British Isles, Ireland & Scotland Expedition: A 12-Day Exploration of the Remote Islands

Arrive in swinging London, the United Kingdom’s iconic metropolis, cultural heart, economic engine room and one of the world’s oldest great cities with a history dating back to Roman times. Make your way to your hotel, where you will spend the first night of the expedition. This evening, meet your fellow voyagers and some of our expedition guides over dinner at the hotel.

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, then board your coach and head south to the bustling waterfront city of Portsmouth, home to the Royal Navy for centuries. Explore the city’s rich history at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and Britain’s great warships, aka ‘Wooden Walls of England’, Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery, or The Mary Rose Museum, home to, and named after, Henry VIII’s favourite ship and the world’s largest collection of Tudor artefacts. Alternatively, wander the fascinating streets of this compact city. This afternoon, board Heritage Discoverer, where the captain and expedition team are waiting to welcome you on board. There will be time to settle into your accommodations and familiarise yourself with the ship. You are invited to join the expedition team in the Observation Lounge as we set our course for the islands of Guernsey and Sark and our adventure begins.

Today we explore the rugged beauty of the Bailiwick of Guernsey in the English Channel and the islands of Guernsey and Sark. We spend the morning discovering the history and landscapes of Guernsey, an island inspiring artists, including Pierre-Auguste Renoir and writer Victor Hugo. Renoir’s six-week visit in 1883 would result in 15 paintings, all of the Moulin Huet valley, while Hugo would pen both Les Misérables and Toilers of the Sea, among others, during 15 of his 19 years on the island during his exile from France. Explore the scenic coastline and beaches, and visit the work of art and labour of love known as the Little Chapel. Considered the smallest chapel in the world, it was built by Brother Déodat in 1914 as a miniature homage to the famous grotto and basilica at Lourdes and is famously decorated with seashells, pebbles and coloured pieces of china. We also plan to explore the stunning harbour town of St Peter Port, capital and ‘town’ to the locals, where nature meets history, all set in a natural amphitheatre. In the afternoon, Zodiac cruise to the peaceful, traffic-free island of Sark, where English, Norman French and Channel Island cultures fuse with unique traditional dishes, clothing and Britain’s archaic and endangered Norman language known as Sarkese. Wander narrow lanes to the soundtrack of Chaffinches and Skylarks, take in the narrow isthmus joining Little Sark and Big Sark and the enchanting walled gardens at La Seigneurie. Set within the grounds of a 17th-century manor and ancestral home of the Seigneur of Sark, these award-winning gardens are built on the site of the former 6th-century Monastery of St Magloire.

Today sees us navigating the 140-plus islands of subtropical paradise known as the Isles of Scilly, England’s only archipelago, where white sand beaches and gin-clear turquoise waters meet dramatic cliffs, lush exotic fauna and a surprising number of historic sites from prehistoric burial mounds to Civil War forts. Nestled just off the south-western tip of Cornwall, yet worlds away, these pristine islands that time forgot have their own unique microclimate and slower pace of life. The Isles are also considered a premier birding destination, their position as outposts in the Atlantic attracting rare vagrants and migrating seabirds with more than 450 species recorded. Making our way to Tresco Island, the only privately-owned, and one of just five inhabited, islands in the archipelago, we explore this car-free outpost. Wander idyllic lanes from the beach to the famous, 19th-century subtropical Tresco Abbey Garden, where more than 20,000 plant species from 80 different countries, including all five Mediterranean floral regions, defy the Atlantic weather through clever design and protective hedges. Historic sites and sights include the gun tower known as Cromwell’s Castle, built in 1651 after the islands were captured from the Royalists, and artillery fort King Charles’ Castle, built in the early 1550s and named after Royalist forces who occupied the site during the English Civil Wars. Over on St Mary’s Island, the largest and most populated of the group, explore the buzz of capital Hugh Town, the enormous 16th-century fortification The Garrison, and wander the many walkways discovering quaint villages and brightly painted fields of blooming wildflowers.

