Archaeological Tours - Scotland & its islands

SCOTLAND & ITS ISLANDS Megaliths & Mythologies 17 Days | 23 September - 09 October 2019 £5,995 Single Supp: £750

archaeological tours The Callanish Standing Stones during sunrise

Dunnottar Castle, Aberdeen

STORNAWAY - SKYE - OBAN - EDINBURGH - ABERDEEN - INVERNESS KIRKWALL - LERWICK - GLASGOW Amid Scotland’s highlands and islands, framed by dramatic settings of blue-hazed mountains, emerald green valleys and rugged shores, some of Europe’s most ancient standing stones, dating from the Neolithic New Stone Age and Bronze Age, continue to broadcast their voiceless message from millennia long past.

One Ancient Greek philosopher even claimed they were the work of a race of giants living on the northern edge of the world. Their purpose (religious or ceremonial perhaps?) largely remains a mystery on which archaeologists can only speculate.

Our wide-ranging tour guides us through the glorious scenery of the Scottish mainland and beyond to the islands of the Hebrides, Orkneys and Shetlands in pursuit of a deeper insight into the origins and purpose of these monumental prehistoric landmarks and their historical context. We’ll encounter stone circles and megalithic tombs; remote and intricately decorated Pictish stelae; towering brochs; stone-built villages; and wild landscapes of peat-covered moors and swift-flowing burns. Equally intriguing are Iron Age remains whose warrior-like creators might feature in later Celtic mythology.

We’ll also visit excellent museums showcasing artifacts of these ancient cultures and those of the Picts, Romans and Vikings, as well as learning about Scotland’s early church and the eventful story of its clans.

Tour highlights Marvel at the impressive site of Skara Brae’s excavated stone-age village where artifacts 5,000 years old have been uncovered Pay an indulgent visit to a great Oban distillery, where we can learn how single malt whisky is produced - and, of course, we can sample a dram or two Sail the ferry to the legendary Isle of Skye, one of the most scenic and romantic of the Hebridean Islands Visit the fabled Iona island and its abbey, which is thought to be the first Christian site in all of Scotland Take the short boat trip to the Shetlands’ Mousa Island to see the most complete of Scotland’s 500 ancient drystone roundhouses, known as brochs

Expert scholar Peter Yeoman was the Head of Cultural Heritage at Historic Scotland, with responsibility for the archaeology and the knowledge base for the estate of 345 properties in their care. He has written guidebooks for Iona Abbey, Stirling Castle and Edinburgh Castle, and contributed to Lonely Planet’s guide to Scotland.

1-800-782-0295 | www.archaeological-tours.com/sco

YOUR JOURNEY THROUGH SCOTTISH ANTIQUITY September 23 | Stornaway We arrive in Stornaway, on the Isle of Lewis, and transfer to our first hotel. We take the rest of the day to relax, before coming together for an introductory lecture and a welcome dinner as a group.

Dinner included.

September 24 | Stornaway Our stay here gives us an opportunity to explore some of the heather-covered moors and brightly painted villages. However, we have traveled this distance primarily to see the Stones of Callanish, which are among the most important megalithic monuments of the British Isles. The site dates from the Late Stone Age and Early Bronze Age (3000-1500 BC) and has a central cairn, which was a later addition. We will also visit Dun Carloway Broch, the Museum Nan Eilean, and other historic monuments.

Breakfast & lunch included.

September 25 | Stornaway - Skye Today we take a leisurely drive to the Isle of Harris, unique in its unspoilt atmosphere and an unusual lunar landscape indented with hundreds of tiny lochs.

Here, we visit St. Clement’s Church before boarding our ferry from Tarbert to Uig, located on one of the most scenic islands in the Hebrides – the Isle of Skye.

All meals included.

September 26 | Skye - Oban Our visits today include the brochs of Dun Telve and Dun Troddan. Dun Telve, at 10 meters, and Dun Troddan are two of the best-preserved and informative brochs in Scotland. Built by the Picts 2000 years ago, they demonstrate the defensive nature of these structures. We then travel through a landscape of craggy hills and glacial lochs on a trip considered to be one of Scotland’s most scenic. We cross the Skye Bridge and continue with a visit to the local Oban Distillery. Here we will learn how single malt is made and taste their smoky, peaty whiskey.

Breakfast & lunch included.

September 27 | Oban We take a ferry from Oban via the Island of Mull to the historically important isle of Iona, where St. Columba exiled from Ireland and established a monastic community in AD 563. The Columban Church had a key role in the establishment of Christianity in Scotland until Viking raids caused most of the community to move to Kells, in Ireland.

We visit the Early Christian remains and the medieval abbey and nunnery before returning to Oban.

Breakfast & lunch included.

September 28 | Oban - Edinburgh An early morning drive brings us to Cairnpapple Hill. Here five phases of occupation can be seen, the earliest of the Late Neolithic period, a large burial cairn from the Bronze Age and lastly, four graves probably of the Early Iron Age. We will then visit two forts along the Roman Antonine Wall: the wellpreserved Rough Castle and Kinneil, a fortlet that has been excavated and partially reconstructed. We then continue to Edinburgh for two nights at our centrally located hotel.

