A Vacation in the Orkney Islands

Some years ago Vicki and I flew to London from Boston. After a few days of sightseeing, we took another plane to Inverness, Scotland where we met our hiking group and leader from Wilderness Scotland, an adventure Travel Company based in Scotland. Our destination was the Orkney Islands a few hours north.

Initially, I wasn't sure about the trip, since it was not the rigorous hiking trips I was accustomed to in the Alps or Himalayas.  My doubts were quickly dispelled when we checked into our quaint hotel in one of the larger towns in the Orkney's. With over 250 single malts, great seafood, and quaint rooms, our hotel was perfect.

 Our days consisted of taking ferries to different islands that make up the Orkneys and then hiking 6 or 8 miles. In Scotland, all lands are open to the public, so we walked freely across any field we desired. Most of our hikes were along the North Sea, which always looked forbidding.
                                                                       

Our group interacted very well. In addition to the leader, there were two people from England and six Americans. Everyone was friendly and interesting. The staff at our hotel were very accommodating, and it was fun after a long hike in drizzly weather to come back to the hotel for scotch and wonderful food.

A walking trip is a good way to see the Orkneys. Our guide in addition to selecting interesting routes knew a great deal about the bird life and fauna there, and our walks were continuous learning experiences. Following the trip, Vicki and I stayed for a few days in Inverness, where we enjoyed the local culture, before flying onto Rome.