Day 1 - April 5th - This morning we meet at our Edinburgh Airport accommodation and head north to the Kingdom of Fife and what is known as the East Neuk of Fife. We will cross the Firth of Forth and start our coastal drive through Dalgety Bay to Aberdour for our first stop at Aberdour Castle. The castle has seen 500 years of noble living, serving as a residence to the powerful Mortimer, Randolph and Douglas families. Today, its ruined structures and roofed buildings show clearly how a medieval castle could be extended and adapted over time. From here we make our way through Burntisland and Kinghorn and then to Kirkcaldy for Lunch. After a wee look around and a walk along the beach we head to St. Monan's to visit St. Monan's Kirk. St. Monan was an Irish missionary who, around 832, lived in a cell close to where a burn meets the sea and just by the present site of the Old Kirk which dates back to 1265. Our final stop of the day is in Pittenweem to visit the Pittenweem Chocolate Company and Cocoa Tree Café. Chocolatier Sophie Latinis in addition to producing her own range, sources fine speciality chocolates from Scotland, Belgium and around the world. The café is open all year round and is renowned for its Indulgent Hot Chocolates. Dinner tonight at our favourite place anywhere in the UK for fish and chips. Dinner and Overnight Anstruther. (B,L,D)

Day 2 - April 6th - Our first stop this morning is the village of Crail where charming cobbled streets tumble down to the miniature harbour, which is sheltered by cliffs and surrounded by historic fishing cottages. There is plenty to explore here including a heritage centre, galleries, local shops as well as delightful tearooms. Then we stop at a few beaches along the way to St. Andrews including Kingbarns Beach, Red Beach and Salt Lake Beach. Once in St. Andrews we first stop for Afternoon Tea. After tea we will visit the Swilcan Bridge on the Old Course and the Clubhouse before we visit the ruins of St. Andrews Cathedral, once the largest cathedral in Scotland. It was Consecrated in 1318 by King Robert the Bruce, having been begun in 1160 by Bishop Arnold. The work continued over the next 150 years with a few mishaps along the way. St Rule’s Church, the oldest building on site was built around 1130, as the first place of worship in Scotland for the newly arrived Augustinian Canons. The 100 foot tall St Rule’s Tower was a beacon for pilgrims heading to the shrine of St Andrew, so it was fitting that St Rule’s became the headquarters of the Scottish Church. St. Andrews is also well known for Ice Cream at both Janetta's and Nardini's so you may want to have some while you are looking around! Dinner on your own in Anstruther. Overnight Anstruther. (B,L)

Day 3 - April 7th - This morning we travel north across the Kingdom of Fife and over the River Tay on the Tay Road Bridge to Dundee. While here we will visit Discovery Point and the RRS Discovery. Here we will follow in the footsteps of Captain Scott and his heroic team, the Heroes of the Ice who braved the harsh conditions of the Antarctic and hear their stories first hand. We will explore the Crews Quarters and the Officers Wardroom and discover the unique design features of the first ship built for scientific research in Antarctica. We will learn about the first voyage of Discovery to the most inhospitable place on the earth as we explore one of the most incredible ships ever built! You will then have some time to explore Dundee's Waterfront and find some lunch on your own before we make our way further along the coast to our next stop at Arbroath Abbey, founded by William the Lion in 1178, in memory of Martyr Thomas Becket. Here we explore the origins of the most famous document in Scottish history – the Declaration of Arbroath. Scotland’s nobles swore their independence from England in this letter to the Pope, sent from Arbroath Abbey in 1320. The abbey remained one of the nation’s grandest monasteries for almost 400 years and much later, the Stone of Destiny had a starring role in Arbroath Abbey’s Story. We then make our way further north to Aberdeen and to our accommodation to get settled in before dinner. Dinner and Overnight Aberdeen. (B,D)

