UK Sailing Voyage
Harwich, Essex To Kirkwall, Orkney
Voyage No.2
14 Nights
500 Sea Miles
No Spaces Available
Join The Ship In Harwich at 16.00
Leave Kirkwall 10.00
Tall Ships Voyage
Harwich, Essex to Kirkwall, Orkney
Ahoy Sailor!
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An Offshore Sailing Holiday to Orkney UK
Sailing Holiday Type
Offshore and Coastal Day Sailing
Set sail on Trinovante for a unique offshore sailing holiday that will be an adventure from the moment you get onboard. Trinovante has a reputation for being a relaxed and friendly ship and this voyage for those who want to learn some new skills and be involved as part of the team right from the start. Even experienced sailors may pick up something new. Once in Orkney our schooner Trinovante will take you to the more remote islands and places in Orkney where you can enjoy wide open spaces, walks ashore, wildlife watching, archaeological sites and be sure of meeting some people too.
Just a note of thanks for the fabulous time I had aboard Trinovante across the North Sea. I think it mended something in me I hadn’t realised was broken. Of course the reason it’s so good is the way you make us incompetent crew able to share a part of your life.
John
I just want to thank you heaps for the two week sail. It lies within the top three ventures I have undertaken in my 57 years and when you consider the other two were Everest base camp trek and Aconcagua in Argentina I think it reflects on what I experienced with Trinovante. Along with the character of the full crew, I have nothing but praise for the whole experience, very much down to the two of you and the effort you put into the trip.
Lloyd
The Voyage To Orkney
You join Trinovante in the historic seaport of Harwich Essex.
From here Kirkwall is just over 500 miles north. Our ideal plan would be to sail straight to Orkney and once up there spend the rest of the time cruising the islands. However, the wind does not always blow in the right direction so a realistic expectation for this voyage would be to plan on a week to get there and a week sailing in Orkney. So…
If the wind is in the right direction, we might set sail offshore straight away and not stop until we get to Orkney which would mean three or four nights at sea.
Whitby, Hartlepool, Eyemouth, and Wick are likely places for us to visit along the way if we want a break en route.
If the wind is against us we might spend a couple of days sailing on the Thames Estuary rivers before sailing north.
The Schooner Trinovante – Being At Sea on an Offshore Sailing Holiday
The watch system we set on Trinovante depends on the weather, the number of crew on board, and their capabilities. Normally we run two watches.
Trinovante does not have an autohelm so the crew usually take it in turns to do half an hour at the wheel. Keeping a lookout and occasional sail handling fill the rest of the time. Trinovante only takes a small number of guest sailors which means you are guaranteed plenty of time at the helm on an offshore voyage and probably in varied conditions. That is excellent if you want to master the art of helming.
There will also be time to watch the stars at night, enjoy sunsets and sunrises, and generally get into the rhythm of being at sea.
Usually, there is a bit of a buzz on board at the end of a voyage. We think that comes from everyone being part of a team that has achieved something together.
Sailing In Orkney
Hopefully we will have several days sailing at the end of Orkney on the offshore part of this sailing holiday. The voyage notes for the next voyage an Orkney Sailing Holiday show what we might do in more detail.
As a rough idea it is possible we will sail round to Stromness and into Scapa Flow on this leg or we might head North to visit Westray, Stronsay, and Shapinsay as per the details in the next voyage Sailing in Orkney.
Expect a mix of visiting remote island communities, anchoring in out-of-the-way places, and some time exploring wild places ashore. Bring some decent walking shoes.
Kirkwall, Orkney
Trinovante finishes this offshore sailing holiday in Kirkwall Harbour.
Kirkwall has the best travel links in Orkney.
Kirkwall was established by the Vikings in the 11th Century and first mentioned in the Orkneyinga Viking Saga (also called the History of the Earls of Orkney). We have a copy on board for those who fancy a topical read.
The dominant feature of the town is the cathedral founded in 1137 by the Viking, Earl Rognvald, in honour of St Magnus who was martyred in Orkney. Otherwise, you can enjoy a wander in the busy shopping centre on the stone slabbed streets, visit the Orkney museum, The Bishops and Earls Palace and of course, there is a distillery in the town.
It is well worth staying a few extra days in Kirkwall if you can. There are lots of day trips worth doing from Kirkwall including several stone circles and two sites run by Historic Scotland – Scara Brae and Maeshowe
All voyage notes refer only to possible itineraries – where we sail, the type of sailing and passage lengths and the places we call into will be entirely dependent on the wind and weather at the time.
What to Expect Onboard
Offshore Sailing Adventure Holiday to Orkney
This offshore saiing holiday to Orkney may involve several days at sea where you will be part of a watch system on the passage to Orkney. The voyage is expected to take 3 or 4 days but may take longer.
If you have never sailed offshore or at night the two articles below might be of interest.
Offshore Sailing
Standing The Night Watch – an account written by one of the crew.
You can book on any of our UK Sailing Voyages as a complete beginner or an experienced sailor. All the training you need to fully participate onboard is included. You’ll be hoisting sails, steering, and generally participating in all the things that sailors do. That includes watching the sunset in a quiet anchorage at the end of the day.
If you have never sailed before, more information about what to expect from our sailing holidays is here
Learn To Sail
About Life Onboard
Sailing Videos
What’s included in the price?
- All meals onboard
We provide breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. Obviously, if you choose to eat ashore, this is at your own expense. We can cater for most diets, but you must let us know about special diets at the time of booking. We cannot cater for special diets at short notice. - Non-alcoholic drinks
Ships rules are no drinking alcohol at sea or if we are about to sail. This does NOT mean Trinovante is a dry boat – it’s fine to have a drink in the evening when we are at anchor or alongside. We don’t sell alcohol on board so bring your own. - Use of life-jackets and wet weather gear
What is not included in the price?
- Your travel to and from the ship.
Every voyage has travel information pages and info about finding the ship in harbour. - Travel insurance
This is compulsory for all voyages.
We have a page on Buying Travel Insurance For Sailing Holidays
Have Some More Questions?
Check our Frequently Asked Questions Page or just get in touch for a chat.
It will be Su or John picking up the phone
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