Spring in the Hebrides
An expedition exploring the majestic Hebrides aboard the MS Hebridean Sky
- 24 May 2022
You can travel the world visiting all manner of exotic and wonderful places without realising that some of the finest scenery, fascinating history and most endearing people may be close to home. Nowhere is this truer than around Scotland’s magnificent coastline, an indented landscape of enormous natural splendour with offshore islands forming stepping stones into the Atlantic. During this seven night expedition aboard the 118 passenger MS Hebridean Sky we will explore the spectacular beauty, rich wildlife and fascinating history of the Inner and Outer Hebrides and with our fleet of Zodiacs we will be able to visit some of the most remote and uninhabited islands including the Shiant Islands, Lunga and St Kilda, as well as the small island community of Iona.
This is not a cruise in the conventional sense, more an exploration with like-minded companions to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the islands. Learn something of their history, see the abundant bird and marine life, but above all revel in the timeless enchantment that these islands exude to all those who appreciate the natural world. There is no better way to explore this endlessly fascinating and beautiful region than by small ship, and ashore with our local experts we divide into small groups thereby enjoying a more comprehensive and peaceful experience. Having arranged hundreds of small ship cruises around Scotland, we have learned that everyone takes something different from the experience. We are indeed fortunate in having such marvellous places so close to home. Now more than ever there is a great appreciation for the peace, beauty and culture of this special corner of the UK.
Useful links & Travel Advice
Please find a selection of useful websites to refer to for information from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, on visa requirements, NHS travel health advice and other useful travel tips.
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What to Expect
Flexibility is the key to an expedition cruise; sometimes the whole day’s schedule may be changed to maximise your experience based on weather or wildlife sightings, something that would not be possible on a large cruise ship. Each day holds something new and below are some extracts from our vessel’s logs from previous voyages which will provide you with an insight into what you can expect from this Hebridean adventure:
Canna: The first zodiac group went ashore at 8.30am and there were three activities offered this morning. Firstly, local guides from the Scottish National Trust led groups on a walk from the landing site along the road past an early twentieth-century stone church, the shop, the post office and the oldest inhabited house on the island. At this point each group in their turn left the road to walk over the fields to see an ancient Christian stone cross and also the Punishment Stone. Many legends are attached to both and no one is quite sure of their complete history. In the past as many as 500 people lived on the island whereas today there are just 16 people who live all year round on Canna. The path continued through woodland past two long-eared owl chicks on a tree and around the back of Canna House, home of the Gaelic folklorist John Lorne Campbell who owned the island before giving it to the Trust.
A different option this morning was a shorter walk along the road and then an opportunity to hear Gaelic songs and stories with a local inhabitant. The third option was simply to wander and enjoy the beautiful countryside in the sunshine. Eider ducks were calling their haunting “oooh, oooh” calls across the bay and a wide variety of birds were spotted including cuckoo, warblers, and skylarks. There was also an opportunity to visit the local shop which is run on an honesty box basis by the local inhabitants - and to buy a cup of self-service tea of coffee and sit in the sunshine. We were all back on board the ship by midday and we set sail for our next destination.
St Kilda & Stac Lee: We sailed through the night and dropped anchor in Village Bay opposite Hirta at 7.00am. Sue, the resident warden, came on board to give us an introduction to the islands and some pointers of what to see. On reaching shore, Hannah and Daniel led guided walks through the main buildings and along The Street, pausing periodically to add other pieces of information. Upon reaching the cemetery and Iron Age souterrain people wandered at will, some with Clive up to the quarry, some to the Gap with Scott overlooking Boreray and some to the gift shop for a little retail therapy. The wind was coming onto the cliffs at The Gap, which meant the fulmars were having an absolutely roaring time floating on the gusts. They seemed to be suspended in mid-air right in front of us as we stood at the edge of these wonderful 800 foot sheer cliffs. Back in the village, many people managed to see and photograph the St Kilda wren, an endemic sub-species.
At 13:00pm we headed back to the ship for lunch after which we had a ship cruise in Glen Bay checking out the spectacular coastal scenery and sea birds on the ship’s outer decks. Amazing views were all around us as we soaked in the atmosphere of the bay. But the day was not finished. The captain heaved anchor and sailed the short distance to nearby Boreray and the stacs which are home to the largest colony of Northern gannets. We circumnavigated Stac Lee, enabling us to appreciate the magnificence and magnitude of this gannet colony out here in the Atlantic.
Hebridean Sky
The MS Hebridean Sky is one of our three flag ships and sister vessel to the MS Island Sky and MS Caledonian Sky. All three vessels were built in the same ship yard in Italy at similar times and share the same excellent attributes that make them three of the finest small ships in the world. Formerly known as the Sea Explorer, the vessel underwent a multi-million pound refurbishment in Sweden in Spring 2016 before being re-launched as the MS Hebridean Sky.
Itinerary
Day 1 Oban, Scotland.
Embark the MS Hebridean Sky this afternoon. Transfers will be provided from Glasgow International Airport and Glasgow Central Railway Station at a fixed time.
