Walking Scotland’s Orkney Islands vacation

Planet

Walking is arguably the greenest from of travel with no carbon footprint. On this walking vacation we hike in a variety of different protected environments including the RSPB Trumland Reserve on Rousay Island and the Noup Head Seabird Colony on Westray Island. Our hikes allow us to explore with minimal impact on the natural world. We hope to see and learn more about species such as the puffin, Great skua, Hen harrier, Merlin, Red-throated diver and short-eared owl. There is also an abundance of marine life and around 15% of the world’s seal population make Orkney their home. Autumn is best for spotting grey and common seal when the pups arrive.

As a travel company we are continually looking for ways to improve and are proud to be ‘Responsible in everything we do’. Education is key, and so all staff, Tour Leaders and partnering suppliers are trained in responsible and sustainable tourism. At our Head Office, we continually strive towards a sustainable and planet-friendly working environment, including having solar panels installed and a company commitment to reducing our plastic usage.

As part of our Responsible Travel policy, we advise customers to take reusable water bottles with them on tour. Our local leaders actively do not distribute single-use plastic water bottles. Tap water in the Orkneys is safe to drink and we encourage customers to refill their bottles from the tap.

People

We work with small, locally-run hotels. This helps ensure that our trips benefits the economy directly where we stay. Picnics are sourced locally and we choose locally-owned restaurants where clients can sample the excellent local produce and seafood. Clients have the chance to visit Scapa Flow and Highland Park distilleries or at least sample a dram or two in the evening.

The ancient past of the Orkney Islands is one of its main attractions. We visit Neolithic Orkney sites at Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar, the Stones of Stenness and burial tomb of Maeshowe. The entry fees from these visits helps the conservation and maintenance of these iconic sites.

The welcoming and friendly local culture is another undoubted highlight of visiting the Orkneys and along the way we strive to introduce our clients to Orcadian traditions, customs and experiences, maximising contact wherever possible.

As a company we have valuable and longstanding partnerships with UK charities Toilet Twinning and Send a Cow, plus many smaller initiatives and projects around the world. We’re members of the UK travel industry body AITO because we believe it’s important to share our knowledge and experience, as well as learn from other operators.