Exploring the British Isles and Ireland

History. Culture & Unexpected Wildness. Unlike the majority of expeditions which are wildness-oriented, this adventure—while taking you to wild and beautiful islands like Staffa and Orkney—adds culture and history to your appreciation of the spectacular landscapes you'll see. Everywhere there are surprises: the immense tropical gardens in the otherwise “English-y” isles of Scilly. The stunning geological architecture of Fingal’s Cave on Staff. The cloistered quiet of Iona, the capital of ancient Celtic Christianity. The way the 6,000-year-old dwellings at Skara Brae in Orkney banish forever any lingering notions of early man as “primitive.” And the spectacular scenery along our route. Each day you'll see and learn more.

Itinerary

DAY 1 — U.S. / London, England

DAY 2 — London / Portsmouth / Embark Ship
Arrive this morning in London and proceed to the coastal town of Portsmouth. Before embarking National Geographic Endeavour, we visit the Royal Naval Museum, home to the HMS Victory, the splendid three-masted flagship in which Admiral Horatio Nelson led the victorious attack at Trafalgar. (D)

DAY 3 — Dartmouth
Be on deck this morning as we make a dramatic entry into the River Dart. Dartmouth has a great seafaring history. We stroll along the quaint waterfront, observing many fine old buildings that recall its nautical past. (B,L,D)

DAY 4 — Isles of Scilly
On the island of Tresco we visit the fabulous Tresco Abbey Gardens. The Gulf Stream allows an astounding variety of subtropical plants to flourish at these northern latitudes, and numerous birds, including shearwaters and sandpipers, are often seen here. (B,L,D)

DAY 5 — The Skelligs and Dingle Peninsula, Ireland
Today we explore the roots of Celtic Christianity. We cruise slowly by Skellig Michael to view the beehive huts of a Celtic Christian monastery, built five hundred feet high atop the island in the sixth century. A half-mile distant is rocky Little Skellig, whose white spires reveal is as a favorite roost for seabirds. Go ashore at the beautiful Dingle Peninsula. Walk through the charming village of Dingle, sample an Irish coffee and browse the shops for woolens. (B,L,D)

DAY 6 — Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher
These stark islands contain many pre- and early Christian sites. Most dramatic is Dun Aengus, a stone fort dating to 4000 BC. Perched on a 200-foot cliff overlooking the sea, the view is staggering. (B,L,D)

DAY 7 — County Donegal, Ireland
Donegal, in Gaelic Dun na nGall or ‘fort of the foreigners’ (i.e. the Vikings), is an ancient and dramatically beautiful area. We board Zodiacs to explore lovely Donegal Bay and drive to Glencolumbkille, one of the most traditional areas in Ireland, where Gaelic is still the primary language. In the evening, we cruise past the 2,000-foot-high cliffs of Slieve League, the highest in Europe. (B,L,D)

DAY 8 — Iona and Staffa, Inner Hebrides, Scotland
St. Columba called Iona “love of my heart” and chose it as the site for his monastery. Walk through the ancient nunnery to 12th-century Iona Abbey, where sixty kings lie buried, including Duncan and MacBeth. Afternoon finds us on Staffa, an island famed for its great basalt columns and deep sea caves. It was here in Fingal’s Cave that Felix Mendelssohn was inspired to write his haunting Hebrides Overture. (B,L,D)

DAY 9 — Isles of Rum and Skye
Explore the nature reserve on the Isle of Rum and see eccentric Kinloch Castle. Continue to rugged Skye, legendary for its towering Cuillin Mountains and a perfect spot for Zodiac cruises and wilderness walks.

DAY 10 — Outer Hebrides: St. Kilda and Callanish
Along the wild, western coast of Scotland are the Outer Hebrides, islands steeped in history and legend, where Gaelic is still widely spoken. The day is open for exploration. Weather permitting, we explore remote St. Kilda. A World Heritage Site, it was occupied from the New Stone Age through 1930. We then venture to the Isle of Lewis to see the massive neolithic Standing Stones of Callanish. (B,L,D)

DAY 11 — Orkney Islands
Few places in the world have the impact of the Stone Age sites of Orkney. The standing stones of the Ring of Brodgar and the 6,000-year-old stone-slab village excavated at Skara Brae are stunning manifestations of a culture older than the Pyramids of Egypt. Later, we see the massive Cathedral of St. Magnus, built by the Vikings, and stately Balfour Castle on Shapinsay Island, where we recharge with a hearty Scottish tea. (B,L,D)

DAY 12 — Fair Isle and Mousa
Fair Isle claims to be the most isolated settlement in the British Isles. The seventy or so inhabitants are a rugged yet amiable people, proud of their island and, of course, their world-renowned woolen crafts. After a pleasant walk around the island, we join our island friends for tea. Later, Zodiac in to the uninhabited island of Mousa, where we find one of the best examples of an Iron Age broch (fortified farm). (B,L,D)

DAY 13 — Shetland Islands
Drive through scenic countryside, stopping to photograph resident Shetland ponies on our way to the Jarlshof archaeological site. Here we enter the Bronze Age with the ruins of 3,000 years of continuous settlement (B,L,D)

DAY 14 — Bergen, Norway / Disembark / Home

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