Day 2 Canna & Loch Scavaig.
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. Sail over lunch to 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 afternoon our Zodiacs will explore the coast looking out for seals.
Day 3 Shiant Islands & Inverewe.
After breakfast 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. This is an excellent place to spot puffins, razorbills, guillemots, seals and hopefully white-tailed eagles. In the afternoon we will 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 well-positioned windbreaks of native pine. After a guided tour of the gardens, we will return to the MS Hebridean Sky and sail to Stornoway where we moor overnight.
Day 4 Isle of Lewis & Handa.
On leaving the island capital of Stornoway, we will head across the island of Lewis 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. We also visit the Dun Carloway Pictish Broch, probably built sometime in the last century BC, it would have served as an occasionally defensible residence for an extended family complete with accommodation for animals at ground floor level. 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. Visit the small museum, enjoy a display of a typical crofting activity such as weaving and take in the views of this dramatic site on the wild Atlantic coast. At Handa will use our Zodiacs to explore the magnificent sea cliffs of Torridonian sandstone which rise from the Atlantic. The island comes alive each summer when nearly 100,000 seabirds gather to breed including internationally important numbers of guillemot, razorbill, puffins and great skua.
Day 5 St Kilda & Stac Lee.
Arrive over breakfast at St Kilda, a remarkable uninhabited archipelago some fifty miles beyond the Outer Hebrides. Dominated by the highest cliffs and sea stacks in Britain, Hirta, St Kilda’s main island was occupied on and off for at least two thousand years, with the last 36 Gaelic speaking inhabitants evacuated at their own request in 1930. Immediately after the evacuation, the island was bought by the Marquess of Bute to protect the island’s thousands of seabirds including puffin and fulmars, and in 1957 it was bequeathed to The National Trust for Scotland. St Kilda is one of only a few UNESCO World Heritage Sites with dual status reflecting its natural and cultural significance. The local ranger will join us on board before our expedition staff lead a number of guided walks on the island. This afternoon we will cruise past two of the largest gannetries in the world at Stac Lee and Stac an Armin. These impressive stacs rise 170 metres from the sea and are home to up to 60,000 breeding pairs of northern gannet.
Day 6 Staffa & Lunga.
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. We continue to the Treshnish Isles, an archipelago of uninhabited volcanic islets. The island of Lunga is the largest of the Treshnish Isles in Argyll and Bute. Of volcanic origin, Lunga has been described as ‘a green jewel in a peacock sea’ and is a summer nesting-place for hundreds of seabirds.
Day 7 Iona & Colonsay.
Spend the morning on Iona which has been occupied for thousands of years and has been a place of pilgrimage and Christian worship for several centuries. It was to this flat, Hebridean island that 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. Lying between Mull and Islay, we will spend the afternoon exploring the island of Colonsay with her craggy, heather-clad hills and sparse woodland yet impressive array of plants and birdlife. Near Colonsay House, built in 1722 by Malcolm MacNeil and bought by Lord Strathcona in 1904, we will visit the attractively dilapidated woodland gardens which protect the tiny, enigmatic 8th century St Oran’s Cross.
Day 8 Oban.
Disembark this morning. Transfers will be provided to Glasgow International Airport and Glasgow Central Railway Station at a fixed time.
Dates and Prices
Prices per person based on double occupancy24 to 31 May 2022 | ||
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Category | Price | |
Amundsen Deck Standard Suite | £3895 | |
Byrd Deck Superior Suite | £4195 | |
Mawson Deck Premium Suite | £4395 | |
Mawson Deck Corner Suite | £4695 | |
Scott Deck Deluxe Balcony Suite | £5295 | |
Shackleton Deck Owner's Balcony Suite | £5695 | |
Shackleton Deck Hebridean Suite | £6195 | |
Amundsen Deck Standard for sole use | £4895 | |
Byrd Deck Superior for sole use | £5195 |
Tour Reference Code: SCHKS240522
Price Includes: Seven nights aboard the MS Hebridean Sky on a full board basis • House wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner • Shore excursions • Noble Caledonia expedition team • Gratuities • Transfers • Port taxes.
Not Included: Travel insurance.
Hebridean Sky
The MS Hebridean Sky is one of our three flag ships and sister vessel to the MS Island Sky and MS Caledonian Sky. All three vessels were built in the same ship yard in Italy at similar times and share the same excellent attributes that make them three of the finest small ships in the world. Formerly known as the Sea Explorer, the vessel underwent a multi-million pound refurbishment in Sweden in Spring 2016 before being re-launched as the MS Hebridean Sky.