Welcome to the Emerald Isle. This morning, we sail to the port city of Waterford on the River Suir, Ireland’s Viking-founded oldest city, where waiting coaches take us to medieval ‘Marble City’ Kilkenny. Exploring the cobbled lanes and secret alleys, it is easy to see the Norman influence in the 11th and 12th-century architecture. No more so than at Kilkenny Castle, built in 1260 overlooking the River Nore as a defensive castle, it has undergone a Victorian remodelling to become the grand fortress/country house it is today. Equally famous are its 50 acres of gardens, including a formal terraced rose garden, woodlands and lake, which we also have the chance to explore. Follow the ‘Medieval Mile’ discovery trail from the castle to the city to discover St. Canice’s Cathedral, built between 1202 and 1285 and preserved in its original style, it is Ireland’s best-preserved medieval Cathedral. Climb the 1,000-year-old Round Tower and explore the Medieval Effigy tombs, the Great East Window and the Kytler Grave Slab. There will be time to explore this fascinating city where small-town charm meets metropolis buzz before returning to Waterford. Here, in the heart of Ireland’s Ancient East, there will be an opportunity to visit the iconic House of Waterford Crystal for a deep dive into the world-renowned crystalware. Alternatively, spend the afternoon independently exploring the many attractions, including Reginald’s Tower, Medieval Museum and Bishop’s Palace – don’t forget to try the local delicacy, the ‘Waterford Blaa’, a traditional Irish bread roll.

Today sees us arriving in Wales at the historic port town of Holyhead on Holy Island in North West Wales, where the United Kingdom’s longest breakwater (2.7km) meets prehistoric sites, castles, unspoiled nature and proud Welsh heritage. Take in the views of Anglesey’s spectacular sea cliffs before visiting the South Stack Cliffs, overseen by bird and nature conservation charity RSPB. There will be options to join your expedition team on several different walks to explore this fragile maritime sward where rolling heathland, fields of blooming Heather and farms are perched above dramatic sea cliffs facing the islets of the South Stack. Enjoy sweeping views from Ellin’s Tower and look for the rare Chough, Crows with red beaks and legs. The cliffs here are vital breeding grounds for Guillemots, Razorbills and Puffins. We then make our way to the historic Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens, an 81-hectare estate overlooking the Menai Straits and mountains of Snowdonia, where three unique gardens dating back to 1804 have been gradually uncovered since 1996. These include the unusual Walled Garden with curving walls and pool, a secret Valley Garden featuring three waterfalls and river, and the Upper Woodland Garden which includes stone outcrops and the remains of a 19th-century folly.

Early this morning Heritage Discoverer anchors off the Calf of Man, a remote, windswept, tiny wild isle surrounded by tempestuous waters and fortress-like cliffs situated off the southern tip of the Isle of Man. A protected reserve, the 600 acre island is overseen by Manx National Heritage and is the location of the Calf of Man Bird Observatory and an important conservation effort. Its surrounding waters are of international importance for seabirds, around 33 species nest on its towering banded cliffs, including Manx Shearwaters, Kittiwakes, Razorbills, Puffins and Guillemots, and marine mammals, including Grey and Common Seals, whales, dolphins and porpoises, can be found in nearby waters. It is also a popular stop on the flight path of thousands of migratory birds. Here, we Zodiac cruise the coastline and stretch our legs on clifftop walks, exploring seal colonies and historic 19th-century lighthouses, learning about the ongoing protection and conservation of the Isle. If we are lucky, we may also see some of the small flock of Manx Loaghtan sheep, a rare breed native to the Isle of Man known to grow four, sometimes six horns, which have been preserved on the island since the 1950s. Enjoy lunch as we sail to the popular fishing village of Peel, where we spend the afternoon exploring historic castle ruins, informative museums and its busy seaside promenade where the traditional art of kipper curing is still practiced today. Be sure to visit ancient Peel Castle and the famous landmark overlooking the entrance to the inner harbour. Originally a wooden structure built in the 11th Century by the Vikings under King Magnus Barefoot, it has evolved over the centuries and has also been a royal residence, centre of government and military stronghold. Nearby, discover award-winning House of Manannan, where life-size reconstructions bring to life Peel’s Celtic, Viking and maritime past.

