Ascension voyage to the Shetlands on STATSRAAD LEHMKUHL

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(The crew on board is international, so English is predominantly spoken.)

Ascension voyage to Lerwick

Take a loved one with you and spend the long Ascension weekend doing something quite extraordinary! We sail from Bergen to the Shetland Islands – with two days each on the North Sea and one day ashore in Lerwick. Underway you will learn to sail and become part of the community on board. And when mobile reception disappears, you can put your smartphone aside and focus entirely on life on board and the people around you.

Itinerary:

Wednesday, 5 May, 08:15: Embarkation and check-in in Bergen
10:00: Check-in closes
14:00: Departure from Bergen
Two days at sea towards Lerwick
Friday, 7 May, 10:00: Arrival in Lerwick, Shetland Islands
One day's stay in Lerwick
Saturday, 8 May, 10:00: Departure from Lerwick
Two days at sea towards Bergen
Monday, 10 May, 10:00: Arrival in Bergen

Everyone is welcome!

You need no previous sailing experience whatsoever – everyone is welcome aboard! Our friendly and experienced crew will teach you everything you need to know. Many parents and grandparents bring their children or grandchildren along to share a unique, cross-generational experience together. But many solo travellers are also on board – and quickly find new friends along the way.

Switch off and enjoy the moment!

A few hours after departure we lose mobile phone and internet reception. You can safely put your phone away and focus entirely on the present moment – and of course on learning to sail!

Community and true seamanship

Shortly after embarkation, everyone is assigned to a watch: White, Blue or Red. Each watch lasts four hours and takes place twice within 24 hours. Together with your watchmates you take the helm, keep lookout, carry out fire watches and can – if you wish – even climb the rigging.

Standing at the helm of Norway's largest and most beautiful tall ship is an experience you won't forget in a hurry. And yes – you really are steering the ship!

A sailing voyage aboard Statsraad Lehmkuhl is a communal and inclusive experience. We sail together, help with ship operations and sleep side by side in hammocks – just as sailors have done for hundreds of years. A strong sense of community quickly develops, especially within each watch team, and many form friendships that last well beyond the voyage.

On the high seas, the ship becomes a small community in which everyone contributes and looks after one another. Life on board is refreshingly down-to-earth: practical clothing, communal meals, hammocks hung close together, and nature wherever you look – all this creates a very special atmosphere. Those travelling with someone close to them often find that such an extraordinary experience deepens the bond even further.

There is also time to relax. You can rest in your hammock, enjoy good food, chat with your fellow travellers or simply stand on deck and take in the magnificent view to the horizon.

Lerwick – the charming capital of the Shetland Islands

After two days at sea we reach the charming town of Lerwick, the only town in the Shetland Islands. The ship berths centrally in the harbour, and meals are served on board as usual.

More than a thousand years of seafaring have created strong historical and cultural connections between the Shetland Islands and Norway. Norwegian place names, Scandinavian influences, and traces from the Viking Age and the era of the "Shetland Bus" bear witness to a community whose life has always been shaped by the sea.

The landscape of the Shetland Islands is spectacular – rugged, wild and beautiful; it alone is worth the journey. Lerwick captivates with its charming streets, pubs and cafés, local Shetland wool and magnificent surroundings. You can explore the town on foot or hire a car to discover more of the islands' distinctive landscapes.

Organised excursions

We offer a 3- to 4-hour guided coach tour to some of the Shetland Islands' best-known sights. Further information to follow.

We sail back – together

On the return voyage you have the opportunity to put into practice everything you have learnt. Two thousand square metres of canvas and kilometres of rope are handled by hand and through collective effort. When the sails fill with wind and the ship gathers speed, a real sense of achievement sets in.

After crossing the North Sea, we return to Bergen – carrying with us numerous new experiences, impressions of nature and wonderful memories.

An environmentally friendly holiday

Since wind serves as the main source of propulsion, a sailing voyage is one of the most environmentally friendly ways to travel. We encourage all guests to choose environmentally friendly means of transport for travel to and from the ports as well.