Day 4 - April 8th - This morning we make our way just a short way out of Scotland's Granite City of Aberdeen to Dunnottar Castle, a spectacularly situated coastal castle with breathtaking views. This dramatic and evocative ruined cliff top fortress was the home of the Earls Marischal, once one of the most powerful families in Scotland. Steeped in history, this romantic and haunting ruin is a photographer’s paradise, a history lover’s dream and an iconic tourist destination for visitors the world over. Oliver Cromwell's Army laid siege to the castle in 1652, but The Honours of Scotland were smuggled out of the castle and taken to Kinneff Church, where they remained until the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. After our visit we make our way back into the city for Afternoon Tea at Almondine. After tea you will have some time to explore Aberdeen's hidden treasures and then find some dinner on your own. Aberdeen is one of the most architecturally distinctive cities in Europe and not just a city by the sea, but a city of the sea. A city where ships dock right up against the city centre streets and where urban dolphins leap at the harbour mouth. Where locals paddle-board and surf off the city beach with golden sands stretching for miles towards vast dunes to the north and high cliffs to the south. It’s a city of rivers too, where the Dee and the Don meet the sea, bringing crystal clear waters from the Cairngorm mountains. Dinner on your own in Aberdeen. Overnight Aberdeen. (B,L,D)

Day 5 - April 9th - This morning we go inland for part of the day so that we can visit our Favourite Stone Circle anywhere in Scotland. It is situated on a farm in the Aberdeenshire countryside and the stone circle remains today just as it looked over 4000 years ago and has not been manicured or changed in any way! This is often a favourite stop on our tours as it is so unique and such a magical experience. We then make our way to the coast again with a stop at Forvie National Nature Reserve with some of the Largest Sand Dunes in Britain and one of Scotland's most dramatic stretches of coast. The mud flats of the Ythan Estuary provide a fast food refueling stop for many passing birds and the mouth of the estuary is a year round Hangout for Seals! We will have a Packed Picnic Lunch to enjoy on the beach while we watch the summer acrobatics of Diving Terns or the determined stabbing of the carrot-coloured beaks of Wading Oystercatchers. We then make our way through Cruden Bay to Longhaven Cliffs, a spectacular site of Pink and Red Granite Cliffs rising out of the sea! Longhaven Cliffs offers spectacular views of Seabird Colonies and natural features such as Sea Stacks, Caves and Arches. Seals can be spotted basking on the rocks below and in summer the reserve blossoms with wildflowers! We then make our way to Keith Inch, the Most Easterly Point of Mainland Scotland. From here we make our way along the coast with some delightful stops in hidden coastal villages along the way. Dinner and Overnight Macduff. (B,L,D)

 

Day 6 - April 10th - This morning we board a boat for a Wildlife Sea Cruise. On these trips you often see Bottlenose Dolphins, Seals and Harbour Porpoise and sometimes Minke Whale. The bottlenose dolphins of the Moray Firth are the most northerly resident group of bottlenose dolphins in the world and a vital part of Scotland’s natural heritage. On this 3 Hour Wildlife Trip we will sail to Troup Head which is home to 4,000 plus gannets and is the only gannet colony in mainland Scotland. In Summer, approximately 22,000 Guillemots, 2,000 Razorbills, 15,000 pairs of Kittiwakes and 2,000 Pairs of Fulmars are present along with smaller numbers of Puffins and Sags as well as Seals. We will have Afternoon Tea in MacDuff before visiting the lovely wee towns we saw from the water on our Puffin Cruise. These are some of the most delightful fishing villages you will ever see! Pennan is a tiny fishing hamlet just off the coast road, down a steep and hazardous hill. Consisting of little more than a single row of whitewashed stone cottages tucked between a cliff and the sea, the village leapt into the limelight when the British movie Local Hero was filmed here in 1982. Next we visit Crovie whose residents frequently have their doorsteps washed by the sea. Tucked against the steep cliffs, its so narrow that its residents have to park at one end of the village and continue to their houses on foot! Next we visit Gardenstown, another cliff-side village on the other side of Troup Head with a lovely beach, an 11th century chapel nearby and a footpath along the cliffs to Crathie. Dinner on your own this evening. Overnight Macduff. (B,L,D)

