Scottish Highland Fling - 10 day tour

Day 2 - Exploring Edinburgh

This morning join a Local Expert for a tour of this flourishing UNESCO World Heritage city.

First, we travel through the elegant streets of the Georgian New Town to view formal gardens and grand architecture. Cross over to the ancient Old Town to visit mighty Edinburgh Castle, home to the ornate Scottish Crown Jewels and the Stone of Destiny.

Later take a drive along the famous Royal Mile through the Canongate to see the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence of HM The King in Scotland. Close-by sits the modern Scottish Parliament building and the crags of Holyrood Park.

This afternoon is free for independent sightseeing.

Tonight why not make a date to attend a Scottish Evening complete with Highland dancing, bagpipes and the Ceremony of the Haggis.

If your tour departs between 01 and 22 August 2024 tickets to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo are included. This dazzling show takes place on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle and features the spectacular massed Pipes and Drums.

Day 3 - Edinburgh - St Andrews - Inverness

We bid farewell to Edinburgh and cross the Firth of Forth where we'll see the three bridges that span this wide estuary including the magnificent Forth Bridge.

Our drive will take us through the Kingdom of Fife to reach St Andrews, renowned as the home of golf. Enjoy some free time to explore this historic town and its many golfing connections.

Later cross the River Tay to reach Dundee then make our way through the pleasant Perthshire countryside to reach the Victorian resort of Pitlochry. After some free time, we head through the Grampian Mountains to reach the picturesque Cairngorms National Park.

Haunting Culloden Moor was the site of a bloody battle between the Jacobite Army of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Government Forces led by the Duke of Cumberland in 1746. It was the last battle fought on British soil, and the outcome changed life in the Highlands for generations. Discover the story behind this famous event at the award-winning visitor centre before making the short drive to our hotel in the centre of Inverness.  

Overnight: Mercure Inverness Hotel, Inverness (or similar)

Day 4 - Inverness - Dunrobin Castle - Thurso

After a hearty Highland breakfast, we travel northwards across the Moray Firth to reach the Black Isle and the Cromarty Firth beyond.

Our first stop of the day will be to a local distillery where we'll discover how expert distillers produce Scotch Whisky, Scotland's national drink, using just three ingredients - water, barley and yeast. At the end of the tour, there's the chance to taste the end product too!

On the outskirts of Golspie lies Dunrobin Castle, the ancestral home of the Dukes and Earls of Sutherland. Built to resemble a French chateau this fairy-tale castle boasts 189 rooms and extensive gardens as we will discover during our visit.

There are lovely coastal views to enjoy as we make our way northwards to reach Thurso, our home for the next two nights. After checking in to our hotel why not enjoy an optional excursion to a local pub?

Overnight: St Clair Hotel, Thurso (or similar) (2 nights)

Day 5 - Orkney Islands Excursion

Today we have a fascinating excursion to the ancient Orkney Islands. Our day of adventure starts with a drive to nearby John O'Groats, Britain's most northerly village, where the ferry awaits to take us on the 45-minute crossing of the Pentland Firth.

We will arrive on South Ronaldsay, where a local coach and driver/guide is waiting to greet us. On our tour, we will see Scapa Flow, the scene of momentous events during both World Wars, then cross the Churchill Barriers to reach Mainland Orkney.

Enjoy a light lunch of local delicacies at the Tasting Hall café then enjoy a tour of the award-winning Orkney Brewery, followed by a tasting of their craft beer.

We will spend this afternoon visiting the ancient treasures of Neolithic Orkney. First, we stop at Skara Brae, a fascinating 5,000 year-old Neolithic village complete with houses fitted with stone beds and seats. You can discover more pre-historic artefacts at the nearby Skaill House museum.

There is more ancient history on show when we visit the captivating Ring of Brodgar, a ritual site of gatherings and ceremony.

