Sky Gathering, 2026
Stratocumulus spotted over Hoy, Orkney, Scotland by Larry Kupeli (Member 45,456) during the 2025 Orkney Sky Gathering.
MAY 25 TO MAY 30, 2026
Join us for a Sky Gathering in the wild beauty of Orkney, Scotland
In May of 2026, the Cloud Appreciation Society is hosting a gathering in the stunning archipelago of Orkney, off the north east coast of mainland Scotland. For this unique trip, we will be together for five days of specially arranged activities themed around the sky.
We will learn about the sky in an ancient and vibrant land
Our 2026 Sky Gathering will be centred in the charming harbour town of Stromness, Orkney. Cloud Appreciation Society members and their friends will be offered an itinerary of cultural, historical, and nature experiences themed on the sky and weather in this remarkable location where life revolves around the weather and the sea.
We have pulled together an extraordinary team of local expert guides who will be sharing their enthusiasm for the abundant birdlife, flora, geology, history, prehistory, music and stories of these islands. We will explore some of the stunning neolithic monuments in the UNESCO World Heritage Site including a 5,000-year-old village revealed after a storm.
This will be an oppportunity to immerse yourself in the culture of Orkney, enjoying delicious locally sourced food, tasting the weather in the local whiskies, making cloud art with respected local artists and learning about the area’s wildlife with talks by local ornithologists and naturalists. You will be guests at the Stromness Museum exploring their maritime collections in their Victorian setting, and at the award-winning Pier Arts Centre, home to an important collection of British fine art.
Hosted by Gavin Pretor-Pinney (Member 001), this trip is being organised with Orkney resident Rebecca Marr (Member 7,548) to ensure your visit is integrated into the heart of the welcoming community in the enchanted northern isles.
We will visit locations around the Orkney Mainland with Stromness (population 2,000) as our base where we can enjoy the quiet pace of life there with plenty of free time between events.
Orkney is 10 miles (16 km) from mainland Scotland
Stromness will be our base for the Sky Gathering
The weather and skies of Orkney are ever-changing
We’ll explore some of Orkney’s many Neolithic sites
Stromness is a picturesque harbour town
We will explore world-class Neolithic sites
With its dramatic coastal cliffs, pristine beaches and wild landscapes, Orkney offers a memorable archaeological adventure. Guided by expert archaeologists living in Orkney who have worked on many of the sites, we will embark on an intimate and remarkable journey into Neolithic times.
We will visit the world-famous site of Skara Brae, Europe’s best-preserved Neolithic settlement which dates back to 3,100 BC and lay hidden underground until the nineteenth century when a violent storm revealed the ancient houses. We'll walk around the majestic standing stones of the Ring of Brodgar and speculate on the cosmology of Orcadian ancestors amid the panoramic drama of the surrounding landscape. These remarkable sites are in the heart of Neolithic Orkney, the UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will learn some of the skills that these ancient people used including using pigments from stone and weaving a rope of grass.
The Ring of Brodgar dates back to 2,500-2,000 BC
Skara Brae, a Neolithic settlement from 3200 BC
The islands are abundant with standing stones
We will learn about Orkney from expert guides
Orkney boasts a remarkable concentration of Neolithic sites.
We will experience the local culture, food, wildlife and history
Immerse yourself in the vibrant cultural life of Orkney and experience the local food and natural world, led by artists, musicians and artisans from the islands. Local folk musicians will introduce us to the islands’ musical heritage and we will learn to dance the Orcadian Strip the Willow. Local artists will lead us in immersive sky-themed workshops including the magical sun-harnessing technique of making cyanotypes. There will be a Stromness stroll that will reveal the stories of the many artists and writers influenced by the giant skies and stormy seas. Find out about the rich bird, plant and marine life of Orkney from naturalists who live there. Visit the Viking cathedral whose sandstone pillars have been eroded over centuries by the wild weather.
Orkney is proud of its food and drink and this small archipelago produces award-winning seafoods, meats, cheeses, whisky and beer. Our meals throughout the trip will be packed with Orkney fare and we will enjoy a mix of hearty breakfasts, packed and buffet lunches and evening meals showcasing the best of Orkney’s larder, all made specially for us by chefs who love working with the tastes of the islands. Enjoy seafood caught fresh from the surrounding waters and the local beef from cows grazing salty grass as well as artisanal cheeses and homemade Orcadian dishes. We will be treated to dietary sensitive and specially curated menus throughout the trip and savour the elemental taste of Orkney in the local whiskies, Highland Park and Scapa, and seaweed soaked local gin.
