Birds & Blooms of Britain
A springtime voyage from Plymouth to Oban aboard the MS Serenissima
- 6 May 2021
During the month of May our western shores become alive with colour. This is a spectacularly beautiful time when many of the gardens are at their most appealing and the countryside will be lush and inviting. This, combined with the sheer diversity of the coastline, makes for a most appealing sea journey, whether you be an avid gardener, birdwatcher or simply enjoy sailing past and visiting some of the most enchanting places in the world.
This journey provides a unique opportunity to explore the splendours of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland and amongst the many splendid gardens we will visit are the subtropical Abbey Gardens on the charming island of Tresco, Bodnant Garden in the beautiful Conway Valley and Inverewe Gardens, Scotland’s botanical gardens in the north-west Highlands. With regards to birds, we have included visits to Lundy, where we hope to see puffins and peaceful Skomer Island which, carpeted with beautiful bluebells, is home to many birds including puffins, guillemots and razorbills. We will also call into Rathlin Island off the north coast of Northern Ireland, home to hundreds of seals and nesting seabirds, and learn of the island’s long and eventful history.
Each day there will be the opportunity to explore coastal paths, see the resident wildlife and enjoy the wonderful views on offer. Whilst you could always drive, travel by train and coach and reach most of our itinerary with the help of a ferry, it is much more enjoyable to join the 95 passenger MS Serenissima and travel in comfort accompanied by our expert onboard team without any of the hassle that independent exploration of these fascinating places would entail.
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.
Serenissima
The charming MS Serenissima began her career as the Harald Jarl, cruising the Norwegian coastline and fjords. Extensively renovated in 2003 she was rechristened MS Andrea and began her life as a classic cruise ship, and was chartered by Noble Caledonia for a number of years. In spring 2012 MS Andrea was purchased by our longstanding associates Volga Dream and renamed the MS Serenissima. After a thorough renovation and upgrading, the charming MS Serenissima commenced cruise operations in April 2013 and we have chartered her for the majority of each year since knowing her to be perfect for small ship cruising. With her small size she can navigate into small, remote ports inaccessible to the big cruise ships and appears an impressive sight when moored. With her fleet of Zodiacs she is capable of both destination and expedition cruising.
Itinerary
Day 1 Plymouth, England.
Embark the MS Serenissima this afternoon in Plymouth. Transfers will be provided from Plymouth Railway Station at a fixed time. Enjoy welcome drinks and dinner and sail this evening.
Day 2 Isles of Scilly.
Spend the morning on traffic-free Tresco, walking its idyllic lanes from the beach to the famous subtropical Abbey Gardens. Defying the Atlantic weather, this miracle of a garden is home to more than 20,000 species of plants from over 80 countries. Enjoy time to wander at your own pace along the paths, maybe visit the Valhalla collection of ship figureheads from ships wrecked on the islands or relax in the cafe. We spend the afternoon on St Agnes, the most southwesterly community in the UK. Surrounded by rocks and reefs this delightful tiny island offers marvellous coastal walks. The small island of Gugh lies across a narrow sandbar and here we find a single stone monolith called the ‘Old Man of Gugh’ which dates back to the Bronze Age. Alternatively, join a boat trip to the nearby island of Annet, the second largest of the uninhabited islands and a bird sanctuary. We are not allowed to land but will cruise the coastline alive with puffins, European storm petrels and shag.
Day 3 Lundy & Skomer Island.
We have scheduled a morning on Lundy, a remote and absolutely delightful island in the Bristol Channel. Walk along its traffic-free lanes and paths, explore the wide bays and coves by way of hanging valleys, observe the puffins nesting in abandoned rabbit warrens, have a drink at the inn and buy the ‘puffin stamps’ at the island’s shop. Return to the ship for lunch as we sail to Skomer Island, one of the most important wildlife sites in Northern Europe. It is a marvellously peaceful and scenic island with fantastic birdlife including 6000 pairs of puffins, countless numbers of guillemots, fulmar, kittiwakes and the elusive Manx shearwater and storm petrel. Weather permitting we will use our Zodiacs to explore the coastline.
Day 4 Llandudno, Wales.
This morning will be spent at Bodnant Garden. Situated above the River Conwy, the gardens have stunning views across Snowdonia. Begun in 1875, Bodnant Garden is the creation of four generations of Aberconways and features huge Italianate terraces and formal lawns on its upper level, with a wooded valley, stream and wild garden below. There are dramatic colours throughout the season with herbaceous borders, roses, hydrangeas, water lilies and clematis that delight throughout the summer. This afternoon will be free to explore Llandudno at leisure. Developed as an upmarket holiday town for Victorian visitors, this seaside town still retains much of its 19th century grandeur, with graceful wedding-cake architecture lining its sweeping waterfront promenade.
Day 5 Calf of Man & Peel, Isle of Man.
At first light we will cruise around the Calf of Man, a 600 acre island situated off the southern tip of the Isle of Man, and home to thousands of seabirds including Manx shearwater, kittiwake and razorbill. Meanwhile in the water we may be lucky to see dolphins and seals. Afterwards we will continue to Peel where we will have some free time to explore. After lunch on board, or independently ashore, we will visit Tynwald Hill, located in the little village of St John’s. This grass-topped, tiered hill is made from the soil and stones from each of the island’s 17 parishes and is the point from which, each 5th of July, all the laws enacted in the year preceding are promulgated to the gathered government officials and the public at large, both in Manx and English languages. At Castletown, board the vintage steam train for a delightful and traditional journey to Douglas. Dating from 1874, the Isle of Man Steam Railway is the island’s oldest Victorian rail system and this narrow gauge railway still runs with its original locomotives and carriages.
Day 6 Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland.
Arrive this morning at Rathlin Island. Located just a few miles from the North Antrim coast, Rathlin has been settled for more than 6000 years. Today, there are only 140 or so souls, whereas before the Great Famine there were 1200 inhabitants. History can be seen everywhere here amongst the historic buildings and ruins. Enjoy a guided walk which will also take in the prolific seabird life with astonishing numbers of puffins, kittiwakes, fulmars as well as grey and harbour seals. Also see the unique “upside down” Rathlin West Light, a great feat of engineering and one of the Great Lighthouses of Ireland. Return to the MS Serenissima for lunch and an afternoon at sea as we sail to the Scottish islands.
Day 7 St Kilda, Scotland.
Awake this morning in 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 the 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. Later, cruise past two of the largest gannetries in the world at Stac Lee and Berneray. These impressive stacs rise 170 metres from the sea and are home to up to 60,000 breeding pairs of northern gannet.
Day 8 Inverewe & Shiant Islands.
This morning we will visit one of Scotland’s premier gardens, Inverewe. This botanical garden in the north-west 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 ship and sail over lunch. This afternoon 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.
Day 9 Colonsay & Oronsay.
Awake this morning off Colonsay. Lying between Mull and Islay, we will spend the morning exploring this lovely island with her craggy, heather-backed hills and sparse woodland yet with an impressive array of plant and birdlife. Near Colonsay House, built in 1722 by Malcolm MacNeil and bought by Lord Strathcona in 1904, we will visit the attractively dilapidated wooded gardens, which protect the tiny, enigmatic 8th century St Oran’s Cross. Oronsay is separated from Colonsay by a wide expanse of shell sand -The Strand- that can be crossed by foot when the tide is out. The ruins of a fine Augustinian Priory in 1380 contain the tall Oronsay Cross, a superb example of late Medieval artistry from Iona. This island is owned by Frances Colburn and managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds who run a trim, environmentally friendly farm.
Day 10 Oban.
Disembark this morning after breakfast. Transfers will be provided to Glasgow Airport and Glasgow Central Station at a fixed time.
Dates and Prices
6 to 15 May 2021 | ||
---|---|---|
Category | Brochure Price | Special Offer Price |
2 Standard Stateroom | £3995 | £3795 |
3 Classic Stateroom | £4195 | £3995 |
4 Superior Stateroom | £4695 | £4495 |
5 Deluxe Stateroom | £4995 | £4795 |
6 Junior Suite | £5495 | £5295 |
7 Owner’s Suite | £6195 | £5995 |
8 Serenissima Suite | £6195 | £5995 |
10 Standard Single | £4495 | £4295 |
Tour Reference Code: SCSE060521
PRICE INCLUDES: Nine nights aboard the MS Serenissima on a full board basis • House wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner • Noble Caledonia expedition team • Shore excursions • Gratuities • Transfers • Port taxes.
Not Included: Travel insurance.
-
Deckplan
Serenissima
The charming MS Serenissima began her career as the Harald Jarl, cruising the Norwegian coastline and fjords. Extensively renovated in 2003 she was rechristened MS Andrea and began her life as a classic cruise ship, and was chartered by Noble Caledonia for a number of years. In spring 2012 MS Andrea was purchased by our longstanding associates Volga Dream and renamed the MS Serenissima. After a thorough renovation and upgrading, the charming MS Serenissima commenced cruise operations in April 2013 and we have chartered her for the majority of each year since knowing her to be perfect for small ship cruising. With her small size she can navigate into small, remote ports inaccessible to the big cruise ships and appears an impressive sight when moored. With her fleet of Zodiacs she is capable of both destination and expedition cruising.
Travelling with You
-
Conrad Weston Hernandez
Conrad Weston is a Second Generation costarrican. Conrad has been involved in ecotourism since 1986 in South and Central America mainly. Diving has been a family tradition for him. He has a great interest in the coral reef ecosystems of both the Pacific and Caribbean. Bird identification makes him get up early in the morning. Fishing is among his passions along with surfing and these activities have allowed him to travel out of the beaten path extensively.
Conrad Weston Hernandez will be on the following tour dates: 6 to 15 May 2021 -
John Love
Born in Inverness, John Love graduated in zoology at Aberdeen University. In 1975 he went to live on the Isle of Rum where he managed a highly successful project to reintroduce the white-tailed sea eagle. While he remains involved with birds of prey, seabirds are another passion. After Rum, John worked as a warden in the Cairngorms for two years before heading west, ultimately to become Area Officer for Scottish Natural Heritage for Uist, Barra and St Kilda and has now lived in South Uist (Outer Hebrides) for 26 years. Over the years he has enjoyed holidays in Kenya, Egypt, India, Galapagos, Namibia and Botswana. In the 1990s John acted as guide and lecturer on several small charter vessels round the Hebrides, and has also lectured on cruises, round Scotland and to Norway, for the National Trust for Scotland.
