Your tour takes in the Highland capital, Inverness, followed by a drive through the wilds of Sutherland; you will spend a day walking on Scotland's north coast, three days in the Orkneys, two days in the Shetlands and finally you'll be able to explore the beautiful city of Aberdeen.

You'll stay in highly commended small hotels which pride themselves on providing personal service and excellent food. Two nights are spent on the very comfortable island ferries. Your walking and tour guide has lived for many years in Scotland. He is an experienced walk leader and Scottish Tourist Guide.

The essence of the tour is to engage with the countryside, rather than in strenuous mountain sports. The varied walks take us along immense cliffs with bizarre rock formations and caves, over deserted white beaches to fishing villages, over pretty green hills and through hollows bright with wild flowers to the world of mountain and waterfall that is the northern Highlands.

In the North Atlantic, summer daylight hardly fades; long, lingering sunsets create an enchanting atmosphere and bewitching light that dissolve into a romantic twilight only around midnight.

Sightseeing highlights of the tour include the famous stone age settlement of Skara Brae, numerous important stone circles - most notably the Ring of Brodgar - the Churchill Barriers, Scapa Flow, the Italian Chapel, St Magnus' Cathedral in Kirkwall, brochs, strange rock stacks such as the Old Man of Hoy and Dore Holm - as well as the possibility of a Scottish evening and much more.

To these many sights you can add - either going in a group or as an individual - visits to other prehistoric sites such as Maes Howe and Jarlshof, to local art galleries and interesting museums, or to the nost northerly whisky distillery, Highland Park. You can seek out unpretentious pubs where you can chat with the locals about the area and its people, about the islands and about beer and whisky.

You do not need to be an experienced walker, but you should enjoy going for walks of at least 4 hours. Your guide can offer alternatives to the more strenuous hikes. You may wish to spend a whole day with no walking, in order to relax or to make your own arrangements to engage with the cultural wealth and leisure activities of the islands.

Walking groups are small, the minimum being 10 people. Groups normally number 12 to 16. On the walks you'll need only a small day-sack for your packed lunch, camera and so on. Your luggage is transported.

Usually we walk straight from the hotel. For transfers we take a boat, using a coach or minibus only when necessary, so that your transfer itself becomes an adventure and you can enjoy your holiday far from streets and cars.

Your friendly tour guide will be delighted to share his/her enthusiasm for the country, its land, culture and people with you.

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