Day 7 - April 11th - Today we will take in more of the lovely coastal villages along the Moray Firth including my favourite and also Mario's favourite. We first visit Portsoy, a quite charming port village with an attractive uphill town centre with streets winding down to the remarkable harbour. You can find well known local jewellery here made from ‘Portsoy Marble’, which was once shipped to Versailles. Our next stop is at Cullen, home to a Traditional Scottish Delicacy, Cullen Skink which is a smoked haddock chowder. There is a harbour and a long stretch of sandy beach with excellent coastal walks to Sunnyside Beach as well as the ruins of Findlater Castle. Next is Mario's favourite, Portknockie with its amazing natural rock formation called Bow Fiddle Rock. The village overlooks the Moray Firth and a harbour, and is a great place to spot dolphins. Next is my favourite village, Findochty at the eastern end of Spey Bay with a small, sandy beach. We will Stop for Pub Lunch before exploring this charming village that dates as far back as the 15th century! In the 18th and 19th centuries Findochty expanded into a busy fishing port and today the harbour hosts small fishing craft and pleasure boats, and is a great place to spot dolphins and porpoise. We will make a stop at Spey Bay before our final village of the day, Buckie. Buckie is busy little town with its own large harbour and marina with stunning beaches with spectacular long walks along the coast. Dinner and Overnight Elgin. (B,L,D)

Day 8 - April 12th - This morning we take in some of the delights of Elgin including Elgin Cathedral. This superb ruin was perhaps the most beautiful cathedral in Scotland and is Scotland's second largest cathedral behind St. Andrews and was known as 'The Lantern of the North'. If suffered many mishaps and then was rebuilt only to see the Reformation in the 1500's. Even in ruins, it is still one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Scotland with many wonderful treasures still to be seen. We then visit the Johnstons of Elgin, with a 220 year-old story of Scottish innovation and luxury, celebrating the skills of our Scottish Craftspeople and generations of herding communities from Mongolia, Afghanistan and Peru, and of natural fibres reaching their full potential. After our visit we have Afternoon Tea at the Ditsy Teacup in Elgin before we drive a bit further up the road to Lossiemouth on the Moray Firth. This is a lovely seaside village where we can find some Great Ice Cream before a stroll on the beach. On our return to Elgin we visit Duffus Castle, the medieval stronghold of the Moray Clan and one of Scotland’s finest Motte and Bailey Castles. The castle is situated on the Laich of Moray, a fertile plain that was once the swampy foreshore of Spynie Loch and the whole site is enclosed by a water- filled ditch, which is more a mark of its boundary than it is a serious defensive measure. Dinner on your own in Elgin. Overnight Elgin. (B,L)

Day 9 - April 13th - This morning we will stop at Forres to see the Sueno's Stone, a Pictish Stone that is the most remarkable sculptured monument in Britain. It stands over 20 feet high and dates to the end of the first millennium AD. As we are in the delightful village of Forres, we will take some time to explore as it is home to a number of craft shops and art galleries. We cannot pass up the lovely beach at Nairn, one of the sunniest and driest places in Scotland! We then travel down the shores of Loch Ness with a stop at Drumnadrochit. Located at the head of Urquhart Bay on the northern shore of Loch Ness, the lovely village of Drumnadrochit is popular with Loch Ness Monster Hunters! While we are here, we will join the hunt on a Loch Ness Cruise where we can see the Ruins of Urquhart Castle from the boat. After our cruise we will Stop for Lunch and then explore this wee village before we make our way to Invermoriston to see one of our favourite bridges, the Thomas Telford Bridge. Built in 1813, it crosses the spectacular River Moriston Falls. This bridge used to form part of the main road between Drumnadrochit and Fort Augustus but was replaced in the 1930s with the new bridge used today. If time permits we will make a short stop in Fort Augustus before reaching Fort William. Dinner and Overnight near Fort William. (B,L,D)

Day 10- April 14th - This morning we will take in the 'Road to the Isles' when you will board the Jacobite Steam Train(also known as the Hogwart's Express) for a train journey to Mallaig. The train crosses the 21-arched Glenfinnan Viaduct (a location made famous in the Harry Potter films) which overlooks Loch Shiel and the Jacobite monument.with a stop at Glenfinnan which sits at the head of mysterious and beautiful Loch Shiel and is at the crossroads of four steep sided Glens. It was here that Prince Charles Edward Stuart or 'Bonnie Prince Charlie' as he came to be known, called for the local clansmen to assemble in August 1745 and raised the standard proclaiming the throne of Great Britain to rightfully belong to his family, the Stewarts. Once we are in Mallaig, we stop for afternoon Tea and then do some exploring Mallaig is a busy fishing port and ferry terminal with services to Skye and the Small Isles. The town is a fascinating place where visitors can soak up the atmosphere of a working fishing port, but at the same time its remote location makes is a great place to relax. You may want to take the pleasant Mallaig Circuit walk which has great views over Mallaig harbour and across Loch Nevis to Knoydart. We then make our way back toward Fort William through spectacular scenery and coastal vistas with a few picturesque along the way including Lochailort, Arisaig and Morar. Dinner and Overnight near Fort William. (B,L,D)

