Jewels Of The British Isles & Icelandic Intrigue - 5435B

Dover, the world’s busiest ferry port, is located in the county of Kent, England, at the extreme SE corner of Britain. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, 35 km away across the Straits of Dover. Possibly best known for its lyrically famous ‘White Cliffs’, archaeological finds have revealed that the area has always been a focus for peoples entering and leaving Britain, and this continues to this day. Read more about Dover, Great Britain

Invergordon is a deepwater port near the entrance of Cromarty Firth, "the seaway to the Scottish Highlands." Inverness, where shopping is great and visitors can see tartans being made, is the capital of the Highlands, and is a half an hour drive from Invergordon. Loch Ness, home of the elusive monster, is just a few kilometres beyond. The town of Invergordon itself is small and modern, and now specialises in the construction of large offshore wind turbines. Read more about Invergordon, Great Britain

Lerwick is the capital and main port of the Shetland Islands, Scotland, located more than 160 km off the north coast of mainland Great Britain. Open to shipping in all weathers, it operates around-the-clock. Lerwick has strong ties with Scandinavian countries, particularly Norway, and this is reflected in the street names of the port. Read more about Lerwick, Great Britain

Djupivogur, a town (pop. 400) with a history of trading since 1589, lies on the east coast of Iceland in a region of incomparable natural beauty. The nearby lagoon, the Vatnajokull icecap and a range of glacial tongues feature some of Iceland's most famous scenery. Read more about Djupivogur, Iceland

Heimaey is the largest island (13.4 sq.km.) in the Westman Islands or Vestmannaeyjar cluster, 7.4 km off the south coast of Iceland. The Landnáma Icelandic record states it was first settled in about 900. It is the only island in Vestmannaeyjar that is populated, with around 5000 inhabitants. Read more about Heimaey, Iceland

Reykjavik, the capital and largest city of Iceland, is the gateway to Iceland's stunning natural wonders, which range from ice fields to boiling thermal pools. The landscape on the island seems to be in a continual process of transformation much like its society, which blends Nordic tradition with sophisticated technology. On the waterfront see the open-air history of shipping disasters. Read more about Reykjavik, Iceland

The capital of the Westfjords of Iceland is Isafjordur. The landscape is majestic, with fjord after fjord towering above shore and sea, but each and every fjord has its own distinctive character. Tiny fishing villages nestle at their foot. Read more about Isafjordur, Iceland

The town of Akureyri with its population of 17,000 is the administrative, transportation, and commercial centre of North Iceland. It is situated at the head of the 60 km long Eyjafjordur fjord, the longest and one of the most breathtaking fjords in Iceland. At first sight it appears as though it was transplanted from the Swiss Alps, as behind the city are beautiful farmlands that rise gently to year-round snow-capped granite mountains that provide the best skiing in Iceland. Read more about Akureyri, Iceland

Vopnafjordur (Vopnafjörður) is a village and municipality in Northeast Iceland, standing on a peninsula in the middle of a mountainous bay of the same name. The main industries of Vopnafjörður are fish processing, agriculture, tourism and other services. Vopnafjörður attracts salmon fishers, artists, and celebrities. Read more about Vopnafjordur, Iceland

The Orkney Islands, an archipelago of more than 70 islands, graced with temperate weather warmed by the Gulf Stream, feature some of the most dramatic coastal scenery. There are sea cliffs, some over 300m, descending to sooth white-sand beaches. Yet even more fascinating are the more than 1,000 prehistoric sites that have been found here. Read more about Orkney Islands, Great Britain

Dover, the world’s busiest ferry port, is located in the county of Kent, England, at the extreme SE corner of Britain. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, 35 km away across the Straits of Dover. Possibly best known for its lyrically famous ‘White Cliffs’, archaeological finds have revealed that the area has always been a focus for peoples entering and leaving Britain, and this continues to this day. Read more about Dover, Great Britain

Portland Harbour, dating back for thousands of years, is located beside the Isle of Portland off Dorset on the south coast of England. It is home to one of the largest man-made harbours in the world. Today the harbour is a popular location for wind surfing, diving and sailing, and it hosted most sailing events in the 2012 Olympic Games. Read more about Portland, Great Britain

