Friday – We travel northwards to Glasgow, where we will stay overnight. There will be regular comfort breaks and a lunch break enroute.
Saturday – Starting to head north along the shoreline of Loch Lomond, ‘The Queen of the Lochs’ then majestic Glencoe with free time in Fort William. Onwards towards Skye with loch and mountain scenery all the way. Stop at Eilean Donan Castle, one of the most iconic images of Scotland, Eilean Donan Castle is recognised all around the world. Situated on an island at the point where three great sea lochs meet.
Sunday – Firstly, Portree the islands capital before sweeping across the island to 800-year-old Dunvegan Castle and Gardens – the stronghold of the Macleod Clan and Scotland’s longest inhabited castle. Returning along the coast road, with views of the Cuillens, the most impressive mountain range in the UK.
Monday – Our journey snakes along the dramatic coastline with its inlets, cliffs and bays, passing stunning Loch Maree, with free time in Gairloch. Continuing along the coastline dotted with islands before descending into the picture-perfect harbour town of Ullapool.
Tuesday – Continuing north into an area of extraordinary beauty. Mile upon mile of crumbling cliffs, sheer rocky headland and sheltered bays whose perfect white beaches are nearly always deserted. See and hear huge seabird colonies clustered in clefts on remote stacks at regular intervals along the coast; seals also bob around in the surf offshore. We stop off in Durness, the UKs most North Westerly town for lunch at Moo Cove Hotel, before heading east along the northern shoreline and onto Thurso.
Wednesday – As we pass the Queen Mums Scottish residence – The Castle of Mey, The Orkneys rise from the North Sea. We board the Orkney Ferry at John O Groats, for the 4-minute crossing. On Orkneys, your private coach will meet you and take you on a tour including the Scara Brae, the Churchill Barriers, Scapa Flow, Ring of Brodgar, The Standing Stones and the Italian Chapel, the islands capital Kirkwall with its 12th century cathedral. Then we return to our hotel.
Thursday – South along the coastline passing Wick and Brora with its white sandy beach stopping at the fairy-tale Castle of Dunrobin. Free time in the Highland capital Inverness, before proceeding south with ever changing scenery through the Spey Valley, Perthshire and on to our evening hotel.
Friday – As we travel south, we will take regular comfort breaks with a lunch break enroute.