Day 11 - April 15th - Before leaving Fort William behind we will board the Souters Lass for a Loch Cruise departing from Fort William Town Pier. The cruise will sail on Loch Linnhe and Loch Eil, surrounded by wonderful wildlife and unique views of Ben Nevis. While onboard we will receive a fascinating commentary throughout from our Skipper learning about its history, wildlife, geology, industry and more. Often times you will see Seals, Porpoise, Dolphins, a whole host of birdlife. We will spend some time in Fort William Town before taking Afternoon Tea at Inverlochy Castle before we head further south to Oban known as the Gateway to the Isles. At Ballachulish we will take a slight detour to Glencoe. We will drive through the striking mountains of Glencoe with its assemblage of peaks, ridges and valleys which rise up above the peat hags and scattered lochans. The waters which tumble from these high mountains give rise to a series of spectacular waterfalls that gather initially at the 'Meeting of the Three Waters' to form the River Coe, the site of the Glencoe Massacre. Against a backdrop of craggy peaks and the tumbling River Coe, the Glen offers some of Scotland's most spectacular scenery but has also seen one of the most violent acts in Scottish History when in 1692 the Clan MacDonald were massacred on this very spot! Then on to Oban to get checked in before dinner. Dinner and Overnight Oban. (B,L,D)

Day 12 - April 16th - This morning we take a Wildlife Sea Journey sailing across Oban Bay past Dunollie Castle and Hutcheson's Monument on the Isle of Kerrera to the Seal Colony in the Firth of Lorne with open views of Mull and Lismore. Along the way there's an abundance of wildlife to spot with many sea birds such as White-Tailed Sea Eagles, Common Cormorants and many other species, and of course seals basking in their natural unspoiled surroundings. You will also be able to see a local Salmon Farm just behind Kerrera, and you might even see Otters and maybe even Dolphins - all set in the beautiful and stunning scenery of the Scottish West Coast. After our cruise we will explore Oban before Stopping for Lunch at our second favourite place in Scotland for fish and chips! This afternoon we visit Dunstaffnage Castle, one of Scotland’s Oldest Stone Castles. This mass of masonry guards the seaward approach from the Firth of Lorn to the Pass of Brander – and thereby the heart of Scotland and it still overawes everyone! The castle was built around 1240 by Duncan MacDougall, son of Dubhgall, Lord of Lorn, and grandson of the great Somerled, King of the Isles. These were stirring times in Argyll, because of the struggle between the Kingdom of Scotland and Norway for control of the Hebrides. The King of Scots won control of the region in 1266, but Dunstaffnage continued to see plenty of action during the Wars of Independence (1296–1356). King Robert the Bruce famously besieged the mighty fortress around 1308, after his victory over the MacDougalls at the Pass of Brander. Dinner and Overnight Oban. (B,L,D)

Day 13 - April 17th - Today will be mostly about spectacular scenery as we make our way south through Kilmartin Glen through Lochgilphead to Inveraray and then to just near Glasgow. Over 5000 Years of Human History can be traced across Kilmartin Glen with at least 350 Ancient Monuments lying within six miles of the quiet village of Kilmartin. Of particular interest are the earlier prehistoric monuments: chambered cairns, round cairns, cists, standing stones and rock carvings. Near the village is a group of stones called Nether Largie. We will visit Temple Wood and its stone circle with a cairn at the centre. We will also visit Nether Largie South Cairn, believed to have been built around 3000BC. We will also stop at Dunadd, an Iron Age Fort which overlooks the Moine Mhor. Dunadd has a very special place in Scottish history as this was the capital of the Ancient Kingdom of Dalriada. Legend has it that the Stone of Destiny was used here in the crowning of the first Kings of Scotland. We will stop in Inveraray for you to find some lunch before making our way alongside Loch Lomond with a stop at Tarbert for a Private Cruise of Loch Lomond complete with Prosecco and Canapes. On our cruise we will hear stories of marauding Vikings and feuding clans. while we watch for wildlife and a chance to see deer, osprey and even wallabies! We then make our way to Dunoon to get checked into our accommodation before dinner. Dinner and  Overnight Dunoon. (B,D)

