Who: Aiden, Dylan, Alex and Safia Rupe of Evergreen
Where: Skara Brae Prehistoric Village, Orkney Islands. Skara Brae is the most well-preserved prehistoric village in northern Europe, dating back over 5,000 years. It was only discovered in 1850 when a winter storm revealed the structures. The stone dwellings are separated by covered passages and each one holds nearly identical stone beds, dressers, seats and boxes for provisions, recesses for personal possessions and a hearth where dried heather or seaweed was burned.
Best meal: Scotland is not known for its cuisine, but do try the haggis and eat seafood as often as you can. The salmon is always fresh.
Best deal: By far the best deal of the trip was the Historic Scotland Explorer Pass. We purchased ours in Edinburgh, and it gave the entire family access to dozens of Scotland’s top sites, including many in the Orkneys. They offer several options depending on how many days you will be in the country.
Best time to go: We went in July, and the crowds were sparse, days were long and the weather was cool but beautiful. Given the Orkneys’ far northern latitude, it’s possible to tee off a game of golf at midnight. We found the only downside was getting the kids to go to sleep while the sun was still shining brightly outside. The Orkneys are somewhat remote, and we only had three days, but there is so much to see. We met several people who were spending two to three weeks traveling around the Orkney and Shetland Islands.
Best travel tip: During the summer it’s best to pre-book the car ferry online, because they do sell out. We used Northlink Ferries (northlinkferries.co.uk), which will take you from Scrabster to Stromness on the mainland island of the Orkneys, where many of the best sites are located. The crossing time is around 90 minutes, and on the way you’ll pass by the Old Man of Hoy, Britain’s largest free-standing rock stack at over 450 feet. We also found the restaurant on the ferry to be excellent.
