Highlands and Islands of ScotlandA cruise featuring Scotland's Highlands and Hebrides

Study Leaders

Steve Blamires
Steve Blamires, your Expedition leader, is from Arran in western of Scotland, where the Celtic and Gaelic cultures are still strong. He is an authority on the Celtic, Viking, and Inuit peoples and has an extensive knowledge of the society, culture, and history of Ireland, Scotland, Iceland, and Greenland.

Steve has a special expertise in Celtic traditions and has represented the Celtic peoples at the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions. He has also published several books on Celtic culture and tradition, the Gaelic language and, most recently, a biography of the Scottish poet, writer, and mystic William Sharp, The Little Book of the Great Enchantment.

Steve has traveled extensively on all seven continents, has circumnavigated the globe, and visited over 50 countries. Steve will accompany the August 12 and 19, 2013 departures.

Stewart Aitchison
Stewart Aitchison is a naturalist and certified photo instructor. He has been exploring, photographing, teaching, and writing about biodiversity, geology, and the American Southwest for 40 years and was trained as a zoologist and geologist. Stewart also spent ten years as a field biologist for the Museum of Northern Arizona, a nonprofit institution dedicated to preserving the Colorado Plateau's natural and cultural heritage.

Stewart's travels and studies have resulted in over 20 books, including the best seller Grand Canyon: Window of Time, a large-format photo book focused on the history, geology, and mystery of this natural wonder. His latest book is The Desert Islands of Mexico's Sea of Cortez. His photos have been published in Arizona Highways, Los Angeles Times, Mountain Bike Magazine, National Wildlife, Nevada Magazine, National Geographic, Outdoor & Travel Photography, Reader's Digest, and Sierra.

Stewart will accompany the August 12 and 19, 2013 departures.