Breakfast & lunch included.

September 29 | Edinburgh After a morning lecture, our city tour begins with Edinburgh Castle and a walk down the Royal Mile past wonderfully restored 15th- and 17th-century buildings, such as the John Knox House, St. Giles’ Cathedral, and the Holyrood Abbey and Palace, official residence of the Queen when she is in town. These sites are imbued with the spirit of Mary Queen of Scots and brings the history of that period to life.

We continues at the National Museum of Scotland, where we will see the fine archaeological collection, illustrating Scottish life and culture. The rest of the day will be at leisure to visit the city’s landmarks.

Breakfast & lunch included.

September 30 | Edinburgh - Aberdeen Driving north, we enter the center of the Pictish kingdoms. Our first stop is Dunning Church, one of Scotland’s earliest surviving churches, where we see the Dupplin Cross, a 9th century monument dedicated to King Constantine found at Forteviot, a Pictish royal site and prehistoric ritual center. En route to Aberlemno, we see four Pictish stones. At Meigle, burial place of faithless Guinevere, we see a collection of early Christian monuments. Our last stop is Dunnottar Castle, steeped in history including William Wallace and the battle against Cromwell’s army that saved the Scottish Crown Jewels and the honor of Scotland.

Breakfast & lunch included.

October 01 | Aberdeen - Inverness We travel through the land of Buchan, stopping to inspect the Maiden Stone en route. At Rhynie, we see the Craw Stane as well as three other Pictish symbol stones. We continue to Inverness, stopping to visit Burghead, a Pictish fort and well with bull carvings, and at Sueno’s Stone, which is covered with mysterious symbols. Our final visit will be at Clava Cairns, built between 2500 and 2000 BC. Breakfast & lunch included.

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October 02 | Inverness - Kirkwall We drive north along the coast to the ferry at Scrabster, visiting prehistoric sites en route, including the Trabat Discovery Center, a series of Pictish cross slabs at Hilton and Shandwick, The Hill o’Many Stanes - often compared to Brittany’s Carnac - and the Grey Cairns of Camster. An overnight ferry brings us over to the Orkney Islands and its quiet capital, Kirkwall, one of the earliest Norse trading centers.

All meals included.

October 03 | Kirkwall Touring continues today with the Italian Chapel, built

by Italian prisoners of War during WWII. We will also visit Scapa Flow, and Iron Age Gurness, strikingly positioned beside Eynhallow Sound with views across to the island of Rousay.

Breakfast & lunch included.

October 04 | Kirkwall In Brough of Birsay, we see remains of Pictish and Norse settlements, where Norse longhouses give a picture of early 12th-century life on the islands. We visit the Kirkwall museum and free time follows.

Breakfast included.

October 05 | Kirkwall - Sea Ferry This morning we explore excavations at the Ring of Brodgar, the great Standing Stones of Stenness, and Barnhouse. We then continue on to the Stone Age settlement of Skara Brae, where excavations have revealed houses with stone furnishings, tools and

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implements after an incredible 5,000 years of burial.

Overnight, a ferry takes us over to the wild and beautiful Shetland Islands.

Breakfast & lunch included.

October 06 | Sea Ferry - Lerwick Upon arrival on the Shetland Islands, we see Old Scatness, an Early Iron Age broch and village built between 400 and 200 BC. Next, we visit Jarlshof and its museum, which has a small collection of finds from the site. Later, a short boat trip brings us to the uninhabited and atmospheric island of Mousa, where we see the most complete of Scotland’s 500 brochs.

Breakfast & lunch included.

October 07 | Lerwick Morning visits include Clickimin Broch and the prehistoric sites of Staneydale “Neolithic temple” and nearby standing stones (weather permitting). The Shetland Museum completes our touring.

Breakfast & lunch included.

October 08 | Glasgow Today we fly to Glasgow where we have time at leisure to explore the city on our own. This evening we gather together for our farewell dinner.

Breakfast & dinner included.

October 09 | Depart Glasgow We transfer to the Airport for our flights home or onward travel.

Breakfast included.

Tour Information We stay in selection of hotels, hand-picked by our experts, ensuring they are the best available: 2 nights in Stornaway: 2* Caladh Inn

1 night in Inverness: 4* Kingsmills Hotel

1 night in Sleat: 3* Hotel Eilean Iarmain

3 nights in Kirkwall: 3* Ayre Hotel

2 nights in Oban: 3* Royal Hotel

1 night on the Sea Ferry

2 nights in Edinburgh: 4* The Principal Edinburgh George Street 1 night in Aberdeen: 4* Hilton Garden Inn

A/C coach, ferry Regional flight: Lerwick - Glasgow Scotland

2 nights in Lerwick: 3* Queens Hotel 1 night in Glasgow: 4* Grand Central Hotel

Lerwick

Kirkwall

Stornoway

Skye Inverness Aberdeen Oban

Glasgow

Edinburgh

If you have any questions about this tour, please contact a member of our team today: 1-800-782-0295 | www.archaeological-tours.com/sco