Come and discover the vital role Orkney played during the World Wars in protecting the British Grand and Home Fleets based at Scapa Flow. We will expertly guide you around familiar and unfamiliar sites giving you a feel of what life was like for the personnel who guarded Orkney’s shores and the civilians who lived here during the World Wars.

Southern Sentinels – Full overview of Orkney’s Southern Coast Defence Batteries, including a guided tour around Balfour TWIN 6pdr battery. Great firing positions with amazing vantage point over Hoxa Sound and Scapa Flow.

  • Southern Sentinels – Full overview of Orkney’s Southern Coast Defence Batteries, including a guided tour around Balfour TWIN 6pdr battery. Great firing positions with amazing vantage point over Hoxa Sound and Scapa Flow.
  • Churchill Barriers – Learn about construction of the Churchill Barriers, the Blockships and Boom Defence.
  • Booms and Blockships – Overview of the sea defences used in WWI and WWII to protect Scapa Flow’s Eastern Approaches.
  • Italian Chapel and Camp 60– Guided visit of the Italian Chapel, its history and significance during WWII. See the remains of one of the Italian Prisoners of war camps and hear stories about the lives of the men based there.
  • HMS Royal Oak Memorial Garden – Visit to Scapa beach to see the HMS Royal Oak memorial for the 834 who lost their lives.
  • Battle of Orkney – Overview of the Battle of Orkney,  by the German Luftwaffe on the 8th-10th April 1940 over the Western Approaches to Scapa Flow and Hoy. Yesnaby- Learn about the WWII Anti-Aircraft Gun Training and the firing capabilities of the guns based here. From this position you can witness the raw beauty of the cliffs, surrounding areas and wildlife of Yesnaby.
  • James Isbister and the Golden Slipper–Story of James Isbister the first British civilian killed in a WWII Luftwaffe bombing raid and the illicit troop pub the Golden Slipper.
  • Scorradale and Houton Head – Panoramic views of Scapa Flow. Overview of the Scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet on the 21st June 1919.
  • Western Approaches – Drive back to Kirkwall passing by the Western Approaches to Scapa Flow and the final resting place of battleship HMS Royal Oak.
  • HMS Sparrowhawk –History of Royal Naval Air Station Hatston – Drive through and around former RNAS Hatston Orkney’s largest military airfield in the Second World War.

If you would like more information or to enquire about this tour, please do contact us