​

Day 14 - April 18th - This morning we head north from Dunoon and through more spectacular scenery as this is where the Lowlands meet the Highlands, where the lochs, mountains, rivers and villages hold secrets of history, legend and tradition. Our first stop will be the Rest and Be Thankful, so named as the climb out of Glen Croe is so long and steep at the end that it was traditional for travelers to rest at the top, and be thankful for having reached the highest point. We will drive along the west coast of  Loch Lomond through the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Forrest with a stop alongside the Bonny Bonny Banks of Loch Lomond. We will then cross the Mighty River Clyde, skirting around Glasgow and making our way to the coast at Largs for an Amazing Fish and Chips Lunch. In Largs you will also find Nardini's Ice Cream Parlour which has some of the best ice cream anywhere in Scotland! We then continue all along this spectacular coastline with a few coastal stops along the way to Ayr where we get settled into tour accommodation before dinner. Dinner and Overnight near Ayr. (B,L,D)

Day 15 - April 19th - This morning we make our way to Culzean Castle, Robert Adam’s cliff-top masterpiece that rises above a world of woods, beaches and secret follies. It was built between 1772 and 1790 for David Kennedy, 10th Earl of Cassillis. The Kennedy family donated the castle to the National Trust for Scotland in 1945 and asked that the top floor would be gifted to General Eisenhower as a thank you from the people of Scotland for his role in WW2. We will have a tour of the castle where you will see most of the castle on our tour that ends with the the servants' quarters and kitchen. Particular items to look out for are the beautifully detailed ceilings in the Blue Drawing Room and the Long Drawing Room. Other notable features are the elegant red carpeted stairs of the central "Courtyard" and the clifftop views from the Round Drawing Room. We then stop for Afternoon Tea before visiting Kitchen Coos and Ewes, a Highland Cow experiences where you can see Highland Cows and Beltex Sheep in their natural, farm environment in beautiful south west Scotland. The tours are designed to get you close to the Highland Cattle from the safety and comfort of a purpose built trailer – it’s basically a farmer-led Highland cow safari! It is wind and water tight with padded seats and you can experience a working Scottish farm and meet the Highlanders without even the need for wellies! The tour ends with a cuppa and some home baking fresh from the farmhouse kitchen. Dinner and Overnight Kirkcudbright. (B,L,D)

​

Day 16 - April 20th - Kirkcudbright is a town on the Solway coast on the banks of the River Dee and is the only town on the Solway coast with a working harbour. It’s a very attractive town with a blend of medieval, Georgian and Victorian buildings. Kirkcudbright became a magnet for Scottish artists in the late 19th century, and is now know as The Artists' Town. Too big to be called a village and a bit too small to be a real city, this 'town' is a pure delight to explore on foot with shops, sidewalk cafes, art galleries, small museums, a busy harbour and a castle! After some free time here in Kirkcudbright we will stop for Afternoon Tea and then visit McLellan's Castle. The castle is named after its original owner, Sir Thomas MacLellan of Bombie, Provost of Kirkcudbright. He began to build his castle on the site of the convent of Greyfriars, having acquired the land and buildings following the Protestant Reformation in 1560.By 1582, the castle was complete enough for Sir Thomas to move in. Five years later, he and his second wife, Grissel, entertained James VI in their spacious townhouse. The design of the castle reflects a deliberate change in tower house building in Jacobean Scotland. Gone were the overt displays of military strength seen in towers of previous centuries. The new residences emerging were more obviously about domestic comfort than defence. Al though a ruin, it is a delight to visit. Then you will be on your own for more exploartion and dinner on your own. Overnight Kirkcudbright. (B,L)