We will enjoy Orkney’s fine folk musicians
Sourcing local sustainable food will be a priority
We'll visit St Magnus, the Viking cathedral (1137)
We'll spot Orkney’s wildlife with expert guides
Stromness Museum preserves the town’s heritage
We will learn about a culture shaped by the elements
We will savour the tastes and traditions of Orkney
Sky-themed events and talks will involve local musicians, artists, naturalists and historians.
The Itinerary
Our five day programme will be a truly immersive experience full of events and activities created specially for you.
Please note: the actual order and timing of events might change.
Altocumulus over Stromness, Orkney by Simon Cuzner (Member 43,030)
If you arrive by air, you will be transferred from Kirkwall Airport to the harbour town of Stromness, our home for the Sky Gathering. Your Cloud Appreciation Society Welcome Bag will be waiting for you and will include useful information as well as CAS goodies and your exclusive Society embroidered patch to commemorate the 2026 Sky Gathering.
Take some time to rest from your journey, or perhaps have a stroll along the quiet winding street along the waterfront, enjoy the shops or visit the museum, where entry is part of your package. Meet the other guests at an early evening drinks reception in the Cloud Hub (our private hang out for the duration of the trip) followed by our welcome dinner.
Meal: Three course welcome meal at The Ferry Inn, Stromness.
Overnight: The Ferry Inn, Stromness.
We will visit a tidal island in search of puffins.
Morning
You will have a free morning with the opportunity to explore the independent shops in the town selling jewellery, crafts, knitwear, local foods and whiskies. There will be two suggested optional morning activities:
A guided tour of the weather-related art in the collection at the Pier Arts Centre with local artist Samantha Clark, who is also one of the writers for Cloud-a-day!
Or a guided tour of the sky related artefacts at Stromness Museum with Climate Change Exhibitions and Outreach Officer Katy Firth.
Afternoon
After lunch together we will take a coach to the Brough of Birsay, a tidal island accessible only at low tide. The area is remarkable being the meeting point of the North Sea and the North Atlantic, and has been an important place throughout time - the brough has Pictish, Norse and medieval remains. It also has a Stevenson lighthouse powered by solar energy. We will circle the brough in search of rainbow-beaked puffins with the help of author, ornithologist and naturalist Tim Dean. On the shore we will be guided by Katy Firth who will help us search for shells and seaweeds in the footsteps of local poet Robert Rendall who donated his seashore collections to Stromness Museum.
Evening
After returning to Stromness and having time for a rest we will meet at the Cloud Hub for a pre-dinner session of short talks themed around the sky including a tour of the atmosphere from Gavin Pretor-Pinney (Member 001).
Meals: Breakfast at your accommodation, packed lunch, dinner in The Ferry Inn.
Overnight: The Ferry Inn, Stromness.
Merret's cloud cyanotype from the 2024 Orkney Sky Gathering.
Morning
We will take a Culture Stroll around Stromness and hear the stories of artists, writers and adventurers connected to places along the town’s beautiful streets. Even the flagstones under our feet relate to the sky with weather happenings from millions of years ago recorded in the stone! Our guide, filmmaker Mark Jenkins, will introduce us to Stromness’ cultural souls such as writer George Mackay Brown, painters Sylvia Wishart and actor Robert Shaw, as well as travellers and adventurers such as Eliza Fraser and John Rae.
Local artist Ingrid Budge will teach us the camera-less Victorian photography technique of cyanotypes where the sunlight and the sea create the image. We will make our own cloud atlas of the ten major cloud types using wool gathered from the seaweed eating sheep of Orkney's most northerly island North Ronaldsay. No prior experience or artistic ability required!
Afternoon
After lunch we will have a free afternoon with two optional creative workshops including one with poet Yvonne Gray who will help us create a group poem about our love of the sky and a lino cut cloud workshop with local artist Diana Leslie.
Before dinner we will take a coach to the Neolithic marvel, the Ring of Brodgar, where we will be met by archaeologist and author Professor Mark Edmonds who will lead us around the stone circle pondering its connection to the sky. We will also meet naturalist Tim Dean again who will show us the celestial plants Moonwort and Star sedge, and the rare and sacred Holy-grass.
Meals: Breakfast at your accommodation, lunch box at the Cloud Hub, dinner at The Ferry Inn.
Overnight: The Ferry Inn, Stromness.
We will visit Skara Brae with an archaeologist.
Morning
We will travel by coach to Skaill and discover the remarkably well preserved Neolithic village of stone houses, Skara Brae. The five-thousand-year-old village, once inland, is now clinging to the edge, threatened by coastal erosion. Led by an expert archaeologist we will walk around the interconnected dwellings and learn how their stone furniture, fire hearths, and beds give us an insight into the everyday lives of the people who once inhabited this ancient settlement.
We will hear how the village was unearthed in 1850 by a fierce storm. The discovery was made by the Laird of the time. We will visit his seat, Skaill House, originally built in 1620 by the Bishop of Orkney. In the sunken gardens local experts will lead us in a Neolithic skills workshop with hands-on opportunities to make rope from grass and create motifs and artworks on stone using natural dyes and materials to hand. There will be a Skaill House gin tasting where we can enjoy this small batch seaweed infused local hero.
Afternoon
We will have a free afternoon in Orkney capital, Kirkwall. Explore the independent shops selling jewellery, crafts, knitwear, local foods and whiskies. Local wineshop Kirkness & Gorie will have a curated selection of weather themed wines to buy and bring to the evening buffet back in Stromness. There will be an optional visit to St Magnus Cathedral, built by Vikings in 1137. Custodian Annie Thuesen has prepared an atmospheric tour including a biblical cloud window.
Evening
After returning to Stromness and a rest we will meet at Stromness Town Hall for a specially prepared buffet of local fare before we enjoy a social evening and a chance to chat and relax before a fun evening of entertainment. The programme will include stormy storytelling and tempestuous tunes from local musicians. We will even learn to dance the Orcadian Strip the Willow. We will also meet poet Yvonne Gray again and hear the world premiere recitation of our group poem!
Meals: Breakfast at your accommodation, lunch box at Kirkwall Town Hall, buffet dinner at Stromness Town Hall.
Overnight: The Ferry Inn, Stromness.
Find weather recorded in stone on the shores of Stromness.
Morning
Today, our last full day, we will explore the coastline outside Stromness where Professor Mark Edmonds will guide us along the west shore and discuss the geology shaped by weather. We will find fossilised sea ripples and extraordinary weather events recorded in stone. The stone beneath our feet was once south of the equator and as we bend our minds around the breath-taking time travel, the lapping waves will soothe us. Back on land we will meet artist and guide Ingrid Budge who will lead a headland stroll to the memorial garden of the celebrated local poet George Mackay Brown where you can hear some of his elemental words. There will also be another opportunity to be lino cutting in the studio with Diana.
Afternoon
After lunch at the Cloud Hub there will be a free afternoon to explore the shops or relax. There will be an optional cloud printing workshop.
Evening
After a brief afternoon rest we will meet at the Cloud Hub for the fun team quiz hosted by Gavin Pretor-Pinney (Member 001). Will you remember some of the facts you will have heard throughout the week? To help unwind, we will have a mid-round whisky tasting hosted by Gareth Crichton (our host at the Ferry Inn) who will give us samples of the two local and world-renowned distilleries Highland Park and Scapa. Gareth will guide us on how to unpack the many weather-beaten flavours locked in the whiskies.
Then we will go back to the Ferry Inn where Gareth will host us for a special haggis night where he will recite some Robert Burns poetry at our farewell meal.
Meals: Breakfast at your accommodation, seafood lunch box at the Cloud Hub, dinner at The Ferry Inn.
Overnight: The Ferry Inn, Stromness.
Time to say goodbye to Stromness
After a leisurely breakfast we will gather to say farewell before transfers to Kirkwall Airport for those flying home.
Meals: Breakfast at your accommodation. A packed breakfast will be arranged for those leaving early morning.
Price and Details
£2450.00 GBP / person: sharing a double or twin room
£2550.00 GBP / person: single occupancy of a double or twin room
Price includes everything listed in the ‘What's Included’ section and not the ‘What’s Not Included’ section.
The possibility of changes: The itinerary is illustrative of the events we are planning. Actual dates and specific details may need to be revised. We will contact booked guests to notify them of any significant changes.
Travel Insurance: A condition of accepting your booking is that you provide proof of personal travel insurance, including cancellation insurance for medical reasons, redundancy, jury service etc. for all members of your party.
Reservation Policy: A deposit of £600 GBP is required to reserve each place. The balance for your ticket(s) will be due 90 days prior to arrival. Should the Cloud Appreciation Society need to cancel the trip for any reason, the deposit and any balance paid will be refunded in full.
Cancellation Policy: An admin fee of £50 GBP per place booked is non-refundable in all situations.
• Deposit is refundable until 90 days prior to arrival (with the exception of admin fee).
• 89-45 days prior to arrival: deposit & 50% of balance is non-refundable.
• 44-14 days prior to arrival: deposit & 57% of balance is non-refundable.
• 13-0 days prior to arrival: deposit & 100% of balance is non-refundable.
Accommodation
We will be staying in the local pub in Stromness, The Ferry Inn. There are options for double, twin, and single rooms. Please bear in mind that this is a small-town pub with rooms. It is characterful, friendly, welcoming accommodation. Since Stromness is a little harbour town, home to a population of just 2,000, there are no 4- or 5-star hotels.
What’s included
- Cloud Appreciation Society welcome bag with special commemorative embroidered patch to mark the trip.
- Guided tours of Neolithic sites with Orkney-based archaeology experts.
- Expert guided walks and talks about the birds, plants and marine life of Orkney.
- Illustrated talks by Gavin Pretor-Pinney (Member 001) and others speakers.
- An evening of music and Scottish Country dancing in the local town hall.
- Participation (and all materials) in workshops, gallery tours and activities with local artists.
- Whisky and gin tasting.
- Entry to Stromness Museum.
- Visit to St Magnus Cathedral, built in 1137 by the Vikings.All meals – breakfast, lunch, and dinner (dietary requirements catered for) – starting with our welcome dinner on Monday May 25th and ending with breakfast on Saturday May 30th. On some days, we will be eating packed lunches when we are out on excursions and activities.
- 5 nights accommodation at The Ferry Inn, Stromness, a local pub at the heart of this small community.
- Transfers between Kirkwall Airport and Stromness and transfers to and from all destinations outside of Stromness that we will be visiting during the trip.
What’s not included
- Any travel to reach our meeting point at the airport in Kirkwall, Orkney on our arrival day of May 25th 2026 or onwards from there on our departure day of May 30th 2026. We will advise on travel if you are successful in securing a place.
- Alcoholic beverages.
- Travel insurance, which is a requirement for this trip.
This Sky Gathering will be based in Stromness, Orkney, Scotland and runs from Monday May 25th 2026 to Saturday May 30th 2026.
Guests will be responsible for making their own way to Orkney, and will need to arrive on, or by, Monday May 25th. (Any arriving before this date will be responsible for arranging their own accommodation and transfers.)
On Monday May 25th we will be collecting guests from Kirkwall and transferring them to our base in Stromness. Orkney can be reached by air or sea:
Reaching Orkney by Air
All flights to Orkney land at Kirkwall Airport, which is 30 mins journey from Stromness. We will be collecting all guests from the airport. While there are no international flights direct to Kirkwall, connecting flights can be made from the main Scottish airports: Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness. There is also a weekly flight (on Mondays and Fridays) between London and Kirkwall.
Reaching Orkney by Ferry
Northlink Ferries run a 90 minute service between Scrabster (near Thurso on the Scottish mainland) and Stromness. Thurso can be reached by train or bus from Inverness. Northlink Ferries also operate a 5-hour crossing between Aberdeen and Kirkwall.
If you would like help booking your travel to Orkney or extending your stay before or after the Sky Gathering, you can arrange this through the local independent travel agency Scapa Travel.
REGISTER YOUR INTEREST
If you are ready to place a deposit to book this trip (£600 GBP per place), please enter your details on the registration form below and we will get back to you. You’ll need to let us know how many you want to book for and what the desired room arrangements. If more register interest to book than we have places for, we will allocate places randomly.
We hope you will be able to join us on this unique and uplifting trip!
If you have any questions, get in touch at travel@cloudappreciationsociety.org.
