SPECIAL OFFER - sA £200VE PER PERSON ISLAND HOPPING IN THE HEBRIDES AN EXPEDITION VOYAGE EXPLORING THE MAJESTIC BEAUTY OF THE HEBRIDES ABOARD THE OCEAN NOVA 11TH TO 18TH MaY 2018 All special offers are subject to availability. Our current booking conditions apply to all reservations and are available on request. Cover: Standing Stones of Callanish ords do not do justice to the spectacular beauty, rich wildlife and fascinating history of the Inner and Outer Hebrides which we will explore during this expedition aboard the Ocean Nova. One of Europe’s last true remaining wilderness areasW affords the traveller a marvellous island hopping journey through stunning scenery accompanied by spectacular sunsets and prolific birdlife. With our naturalists and local guides and our fleet of nimble Zodiacs we are able to visit some of the most remote and uninhabited islands that surround the Scottish coast including St Kilda and Mingulay as well as the small island communities of Canna and Iona. Having arranged hundreds of small ship cruises around Scotland, we have realised that St Kilda Isle of Lewis everyone takes something different from the experience. Learn something of the island’s Stornoway OUTER Shiant Islands history, see their abundant bird and marine life, but above all revel in the timeless enchantment HEBRIDES Canna that these islands exude to all those who appreciate the natural world. We are indeed fortunate Barra Loch Scavaig in having such marvellous places so close to home. Now, more than ever there is a great Mingulay SCOTLAND Lunga appreciation for the peace, beauty and culture of this special corner of the UK. Whether your Iona Oban Colonsay Jura interest lies in horticulture or the natural world, history or bird watching or simply being there INNER HEBRIDES to witness the beauty of the islands, this trip will lift the spirits and gladden the heart. What to Expect Flexibility is the key to an expedition itself! John showed a short but side by side for the rest of our installation. John’s group then cruise; sometimes the whole day’s spectacular slide presentation to visit. This very cliff housed one dispersed to explore on their own schedule may be changed to Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture of the very last breeding pairs and most of us, of course, found maximise your experience based as the ship moved on to Lunga. It early in the 20th century but a time to visit the shop for postcards on weather or wildlife sightings, was after five when we began our highly successful reintroduction and souvenirs. On return to the something that would not be landing but it had brightened to a programme (begun on the Isle of ship, lunch consisted of a barbecue possible on a large cruise ship. bright sunny afternoon showing the Rum in 1975) has resulted in some prepared by the galley staff and Each day holds something new and Hebridean vista to full effect – from 60 pairs now nesting in Britain many opted to eat outside on deck below are some extracts from our the Cuillin of Rum to the Paps of (mainly the Hebrides) once again. with the impressive backdrop of vessel’s logs from our last Hebridean Jura, even distant Ben Nevis was We saw some grey and common St Kilda’s Village Bay. But we were voyages which will provide you with just visible. But the climax of a very seals hauled out ashore, and not finished yet, for the expedition an idea of what to expect should full day must be the puffins that investigated some interesting sea team then filled their Zodiacs with you choose to join our Hebridean awaited us at the top of a short, caves before turning along the enthusiastic and intrepid guests, adventure; slightly rocky path. Lying down huge boulder scree along the east keen to explore the rocky shores meant that the birds soon became side of Garbh Eilean with its huge and dramatic caves of Dun, seeing used to our presence, providing numbers of razorbills, puffins and seals and seabirds notably, of unparalleled close encounters – shags. There were also some great course, puffins. This highlight well worth the climb! Some of the skuas flying around, looking for an was quickly overshadowed by the more energetic followed John opportunity to rob the auks of the final offering – the Captain taking along a cliff path to Harp Rock, food they carried to feed chicks. his ship for a circumnavigation which was crammed with nesting of St Kilda, around Dun, under guillemots, some razorbills, more the Lover’s Stone and the Carn puffins, fulmars, kittiwakes and Mor boulder field on Hirta to shags – all presenting wonderful Soay, and then past Glen Bay to 18th June - Iona, Staffa & Lunga: photo