Today’s adventures see us sailing into Lisahally’s Foyle Port, a port of commercial significance on the River Foyle, relocated from Derry City in 1993, and the site of the WWII naval base where German U-boats surrendered in May 1945. It also served as a major centre during the ‘Battle of the Atlantic’, with its former wharves designated as protected historic sites. This morning, we walk in the footsteps of giants, exploring the fascinating geological phenomenon and UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Giant’s Causeway. Considered the Eighth Wonder of the World, marvel at the more than 40,000 perfectly shaped hexagonal columns formed more than 60 million years ago, which have inspired legends of Irish giant Finn McCool striding over the sea to Scotland to battle his nemesis. The geological features of the Giant’s Causeway and Causeway Coast have also provided an essential insight into the world’s understanding of the Earth’s geological history. This afternoon, we visit Derry~Londonderry, Ireland’s famous walled city, where its long history is literally written on its walls in many famous murals found along its cobbled streets. Brought into popular culture in the hit television comedy Derry Girls, and set against the backdrop of the Northern Ireland Troubles in the early 1990s, Derry’s history goes back much further. Its famous walls were built over 400 years ago, and walking among them reveals a city crammed with history, from the 1887 ornate neo-gothic Guildhall to the Museum of Free Derry and the formidable Planter Gothic Style of St Columb’s Cathedral, which has stood on its prominent site inside the city walls since 1633.

This morning we are greeted by some of the most spectacular scenery in the Hebrides as we sail into the jaw-dropping scenic Loch Scavaig on the southwest shores of the Isle of Skye – Scotland’s most famous island. Here, where the mountains rise out of the sea, there is nothing but wilderness woven through with a rich history from dinosaur fossils, to clan warfare, the still topical Highland Clearances and Bonnie Prince Charlie’s ill-fated 1745 attempt to reclaim his grandfather’s, King James VII of Scotland and II of England, throne during the Jacobite Rebellion. Skye is also home to the clan castles of the famous MacDonalds of Sleat and MacLeods of Dunvegan families. Our explorations here take us beyond the freshwater Loch Coruisk with its untamed beauty and epic views, believed to be some of the world’s best, over the jagged peaks of the Cuillins mountains and fascinating geology and folklore (look out for the Kelpies/Water Horse said to reside here). This is a great place for exploring on foot with our expedition team. Alternatively, stay aboard the Zodiacs and explore this rugged landscape on the water, looking for wildlife, including Harbour Seals. Enjoy lunch as we cruise to the Isle of Rùm, the largest of the Small Isles archipelago in the Inner Hebrides. This diamond-shaped outpost, once a private sporting estate, is now a National Nature Reserve due to its ecological importance and breeding site for more than 30% of Clearances and Bonnie Prince Charlie’s ill-fated 1745 attempt to reclaim his grandfather’s, King James VII of Scotland and II of England, throne during the Jacobite Rebellion. Skye is also home to the clan castles of the famous MacDonalds of Sleat and MacLeods of Dunvegan families. Our explorations here take us beyond the freshwater Loch Coruisk with its untamed beauty and epic views, believed to be some of the world’s best, over the jagged peaks of the Cuillins mountains and fascinating geology and folklore (look out for the Kelpies/Water Horse said to reside here). This is a great place for exploring on foot with our expedition team. Alternatively, stay aboard the Zodiacs and explore this rugged landscape on the water, looking for wildlife, including Harbour Seals. Enjoy lunch as we cruise to the Isle of Rùm, the largest of the Small Isles archipelago in the Inner Hebrides. This diamond-shaped outpost, once a private sporting estate, is now a National Nature Reserve due to its ecological importance and breeding site for more than 30% of slightly out-of-place-looking Greek Doric temple known as Bullough Mausoleum at Harris.