Everyone talks about "quality time" – aboard Statsraad Lehmkuhl you experience exactly that!

Additional information

What is included in the voyage ticket?

- All meals on board: breakfast, lunch and dinner plus a simple snack for the night watch. A small snack is also served with afternoon coffee. Meals continue to be served on board as usual even whilst the ship is in harbour in Lerwick.
- Accommodation in hammocks in shared sleeping quarters (known as "banjers"). No cabins are available.
- The ship has good sanitary facilities with separate, recently refurbished washrooms for women and men, as well as individual toilet and shower cubicles.

What is not included in the ticket for the voyage?

Travel to and from the harbours is not included. We recommend allowing a buffer of at least six hours between your planned arrival time and any onward journey.

Passport and entry requirements: All participants must hold a valid passport. An identity card is not sufficient. Entry to the United Kingdom also requires an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation).

Travel insurance: Valid travel insurance is required.

Travel information and packing list: In good time before departure you will receive practical information, including a packing list, details of the vessel's berth and a link to the handbook.

Age restrictions

Minimum age: 12 years. Participants aged 12 to 14 must travel accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
Participants aged 15 and over may travel independently.
Participants over 70 must provide a medical certificate (form available on request).

Sleeping in hammocks: Participants sleep in our two communal sleeping quarters below deck in hammocks that are hung side by side.

Meals: We can—where practically possible—accommodate different dietary requirements (vegetarian, pescatarian, gluten-free). Please specify any such requirements in the comment field of your ticket after booking. Unfortunately we are unable to provide purely vegan meals. If you have severe food allergies or further questions about catering on board, please get in touch with us.

Watch system: As part of the sailing crew you will keep two fixed four-hour watches per day:

Red watch: 12:00–16:00 / 00:00–04:00
White watch: 04:00–08:00 / 16:00–20:00
Blue watch: 08:00–12:00 / 20:00–00:00

Preferences for watch allocation may be given when booking. We will endeavour to accommodate all requests, but cannot guarantee that every participant will receive their preferred watch. Groups travelling together will be given priority in the allocation.

Whilst the ship is moored in Lerwick harbour, the sailing crew is relieved of watch duties.

Physical requirements for access to the rigging

Full access to the rigging:
- Either 1 regular pull-up or 5 "Bravo" pull-ups, followed by 10 seconds' dead hang.
Limited access:
- A 10-second dead hang qualifies for access to the lower shrouds, the lower yards (up to the first platform but not beyond) and the bowsprit.

Anyone unable to meet the requirement of a 10-second dead hang may unfortunately not enter the rigging.

Wi-Fi and mobile reception: Wi-Fi is not available for the sailing crew. The ship's permanent crew is in daily contact with the mainland and can pass on important messages if required. A satellite phone is available on board for emergencies. Power sockets for charging electronic devices are available on board.

Alcohol and drugs: A strict prohibition on alcohol and other intoxicants applies on board—even whilst the ship is in harbour—except at specially designated events.

As much sailing as possible: Our aim is always to sail as much as possible; wind and weather, however, determine conditions at sea. Occasionally we must use the engine to avoid bad weather or to reach our destination as scheduled. Memories for a lifetime: If you are therefore looking for a quiet holiday without any special or striking experiences, this trip is probably not for you. We offer you instead an active and exciting voyage with unique physical experiences and the opportunity to make new friends. The sense of achievement from working with sails and rigging, combined with wonderful encounters with nature on the open sea, creates feelings and memories that will stay with you for life!

The ship: STATSRAAD LEHMKUHL is in service all year round and built for sailing on the open sea. She has served under the Norwegian flag as a training ship for more than a hundred years. She is without doubt one of the most beautiful sailing ships in the world and is often called the "Pride of Bergen". The Lehmkuhl Foundation does everything in its power to keep the ship in first-class condition at all times.