Geography of the British Northern Isles: Orkney, Shetland & Outer Hebrides

Have you ever wanted to play the game of Ba', walk the Ring of Broghdar, sit in a Black House, smell a peat fire, speak Orcadian or sail Scapa Flow? If the answer is yes, come aboard the ferry departing from the Scottish mainland on Nov. 3 for Shetland, Orkney and the Outer Hebrides. We will explore the physical, economic and cultural geography of these fantastic islands. After an introduction to the geography of Highland Scotland, we will discuss topics such as archaeology (why Orkney is the "Egypt of the North"), land tenure (clans, crofts and clearances), ecology (the machair) and economies (sheep and oil) of each of the three island groups.

Instructor Bio: Tom Schmiedeler, Ph.D., is professor emeritus of geography at Washburn University.

An Osher membership fee of $25 is required to enroll in this class. If you have not paid your membership fee, please click on Osher Membership Fee - Shopping cart to add the membership fee to your shopping cart. Then continue shopping to select your courses and/or events. If you have questions about whether or not you have paid your member fee, please call 785-864-6779.

Course Accessibility: Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend University of Kansas-sponsored events. If you require reasonable accommodations in order to participate in an event, please email [email protected] or call 785-864-6779 at least three weeks before the first day of the event.