Video Library
What to Expect
Flexibility is the key to an expedition cruise; sometimes the whole day’s schedule may be changed to maximise your experience based on weather or wildlife sightings, something that would not be possible on a large cruise ship. Each day holds something new and below are some extracts from our vessel’s logs from previous voyages which will provide you with an insight into what you can expect from this Hebridean adventure:
Canna: The first zodiac group went ashore at 8.30am and there were three activities offered this morning. Firstly, local guides from the Scottish National Trust led groups on a walk from the landing site along the road past an early twentieth-century stone church, the shop, the post office and the oldest inhabited house on the island. At this point each group in their turn left the road to walk over the fields to see an ancient Christian stone cross and also the Punishment Stone. Many legends are attached to both and no one is quite sure of their complete history. In the past as many as 500 people lived on the island whereas today there are just 16 people who live all year round on Canna. The path continued through woodland past two long-eared owl chicks on a tree and around the back of Canna House, home of the Gaelic folklorist John Lorne Campbell who owned the island before giving it to the Trust.
A different option this morning was a shorter walk along the road and then an opportunity to hear Gaelic songs and stories with a local inhabitant. The third option was simply to wander and enjoy the beautiful countryside in the sunshine. Eider ducks were calling their haunting “oooh, oooh” calls across the bay and a wide variety of birds were spotted including cuckoo, warblers, and skylarks. There was also an opportunity to visit the local shop which is run on an honesty box basis by the local inhabitants - and to buy a cup of self-service tea of coffee and sit in the sunshine. We were all back on board the ship by midday and we set sail for our next destination.
St Kilda & Stac Lee: We sailed through the night and dropped anchor in Village Bay opposite Hirta at 7.00am. Sue, the resident warden, came on board to give us an introduction to the islands and some pointers of what to see. On reaching shore, Hannah and Daniel led guided walks through the main buildings and along The Street, pausing periodically to add other pieces of information. Upon reaching the cemetery and Iron Age souterrain people wandered at will, some with Clive up to the quarry, some to the Gap with Scott overlooking Boreray and some to the gift shop for a little retail therapy. The wind was coming onto the cliffs at The Gap, which meant the fulmars were having an absolutely roaring time floating on the gusts. They seemed to be suspended in mid-air right in front of us as we stood at the edge of these wonderful 800 foot sheer cliffs. Back in the village, many people managed to see and photograph the St Kilda wren, an endemic sub-species.
At 13:00pm we headed back to the ship for lunch after which we had a ship cruise in Glen Bay checking out the spectacular coastal scenery and sea birds on the ship’s outer decks. Amazing views were all around us as we soaked in the atmosphere of the bay. But the day was not finished. The captain heaved anchor and sailed the short distance to nearby Boreray and the stacs which are home to the largest colony of Northern gannets. We circumnavigated Stac Lee, enabling us to appreciate the magnificence and magnitude of this gannet colony out here in the Atlantic.
Travelling with You
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Colin Baird
Colin grew up on the west coast of Canada and developed a love for the sea at an early age, sailing and scuba diving the local waters off Vancouver Island. He spent 10 years as a marine mammal trainer working with seals, sea lions and orca (perhaps better known as Killer Whales). In 2002 he was hired by Jean Michel Cousteau as the director of field operations for the Free Willy/ Keiko Project in Iceland and Norway. This was and remains today the only attempt to release a previously captive orca back into the wild.
Since then, Colin has been expedition cruising to many out of the way places; including Iceland, Norway, Svalbard, the high arctic and Antarctic. When at home in Canada leads whale watching tours from Victoria, B.C. during the northern summer to see his favourite of all the cetaceans….the orca.
Colin Baird will be on the following tour dates: 24 to 31 May 2022 -
Professor James Floyd
A native of Scotland, Professor James Floyd, has recently retired as District Geologist after 36 years with the British Geological Survey (NERC) in Edinburgh. He now works as a geological consultant and freelance science, military and maritime history communicator on cruise and expedition ships. In addition to communicating popular science, expedition cruising allows him to share his other passions of modern naval, maritime and exploration history.
Professor James Floyd will be on the following tour dates: 24 to 31 May 2022 -
Seb Coulthard
Seb Coulthard was born in London, raised in Quito, Ecuador, and completed his higher education in England. He is an award winning sailor, engineer and adventurer with 15 years long service and good conduct in the Royal Navy (retired 2016). During his time in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces he travelled extensively between British Overseas Territories from the South Atlantic to the Indian Ocean.
In 2013, with a passion for adventure travel, Seb joined Shackleton Epic Expedition the most audacious and faithful re-enactment of the celebrated 830 mile boat journey undertaken by Sir Ernest Shackleton aboard the James Caird lifeboat from Elephant Island to South Georgia. The crew of the ‘Alexandra Shackleton’ spent 12 days at sea using the same period equipment as Shackleton 100 years prior: woollen underwear, wooden lifeboat, sextant, compass, and starvation diet. The Shackleton Epic team became the only expedition in history to complete Shackleton's perilous voyage using period resources.
As an empirical historian and expedition guide, his latest expedition took him to the Arabian Peninsula where he following in the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia to mark the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Aqaba, one of the most influential military victories of World War One. The expedition travelled unsupported, on camelback during mid-summer where temperatures exceeded 45ºC.
Seb is Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and a joint Royal Yachting Association and Union Internationale Motonautique powerboat world record holder. He is a specialist in remote areas travel and a certified Antarctic tourism guide.
Seb Coulthard will be on the following tour dates: 24 to 31 May 2022
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