Sail in the wake of the Nordic Skalds; this midsummer voyage will take in some of the most incredible parts of North Scotland and the North Isles - 

Departing from Shetland in late June, a time of year when the daylight never ends this far north, we will head south - taking in Orkney, rounding Cape Wrath, the Viking turning point, and sailing down the northwest coast of Scotland.

On an exciting voyage that will likely include one or two night sails - or what passes for night this far north - we will cover 265 miles, making this one of our longer Sessions and Sail passages!

Making our passage from Shetland, we'll first set a course for Orkney - possibly swinging by the bottom of the dramatic Kame of Foula, a 300-metre sea cliff that is dramatic and imposing when viewed from the sea.

Expect tunes as we sail - our tutors will mostly be sailing with us this week. Shanties, songs and craic from Harry Bird, fiddle tunes from Carol Anderson, Shetland tunes and lore from our skipper Barry Nisbet, among others.

We'll plan to stop in the North Isles of Orkney, as did vikings and earls in the days of the Orkneying Saga; rested and with a few good tunes played, we'll carry on towards Cape Wrath and the West Sutherland Coast. This is where the mountains start - iconic views of Suilven and other famous mountains such as Ben Stack and Quinag, all inspiration for more tunes and songs as we approach our first mainland anchorages.

Our passage will take us down this coast with dramatic views of Skye on one side, and the West Highlands on the other. 

We'll aim to celebrate our passage with an evening in the famous Old Forge pub in Knoydart before we cross Loch Nevis to our destination, Mallaig.

You  will be allocated a berth aboard the brigantine 'Lady of Avenel',  in one of our six double cabins. For solo  travellers, cabins will be allocated on a same-sex basis; if two people  travelling together wish to share a cabin, we recommend booking early to  ensure availability.

There are two showers and three toilets in the accommodation; these are shared.

Meals are prepared in the modern upper deck galley; these are of a high standard and prepared by our own chef.

The upper deck saloon provides an ideal place to socialise and, with the tables cleared away, is the perfect session space for the evenings we spend aboard. When the weather is fair, we can play sessions on deck.

Shetland

Shetland can be reached by aeroplane, with flights from Aberdeen, Inverness, Glasgow, Edinburgh or Orkney – see www.loganair.co.uk 

Northlink Ferries have nightly sailings from Aberdeen - these depart at 1900 or 1700, depending on whether the ship will call at Orkney. We recommend booking the boat well in advance if you want a cabin - and book direct from Northlink's own website at www.northlinkferries.com

We will advise on travel within Shetland, including getting to the ship, depending on whether you intend to arrive by plane of boat.

Mallaig

Mallaig is connected by bus via Fort William http://www.citylink.co.uk;

One of the world's most scenic rail journeys can take you there direct from Glasgow Queen Street Station www.thetrainline.com/www.scotrail.co.uk 

or, if you feel like adding to your experience, you could take the Jacobite steam train to Fort William. http://www.westcoastrailways.co.uk/jacobite/jacobite-steam-train-details.cfm   

We recommend confirming flights and travel arrangements as early as possible to avoid price rises and availability problems.

  We recommend you bring the following:

• Warm jumper/fleece
• Waterproof jacket and trousers
• Long trousers
• Boots/waterproof footwear
• Sunglasses
• A soft bag (no suitcases please!) 
• Passport
• Thermal layers 
• A waterproof cover/case for your instrument
• Thick socks
• Sufficient cash to last the week 

You may also be glad to have:

• Binoculars 
• Midgie repellent (we like Smidge) 
• Sun Cream
• A RYA logbook if you have one.

Please note that the Lady of Avenel is a ship built in the 1960s - getting around the ship and above and below decks requires a degree of mobility and ability to negotiate stairs. 

If you have mobility issues it is best to check your suitability for this voyage - please send us a message and we'll be happy to advise.

The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT) provides financial protection under The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 for Nisbet Marine Services/Sessions and Sail, Member Number 5533, and in the event of their insolvency,  protection is provided for:

 -  Non-flight packages

ABTOT  cover provides for a refund in the event you have not yet travelled or repatriation if transportation was included in your package. Please note that bookings made outside the UK are only protected by ABTOT when purchased directly with Nisbet Marine Services/Sessions and Sail.

In the unlikely event that you require assistance whilst abroad due to our financial failure, please call our 24/7 helpline on 01702 811397 and advise you are a customer of an ABTOT protected travel company.

