The Jacobite Highlander
from Edinburgh
Experience a trip on the World Famous West Highland Railway Line by steam train, spend a night near the banks of mysterious Loch Ness and spend time in brooding Glen Coe. This tour just couldn't get any better!
Day One
Edinburgh to Fort William
Departing from Edinburgh we make our way to Bonnie Perthshire, a land of scenic valleys, remote glens, rushing rivers and peaceful lochs. We will make a stop amidst this wonderful scenery when we visit Dunkeld. After time for morning coffee why not visit the attractive cathedral ruins, which sit on the banks of the River Tay?
A short drive will take us to The Hermitage, one of the most picturesque landscapes in Scotland. Here we have a relaxing walk through spectacularly large Douglas Firs to an amazing folly, Ossian's Hall, that overlooks the pretty Black Linn waterfall.
There are fine views of Blair Castle, the seat of the Dukes of Atholl the only man allowed to have their own private army, The Atholl Highlanders. Wild mountain vistas surround us as we start our ascent of the Drumochter Pass, the main route into the highlands since the earliest of times.
The Cairngorm National Park is an area of stunning natural beauty, as we will discover. As we journey through the Spey Valley the Cairngorm Mountains, which rise to over 4000 feet, provide a striking backdrop.
Desolate Culloden Moor was the site of the last battle ever fought on British soil. The Jacobite troops of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the British Army under the command of the Duke of Cumberland clashed here in 1746. The Jacobites were routed in a bloody battle and the aftermath changed Highland life forever. We'll make a stop so that you can discover more about the battle (optional) and the dramatic consequences that followed.
A short drive will take us to Inverness, the Capital of the Highlands, and then along the banks of mysterious Loch Ness to our overnight accommodation in Fort William.
Overnight: Fort William
Day Two
Fort William to Edinburgh
After a hearty breakfast we board the Jacobite Steam Train for an unforgettable journey on the famed West Highland Line to Mallaig. This is one of the world's great train journeys and will take you past Britain's highest mountain, deepest loch, shortest river and most westerly station. You'll cross the famous Glenfinnan viaduct featured in the Harry Potter films and pass the monument to Bonnie Prince Charlie who raised his standard here at the start of the 1745 Jacobite up-rising.
Theres time for lunch in Mallaig before we return to Fort William. Brooding Glen Coe is next. The outstanding beauty of this place belies the tragic tale that we'll hear next. Gather round as our guide takes us back to 1692 and tells the story of the Massacre of Glen Coe when Campbell soldiers slaughtered 40 MacDonalds who had been their hosts. This infamous deed remains controversial to this very day.
All too soon Glen Coe is left behind and we travel over remote and barren Rannoch Moor. This unspoilt landscape extends over 50 square miles and is one of the most unspoilt areas in Europe. Our descent of the "Black Mount" provides excellent views over Loch Tulla before we make a stop in the little Highland village of Tyndrum.
The final part of our journey together will take us through Rob Roy McGregor country to the bonnie little village of Strathyre. As we negotiate the Pass of Lenny we move from the Highlands back into the Lowlands.