Island Hopping in the Hebrides Itinerary
June 13- June 21, 2027
Day 1 Oban, Scotland
Embark the MS Hebridean Sky in the afternoon. Transfers will be provided from Glasgow Central Railway Station and Glasgow International Airport at a fixed time. Enjoy welcome drinks and dinner as we sail this evening.
Day 2 Staffa and Iona
We awake this morning at Staffa, the south side where the perpendicular rock face features an imposing series of black basalt columns, known as the Colonnade, which has been cut by the sea into cathedralesque caverns, most notably Fingal’s Cave. Weather permitting, we will use our Zodiacs to explore closer. to Iona which has been occupied for thousands of years and has been a place of pilgrimage and Christian worship for several centuries. We will meet with Michael and Kate Gordon who started Iona Wool, an extraordinary venture in making yarn from the island’s eight different sheep breeds providing additional income forfarmers along with a product that is uniquely island made. Iona is also where St Columba fled from Ireland in 563 and established a monastery. Here his followers were responsible for the conversion of much of pagan Scotland and Northern England. No less than 62 Scottish Kings are buried in the Abbey. Visit the Abbey or perhaps walk along the white sandy beaches or go in search of the corncrake amongst the irises
Day 3 Loch Scavaig and Iverie
We have the morning at the lovely Loch Scavaig. Just beyond is the freshwater Loch Corruisk with its breathtakingly beautiful view over the Cuillins. This is great walking country, but for those who prefer a less energetic morning our Zodiacs will explore the coast looking out for seals. This afternoon we arrive at the Knoydart Peninsula and the village of Inverie which is the largest settlement in mainland Britain without a road connection. Our expedition team will lead walks in the surrounding forest with great views down to Loch Nevis. Alternatively, choose to explore the town and visit the Old Forge which is listed as mainland Britain’s most remote pub.
Day 4 Canna & Carbost, Isle of Skye.
Strategically placed between the mountains of Rum and the Outer Hebrides, the island of Canna and its adjoining neighbour Sanday are bound together like some rare text that reveals over 60 million years of Hebridean geology and history. They have an amazingly rich archaeological landscape with remains dating to all periods of settled occupation in Scotland. Canna is run as a single farm and bird sanctuary by the National Trust for Scotland and enjoys the best harbour in the Small Isles, a hornshaped haven. The fertile soil and its diversity of habitats mean that the island has an incredibly rich plant life with 248 native flowering plants recorded. We will see Canna House and wander across grassy basalt plateaus to the 600 foot cliffs on the north shore. Over lunch we sail to the Isle of Skye and from our anchorage in Loch Harport we make our way to the MacLeod stronghold of Dunvegan Castle. Remarkably, the castle has been almost continuously occupied by the MacLeods for nearly eight centuries. Discover the castle, a fascinating place that contains work from at least ten building periods. We will also explore the gardens, following paths through woodland glades past pools and burns fed by a waterfall. The formal gardens were laid out in the 18th century and make a wonderful contrast to the moorland hills and sea. We will also keep a look out for the seal colony on the adjoining rocks. Alternatively, spend the afternoon at leisure in the town of Carbost or make a visit to the Talisker whisky distillery
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Day 5 St Kilda and Stac Lee
Today we set foot into one of the most extraordinary chapters in sheep history, the Soay. For centuries, the people on St. Kilda survived gathering bird eggs from the cliffs and raising sheep. In 1930, this isolated population of just 36 Gaelic speaking inhabitants was evacuated by the government at their own request, leaving the ancient breed of short-tailed sheep to survive. To this day, the feral flock is monitored by scientists, studying their uniquely pure genetics. We also cruise past two of the largest gannetries in the world at Stac Lee and Stac an Armin. These impressive stacs rise 170 meters from the sea and are home to up to 60,000 breeding pairs of northern gannet.
Day 6 Stornoway, Isle of Lewis & Shiant Islands.
Today we arrive on the Isle of Lewis, home of the world renowned Harris Tweed, where our group will meet in the home of a young Harris Tweed weaver who left his job as a banker so he could return to life on the island. In the afternoon, we head to the beautiful west coast. Described as Scotland’s Stonehenge, the Callanish Standing Stones date from around 3000 BC. There are a total of 32 stones in a circular and avenue design. The stones stand like a petrified forest on the flat top of a peninsula which reaches out into East Loch Roag. Our final stop is the Gearrannan Blackhouse Village, a reconstructed settlement of traditional black houses which were made using dry stone masonry and have thatched roofs, distinctively weighted down with rocks. We will board the Zodiacs for a cruise around the spectacular basalt cliffs of the Shiant Islands, a group of little islands located a few miles off the shores of Lewis.
Day 7 Inverewe & Isle Martin
This morning we visit one of Scotland’s premier gardens, Inverewe. This botanical garden in the northwest Highlands presents an amazing collection of exotic trees and shrubs that are sheltered by wellpositioned windbreaks of native pine. After an independent exploration of the gardens, we will return to the MS Hebridean Sky and sail to the Summer Islands. Isle Martin or Eilean Mhartainn in Scots Gaelic, is an uninhabited island in Loch Broom, on the west coast of Scotland. During the 1980s and 1990s it became the site of a reforestation experiment by ecologists with native woodlands planted throughout, and these are now flourishing and improving soil fertility and biodiversity. Then in 1999 the island became one of the first handovers of land to community ownership. We will be offered a very warm welcome by volunteers from the community trust and will learn about the work they do on the island promoting the landscape, community and traditions.
Day 8 Ulva & Tobermory, Isle of Mull.
At only five miles long and two miles wide, Ulva is one of the smallest inhabited islands in the Hebrides, with a population of just 16. We will use our Zodiacs to go ashore and spend the morning exploring this tranquil island steeped in history and rich in wildlife. Our final afternoon is on the Isle of Mull and the pretty port of Tobermory. Spend the afternoon at leisure in the town walking amongst the colourful buildings, visit the town’s distillery or maybe take the coastal walk to the Rubha nan Gall lighthouse.
Day 9 St Kilda & Stac Lee
Remote and battered by the Atlantic seas, St Kilda is a near mystical island with dual UNESCO World Heritage site status for its natural and cultural significance. St Kilda is deemed Europe’s most important seabird colony—with abundant puffins, fulmars and the largest colony of gannets in Britain. For sheep enthusiasts, the history of the Soay is one of the most remarkable in all of European sheep, providing not only a durable wool but a breed with pure genetics owing to the inability to introduce another breed in this remote location. St. Kilda was inhabited until 1930, when the advent of tourism ultimately altered the islanders’ view of their small island life. The 19th century village layout still remains, allowing us to envisage life on this island where the bird life provided sustenance for the villagers.
Day 10 Oban
Disembark the MS Hebridean Sky after breakfast. Transfers will be provided to Glasgow Central Railway Station and Glasgow International Airport at a fixed time.
