ORKNEY is a collection of around 70 islands with the capital, Kirkwall, being on the island known as ‘Mainland’. There is evidence to suggest that the Orkneys have been inhabited since around 6700BC. The world famous Neolithic village of Skara Brae was inhabited around 3100BC and is the best preserved village from that time in Europe. There was a great influx of Norwegians in the 8th and 9th centuries, eventually dominating the native Picts. The Vikings used the islands as their base for raiding other parts of Scotland, England, Ireland and even Norway and Brittany. The 140 square miles of Scapa Flow provided the Royal Navy with a major naval base during both World Wars. The German High Seas fleet was interned there after WWI and is where its ships were scuttled during 1919. Scapa Flow is now a popular destination for recreational divers. Another landmark at Scapa Flow is the ornate Italian Chapel, built by Italian prisoners of war during WWII.

SHETLAND is a collection of around 100 islands. Lerwick on ‘Mainland’ is the capital and is the most northerly town in the UK. Despite the large part the oil industry plays in Shetland economy, Lerwick still has a picturesque old harbour with a colourful mix of fishing and pleasure craft. Reflecting the strong Norse influence on Shetland its main festival is ‘Up Helly Aa’. This pagan festival is held on the last Tuesday of January to mark the end of the Yule season. A replica Viking longboat is escorted through the town by men dressed as Vikings and carrying flaming torches. The longboat is then burned by the men throwing their torches into the boat. Shetland’s the home of over a million seabirds, making it one of the largest in the North Atlantic. In winter it’s fairly common to see the ‘Northern Lights – Aurora Borealis’ on clear nights and in summer there is almost perpetual daylight.