Sure to be one of the highlights of our voyage, today sees Heritage Discoverer arriving at St Kilda, also known as the ‘Islands at the Edge of the World’ and one of Britain’s most iconic and rarely-visited wildlife havens. This defiant clutch of five weather-beaten islands, sea stacks and towering cliffs (including Europe’s highest) formed some 55 million years in the furthest reaches of the Outer Hebrides and surrounded by the untamed Atlantic Ocean, is Britain’s most remote destination. It is also its only dual UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its natural and cultural significance. While the last 36 islanders voted to flee this unforgiving and inhospitable landscape in 1930, ending 4,000 years of habitation, St Kilda is internationally recognised for its birdlife. Around one million seabirds breed here, including Britain’s largest colony of Atlantic Puffins, Arctic and Great Skuas and the world’s largest Gannet colony. The islands also have their own endemic subspecies of mouse and wren - the St Kilda Field Mouse and St Kilda Wren, along with the primitive Soay Sheep, which have inhabited St Kilda for a millennium. This morning we will explore Village Bay’s stunning beach and old village where the remains of Main Street and row of traditional houses, cleats and dry-stone walls provide a fascinating insight into what life was like here. This afternoon, we navigate the fantastical and precipitous sea stacks, cruising the clear waters surrounding Soay, Stac Lee, Stac an Armin (the tallest in Scotland and the British Isles), and Boreray, where 60,000 pairs of Gannets breed – be sure to be out on deck to experience this incredible spectacle.

This morning we visit Scotland’s ‘Cradle of Christianity’ on the tiny, 3.9 square kilometre island of Iona off the coast of Mull. Rich in a tumultuous history spanning Gaelic, Norse and Scottish occupation, Irish monk St. Columba built Scotland’s first Celtic church and monastery in 563 AD, where elaborate carvings, including what is believed to be the first Celtic crosses, and famed Book of Kells dating back to 800 AD, were created. The first Viking raids started in 806 AD, when the Celtic Church was replaced by the Roman Church. Wander the much-restored Benedictine Abbey complex, where two outstanding 8th-century crosses and a splendid collection of sculptures commissioned, or influenced by the Chiefs of Clan Donald and their allies, can be viewed. Nearby is the Reilig Odhrain, sacred burial ground of 48 Scottish kings. Other highlights include the views from Dun I, the highest point on the island and the ‘Well of Eternal Youth’ with its purported healing properties. The island is also a stronghold for Corncrakes, as well as a plethora of other species, which we will look for with our guides. Enjoy lunch as we sail south for our final adventure on the southernmost of the Inner Hebrides Islay, or ‘Queen of the Hebrides’, and what is arguably the spiritual home of Scottish Whisky, dating back to 1494. Here we explore the ‘whisky coast’ where some of Scotland’s most famous peaty single malts are crafted at Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg. Learn about the fascinating distillery process and raise a dram or two and toast our incredible adventure.

Early this morning we arrive in Greenock on the banks of the River Clyde near Glasgow, ‘the UK’s friendliest city’ and Scotland’s cultural capital, where stunning Victorian and Art Nouveau architecture fuse with a rich maritime legacy and UNESCO City of Music status. After a final breakfast, we bid farewell to our fellow voyagers and take a complimentary coach transfer to a central city location or Glasgow Airport. In case of unexpected delays due to weather and/or port operations, we ask you not to book any onward travel until after 12 noon. Note: During our voyage, circumstances may make it necessary or desirable to deviate from the proposed itinerary. This can include poor weather and opportunities for making unplanned excursions. Your Expedition Leader will keep you fully informed. This tour offers a variety of activities and excursions. Your personal interests will determine which of these you wish to join. Please note that some activities and excursions will run at similar times, and it will not be possible to participate in both. Accordingly, refunds for excursions and missed landings are not available. Voyages are planned and scheduled pending final regulatory approval.

Itineraries are subject to change.