All Photos

Monday, 16 June 2014 was the day of my departure for the second part of the expedition "European Islands from the Skies", this time flying over the beautiful islands of the North Sea. This part took 11 days, almost 50 flight hours and 10000 km. During the trip I flew over the Channel Islands, the Isles of Scilly, Isle of Man, Outer Hebrides, Inner Hebrides, Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands, Faroe Islands, Helgoland and Frisian Islands. In addition I flew over fjords and glaciers of Norway and the castles in the valley of the Loire, France. Again this part was greatly publicised by Czech TV and radio and the internet news portal iDNES.cz. An e-book containing my on line information, photos, videos and interactive maps was published similarly to the previous part of the Expedition. 

Departure - Photos

Receiving "The expedition T-shirt"

Sharing the emotions

Sharing the emotions

Interview for iDNES.cz news portal

Interview for iDNES.cz news portal

Departure preparations

The final preparations

Before departure

Photos - Day 1

Chateau Sully, Loire river, France

Orleans Cathedral, Loire river, France

Chateau Chambord, Loire river, France

Chateau Amboise, Loire river, France

Chateau Saumur, Loire river, France

Chateau Sully, Loire river, France

Chateau Chambord, Loire river, France

Chateau Amboise, Loire river, France

Photos - Day 2

Landing Airbus cargo aircraft Beluga - St. Nazaire, France

Competition between Dynamic and Beluga

St. Malo - fortified, historic town in Bretagne, France

Pictoresque coast east of St Malo

Primary display over the isles of Chausey, west of St Malo, France

„Grand Ile“ Chausey archipelageo, France

Romantic Chausey islands, France

All the houses of the Minquiers (Minkies) islands, south of Jersey, part of the British Channel islands

La Corbiére lighthouse, western tip of Jersey island

Cliffs at the north-western coast of Jersey island

Final on runway 9, Jersey island

OK LEX at Jersey airport

Port at St Helier, Jersey during low tide

Elizabeth Castle, St Helier, Jersey

Proof that all both French and English languages are used in Jersey

Mont Orgueil fortress in the eastern part of Jersey island

Photos - Day 3

La Corbiére lighthouse, western coast of Jersey island, Channel Islands

One of the German bunkers protecting western coast and access to Jersey airport

Jersey island protection from the Second world war

The top of a German bunker with Jersey flag

Sark island - indepent international entity, an off shore and tax heaven centre

Channel islands - the closest is Guernsey, Sark in the middle and Jersey at the top

Alderney island - airport

Lighthouse at the north-western tip of Alrderney island

Town and port of Mevagissey, coast of Cornwall, UK

Falmouth, Cornwall, UK

Westernmost tip of England - Land´s End

Arrival over the Isles of Scilly, Great Britain

Shop based on customer´s honesty - St Mary, Isles of Scilly

The climate is favourable even to palm trees - Old Town, St Mary ́s, Scilly

Runway 14 at St Mary leads to the cliffs over the sea

View over the bay at „Old Town“, St Mary ́s, Isles of Scilly

Runway 32 view from the sea

OK LEX at St Mary ́s, Scilly Isles

Photos - Day 4

Commercial traffic at St Mary ́s – aircraft of Skybus connect isles of Scilly with Land ́s End

St Agnus islet, Isles of Scilly

St Agnus islet, Isles of Scilly

Bishop ́s rock lighthouse west of Isles of Scilly

Western part of Isles of Scilly

Tresco island, Scilly Isles

Land ́s End, llighthouse

Land ́s End

Pendeen lighthouse, north of Land ́s End, Cornwall,

Coast of northern Cornwall, UK

Appledore town, Cornwall, UK

Hartland Point lighthouse, Cornwall, UK

Coast of northern Cornwall

Communication antenas, Welcombe Bay, UK

Coast of northen Cornwall, UK

Lundy island, Bristol Bay, UK

Lundy island lighthouse, Bristol Bay, UK

Swansea airport bar - the grey haired man will help you with anything you need

Skerries lighthouse

Mull of Galloway lighthouse

Calf of Man shallow waters lighthouse, Isle of Man, UK

Douglas airport, Isle of Man, UK

Ailsa Craig island, Scotland, UK

Arran island marina, Scotland, UK

Lismore island lighthouse, off Oban, Scotland

Glenforsa airfield office, Scotland, UK

OK LEX at Glenforsa airfield, Scotland, UK

Fire fighting services, Glenforsa, Scotland, UK

Glenforsa airfield apron, Scotland, UK

Photos - Day 5

Iona monastery on Iona island -- the source of Christianity for a big part of western Europe

