SPECIAL OFFER - SAVE £200 EXPLORING THE PER PERSON WHITE SEA A journey to the Northern Cape and beyond to Russia’s White Sea with Sir Tony Brenton aboard the MS Serenissima 3rd to 17th July 2018 Solovetsky Monastery or decades the White Sea was a forbidden area the North Cape as The North Cape Fand today because of its geographic isolation it well as Murmansk, Hammerfest Tromso remains a region of great mystery. During this voyage the largest city north Finmark Vardo Murmansk we will have six days in the region where we will of the Arctic Circle NORWAY WHITE concentrate on Archangel and the Solovetsky Islands. in the world. Here SEA It was on the Solovetsky Islands that Stalin built one we will visit the Solovetsky Archangel Islands of his infamous Gulags, the ‘Red Army’ established cemetery of the RUSSIA a vital submarine base and an important shipbuilding officers and industry was founded. soldiers of the Allied Forces who bravely manned the convoys during World War II. To add to your The most fascinating aspect of the Solovetsky islands experience, you will be joined on board by an expert is the 16th century Solovetsky Monastery. This vast team including naturalists who through onboard Medieval fortress with its fascinating and turbulent briefings and lectures will add to your understanding history is remarkably well preserved. It is believed of the geology, flora and fauna of the region. that Vikings, both English and Norman came to the White Sea to fish and trade for furs up until the 13th century when global cooling made navigation Guest Speaker – Sir Tony Brenton difficult. In 1553 captain Richard Chancellor was Sir Tony Brenton is a distinguished British diplomat and commentator on public affairs shipwrecked in the White Sea whilst seeking a issues. He served for over thirty years with the northern sea route to China. Never one to miss an British Foreign Service, including postings in the Middle East, the European Union, Washington opportunity, he negotiated trade privileges with DC, and Russia. In particular he was in charge Ivan the Terrible which opened diplomatic relations of the British Embassy in Washington through the Iraq War, and was British Ambassador to between England and Russia and resulted with a Russia through a particularly tense time in UK/ Russia relations. He monk from the ancient Nikol-Karelski Monastery has been a lead UK negotiator on such problems as global climate change and international energy and human rights issues. He has becoming the first Russian ambassador to England. written a well received book, “The Greening of Machiavelli”, on international environmental politics. On retirement from the Foreign The region is awash with intriguing history, much of Service he has settled in Cambridge, where he is a Fellow of Wolfson which both ancient and modern will be brought to life College and a Senior Fellow at the International studies Department. His book “Historically Inevitable?” on the Russian revolution was by our local guides and our guest speaker. Beginning published in June 2016. He is now also a regular commentator our journey in Norway’s northern port of Tromso we and contributor on international affairs on the BBC and in such publications as the Daily Telegraph. also have the opportunity of exploring the region of www.noble-caledonia.co.uk Beluga whales Archangel The Itinerary Day 1 London Stansted to Tromso, afternoon to discover more of the city. ashore. It has been described as the Norway. Fly by specially chartered See the impressive Palace of Culture “northernmost desert” in the world. flight from a private terminal at and the Memorial Complex to the Meanwhile at Dvorovaya Bay we will London Stansted airport. Arrive Defenders of the Polar region with use Zodiacs to view the cliffs that are this afternoon and transfer to the the imposing statue of Alyosha facing home to thousands of kittiwakes and MS Serenissima, sail this evening. out to sea. You can then choose to guillemots that nest here in summer. visit the Museum of the Northern Days 2 & 3 North Cape. We will Fleet detailing the formation of Days 8 to 10 Solovetsky Islands. spend a day and a half taking a close Russia’s first navy and the Murmansk Sitting in the middle of the White look at the magnificent landscape convoys during the World War II Sea is the Solovetsky archipelago, a North Cape, Norway of the area known as Finnmark. This or alternatively see the Museum of mythical, ethereal and timeless place. wilderness area is home to many Regional Studies devoted to the We will spend three days exploring thousands of Sami people and we history of the Pomor and Lappish this UNESCO site of outstanding call into some of the smaller islands. will