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

About this event

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.

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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 jayhawkglobal@ku.edu or call 785-864-6779 at least three weeks before the first day of the event.