Tobermory town – the capital of Mull island, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, UK

Traditional Scottish weather - Mull island, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, UK

Traditional Scottish weather - Mull island, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, UK

Barra island airport, Outer Hebrides. This is the only licensed airport in the world based on a beach

OK LEX on the apron of Barra airport

OK LEX on the apron of Barra airport

The threshold of runway 7 is marked by the orange marker

The marker specifying the treshold of runway 25 centreline

Security check - Barra airport

Treshold, runway 11, Barra airport

Taransay island beach, Outer Hebrides

Primary display, south Harris island, Outer Hebrides

Harris island, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK

Stornoway airport, Outer Hebrides, UK

Fuel supply, Stornoway airport,Outer Hebrides, UK

Shiant islets, south of Stornoway, Lewis and Harris island, Outer Hebrides.

Whisky distillery, Talisker, Isle of Skye

Kyle of Lochalsh in the rain - Isle of Skye (left)

Plockton town and bay. The area is kept warme by the Gulf of Mexico

Runway 20 Plockton airfield, Scotland, UK

Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland. Reportedly, the most frequently photographed castle in the UK

Photos - Day 6

The manager of Glenforsa airfield - David, is helping me with fuel supplies

David with his pride - electrical pump transferring the fuel from the canister to OK LEX

Capacity limits of Glenforsa airfield apron

Ruins of Stalke castl, north of Oban, Scotland, UK

Loch Aber towards Fort William, Scotland, UK

The highest peak of Great Britain - Ben Nevis in the clouds

The town of Fort William

Loch Ail, Caledonian canal with Neptun staircase to the right

Neptune staircase, Caledonian canal, Fort William, Scotland

Confluence of the artificial part of Caledonian canal and the Loch ness by way of a series of locks.

Fort Augustus, southern tip of Loch Ness, family of river locks

Southern view of Loch Ness, Scotland, UK

Remains of Urquhart castle, Loch Ness, Scotland, UK

Inverness, Scotland, UK

Fort George fortress, north-east of Inverness

Oil rig north-west of Inverness

Wick - town and port, Scotland, UK

Noss Head cape lighthouse

Interesting rocks at Duncansby, Scotland, UK

Lighthouse at Duncansby

Pentland Skerries island with lighthouse - between Scottish mainland and Orkney islands

Churchill barrier No 2 protecting Scapa Flow bay from German submarines in WWII

Lamb Hom island – Churchill barrier No 1 at upper left part

Remains of British fortifications from WWII - Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, Scotland

Remains of British fortifications from WWII - Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, Scotland

Cangick Head lighthouse, southern part of Scapa Flow

Martello tower was a part of British fortifications ofScapa Flow built in the 19th century

Scapa Flow bay - Orkney Islands, Scotland, UK

Western coast of Hoy island with the famous Old Man of Hoy rock

Stromness port, Orkney Islands

Kitchener memorial - here the famous warrior died in 1916

The Brough of Birsay lighthouse, Orkeny Islands

The Brough of Birsay – the path is only pasable during low tide

The capital of Orkney Islands– Kirkwall

Primary display approximately over the location where Royal Oak was destroyed by a German torpedo

Around here Royal Oak sunk

OK LEX at Lamb Halm airport, Orkney Islands

Churchil´s barrier No 3 - the shipwrecks were supposed to block the area from german submarines

