North Atlantic
Explore Lands Every Bit As Welcoming As Their Weather Is Windy
From the cosmopolitan Celtic coasts of Dublin to the lonely Northern Isles of Scotland, and on to the rugged windswept beauty of the Faroe Islands, the North Atlantic is a region that holds huge numbers of hidden gems awaiting your discovery, including the lonely outpost of St Kilda, the rugged Irish west coast, and the cozy Viking villages of the Faroe Islands. Whether you want to see puffins in their burrows, hop between island distilleries, or discover your Celtic/Nordic roots, this region offers a hearty welcome to the brave few who venture here.
The Perfect Combination of History, Culture and Nature
- The European North Atlantic region has a fascinating history stretching back beyond the Neolithic Period. Highlights include the ancient village of Skara Brae in Orkney, the cradle of Celtic Christianity at Iona Abbey, and the turf-roofed Viking villages of the Faroe Islands.
- From the whisky distilleries of the Scottish Islands to the hearty welcome of Galway and Cork, and from the legendary stones of Giant’s Causeway to the turf-roofed old town of Tórshavn, authenticity oozes from every corner. Here one does not seek out local culture; visitors are immersed in it from the moment they set ashore!
- The North Atlantic Ocean is not just a highway for the people who call this region home – it is also one of Earth’s richest marine environment. Whether you want to while away the hours whalewatching on deck, tick off some lifers at Scottish bird cliffs or see seals in their natural habitat, wildlife lovers are spoiled for choice!
Destinations Within The North Atlantic
Hard Geography, Hearty Welcome
The North Atlantic region is fast, bounded by North America in the west, the rugged fringes of Europe in the east, and the icy realms of Greenland and the Arctic to the North. The European portion of the North Atlantic includes the fractured coastlines of Britain, Ireland, Norway and Iceland, as well as countless islands scattered across the vast ocean.
Infamous for its wild weather, the North Atlantic has never truly been tamed, and the weather is still king across the land and the sea – all human activity here is at Mother Nature’s approval – subject to change without notice!
The unforgiving climate of the region means that through the centuries, communities have had to closely rely on each other to thrive. This spirit of cooperation also extends to visitors, the brave few who are warmly welcomed ashore like old friends.
Where Cultures Meet
Ancient maritime routes link the various lands which bound the North Atlantic, linked by centuries of trade, exploration and settlement. The Gaels of Scotland and Ireland were a great seafaring people, supplanted only by the superior shipbuilding technology of the Norse, whose legendary expeditions took them to Greenland and beyond to North America. The history of this region reflects this mixture – Orkney and Shetland were sold to Scotland from Norway as part of a wedding dowry in the 1400s, and an Ancient Norse-derived language was spoken on the islands right up to the 1800s. The Faroe Islands and Iceland continue to speak languages just a step removed from the tongue of the Vikings, although archaeology suggests that Irish monks probably reached both lands before the Norse. This history of cultural mixing is even reflected in the genetics of the people of the region today, a mixture of Scandinavian and Celtic DNA, testament to centuries of (sometimes unwilling) interaction.
Wild Isles
Although other regions are more famous for their wildlife, the North Atlantic nonetheless has world-class wildlife spectacles for those who seek them out. Islands such as Lunga and St Kilda teem with life, with thousands upon thousands of birds thronging the cliffs. Puffins, northern gannets, guillemots, razorbills and stately fulmars are all common, along with a plethora of shore and land birds scampering on the beaches and grassy meadows. Meanwhile in the water, pods of dolphins and porpoise frolic and feast, while larger whales can sometimes be found offshore, migrating between the tropics and the Arctic. Seals are also common, but can be tricky to spot among the rocks on shore – keep your binoculars handy!
Expeditions to The North Atlantic
There are few wilder, more magnificent, and pristine places than the Arctic Islands of the North Atlantic. Enjoy the immense beauty of Svalbard, where we cruise among whales, walruses, polar bears, and millions of sea birds. Discover one of the world’s most beautiful, wild, and unspoiled natural areas, and experience Inuit culture in magnificent Greenland. Or, experience an epic journey combining several locations. Join us!
