Explore ancient ports as you sail from the Netherlands to Iceland following the old route of the Vikings.
Setting sail from Harlingen, the Netherlands a course north is set to first visit the Orkneys and then onwards to the Shetland Islands. Fair Isle is the first stop, then on to Foula or the mainland of the Shetlands. When the winds are good, a crossing of less then 24 hours will take you to the Faroe Islands. So much unspoiled nature, amazing walks and miles on end to sail between the islands.
You’ll be sailing on a hands-on journey aboard a 38-m traditional steel sailing vessel built in 1915, converted into a comfortable sailing vessel with 16 berths. We’ve helped adventure seekers join them for many great voyages from Antarctica to the Arctic and much in between!
This leg is the voyage of islands, wool, sheep, knitting, a very picturesque voyage with lots of birds and wild life!
Setting course north, you will rediscover what the Vikings did a thousand years ago. First stop, after leaving Harlingen, will be Terschelling. The next day, depending on wind, we set sail for a few days destination Hoy. Orkney’s second largest Island rises dramatically from the sea with Ward Hill towering 480mtr above sea level.
Then, Fair Isle, which is known for the warmth of its welcome to visitors, birds and their special knitting patterns. Lying halfway between the Orkneys and Shetland. Next stop will be Lerwick, the famous old herring port. Lerwick bay used to be lled with herring drifters of all sorts. Unst will be the last stop on the Shetlands. Hermaness National Nature Reserve has a great variety of wild live, birds as well as mammals.
If you are lucky you can even spot an otter.
If the weather is fair the cliffs off Slaettaratindur will be visible from a great distance. These are Europe’s highest sea cliffs at 882 mtrs above sea level. First port of call will be Torshavn, the capital of the Faroe’s, with beautiful black houses and stunning gardens. The Islands have much to offer, like the Viking excavation site at Kvivik.
If weather and time permit, another stop can be made closer to Iceland. After a 2 or 3 day sail, Vestmannaeyjar island is an amazing stop before getting into the ‘big’ city life of Reykjavik!
Why you'll love this adventure
- Discover the Orkneys, Shetlands and Faroes all in one remarkable voyage
- Learn about life on a tall ship or brush up your sailing skills
- Be part of the crew - past experience not needed
Dates
Itinerary
Day 1 : Arrival on board, instructions, meal together
Day 2 : Setting sail for Terschelling.
Day 3 – 6 : Setting sail for and exploring the islands of the Orkneys.
Day 7 : Departure for fair Isle.
Day 8-12 : Shetland island cruising ground
Day 13-17 : Faroe Islands cruising ground
Day 20: Visit Vestmannaeyjar on the South Coast of Iceland
Day 21 : Arrival Reykjavik
Day 22 : Disembarkation
What's included
- Full board including three meals a day
- Coffee and tea
- Blanket, sheets, pillow and covers
- Sail training program
- 3-4 professional crew members guiding the group
Not included
- Soda and alcoholic drinks (during sailing no alcohol will be served)
- Towels
- Excursions ashore
- Transfer to and from the vessel
- Visa if needed
Trip notes
Price
Min age
Accommodation
There are 6 cabins, each for 2 persons. The cabins are situated in the middle of the vessel, which makes them as stable as possible.
Your bunk is inside one of the two person cabins. Your bed will be either the high or the lower bed of a bedbunk. All beds are over 80cm wide and 2 meters long. Each bed has a reading light for the evening hours. The cabins are ensuite.
In a wet room you will find a shower, (hot and cold water), and a toilet, that when possible flushes with outside water.
In the cabin itself you will find a fountain and mirror. Your clothing can be stored in the closet and your bag or suitcase can be stored under the bed.
Meals
The food
On board, there’s no set menu. The menu is developed on board with influences of her surroundings. The cook tries to use as many local fresh products as possible. Around the North Sea, when it gets colder you will find some ‘stamppot’ (Dutch mashes potatoes speciality) with smoked sausage on your plate.
During a longer stay on board you will hardly ever see the same dish twice. Most meals are served with a salad or fruit on the side. During longer trips they take good care of the vegetables and fruit to ensure that you will enjoy fresh food as long as possible.
