Overview

Escape to Scotland's Northern Edge on this five day Sightseeing Tour

Inclusions

• Transportation throughout by modern touring mini-coach
• Services of an experienced local driver/guide
• 4 nights accommodation
• All rooms ensuite
• Full Scottish breakfast daily
• All ferry & bridge crossings
• Discount card for local restaurants, shopping & attractions
• Service charges and local taxes

Itinerary

Day 1 - Friday
Glencoe, Loch Ness & Inverness
Depart Edinburgh at 09:00 heading west towards Stirling, passing Stirling Castle and the Wallace Monument. You also pass Doune Castle before stopping in the small town of Callander for a refreshment stop. You now cross over the fault line into the magnificent Highlands taking in the splendour of Loch Luibnaig, Loch Earn, Glen Ogle and Glen Dochart, as you travel north over the wild and remote Rannoch Moor into Glencoe. You stop in this mountain Glen so you can enjoy the spectacular views. Continue north up the Great Glen to the mysterious beauty of Loch Ness, travelling the whole 23 miles of the famous Loch - plenty of time to try and spot "Nessie!" Arrive at your destination of Inverness at approx 18:30 where you will be dropped off at your booked accommodation. The evening is free for you to explore the 'Capital of the Highlands'.
Overnight - Inverness

Day 2 - Saturday
John O' Groats & Orkney
An early start, leaving behind Inverness, crossing over the Black Isle, and past Andrew Carnegie's Skibo Castle. From here you drive through the northeast Highland coastline, travelling into some of Scotland's most dramatic scenery, and enjoy amazing views of some of Europe's oldest landscapes. Onwards through Scotland's most northerly mainland village, John o' Groats, and then to Gills Bay, where you board the ferry, crossing the Pentland Firth into the Orkney Archipelago. From here you have a short drive to the Viking stronghold of Kirkwall, Capital of Orkney, where you can visit Kirkwall's magnificent Viking Cathedral.
Overnight - Kirkwall

Day 3 - Sunday
Orkney
Today's your chance to explore this fantastic, ancient island. You will visit the 5000 year old village of Skara Brae, the mystical prehistoric stone circle at Brodgar and the Druidic standing stones of Stenness. We stop in Stromness - one of Scotland's most picturesque seaboard villages and then travel onto Maeshowe, where in the 12th century the Vikings left one of the largest collections of Norse runic inscriptions.
Overnight - Kirkwall

Day 4 - Monday
Ullapool
Depart Orkney and sail the Viking waters back to the mainland. From here you travel the old road right across the very top of Scotland, driving past the stunning Ben Loyal and Ben Hope mountains and follow the rocky cliffs and golden sand beaches of our northern coastline. We then visit the far northwest highlands and the grandeur, of the mountains of Assynt before stopping to view the 15th century ruins of Ardvreck Castle. From here we travel to Ullapool.
Overnight - Ullapool

Day 5 - Tuesday
Culloden Moor
Leaving Ullapool behind you, you take in the drama of the River Dorma, before taking in the beautiful Loch Glascarnoch, on the way past the 'Capital of the Highlands' Inverness. You can then visit Culloden Moor, the site of The Battle of Culloden in 1746, before taking a short drive to the ancient standing stones at Clava Cairns. From here you travel through the ancient Caledonian Pine Forest. Lunch will be spent in these beautiful surroundings before travelling through Perthshire, and the Kingdom of Fife, and back to Edinburgh around 19:00.

Accomodation Prices