Shore excursions in Scotland on Viking’s British Isles Explorer cruise
This is the first in a series of posts about our Viking British Isles Explorer cruise from London, England to Bergen, Norway that included destinations in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and our final port of Bergen. This cruise also has a reverse itinerary.
View of the Scottish Highlands from the Viking Jupiter
Our Viking British Isles Explorer cruise fulfilled our wish to visit Scotland, a destination we had wanted to see for a long time. In this post, we will cover our shore excursions in Scotland destinations during five days of our 15-day cruise itinerary — Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands, Ullapool, Invergordon/Inverness, and Edinburgh. Being first time visitors to these locations, we chose the included highlight and panorama excursions that featured scenic drives, historic sites, introductions to local culture, and time to explore on our own. In each port there were also several diverse optional excursions that you may want to consider when you take the cruise.
Northern Isles — the Orkney and Shetland Islands
The Orkney and Shetland archipelagos are located between Scotland and Scandinavia. It was interesting to learn that the people who live in the Orkney and Shetland islands (together called the Northern Isles) identify first as Orcadians or Shetlanders, second as Scots. Culturally, their identity includes a strong sense of their Scandinavian heritage from the early Viking settlements.
Port: Kirkwall, Orkney Islands
Our included excursion choice: Highlights of Historic Orkney
Orkney Islands
Our day in the Orkney Islands was one of my favorite excursions of the cruise with its scenic countryside and farmland, Neolithic circles of stone, small villages, and the largest town of the Northern Isles. On a beautiful sunny morning, we began our day leaving the ship at the port of Kirkwall, Orkney’s largest town located on Orkney’s largest island (called the Mainland). On our coach, we traveled through beautiful country landscapes on our way to the Ring of Brodgar and then on to the town of Stromness.
Loch of Stenness on Orkney
On a country road between the Loch of Harray and the Loch of Stenness with hills and meadows all around, our coach dropped us at a grassy path leading upward toward the henge and ring of stones that is the Ring of Brodgar (shown below), one of the four Neolithic sites of the West Mainland that make up the “Heart of Neolithic Orkney” UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is presumed to predate Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids (thought to go back to between 2,500 to 2,000 BC). We continued along the path to get up close to the ring with its 27 large stones (it’s believed there were 60 original large stones) in a circle about 340 feet in diameter.
Ring of Brodgar, Orkney Islands
No one is certain about the purpose of the ring, though some ideas are that the stones were aligned with celestial bodies or used for religious ceremonies or other gatherings. It was a nice peaceful walk with beautiful views of the lochs and hills, and we were in awe to be so near an ancient monument.
Stromness, Orkney Islands
From the Ring of Brodgar, our scenic drive continued along the nearby lakes and through serene countryside to Stromness, Orkney’s second largest town, where we had free time. We walked through this harbor town along its winding streets and enjoyed an Orkney specialty — delicious ice cream, made with cream from the happy cows of Orkney. We shared a scoop of the very popular rum-soaked raisin ice cream.
Kirkwall, Orkney Islands
Back in Kirkwall at the end of the coach tour, we spent time on our own enjoying the shops and walking along the harbor and narrow streets. We made a stop at the Highland Park Whiskey store for a taste and purchased a small bottle as a souvenir. At the nearby Highland Park Distillery, they’ve been making whiskies since 1798. We also visited the impressive 12th-century St. Magnus Cathedral named for the patron saint of Orkney.
St. Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall
Port: Lerwick, Shetland Islands
Our included excursion choice: Shetland Panorama and Ponies
Lerwick, Shetland Islands
Our ship docked in Lerwick, the northernmost city in the United Kingdom, located on the Mainland island, the largest of the Shetland islands. Although the foggy weather blocked most views of the island’s green rolling hills, I thoroughly enjoyed the peaceful ambiance I would expect on an island in the North Sea. We were surprised to learn that Lerwick gets an average of less than 1,200 hours of daylight per year.
Shetland Islands
Based on the scenery we saw along the way, it was easy to see why Shetland makes a great filming location in Lerwick and the countryside for the BBC Scotland’s Shetland TV series. The lovely house in a picturesque setting on a lake (shown above) is in the Hogaland, Whiteness area of the island. I thought it captured the essence of life in the countryside of Shetland.
Local guide in the Shetland Islands
On a clear day, there would be spectacular views of a valley and the sea from this point in the photo above, but on this day it was a great spot to photograph our engaging guide. He’s standing next to a cake fridge, which are boxes across the island where treats are left for passers-by, who are expected to pay based on the honor system.
Shetland pony
A highlight of the day was getting up close to the famous Shetland ponies. They exude such a friendly character and were fun to watch as they rested or greeted us at the fence. I loved seeing the boy who lives on the farm greet one of ponies (pictured above). We learned from Carol, the breeder who hosted our visit, that Shetland ponies grow up to a maximum of 42 inches in height. They are strong and tough, making them suited for the harsh climate. They come in many colors and have long manes and tails. In the summer, their waterproof coats are short and shiny, and in the winter they get a thick double coat.
Western Highlands
Port: Ullapool
Our included excursion choice: Explore Picturesque Ullapool
Ullapool
Our first introduction to the Scottish mainland was in Ullapool, a small remote town surrounded by hills and craggy mountains on Scotland’s northwest coast in the Northern Highlands on the shores of Loch Broom, a deep sea loch providing a natural port. Ullapool was established as a fishing village in 1788 for the plentiful herring found at the time in Loch Broom.
