit the including puffin and fulmars and mysterious atmosphere. Continue seabirds gather to breed including ‘Dualchas’, the Heritage Centre with in 1957 it was bequeathed to The around the west coast to the site internationally important numbers collections showcasing the history of National Trust for Scotland. St Kilda of Dun Carloway Pictish Broch. of guillemot, razorbill, puffins and the islands. In the afternoon, we will is one of only two dozen UNESCO Probably built sometime in the last great skua. This afternoon we sail sail the short distance to Mingulay World Heritage Sites with dual century BC, it would have served as towards Inverewe for our visit to which is nearly 1600 acres and the status reflecting its natural and an occasionally defensible residence the imposing gardens of Inverewe, largest of the group of islands south cultural significance. The local for an extended family complete surely one of the finest sited of Barra. Its towering cliffs and ranger will join us on board before with accommodation for animals at gardens in all Scotland. Designed stacks face the Atlantic while the our expedition staff lead guided ground floor level. We then head by Osgood Mackenzie in 1862 it is east side slopes gradually down to walks on the island. Later, we will north to Gearrannan Blackhouse home to exotic and tender plants the sandy beach of Mingulay Bay. cruise past one of the largest Village, a reconstructed settlement which thrive in their northerly Despite there being a continuous gannetries in the world at Stac Lee. of traditional black houses where location warmed by the Gulf Stream population on the island for at least The impressive stacs rise 170 metres people and animals lived in close and protected by over 100 acres of two thousand years, evacuation from the sea and are home to up to proximity. The houses are made woodland planted as shelter. began in 1907 and the island was 60,000 breeding pairs of northern using dry stone masonry and completely abandoned in 1912. gannet. have thatched roofs, distinctively Day 7 Canna & Muck. Strategically Ruins of the village remain close weighted down with rocks. Visit the placed between the mountains of to the shore which we will explore Day 4 North Rona & Sula Sgeir. on a guided walk. The islands are Spend the day around North Rona, also a nature reserve with important an isolated island some fifty miles breeding populations of razorbills, north of Cape Wrath. The last guillemots, black guillemots and islanders left North Rona in 1844 puffins. and today it is home to thirteen species of breeding seabirds Day 3 St Kilda & Stac Lee. This including large colonies of great morning arrive at St Kilda, a black-backed gulls, great skuas remarkable uninhabited archipelago and puffins. There is also a large some fifty miles beyond the Outer population of grey seals which we Hebrides. Dominated by the hope to observe on a Zodiac cruise. highest cliffs and sea stacks in If weather permits we will also visit Britain, Hirta, St Kilda’s main island the gannet colony on Sula Sgeir, Mingulay Beach www.noble-caledonia.co.uk +44 (0)20 7752 0000 Callanish Standing Stones Iona Abbey Grey Harbour Seal Rum and the Outer Hebrides, the caverns, most notably Fingal’s Cave. island of Canna and its adjoining Weather permitting we will use our neighbour Sanday are bound Zodiacs to explore closer. Northwest together like some rare text that of Staffa lie the Treshnish Isles, an reveals over 60 million years of archipelago of uninhabited volcanic Hebridean geology and history. islets. Iona will be our final stop Canna is run as a single farm and for today. Iona has been occupied bird sanctuary by The National for thousands of years, but also a Trust for Scotland and enjoys the place of pilgrimage and Christian best harbour in the Small Isles, a worship for several centuries. It was horn-shaped haven. Canna and to this flat, Hebridean island that St Sanday have an amazingly rich Columba fled from Ireland in 563 archaeological landscape with and established a monastery. Here remains dating to all periods of his followers were responsible for settled occupation in Scotland. the conversion of much of pagan The fertile soil and its diversity Scotland and Northern England. of habitats mean that the island No less than 62 Scottish Kings are Stac Lee has an incredibly rich plant life buried in the Abbey. Visit the Abbey with 248 native flowering plants or perhaps walk along the white recorded. We will see Canna House sandy beaches or go in search of and wander across grassy basalt the corncrake amongst the irises. plateaus to the 600 foot cliffs on the north shore. Later today we Day 9 Colonsay & Jura. Lying sail past the island of Rum to the between Mull and Islay, we will neighbouring island of Muck. spend the morning exploring The smallest of the Small Isles the island of Colonsay, with her measuring just one mile by two we craggy, heatherbacked hills, sparse have the afternoon to explore on woodland yet impressive array of foot. The energetic may want to plant and birdlife. Near Colonsay climb to the highest point on Beinn House, built in 1722 by Malcolm Airein and enjoy the views across MacNeil and bought by Lord the islands or alternatively join one Strathcona in 1904, we will visit the of our onboard team for a nature attractively dilapidated wooded walk on the lookout for seals and gardens which protect the tiny, birdlife.