Enjoy free time in Kirkwall, the main town on the islands. It's a great place to browse the craft shops and jewellery designers for a unique souvenir of our visit.

In the late afternoon, we return to the mainland and make our way back to our hotel in Thurso.

Day 6 - Thurso - Ullapool - Gairloch

Today's journey through the Northern Highlands will take us along the famous North Coast 500 route, famed for its seascapes and mountain scenery. As we travel along the very top of Scotland, discover a never-ending vista of expansive beaches, dramatic sealochs and wild moorland.

Our journey will take us through the remote villages of Durness and Scourie then across the sweeping Kylesku Bridge to reach Ardvreck Castle which sits overlooking Loch Assynt.

We will break our journey in the picturesque fishing port of Ullapool where we will enjoy a tasty lunch of freshly landed fish and chips served in a local restaurant.

Our scenic tour continues through Poolewe to reach Gairloch, our home for tonight.

Overnight: Gairloch Hotel, Gairloch (or similar)

Day 7 - Gairloch - Isle of Skye - Oban

There is more dramatic scenery today as we make our way through delightful Glen Carron to Kyle of Lochalsh where we drive "Over the sea to Skye".

The magical Isle of Skye is famed for its natural beauty and today we'll travel through the attractive Sleat Peninsula, known as the Garden of Skye.   

At Armadale, we board a ferry for the short sailing to Mallaig, a historic fishing port.

A scenic drive along the famous "Road to the Isles" will take us to Glenfinnan, where we will stop to view the imposing Glenfinnan Viaduct, that featured in the Harry Potter movies and the poignant Memorial to the Highlanders that fought during the Jacobite Uprisings.

As we reach Fort William, look out for the peak of Ben Nevis, Britain's tallest mountain before we make a stop amongst the stunning beauty of Glen Coe. Later travel through the Appin Hills to reach Oban, a bustling ferry port and our home for the next two nights.

Overnight: Oban Bay Hotel, Oban (or similar) (2 nights)

Day 8 - Excursion to Mull and Iona

Today we visit the Hebridean islands of Mull and Iona. From Oban board the ferry for the 45-minute crossing to Craignure on Mull. As we make our approach lookout for Duart Castle, the cliff-top stronghold of the Clan MacLean.

Our tour through the Isle of Mull will take us along the banks of Loch Scridain where there are wonderful views of Ben More, the tallest peak on the island, to enjoy. The winding road through the Ross of Mull brings us to little Fionnphort, where we board the ferry for Iona.

St Columba landed on Iona in 563AD, bringing Christianity to Scotland and ever since then this little island has been a place of pilgrimage. During our time here you can visit the restored Abbey and the Relig Oran, where 48 early Kings, including Macbeth, are thought to have been buried.  

Iona is also famous for its beautiful un-spoilt beaches so why not seek out St Columba's Bay, famed for its sparkling green stones or the bright blue water and soft white sands of Port Ban.   

Day 9 - Oban - Loch Lomond - Glasgow

It's a relaxed start today, so we can enjoy some free time in Oban before we make our way through the Western Highlands, a landscape that is renowned for its heather-clad mountains, sparkling sea lochs and ancient castles.

A real highlight of the journey is Loch Lomond, where the Highlands meet the Lowlands. Our tour along the "bonnie, bonnie banks", lets us enjoy panoramic views of the Queen of Scotland's lakes.

Glasgow is Scotland’s largest city. Our orientation drive will introduce us to some of the highlights including the 12th Century Cathedral and Provand's Lordship, the oldest building in the city. Tour through the city centre to see the ornate Victorian architecture and impressive City Chambers (Town Hall) in George Square. Later make for the leafy West End to see the imposing campus of Glasgow University, before arriving at our hotel.

Enjoy some free time before joining our Tour Director and fellow passengers for a farewell dinner in a local restaurant.

Overnight: Clayton Hotel, Glasgow (or similar)

Day 10 - Homeward bound

Sadly our tour ends after breakfast.