opportunities. Those who view, Conachair, at 1,400 feet the We awoke to find ourselves could not face the climb were still highest sheer cliff in Britain. As anchored in the Sound of Iona for able to enjoy the spectacle from if on cue, the cloud lifted briefly our walk up to the Abbey. Little the Zodiacs as thousands of puffins to reveal its summit before we remains of the early Christian and other seabirds were resting on struck east, across the four mile settlement, founded around the sea. volcanic caldera 60 metres under 563 A.D. by St Columba and 12 us, towards Boreray and the stacs. companions who had sailed from 21st June - Shiant Islands: By 22nd June - St Kilda: The early Approaching Stac Lee (564 ft) Ireland. It became one of the most breakfast the ship had anchored risers were rewarded with fine the Captain opted to take a wide important monasteries in early amongst the Shiant Islands in the views of our approach to the sweep and circumnavigate this Medieval Europe, renowned as Minch – Eilean Mhuire (Mary’s archipelago of St Kilda, its tops hugely impressive tooth of rock, a centre of learning and artistic Isle) to the north, Eilean Tighe draped mysteriously in mist. It had smothered in 9,000 pairs of nesting excellence. During our walk, many (House Island) and the spectacular been a calm crossing and some gannets. The noise – and the passengers heard corncrakes Garbh Eilean (Rough Island) to dolphins and minke whales had smell! – were palpable as we stared calling in the gardens and fields the south, the two joined by been spotted on route. We ate up at the sheer face in its cloud around the village and some were a boulder beach. Once more breakfast quickly so as to hear an of gannets, constantly changing lucky enough to catch sight of we were viewing tertiary basalt introduction to the islands by the shape and almost close enough to one. All too soon it was time to columns just like Staffa and Canna ranger. Soon after the Zodiacs touch. We next moved on to the return to the ship for lunch as we but this time several hundred feet began shuttling people ashore pyramid shape of Stac an Armin still had a full day ahead. Once the tall and thronging with seabirds, to the pier and, although several – at 644 ft the highest sea stack in ship had repositioned to anchor many of whom sat on the calm options had been offered, most Britain, home again to 9,000 pairs off Staffa half of our compliment sea as our Zodiacs cruised close people opted first to join John of gannets, the remaining 40,000 were landed on the island to walk off shore. The islands are owned on a guided historical walk along pairs of St Kilda’s largest colony round into Fingal’s Cave, while by Adam Nicholson who wrote the village street from the Manse dispersed around the soaring others were taken by Zodiac into about them so eloquently in (now the staff quarters which also 1,260 ft cliffs of Boreray. Dozens the cave, swapping over later. his book ‘Sea Room’ and are housed the shop). Many then of great skuas were patrolling the The latter was a distinct highlight, uninhabited. We made first for the progressed up The Gap to find skies seeking out gannets returning made possible only by the ship’s tall basalt cliffs where we enjoyed Jamie and his party of longer to feed their chick with a crop Zodiacs so not many visitors are a fly-past of a white-tailed sea walkers, while Karin had led an fullof fish. The pirates often acted able to view the wondrous basalt eagle which then landed near its energetic walk up the road to in groups forcing their victim to columns from within the cave mate on a grassy ledge. They sat the summit ridge and the radar regurgitate. www.noble-caledonia.co.uk Puffins, Lunga Island Grey seal Mingulay The Itinerary Day 1 Oban. Embark the Ocean began in 1907 and the island was reflecting its natural and cultural animals at ground floor level. Our Nova this afternoon in Oban. completely abandoned in 1912. significance. The local ranger final stop is the Gearrannan Transfers will be provided from Ruins of the village remain close to will join us on board before our Blackhouse Village – a Glasgow Central Railway Station the shore which we will explore on expedition staff lead a number of reconstructed settlement of and Glasgow International Airport a guided walk. The islands are also guided walks on the island. Later, traditional black houses which were at a fixed time. Enjoy Welcome a nature reserve with important cruise past two of the largest made using dry stone masonry and Drinks and Dinner as we sail this breeding populations of razorbills, gannetries in the world at Stac have thatched roofs, distinctively evening.