It's a massive journey by car ... but all that could now change for Huddersfield folk.

Many people enjoy venturing to the far north to visit the Scottish islands of Orkney and Shetland and it involves a six-hour road trip plus ferry crossings.

But Manchester Airport has revealed it now has direct summer flights to the islands with Loganair.

From late June until early September, people will be able to go on direct flights to the north isles of Orkney and Shetland and the Western Isles of the Outer Hebrides.

The Orkney route begins of June 22, with flights both ways taking place on Mondays and Fridays.

The launch date of the new service coincides with the world-famous St Magnus Festival in Orkney – sponsored by Loganair - which celebrates the islands’ rich cultural heritage through a renowned programme of music concerts, many of which are held in Kirkwall’s spectacular 12th century St Magnus Cathedral.

A Loganair plane

Services to Shetland start on Saturday, June 23, and will run through to September 1. The first ever non-stop flights from Manchester to Sumburgh will offer access to the rugged scenery of Shetland and the islands’ incredible hospitality and range of scenery.

In a similar move, the first ever non-stop services from Manchester to Stornoway in the Western Isles will operate from Saturday June 23 to September 1. Loganair is already looking at means to add a second weekly flight on this route.

Connections to all three islands are available on other days of the week via Loganair’s frequent jet service from Manchester to Inverness which are designed to connect with its onward services to all three islands at Inverness. With an increasing trend towards holidaying in the UK as a result of foreign exchange rate changes and security concerns, the airline is expecting a bumper year for domestic tourism.

Loganair is also adding a new service from Manchester to the gateway to the Fjords – the Norwegian city of Bergen – in 2018. The one-stop service will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays throughout the year, complementing other airlines’ less frequent non-stop flights which only operate for part of the year. Flights will have a short stop at Inverness but will be operated by the same Embraer 145 jet aircraft from Manchester to Bergen.