​

Day 17 - April 21st - This morning we visit Caerlavrock Castle, a triangular shaped castle that is unique among British castles. A walk around the castle gives a sense of its strength, economy of form and pleasing geometry.Three lengths of defensive curtain wall are linked at their three angles by high corner towers. On the north side is an impressive twin-towered gatehouse, where the Maxwells had their private rooms.The Maxwells repaired and upgraded Caerlaverock over the years. The impressive machicolations (slotted defences) at the top of each tower date from the late 1300s or early 1400s – by which time the Wars of Independence with England had taken their toll.Inside the castle walls is the remarkable Nithsdale Lodging, built in the 1630s by Robert Maxwell, 1st Earl of Nithsdale. Its attractive façade, with its ornate Renaissance stone carvings, is a sharp contrast to the severe castle walls. We will stop in Gretna Green for lunch. Gretna is small Scottish village has become synonymous with romance and runaway lovers. After lunch we make our way into the Scottish Borders to visit Jedburgh Abbey, one of the four great abbeys established in the Scottish Borders in the 1100s. David I founded a priory here in 1138 and raised it to abbey status in 1154. The brethren may have come here from St Quentin Abbey, near Beauvais, France. Jedburgh had been an important religious site for 300 years when the Augustinians arrived in 1138. No buildings survive from this earlier period, but many artefacts and archaeological finds give an insight into life before the abbey.The visitor centre displays some exceptional carved stone fragments such as crosses and a sarcophagus. These date from the 700s to 1000s and are similar in style to Northumbrian work from the time.Another highlight is the ‘Jedburgh comb’, an intricately carved ivory comb dating to around 1100. Dinner and Overnight Berwick-upon-Tweed. (B,L,D)

​

Day 18 - April 22nd - We start our morning with a drive south to visit Alnwick Castle, with over 950 years of history to discover, with the origins of the Castle dating back to the Norman period. Since 1309, its story has been intertwined with that of the Percy family, a family with a history as illustrious as the castle’s own. The second largest inhabited castle in the UK, Alnwick has served as a military outpost, a teaching college, a refuge for evacuees, a film set, and not least as a family home. The Percy Family have resided in the castle for over 700 years. We will take a tour and delve deeper into this extraordinary history and travel through the centuries of this living, evolving castle. After our visit to the castle we will have a lovely seaside lunch before we visit another castle, Bamburgh, the real last Kingdom of Bebbanberg. Castle has stood guard above the spectacular Northumberland coastline for over 1,400 years. Spanning nine acres of land on its rocky plateau, Bamburgh Castle is one of the largest inhabited castles in the country. With continual occupation on the castle’s site for thousands of years, Bamburgh enjoys more than its fair share of ghost stories, legends and myths. It is also believed to be the site of Sir Lancelot’s fictitious castle, Joyous Garde. We will learn all of these wonderful tales on a guided tour. Dinner on your own this evening. Overnight Berwick-upon-Tweed. (B,L)

​

Day 19 - April 23rd - This morning we head to the coast to visit Paxton House, one of the finest examples of Neo-Palladian architecture in Scotland, was completed in 1763 for Patrick Home of Wedderburn, a member of one of the most important families in the Scottish Borders, with the primary aim of impressing a Prussian lady he aspired to marry. This was sadly not to happen and Patrick never lived in the house. Our tour of Paxton House, led by one of our trained guides, will follow the story of how the house was built and later bought by Patrick’s cousin Ninian Home in 1773. Ninian has his own rags to riches story from a disinherited father through travels in America and the Caribbean to his fortune made in sugar and nutmeg fuelled by the slave trade. After a seaside lunch at St. Abbs we make our way to St. Abbs Head National Nature Reserve. The village of St Abbs has a thriving fishing harbour, providing a home for six lobster boats who bring in daily catches of lobster and local edible crabs known as Poos! Then we visit the reserve with its breathtaking coastal headland with dramatic cliffs, famed for its seabird colonies We will get close-up views of the feathered residents at this ‘seabird city’ from spectacular cliff-top vantage points and be awed by the dramatic cliffs overlooking crystal-clear waters. Then we get settled into our accommodation before dinner. Farewell Dinner and Overnight near Edinburgh International. (B,L,D)

 

Day 207 - April 24th - This morning we return you to Edinburgh International.

​

​

​