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Lagos to the far north of Scotland: Inverness and Orkney

Lagos → Inverness → Orkney (Kirkwall)

Inverness
"Inverness_Castle,_Scotland_-_Diliff.jpg" by Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence
Kirkwall Harbour (Kirkwall)
Photo: Stevekeiretsu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Highlands & Neolithic islands Best season (general guide): May–Sep

The far north of Scotland combines the Highlands with the islands of Orkney, where some of Europe's best-preserved Neolithic sites stand in a treeless landscape of farms and sea. This route spends two nights in Inverness and three in Orkney. From Lagos you'll connect through London or another hub to reach Inverness.

How to pace it: Spend days one and two in Inverness: day one, the River Ness; day two, Loch Ness and Culloden. Then spend days three to five on Orkney (Kirkwall): day three, travel north to the ferry, then Kirkwall; day four, Skara Brae, Ring of Brodgar and Maeshowe; day five, Italian Chapel and St Magnus Cathedral.

Inverness is a small city on the River Ness. Loch Ness, with its ruined Urquhart Castle on the shore, is a short drive away. Culloden, the battlefield where the Jacobite rising ended in 1746, has a visitor centre that tells the story of the battle.

The road north crosses the Highlands to the ferry, which sails across the Pentland Firth to Orkney. Kirkwall, the main town, is built around St Magnus Cathedral, made of red sandstone.

Orkney's Neolithic sites are listed by UNESCO. Skara Brae is a stone village, with beds and shelves still in place, and the Ring of Brodgar is a great circle of standing stones. Maeshowe is a chambered tomb that can be visited on a guided tour. The Italian Chapel, built by prisoners of war during the Second World War, is another highlight.

May to September brings long days and the best weather, according to VisitScotland. Orkney's wind and rain can come at any time, so pack waterproofs.

On the drive north, the coast road passes small harbours and long empty beaches. Orkney's farms and low hills look very different from the Highlands, and the light in summer evenings lasts until late.

Good to know: Book Maeshowe tours and the ferry well ahead in summer. A hire car is the easiest way to explore Orkney, as buses are infrequent. Allow time for the long drive north from Inverness.

Suggested outline

  1. Lagos

    Start

  2. Inverness

    By air · 2 nights suggested

    Capital of the Highlands, on the River Ness, close to Loch Ness and Culloden.

  3. Orkney (Kirkwall)

    Overland · 3 nights suggested

    Neolithic villages and stone circles, St Magnus Cathedral and the Italian Chapel.

    Ring of Brodgar
    "Ring of Brodgar, Orkney.jpg" by Stevekeiretsu, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence

Day by day

  1. Day 1 · Inverness — Arrive; the River Ness· Lagos → Inverness (by air)
  2. Day 2 · Inverness — Loch Ness and Culloden
  3. Day 3 · Orkney (Kirkwall) — North to the ferry; Kirkwall· Inverness → Orkney, Kirkwall (by road and ferry)
  4. Day 4 · Orkney (Kirkwall) — Skara Brae, Ring of Brodgar and Maeshowe
  5. Day 5 · Orkney (Kirkwall) — Italian Chapel and St Magnus Cathedral
  6. Day 6 · Orkney (Kirkwall) — Travel home from Orkney, Kirkwall· Orkney, Kirkwall → Lagos (by air)

A suggested pace only; expedition days are set by the operator.

Flights, leg by leg

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Inverness

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Orkney (Kirkwall)

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