My first cruise on Windstar was such a great introduction to
the company that it left me with a desire to do it all again. So here we are, 4
excited travellers boarding the Star Legend for an 18 day journey from Dublin
to Iceland circumnavigating Iceland before our time draws to an end.
Our first day is one spent at sea which enables us to scout
the ship for all the great things on offer. As more mature travellers we were
not looking for the dazzling shows or the slippery slides and as with all small
ships it is more about the feeling of homeliness that we seek. Our suite is
large as all are on the vessel, a large sitting room and a sizeable bathroom.
The Juliet balcony was a nice touch but with temperatures not terribly high the
sliding doors are not a necessity. As I always espouse, you are on deck more
than in your cabin. As it will turn out to be I am proved right yet again when
it comes to the higher you go on decks the rougher it becomes in a huge sea.
I think I need not mention the meals in great detail as
everyone knows it is sumptuous food and far too much of it. Eat your way to your next destination. How to describe this journey is best done on a day by day basis so let's see where we end up.
Our first day has us docking at Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands at the northern most tip of Scotland.
Someone forgot to tell them it is summer. Coats scarves and hats in hand we are
on a bus which transports us back to a time when Neolithic man walked the
earth. Skara Brae – the 5000 year old village was only revealed 150 years ago
during a sand storm. Beneath the earth stone houses were revealed giving an in
depth view of how man dwelt and existed. The wind is blowing right off the
Atlantic and right under my coat. On the grounds of Skara Brae we find Skaill
House built in 1620 by the Bishop of Orkney. With low ceilings and small rooms
it is still a pleasure to come in out of the cold. An original dinner set
belonging to Captain Cook adorns the main dining room. Queen Elizabeth the
first visited in her younger days and this has been captured in photos lining
the coffee table in the centre of the main sitting room. Canopy beds on the
upper levels show the décor of the 1950’s period with the pink and grey
(flamingo colours) bathroom centre position. Fascinating and a must see. Our
next attraction is the Ring of Brodgar a ceremonial circle of stones dating
back almost 5000 years. The monolithic stones have been buried deep in the
ground and protrude upwards marking the site. It is not known exactly their
purpose but the site at Stenness is 3 times that of site in the UK.
Into the city and we find the 12th century St Magnus Cathedral built by the
Vikings during their 700 year rule. The ruins of the Bishops Palace across the
road diming in the clouded light complete our first land excursion.
Day 3 and we are back at sea on our way to Norway. So far the sea has been
kind.
Day 4 and here we are in sunny and quite warm Bergen Norway. How lovely it is
to see the sun after a week and a half of grey skies – oh yes did I say this is
summer.
Bergen was established as far back as 1070AD- yes it really is that old. The
surrounding fjords of Hardangerfjord and Sognefjord are famous in the region.
The old part of the wharf district known as Bryggen is where the Hanseatic
traders lived. The resulting houses on the main street are referred to as the
Hanseatic District. We now board the Funicular for the mountain climb to Mt
Floyen 320 metres above sea level. Here we play with the mountain goats and
listen to their ‘purring’ as we stroke behind their ears. A better view of
Bergen cannot be found, just superb. Short sleeves no doubt will be short
lived.
Day 5 and still in Norway we now find ourselves in Alesund
pronounced Olesund. We have decided that the Hop on Hop bus will suit our needs
for this destination. We are heading along the coast to Mt Aksla
where there are remnants of the WWII bunkers set into the rock. As predicted
the weather has turned to rain and wind, the 3 days of summer are over. Having
viewed the city from on high it is back on the bus and on to our last – and
warm – spot, the Atlantic Sea Park, the largest saltwater aquarium in northern
Europe. I really like Alesund and would love it even better if we had a lovely
sunny day like Bergen. This Art Nouveau town has been voted the most beautiful
in Norway and I can see why.
Day 6 and we awaken to an exquisite site, what we expected
from Norway as we enter the Geiranger Fjord in style. Cruising slowly to enable
photos of the majestic snow capped mountains – we pass the 7 Sisters waterfall
and catch a glimpse of the Troll road with 11 hairpin bends. The weather is in
the gloomy side yet nothing can dampen our awe at this spectacle. We must dock
this morning as the small harbour is not quite deep enough even for our small
sailing yacht. The wharf I suspect is also not big enough even for a small
ship. We are a group of 6 today with Sheryl and Bob from Florida joining us in
the hire of a taxi. It is of course Sunday so nothing is really open as in Hop
on Hop off buses. We head up and the further we travel the more majestic the
scenery. The UNESCO site has inspired many royals from many nations to make the
journey here. The Ornesvingen or Eagles Road is full of twists and turns that
reveal a truly spectacular crystal lake - Djupvatn. The summit Mount Dalsnibba
sits at 5000 feet above sea level providing the most exquisite view with enough
time for a play in the snow. We can see our yacht from Flydalsjuvet view point.
Time for a little bit of shopping and wi fi before our return to the ship.
Next stop Molde Norway . The Romsdals Alps create
the backdrop to this moderate size city. Sadly it is raining yet again so we
opt for another taxi to show us the sites. It is considerable cheaper than the
ships shore tours. Nicknamed the town of roses, Molde has a fjord full of
salmon, sea trout, cod, mackerel pollock and sea char. It is also popular for
rock and ice climbing – not for us today. We visit the little fishing village
of Bud (built in 1717) after an invigorating walk along the Atlantic Way. In
1989 a Norwegian engineer constructed a road linking all of the islets. A
beautiful scenic drive is completed with the drive to Mount Varden but as the
rains increases we are content to return to the town for a little bit of
shopping before we head back to the ship. A short interview with a local paper
and photos of each of us completes are Molde visit.
Wednesday and day 8 is again at sea – not so smooth sailing
but manageable.
TORSHAVN FAROE ISLANDS – oh how I have waited for this.
Torshavn is known worldwide for the grass roofs that adorn the homes in and
around the city. The 17th century buildings are in some ways
considered quite young. Yet again we are hiring a taxi with a lovely lady named
Fare (pronounced fear). Vestmanna village, Streymoy Island, Vagar, the tunnel
to Gasadalur - Vagars remotest village
are all within easy reach so provide brilliant photo opportunities. Back in the
town we have enough time for more wi fi and a walk around the streets. This
city was always going to be a highlight to me as it was a bucket list item that
I have very gratefully ticked off the list.
Day 10 – the start of a not so pleasant sea crossing on our
way to Iceland. Up to 4 metre swells made our day not so great. No more could
be done than staying in our cabin on the bed to cushion the impact of the
rolling and pitching, please bring this to an end quickly.
Day 11 has finally arrived and we have docked In Reykjavik
Iceland. There are many things that are quite a drive from the city so after
arranging a car through the tourist centre, we set off to find the Secret
Lagoon for a swim in the hot springs. The Lagoon is the oldest swimming hole in
Iceland. Gullfoss waterfall is our priority at this point. The ‘Golden Falls’
as part of the Hvita River are simply magnificent and make up part of the
Golden Triangle. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Iceland.
We come across by luck rather than by design the Geysir Park, a not so
spectacular spouter that goes off every 20 minutes. Running late for the ship
we scuttle back on board for our next instalment 7 days circumnavigating
Iceland.
