Orkney

Key time to cruise: All year round
What we enjoyed: The Scapa Flow museum which houses all the first and second war history of the island; along with the modern day development of electricity from wave generation.

The Orkney Islands, is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland. Orkney is 16 kilometres (10 mi) north of the coast of Caithness and comprises approximately 70 islands, of which 20 are inhabited. The largest island Mainland is often referred to as “the Mainland”.

In addition to the Mainland, most of the islands are in two groups, the North and South Isles, all of which have an underlying geological base of Old Red Sandstone. The climate is mild and the soils are extremely fertile, most of the land being farmed. Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy. The significant wind and marine energy resources are of growing importance, and the island generates more than its total yearly electricity demand using renewables. There is an abundance of marine and avian wildlife.