ST KILDA and the HEBRIDES

FRI 12 JULY – FRI 19 JULY 2024

PRICES: TBC

Deposit: £300pp

Max 10 clients. Leader TBC

A fabulous six-day cruise aimed at wonderful St Kilda, one of Scotland’s World Heritage Sites. From Nethy Bridge we cross The Minch to Stornoway, where we relax with a walk through nearby woodland looking for island races of Wren and Song Thrush. On Saturday, we board our comfortable vessel for six nights on the ocean wave, climaxing in our expedition westwards to the outpost of St Kilda. There are no guarantees, but in reasonable weather our chances of reaching the islands are excellent and we plan to moor overnight in village bay, and spend a full day on Hirta, the largest island. This should give us time to find St Kilda Wren, a distinctive subspecies, 2-3g heavier than mainland birds. Soay Sheep, St Kilda Field Mouse and the history of this remote community will also be of great interest, and sunrise and sunset are spectacular in good weather.

Everyone should visit St Kilda at least once and the islands are famous for its huge seabird colonies. The spectacle and clamour of a million birds at the height of their breeding season, in north-west Europe’s largest colony, is unforgettable. Highlights include Puffin (more than 250,000 – the largest colony in Britain), Manx Shearwater, Fulmar (more than 100,000 – the largest colony in Western Europe), Guillemot, Razorbill and Gannet (estimated at over 120,000 birds and the largest in the world!).

As we sail, Manx Shearwater, Arctic Skua, Great Skua for feeding frenzies around the ‘flurries’ of fish alongside Guillemot, Razorbill, Kittiwake. We should see Storm Petrel too - the seas can teem with birds. We should encounter Otter on rocky beaches and inlets, and Minke Whale, Basking Shark, Harbour Porpoise, Bottle-nosed, Common and Risso’s Dolphin are all possible too.

There is no fixed itinerary for the rest of the holiday, though spectacular island scenery is all around, and we will visit remote bays and unspoilt beaches where birdlife is likely to include all three divers in breeding plumage, waders including Greenshank and Golden Plover, White-tailed and Golden Eagles, Merlin and Twite. We explore the machair and its flora, with rare orchids in flower as we embark on day trips to other depopulated islands perhaps including Scarp, Little Bernera, Taransay or perhaps the Monarch Isles. Total species c. 65. Number of centres: 2.