visit North Cape Hall with its people as well as the flora and fauna natural beauty. It is on this isolated On Zayatsky Island we will see the panoramic views and exhibits of of the area. If time permits we also archipelago that we will find the 3rd century BC Neolithic structures, the history of the Cape. There will hope to visit the Lenin Icebreaker, Solovetsky Monastery. Within its the fascinating labyrinths and the St be the opportunity to explore the launched in 1957 as the world’s first extensive defensive walls are two Andrew wooden church ordered by wildlife and scenery on foot and by nuclear powered ship and now a 16th century cathedrals, housing Peter the Great in 1702. Meanwhile Zodiac. The deeply carved fjords and museum. some stunning icons and many other on Anzer we can take a scenic forest unspoiled islands of this little-known buildings including watchtowers walk to the islands monastery. area are just perfect for expedition Days 5 to 7 White Sea. We have and gates, icon-painting workshop, cruising. We hope to use our Zodiacs three days exploring this remote and residential chambers and a number Day 11 Archangel. Archangel lies on to explore the magnificent bird cliffs little visited area. Whilst we have a of workrooms which allowed this both banks of the Northern Dvina at Gjesvaerstappen Island, home to planned itinerary it will be subject to impressive monastery to exist in River near its exit into the White Sea thousands of gannets, guillemots, change based on weather conditions almost complete isolation. We will and is spread over 40 kilometres puffins and razorbills. We will and local authorities however we visit the botanical gardens, developed along the banks of the river and round the North Cape and see the hope to visit a number of the small by the monks in the 19th century, numerous islands of its delta. In the monument erected on top of the communities and islands. Zodiacs will where because of its microclimate 18th century this city was the centre 307 metre cliff of Mageroya Island and land us at Morzhovets Island where all manner of vegetables and fruit of Russian ship building. Today, it is drive to the North Cape Plateau from we can visit the lighthouse, see the are able to grow. The monastery a timber-logging and fishing area. the port of Skarsvag. abandoned military unit or join a was used by Stalin as a particularly On our guided walk through its walk to see the birdlife at the lakes. harsh gulag, but in recent years a streets we will learn of its intriguing Day 4 Murmansk, Russia. Our first call We may visit the Kanin Peninsula great effort has been made to restore history and the area’s occupation by in Russia will be at the historic city of which divides the White and Barents the complex to some of its former ‘White Russians’ immediately after Murmansk. Founded in 1916, the city Seas and hope to see owls, plovers glory. For the active there will be an the 1918 Revolution. During World of Murmansk today has a population and divers. Visit Shoina Village on opportunity to hike to Beluga Cape to War II, Archangel was a major port of approximately half a million. the Kanin Peninsula, which was view the Beluga whales that make this for both receiving from the allies and Murmansk was the last city founded once the second largest port in the area home in the summer months or as a base for the North Sea Fleet. in the Russian Empire and during area after Murmansk but now has a climb to the top of Sekirnaya Hill with Amazingly, the surrounding waters the Cold War was a centre of Soviet population of just 300 as the town wonderful panoramas over the island are blocked by ice for up to 190 submarine activity. After clearing has been engulfed by sand being and White Sea. Making the most of days a year, but through the use of Russian customs we will have the washed up from the sea and blown the almost perpetual daylight we will ice-breakers remain open for most of Vardo Island in the midnight sun War memorial, Murmansk Solovetsky Islands the year. A city excursion will include town during lunch. During World the old quarter with its wooden War II the city was the Germans houses, Trotsky Prospect and the main U-boat base in Finnmark and Orthodox Church. Also see the 17th a supply centre for their vessels century Merchant Yard, the site of attacking Russia however during Russia’s first shipyard and home to their retreat in 1945 the city was a museum devoted to the history destroyed. This afternoon we can of the city. This evening we enjoy a visit the Museum of Reconstruction Russian folk show on board before which documents the rebuilding we clear Russian customs and start of the region and also the Polar our journey back to Norway.