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TRAVEL/TOURS ADVERTORIAL52 NADFAS REVIEW / SUMMER 2016 www.nadfas.org.ukPoints of viewFrom Neolithic houses to pioneering lighthouses of the industrial age, the rugged landscapes of the Northern Isles offer an insight into thousands of years of human ingenuity. Claire Gervat reportsNo one visiting the Northern Isles – as the archipelagos of Shetland and Orkney are collectively known – can fail to appreciate their unique character. This is Scotland with a distinctive Scandinavian fl avour, a legacy of almost 700 years of Norse rule, which has left its mark on everything from place names and the language to folklore and festivals such as Shetland’s Up Helly Aa. The islands may have been annexed to Scotland as long ago as 1471, but assimilation was a slow process – perhaps not surprising given that Lerwick, the capital of Shetland, is as close to Bergen in Norway as it is to Aberdeen, and a staggering 598 miles from London. Those looking to learn more about the fascinating past of Orkney and Shetland will fi nd plenty of places to do so. The islands are particularly rich