Departing Kirkwall and travelling inland, we pass through an area of rich farmland, rolling hills and moorland, via Orkney’s World Heritage Site where we pass the Ring of Brodgar and the Standing Stones of Stenness.

We arrive at Kierfiold House Gardens, where the landscaped gardens have been planted with a very extensive range of exotic flowers and plants. Gardens on Orkney are very hard to cultivate due to the challenges of the winds and weather. Enclosed within old stone walls and gnarled trees, the garden is a veritable haven of peace. The owners will be delighted to open their garden exclusively for us and accompany us - following the original Victorian layout of the paths and showing us the borders brimming with a range of herbaceous perennials, shrub roses, Himalayan Poppies and alpines. After our visit here we travel south, driving along the shore of the Loch of Stenness and will stop at the Standing Stones Hotel for refreshments.

After this enjoyable break we continue along the Bay of Ireland before reaching Schoolquoy Garden, overlooking Historic Scapa Flow. Inside the secluded garden we follow the winding path with a variety of border layouts featuring specimen plants round every corner. Once at the top of this beautiful terraced garden, admiring the breathtaking views over the garden from that perspective, the garden looks much bigger and it is hard to believe it is only one third of an acre in size!

After this magical visit we rejoin our coach and return to Kirkwall and our awaiting ship, driving close to the Second World War Naval Base of Scapa Flow, where we hear dramatic wartime stories that make this one of the best known stretches of water in the world.