He first worked for Noble Caledonia in 2008 and now participates in various expedition cruises for three to five months each year. This is mainly around the UK - and the Hebrides in particular - but he has also voyaged round Ireland, northern France, Iceland and the Faroes, Norway, the White Sea, the Seychelles, the Maldives, the Tanzanian/Mozambique coast, northern Madagascar and, most recently, New Zealand, the Lesser Antilles and Alaska.
John has written and illustrated books on sea otters, eagles and penguins, on the human history of the Isle of Rum, and natural histories of lighthouses and of St Kilda. His interests are wide, and include drawing, photography, traditional music and playing the fiddle.
John Love will be on the following tour dates: 6 to 15 May 2021 -
Colin Munro
Colin is a freelance marine biologist and photographer. Originally from the Scottish Highlands, he now splits his time between Southwest England and Thailand.
He has been working with Noble Caledonia on expedition ships since 2014; this work has taken him to some truly amazing places, from reefs off Papua New Guinea to rainforests in Panama, and taken him back to his homeland cruising the Western Isles of Scotland. Always happiest underwater with a camera, he has lead snorkelling in some of the World’s best locations, from the outer Great Barrier Reef to Aldabra. As someone who started his underwater career as a military diver (a long time ago) in lead boots and zero visibility in the freezing rivers of North Germany he truly appreciates how special these places are.
When not working on expedition ships Colin is still actively involved in marine biological projects in both the UK and Thailand. He also works as a professional photographer, specialising in nature and underwater.
Colin Munro will be on the following tour dates: 6 to 15 May 2021 -
Edward Creek
Ted Creek has always been fascinated by wildlife and the water and studied marine biology and oceanography at the University of Plymouth. With a BSc and professional qualifications as a scuba diver he became obsessed with life below the waves. He then worked for a year as a crew member and wildlife guide for a small ecotourism company based on a tiny island south of Oban. Small speedboat tours regularly included venturing into the infamous Corryvreckan whirlpool and explaining the interactions of the local currents and their effects. Since then, and to widen his experience of boats and the sea, Ted has worked on engineering projects involving the use of renewable energies and studies into their effect on the marine life around them. Ted is now an advanced powerboat driver and is learning more about the marine world with every new contract.
Edward Creek will be on the following tour dates: 6 to 15 May 2021
Also of Interest
The Enchanted Isles
Discover the beautiful Isles of Scilly with Mike Nelhams & Chantal Cookson staying at the Hell Bay Hotel on Bryher
Hell Bay Hotel
Hell Bay Hotel
Itinerary at a glance
- Bryher / Tresco / St Agnes / St Martin / St Marys
Islands to the Highlands
An Island Hopping Expedition from Plymouth to Oban including the Channel Islands, Isles of Scilly & Isle of Man aboard the MS Hebridean Sky
Hebridean Sky
Hebridean Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- Plymouth / Channel Islands / Isles of Scilly / Lundy Island / Calf of Man / Peel / Colonsay / Iona / Oban
Scotland & the Faroes
An island hopping expedition including the Shetland Islands, Faroe Islands & Hebrides aboard the MS Serenissima
Serenissima
Serenissima
Itinerary at a glance
- Aberdeen / Orkney Islands / Fair Isle / Lerwick / Faroe Islands / Stornoway / Outer Hebrides / Staffa / Iona / Lunga / Oban
Summer in the Isles - 2021
Discover the Channel Islands & Isles of Scilly aboard the MS Hebridean Sky
Hebridean Sky
Hebridean Sky
Itinerary at a glance
- Portsmouth / Alderney / Herm /Guernsey / Sark / Tresco / Bryher / St Martin's / St Agnes / St Mary's
Bird Islands
A discovery of Britain’s seabird islands aboard the Ocean Nova
Ocean Nova
Ocean Nova
Itinerary at a glance
Birds of the Scottish Isles
An in-depth exploration of the remote islands of Scotland aboard the Ocean Nova
Ocean Nova
Ocean Nova
Itinerary at a glance
- Inverness / Fair Isle / Sumburgh Head / Lerwick / Isle of Noss / Unst / Foula / Papa Stour / North Ronaldsay / Papa Westray / North Rona / Sula Sgeir / St Kilda / Stac Lee / Iona / Lunga / Oban
Circumnavigation of the United Kingdom - 2022
A summer voyage of England, Scotland, Ireland & Wales aboard MS Serenissima
Serenissima
Serenissima
Itinerary at a glance
- Portsmouth / Guernsey / Herm/ Isles of Scilly / St David / Fishguard / Llandududno / Isle of Man / Belfast / Staffa / Iona / St Kilda / Scrabster / Shetland Islands / Montrose / berwick-upon-Tweed / Whitby / Southwold
Book with Confidence
Speak to one of our advisors on 020 7752 0000