St Malo (aka Saint-Malo, Sant-Maloù, Saent-Malô) on the English Channel in Brittany in the NW of France, is an amazing, historic, ancient walled city. With its tall granite mansion blocks lining the attractive lanes and squares, its numerous ramparts that offer amazing views, and its cobbled streets brimming with restaurants, bars and shops, it is considered to be the most attractive channel port in France. The Citadel, aka the Old Town, was originally built on a rocky island at the mouth of the Rance estuary, a strategic position for defence, but today the modern harbour connects the citadel to the mainland. Read more about St Malo, France

Fishguard, one of the twin towns at the heart of North Pembroke shire, is surrounded by outstanding natural beauty that blends the allure of sea, towering cliffs, the Preseli Hills, ancient standing stones and delightfully mysterious valleys such as Cwm Gwaun. Ideally situated for gentle and challenging walks take the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, surrounded by Britain’s only Coastal National Park. You’ll find family owned shops and businesses as well as Galleries, Gift and Antique shops – and plenty of quality or budget cafés, pubs and restaurants – all offering a warm Welsh welcome. Read more about Fishguard, Great Britain

Douglas, located at the mouth of the River Douglas and a sweeping bay, is the capital and the largest town of the Isle of Man. Douglas has a number of attractions and items of interest, such as the Tower of Refuge, a small castle-like shelter built upon Conister Rock in Douglas Bay that was a sanctuary for shipwrecked sailors. From spring to early autumn, take a trip back in time to when the way of life was much slower. Read more about Douglas, Great Britain

Belfast is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, and is currently experiencing a successful tourist boom. One of the most visited cities in the UK, Belfast has plenty of attractions and is a good base from which to visit virtually anywhere else in the North. In the city centre concentrate on the glories resulting from the Industrial Revolution – grandiose architecture and magnificent Victorian pubs – and the rejuvenated area from Ann Street to Donegall Street now known as the Cathedral quarter. Read more about Belfast, Great Britain

The Isle of Bute is an island in the Firth of Clyde in Scotland, less than two hours from the city of Glascow. The only town Rothesay has the classic Victorian seafront facade, promenade and pier as well as many gracious 19th century buildings. The Paddle Steamer Waverley is the only traditional vessel that travels the Firth nowadays, and it still proves a very popular attraction. Read more about Isle of Bute, Great Britain

The resort town of Oban, also well known as ‘The Gateway to the Isles’, occupies a beautiful setting in the Firth of Lorn in Scotland, UK. Climb the surrounding hills to absorb the panoramic views of the mountains, lochs and islands that have captivated artists, authors, composers, and poets for centuries. The scenery is as striking now as it was over 600 years ago when Dunollie Castle, now a ruined heap, stood sentinel over the narrow entrance to the sheltered bay. Read more about Oban, Great Britain

Ullapool is a small village on the shores of Loch Broom in the Highlands of Scotland, about an hour north of Inverness. It is the largest settlement for many miles around, and is a major tourist destination of Scotland. The North Atlantic Drift passes by Ullapool, bringing mild temperatures. Read more about Ullapool, Great Britain

Newhaven (‘New Harbour’) is a district in the City of Edinburgh, Scotland. Its port lies on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth (‘Estuary of the River Forth’), a fjord that opens to the North Sea. The town was originally established in 1504 to be a ship-building port for King James IV. Read more about Newhaven (Edinburgh), Great Britain

Newcastle, situated on the north bank of the River Tyne, was once in the forefront of 19th century industrial innovation, and is now at the forefront of technical innovation, leisure and culture. Be sure to wander down to the transformed waterfront, the Quayside that is now lined with stylish hotels, designer bars, restaurants and public art. However, in large parts, Newcastle still retains a medieval street layout as narrow alleys still exist in abundance. Read more about Newcastle, Great Britain

Great Yarmouth is a holiday resort town on the coast of county Norfolk, England. It is located at the mouth of the River Yare facing the North Sea. Its flourishing herring fishing industry died out in the latter part of the 20th C, and has been replaced by the oil rig supply industry and servicing natural gas rigs. Read more about Great Yarmouth, Great Britain

Dover, the world’s busiest ferry port, is located in the county of Kent, England, at the extreme SE corner of Britain. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, 35 km away across the Straits of Dover. Possibly best known for its lyrically famous ‘White Cliffs’, archaeological finds have revealed that the area has always been a focus for peoples entering and leaving Britain, and this continues to this day. Read more about Dover, Great Britain