You can access The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 here

You can find out more about ABTOT here

This itinerary is a suggestion of how the trip may take form; all destinations and routes are subject to change, are weather dependant, and are at the discretion of the Captain.  

You join the Lady of Avenel, tied up alongside the harbour in Scalloway, Shetland's ancient capital, dominated by the castle built in 1599 for the tyrant Patrick Stewart.

After a tasty lunch, a look around the ship and settling into your cabin, we have a welcome aboard chat and safety talk from the Captain. Then, with the Lady ready for departure, we leave the pier and sail out through the plethora of islands that surrounds Scalloway.

At our overnight anchorage, all talk is of tomorrow's passage to Orkney; but there's plenty time for some tunes after dinner and a chat around the Lady's saloon tables; take a look outside before bedtime to appreciate the Simmer Dim, the perpetual light Shetland enjoys at this time of year.

We have a breakfast together, then get the ship ready for sea!

You may like to help the crew haul on halyards, set sheets and braces as we get the Lady underway; or you may prefer to stand back and watch her 'white wings' spread.

With the ship underway and the South Mainland of Shetland slipping past on the port side, the ship gets into her seagoing routine. Watches are set; and the day revolves around meals and cups of tea or coffee! If there's fine weather we may well play tunes as we go.

It's 77 miles to Westray - and our eta there is 4am!

At 4am, with the sun rising off the stern, we approach the pier at Pierowall, Westray - known as 'høfn' by the Vikings and Norse Earls who regularly made this passage.

Once all secure alongside, we may return to our bunks for some rest - or watch the colours change and listen to the sounds as the sun rises and Westray's snipes, redshanks, shalders, curlews and laevericks come to life!

Later, there's plenty time to explore Westray; walk to the amazing and well-preserved Noltland Castle, learn a tune or two with out tutors aboard the Lady; and in the evening a few tunes in the cosy Pierowall Hotel.

We don't stay too late, though - we're off to sea again in the morning!

We make an early start; we have a few miles to cover now to reach Mainland Scotland and the West Sutherland coast.

At 0600 we're unmooring the Lady and leaving Westray behind. The Skipper will choose a route depending on wind direction and weather; if we go 'bi the waast', as it would be said in the Westray dialect, the cliffs and lighthouse at Noup Head are spectacular; keep an eye out for some of the many puffins that call these cliffs their home.

The ship falls into the seagoing routine once more; as we sail along, you will take your turn at the wheel, help keep lookout, or trim the sails as and when required. 

We will play tunes and run workshops in the Lady's cosy saloon, as we sail along; there's nothing quite like learning a tune or a shanty on the open sea!

The mountains of Sutherland gain definition as we approach; by midnight we're approaching Cape Wrath in the ethereal northern summer light.

In the early hours, the 12-4 watch take the Lady of Avenel round Cape Wrath;

By 0700, we're approaching our first Scottish anchorage - Handa Island perhaps, an internationally important breeding site for guillemots, razorbills and great skuas that spend the summer breeding and feeding; or maybe Achmelvich Bay, a stunning and isolated golden beach.

After our night passage, we can afford an easy morning - snoozing, catching fish from the Lady's aft deck, watching birds; or a run ashore to the beach or a brisk walk up a hill.

We up anchor again in the afternoon, saiing further south - passing spectacular scenery, cliffs and features such as the Old Man of Stoer. Anyone who was on our passage from Orkney in 2023 will never forget Nessie's beautiful fiddle rendition of 'Leaving Stoer' as we passed this headland; so we may try to recreate that moment!

By dinner time, we're anchored once again and ready for a drink together and an evening of tunes around the Lady's saloon table - and also a reflection on an incredible passage sailing from Shetland.

We up anchor in the morning, sailing between Skye and the Mainland; under the Skye Bridge, and through the narrow Kyle Rhea. 

By mid afternoon, we're approaching stunning Loch Nevis; and what better place could there be to celebrate all we've achieved together than the community of Inverie, in Knoydart?

The Old Forge pub here is a favourite haunt of ours; we'll tie the Lady up at the Knoydart pier and head ashore to play hearty tunes and enjoy fine locally brewed ales!

It’s the last morning; we depart Knoydart at 0800 and head back to to Mallaig, having breakfast together on the way across Loch Nevis.

We've sailed 250 miles together, all the way from Shetland; but now it's a last tune or a farewell before leaving the Lady and it's time to set off on the next adventure!