
Tour · 6 nights · with Explore Worldwide
A six-night small-group walking holiday with Explore Worldwide, tracing the Orkney Isles from Kirkwall to remote seabird colonies, ancient Neolithic sites and quiet coastal paths along a well-paced itinerary.
Highlights
Clifftop walk to Westray’s Noup Head seabird colonies
Visit to the Italian Chapel and WWII Churchill Barriers
Walks around the Neolithic village of Skara Brae
Exploration of the Ring of Brodgar and Stones of Stenness
Archaeological sites and moorland walk on Rousay Island
This escorted six-night walking holiday with Explore Worldwide begins in Inverness and quickly moves to Kirkwall, the administrative capital of Orkney, where St Magnus Cathedral and its medieval neighbours set an atmospheric tone. Over the next days, walks are spread across several islands, including a ferry trip to Westray, where cliff paths pass puffin colonies and ruins of Noltland Castle.
Journeys
The route laces wild seabird habitats and archaeological treasures, like the Brough of Deerness on the Mainland and the 5,000-year-old Neolithic village of Skara Brae. A visit to the simple Italian Chapel and wartime sites on Lambholm brings a different century’s history into the frame. The final island is Rousay, whose nickname, 'The Egypt of the North', reflects its wealth of standing stones and burial cairns.
Walking distances are modest and tend to follow grassy coastal trails and moorland paths, though expect some muddy patches. The group is small enough to maintain a relaxed pace, but finessing ferry schedules and weather can occasionally shuffle the days. The trip finishes back at Inverness with time to plan the journey home or onward.
Itinerary
Kirkwall
Westray
Skara Brae
Ring of Brodgar
Stromness
When to go
Lowest price each month, per person.
Explore Worldwide confirms exact dates, availability and prices when you book.
Need to know
For full details of what’s included, check with Explore Worldwide. See the full details on their site
The operator
Small-group adventures, walking and wildlife
Small groups with local leaders, and a fondness for the places at the end of the road. Trips are graded so you know how active they are.
You book with Explore Worldwide directly. They confirm your place, take payment, and look after you from the moment you leave home; Atlas & Passage’s part ends when you click through.
New to United Kingdom? Our United Kingdom guide has the practical essentials: money, plugs, visas and when to go.

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Orkney Museum
Rousay
These are the places the trip visits, in order. Explore Worldwide publishes the day-by-day itinerary on its own site.