Photos - Day 7

North Ronaldsay lighthouse - westernmost tip of Orkney islands

First glimpse of the Shetlands

Town and port of Walls, Shetland islands

Western coast of Shetland, the main island of the Shetlands

Western coast of Shetland, the main island of the Shetlands

Western coast of Shetland, the main island of the Shetlands

An affluent Polish family house, the Shetlands

Western coast of Shetland, the main island of the Shetlands

Western coast of Shetland, the main island of the Shetlands

Coast of Muckle Roe island, the Shetlands

The only bridge connecting Muckle Roe with Shetland

View of northern Shetlands

Fishing port Symbister facing permanent decline

Artificial breeding of salmon

East Shetland - view towards the capital of the Shetlands - Lerwick

Artificial breeding of scallops

Lerwick Rock – south east of Lerwick

Bressay lighthouse - built by the father of Robert Luis Stevenson

Lerwick port and town

Lerwick port and town

View to the north of Lerwick

Full view of the terminal building at Tingwall airport, the Shetland islands

Fair Island, south of the Shetlands

Italian chapel, Lamb Holm island - built by Italian WWII POWs kept here

Inside the Italian chapel

Photos - Day 8

Orkney flag in the front, Scottish flag in the back

Between cloud layers - flight from Orkney islands to Faroe Islands

Pretty immigration officer at Faroe islands

Vagar airport, Faroe Islands

Lighthouse at the port of Thornshaven, Faroe islands

Fortification of the Thornshaven port, Faroe Islands

Embankment at Thorsaven port, Faroe Islands

Nolsoy island off Thorsaven, Faroe Islands

The suburbs of Thorshaven

Many sheep at Faroe Islands are wild. Whether this one too, I dont know

Strait between Kalsoy and Kungi islands, Faroe Islands

Bridge between Streymoy and Eysturoy islands, Faroe Islands

Photos - Day 9

Church and town of Servágur, Vagar island

Vagar airport tower and OK LEX

Coast and an islet south of Vagar island

Mykines island lighthouse

View of Vagar island with Kotlur a Hestlur islands in the back

Westernmost tip of Vagar island

Northern coast of Vagar island

Trollanes village in the north of Eysturoy island, the Faroes

Strait between Kalsoy and Kungy islands

Bridge between Kungy and Norduroyggjar islands

Fugloy island in the north-east part of the Faroes

Fugloy aisland and north-east tip of Svinoy island

Cliffs of Svinoy island

View of Faroe islands from the South to the North over the town of Klaksvik

Kungy island in the left, Norduroyggjar island to the left

Klaksvik town

Nolsoy island port, about 3 minute flight from the capital Torshavn

Torshavn port

Cruise ship off Torshavn port

Busy pier at Torshavn port

Southern tip of Streymoy island

Koltur island in the South of the Faroes

Southern part of Vagar island

Final approach - runway 12, Vagar airport

Refuelling before the flight from Vagar to Bergen, Norway

A proof that I really made it to the Faroes

ATC consol at Vargar tower

Student (left) and his instructor at Vagar airport tower

Sandoy island, south of Vagar

Sandoy island, south of Vagar

Primary display, north of the Shetlands

An oil rig about 100 km west of the coast of Norway

First glimpse of the coast of Norway - about 50 km distance

The bay and islands around the city of Bergen, Norway

Lufthansa B 737 on final to runway 35, Flesland airport, Bergen

My final approach to runway 35, Flesland airport, Bergen

Self service refuelling at Bergen

Photos - Day 10

The port and city of Bergen, Norway

The port and city of Bergen, Norway

The port and city of Bergen, Norway

A mountain restaurant off Bergen

On the way to Folgefona glacier

Hardanger fjord, Norway

In the vicinity of Folgefona glacier

Hardanger fjord

Another branch of Hardanger fjord

Primary display during flight over a fjord

Another branch of Hardanger fjord

Once more Hardanger fjord

Once more Hardanger fjord

The top of Hardanger-Jokulen glacier

Hardanger-jokulen glacier flowing down the valley

Hardanger-jokulen glacier flowing down the valley

Hardanger-jokulen glacier flowing down the valley

Hardanger fjord after departure from Hardanger-Jokulen glacier

Hardanger fjord after departure from Hardanger-Jokulen glacier

Feggesund island – northern Denmark

Photos - Day 11

Mando island, The North Frisian Islands, Denmark

Romo Strand island, The North Frisian Islands, Denmark

Dune island off Hauptinself - Helgoland archipelageo, Germany

View of Hauptinsel, Helgoland archipelageo, Germany

Hauptinsel, Helgoland - port

Cliffs at Hauptinsel, Helgoland

Walking path around Hauptinsel, Helgoland. It takes about 1 hour

Wangerooge – the East Frisian Islands, North Sea, Germany