The View from our stateroom — white buildings lining the harbor of Ullapool
Walking up the ramp from the tender that took us from our ship to the harbor, we were first greeted by a bagpiper in full traditional costume playing several tunes. We then met our local guide who was wearing items of traditional Scottish gear, including a tartan vest, a Prince Charlie jacket, a kilt with kilt pin, a sporran (pouch at the front of his kilt), kilt socks, brogues, and a sgian-dubh (small knife in sock).
Local guide in his kilt in Ullapool
In 2020 Ullapool was selected by Condé Nast Traveler as one of the “20 most beautiful villages in the UK and Ireland.” As our guide led us on a relaxed and enjoyable walk through the pleasant village along peaceful lanes with charming homes, we could see the appeal. Ullapool’s beauty is also in the views of the Western Isles and mountains that can be seen all around.
After the tour, we spent a bit of time in the Ullapool Museum. Although quite small, the sign out front says, “Small But Huge!” The museum has an interesting collection of artifacts and educational materials about the history of the area. On the streets near the harbor there are several small shops to peruse for souvenirs and restaurants at which to stop for lunch or drink.
Central Highlands
Port: Invergordon
Our included excursion choice: Inverness Scenic Drive
Between Inverness and Invergordon
This area of the Scottish Highlands is considered the gateway to Loch Ness and legend of “Nessie”. The 60-mile drive southeast across Scotland from the port in Invergordon to Inverness, a city located where the River Ness meets the Moray Firth on the northeast coast of Scotland, was quite scenic with farmland, heather-covered hills, and mountains in the distance.
Inverness
We had a wonderful morning in the lovely and vibrant city of Inverness. When we arrived, it began to rain so we stepped into a small, comfortable cafe in the town center for a pot of tea. Our timing was perfect as the rain stopped and the sun came out just as we finished.
Inverness
We walked around the busy city center, checking out shops on High Street (the main part is pedestrianized) and in the covered Victorian Market. From what we saw, Inverness seems like a great city for culture, shopping, and dining.
Inverness
We spent a lot of our time walking both sides of the River Ness which flows through Inverness. Along the tree-lined walk on this sunny day, we admired the picturesque river and many old buildings along the banks.
Inverness riverside
An artistic aspect of Inverness was evident in its numerous galleries in the city center and a temporary public art installation with several decorated hearts throughout the city (part of the Highland HeArt Trail project, with hearts in cities across Scotland).
Finding hearts in Inverness – this one shows “Nessie”
A beautiful sight on our scenic walk was Inverness Castle that overlooks the river from a hill at the shore. It’s located on the site of former castles, including one that was among the primary settings for Macbeth.
Inverness Castle
Scotland’s capital city
Port: Edinburgh (New Haven)
Our included excursion choice: Edinburgh Highlights
Edinburgh
One of the benefits of included highlight excursions with Viking is that we often find places that we’d love to visit again for a more in-depth experience. Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital city built upon seven hills, is one of those places for us. We got a great introduction to this city of about 500,000 people on this tour as our local guide shared interesting facts and anecdotes as we made our way by coach through the city’s New Town and Old Town prior to exploring on our own.
Edinburgh Castle
Our coach dropped us off at a meeting point below Edinburgh Castle and we walked uphill on Johnston Terrace to reach this imposing landmark. The castle was the royal residence for centuries, but at different times served other purposes such as a prison, a mint, and a military fortress. At the top of the hill, we entered the castle’s esplanade and saw the viewing stands in place for the upcoming Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, an annual series of military tattoos held over a number of weeks in August with military bands from the Commonwealth and other countries participating. On our return to Edinburgh, we plan to tour the castle (a tour of the castle was also one of the optional excursions available on our cruise).
Edinburgh
From the esplanade, we headed down the Royal Mile, the main street of Edinburgh’s Old Town that connects Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyrood House (the 16th-century royal residence of Mary Queen of Scots) one mile below. Along the way are architectural gems, such as St. Giles Cathedral with its steeple recognizable in most skyline pictures of Edinburgh. We entered the church and explored its interior which included beautiful stained glass (shown below) and a statue of John Knox who was a leader of the Scottish Reformation, founder of the Church of Scotland (which owns and operates the church), and the minister of the church after the Reformation.
St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh
One of the things I especially enjoyed about our time in Edinburgh was checking out the closes (narrow alleyways) and hidden courtyards on the Royal Mile. The photo below is an example of a close and courtyard near Edinburgh Castle where we stopped to take a break and have a beverage at the cafe.
Going through a close leading to one of the hidden courtyards of Edinburgh
Another close of the Royal Mile was Brodie’s Close, named after the infamous William Brodie (also known by his title Deacon Brodie who lived there during the 18th century). He was a model citizen and businessman during the day but a gambler, thief, and womanizer at night. This duality fascinated Robert Louis Stevenson and thus was the inspiration for his Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. During our exploration of the Royal Mile, we came upon Deacon Brodie’s Tavern on the corner of High Street and Lawnmarket (one of the street’s comprising the Royal Mile). It was a classic old pub over 100 years old that looked very inviting.
Deacon Brodie’s Tavern
We look forward to a return visit to explore notable architecture, rich culture, long history, traditions, and cuisine.
Stay tuned for more about our British Isles Explorer cruise.
Thanks to Viking for another great cruise and our introduction to Scotland!
