This trip goes north four days a week 3 June-31 August 2008 that is, any day in the summer months that our John o'Groats or Castle of Mey tours are running:

Sundays through 31 August
Tuesdays through 26 August
Thursdays through 28 August
Saturdays through 30 August

Although the northward journey from Inverness is on particular days of the week, the return journey is by public transport: John o'Groats Ferry from Burwick [Orkney] to John o'Groats, then south by the Orkney Bus to Inverness. The trip is based on a stay of 1 night in Orkney, but you may stay as many nights as you wish, subject only to returning south from John o'Groats to Inverness by 2 September..
We supply you with notes suggesting how best to see the major features of Orkney, either on your own or with an escorted tour.

Itinerary: Day 1 - We pick you up at your accommodation in Inverness 0830-0920 and then head north following the itinerary described for our John o'Groats tour or our Castle of Mey tour. You have the same chance of puffin (June-July) as if you did the full John o'Groats trip and also a good chance of seals and deer. You’ll see all the prehistoric sites of the itinerary and most of the scenic features. Late afternoon, leave the Puffin Express tour at John o’Groats and take the Pentland Venture, operated by John o’Groats Ferries, across the Pentland Firth, a 40-minute crossing - route 3 on the map. A coach meets you at Burwick in South Ronaldsay and takes you to Kirkwall, arriving about 1930hrs. (Please visit suggested accommodations for a list of some accommodations in Kirkwall.)

Day 2: