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Location:
Scotland: United Kingdom
Interest:
Area Studies
Price Range:
$3500 - $5000
Start Date:
7/8/2010 - 7/25/2010
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Summary       Daily Schedule       Meals & Lodging       Travel Details       Dates & Prices

Scotland, UK:Scotland


Land, Sea and Skye: Scottish Highlands and Islands

Prices for this date starting at: $4989 per person

Date selected:


7/8/2010


Number: 3169RJ

Duration: 17 nights

Theme: Area Studies; Natural History

Meals: 48 total, 16 Breakfasts, 16 Lunches, 16 Dinners

Activity Level: 5
(see description)

Itinerary: Glasgow., UK:Scotland 1 night; Aigas, UK:Scotland 5 nights... More
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Majestic. Few words better capture the incomparable beauty found in the soaring peaks, low-lying valleys and lochs of the Scottish Highlands and islands. From the baronial home of renowned author-naturalist Sir John Lister-Kaye, venture into the mystical landscape for a uniquely privileged view of north Scotland's ancient history, the downfall of Gaelic clans, the Highland Clearances and New World emigration.



Highlights


• 

Lecture by Sir John Lister-Kaye: History of the House of Aigas.


• 

Field trip to Clava Cairns, thought to be Neolithic ritual burial chambers connected with the Winter Solstice.


• 

A variety of Ranger-led workshops to choose from based on the habitats, species and land use within the mosaic of the Aigas Estate.



Activity Particulars

Walking 3-5 miles; uneven gravel paths; standing, stairs, no lifts on mini-buses.



Day 1

Overnight flight from the U.S.A.
1 night

Days 2–7

Arrival Glasgow
1 night
Coach to Aigas near Beauly
5 nights

From 6,000 B.C. to today, trace the history of the highlands with presentations on Caledonian wildlife and habitats, land-use and the culture and natural history of the Isles of Skye and Orkney. Ranger-led workshops cover botany, birds, archaeology and Highland farming, known as crofting. Explore the Glen Affric pinewood reserve, Cawdor Castle, Clava Cairns, Culloden Battlefield and the fertile Black Isle Peninsula renowned for its wildlife. Enjoy a cookery demonstration by culinary expert Lady Lucinda Lister-Kaye, and a Scottish piper and traditional music performance.



Lodging: Comfortable hotel near airport and heated timber lodges.



Days 8–12

Mini-bus to Isle of Skye
2 night
Train to Aigas
3 nights

The “Misty Isle” of Skye is dominated by 3,000-foot red and black volcanic peaks. Aigas staff leads explorations of Wester Ross's wilderness, the Torridon hills and coastal villages. Narrated excursions illuminate the thriving crofting communities, Kilt Rock and Quirang. Board a ferry from Kylerhea to Glenelg's Iron Age sites and ride the rails through the mountains to Muir of Ord.



Lodging: Three-star hotel.



Days 13–18

Coach to Orkney
2 nights
Coach to Aigas
2 nights
Coach to Glasgow for departure
1 night

Sandstone cliffs, bird reserves, wildflowers and archaeological treasures blanket the Orkney archipelago. Walk the narrow streets of Kirkwall and Stromness and enjoy local entertainment. Aigas staff traces the rich Orkney heritage during field trips to St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, the Earl's and Bishop's Palaces, Marwick Head bird reserve, Scapa Flow and much more



Lodging: Country guest house, heated timber lodges and hotel near Glasgow airport.




Click here for this program's daily schedule

Exploritas Instructor

Sir Lister-Kaye
Director of Aigas Field Centre, Sir John Lister-Kaye is one of Scotland’s foremost naturalists and well-loved nature writers. A freelance environmental journalist and writer, 30 years ago he founded Aigas Field Center and has led it to its status as ...
Click Here to see more

Please note that this expert is one of the instructors available to speak on at least one date of this program. Several instructors may be teaching this program over the course of the year, and your specific instructor depends on the date you select. Circumstances may require us to change instructors.

Suggested Reading List

Song of the Rolling Earth: A Highland Odyssey


Author: Sir John Lister-Kaye


Description: Written by your host at Aigas. 'A wonderfully lyrical book surging with the sheer joy of nature, from Scotland's premier nature writer.' Magnus Magnusson; ' An environmental classic', SPECTATOR; 'Lister-Kaye establishes himself as one of the finest nature writers in the language', SCOTSMAN; 'Wonderful and evocative', GLASGOW EVENING NEWS; 'A masterful piece of storytelling', COUNTRY LIFE.


Nature's Child


Author: Sir John Lister-Kaye


Description: 'A tender, lyrical, erudite story ... beautifully written and full of superb evocations of nature ... A really important book'


. The Scottish Nation: 1700-2000


Author: T.M.Devine


Description: The Scottish Nation examines the social, political, religious and economic factors that have shaped modern Scotland. Drawing on the latest research, Devine places Scotland firmly within an international context and provides a key focus for the ongoing debate regarding Scotland's future. This new edition brings the reader up-to-date with Scotland's recent history, from the high politics of the devolved parliament to the everyday effects of huge and growing levels of social inequality.


Scotland: A Concise History


Author: Sir Fitzroy Maclean and Magnus Linklater


Description: Continuously in print for over thirty years and renowned to this day for the authority and wit with which it disentangles the complex threads of Scotland's rich history, this classic work has been brought up to date with a new chapter examining the Scots identity in the wake of the first Scottish Parliament in nearly 300 years.


Scotland: A New History


Author: Michael Lynch


Description: This full length history of Scotland is made up of 25 chapters spanning 18 centuries, from the Picts to the 1980s and is designed for the general reader. A particular feature of the book is the attention it gives to social and cultural history, including life in towns, the changing role of the nobles, and the shifting images of Scottish identity through the ages. The landmarks of Scottish history - the Wars of Independence, the Reformation, the Union of Crowns and the Union of Parliaments, the Jacobite rebellions, the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution, are all covered. The author is the editor of "The Innes Review", literary editor of the Scottish History Society and has written books on Edinburgh and the Reformation, Mary, Queen of Scots and the Scottish Burghs.