The meals
Breakfast depends on the sailing situation. When underway breakfast is at 8, a buffet where you will find fresh baked bread when we are underway for longer periods, with cereals and sometimes even porridge. When the crew are anchored or in harbour you can eat breakfast outside in fine weather, or inside together on a table with an egg, or ‘wentelteefjes’ (French toast), or a fresh smoothie.
Lunch is almost always served with something warm or special, can be soup, sausage rolls, fresh fruit or special bread.
Dinner is at 18:00 hours when you are sailing. When the weather is good and it is still nice and light outside they will serve dinner in a buffet style outside. If this is not possible you will find a buffet downstairs with the possibility to eat inside or outside. When you are not sailing and eating inside you will find a set table where everyone can enjoy the meal together.
The cook on board is one of the crew.
When you go sailing, you will go on a culinary trip around the world. You will find influences of all the places they have visited and will be surprised with a beautiful meal every night.
Who is this trip for?
Adventure seekers, sailors, nature lovers, solo travellers, couples, friends, families
Crew
The crew consists of three or four permanent professional sailors. This crew is partially made up of the family and completed with some dedicated sailors that we have met around the world.
The crew give their heart and life to sailing and can show all the tricks of trimming the sail to the fullest and teach anybody how to bake some amazing homemade bread.
Additional notes
You should always bring
- The right clothes for the right weather – always expect rain!
- Swimming clothes!
- Camera
- Two pairs of footwear
- Sense of humour
- Open mind
The Watch System
The ship offers a hands-on sailing experience which means by joining a voyage you work as ‘voyage crew’ and help to sail the ship. There is a three watch schedule on board, which means you will be on ‘watch’ for 4 hours, have 8 hours off watch and then on watch again for 4 hours. So within 24 hours you will be on watch for 8.
The watches are divided into the Red, White and Blue watch, after the colours of the Dutch flag.
Red: 00:00 – 04:00 and 12:00 – 16:00 hours
White: 04:00 – 08:00 and 16:00 – 20:00 hours
Blue: 08:00 – 12:00 and 20:00 – 24:00 hours
Each watch has a watch leader, one of the permanent crew. The watch leader will give you instructions and your first watch will be filled with instructions on what watch keeping is. You will be told what is expected and you will be informed about the navigational equipment on board.
Watch keeping means being out on deck, awake and without music or books. You maybe be ‘looking out’ on the aft or the front of the ship, handling the sails or steering the vessel in turns and writing down the position of the vessel every hour. Three watches means that the watches are never bigger than 6 people. So all watch members will get a chance do some navigational work.
Every watch has an own set of chores to do on board. One watch is responsible for making the dinner and doing the dishes of the lunch, another will make breakfast and do the dishes of dinner and another watch will prepare lunch and do the dishes of breakfast.
We have a daily routine we work with and we will keep to this routine. This way you know what to expect and you know when to work or sleep. We do not change watches, so you will have the same routine every day.
FAQs
What is the language spoken on board?
The ship’s crew is mainly Dutch, but sometimes international. The language spoken on board is English. The crew on board speak Dutch, English and German.
I am traveling with someone. Can we book the same room?
Yes, as long as there are two person rooms available, you can book your voyage on board and say you are traveling with someone. You will be placed in the same room.
What kind of clothes do I need?
The ship does not provide sailing clothes on board, so please bring your own waterproof clothing. This does not have to be a sailing suite, waterproof and warm clothing will suffice. Please be prepared for some rainy days, but also hopefully for some sunny days!
Tour operator
An old Herring drifter (Logger) built in 1915, the ship is 28 meters long over deck (38 meters overall) and takes 16 trainees on her voyages. No previous sailing experience is needed and experienced and new sailors love her equally.
A family of four professional sailors have owned and run this vessel since 2006 and sail her with true passion. Built for the North Sea she’s a fast sailor and her rigging is as traditional as it gets.
We love that the boat’s appearance is kept as traditional as possible yet combined with modern techniques and equipment. Everyone on board is part of the informal sail training program that is designed to get the best out of everyone whether you join for 2 days or a longer ocean crossing.
On September 13th she and her crew were the first traditional sailing ship to complete the North West Passage after Roald Admundsen with his ship Goya in 2013.
Enquire today
Sail Netherlands to Iceland Viking Route
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