Highlands and Islands - 8 day tour

Day 2 - Oban - Glen Coe - Isle of Skye

We bid farewell to Oban and make our way to the Connel Bridge. As we cross Loch Etive, look out for the Falls of Lora below. 

Glen Coe is arguably Scotland's most famous Glen partly because of its awe-inspiring beauty and, more sinisterly, because of the infamous massacre that took place here in 1692. The sad tale will be told as we make a short diversion to explore this special place for ourselves.

Fort William's glorious setting on the banks of Loch Linnhe has made it a popular tourist destination since the arrival of the steamships in the mid-1900s. The town sits in the shadow of Ben Nevis, which, at 4,406 feet, is the tallest mountain in the UK.

Our adventure takes us along the scenic "Road to the Isles," where we'll stop at the iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct, immortalised in the Harry Potter films as part of the route to Hogwarts. Don't miss the opportunity to visit the Glenfinnan Monument, honouring the Highlanders who fought during the 1745 Jacobite Uprising.

There are lovely coastal views as we head towards Mallaig, where there is free time to explore before boarding a ferry to cross to the magical Isle of Skye, our home for the next two nights.

Overnight: Isle of Skye (2 nights)

Day 3 - Touring the Magical Isle

After breakfast, we board our coach to explore the beautiful Isle of Skye.

From the little villages and gentle scenery of the southern part of the island, the views will change dramatically as the Cuillin Hills come into sight. Considered by many to be amongst the finest hills in Britain, the Cuillins present a simply unforgettable vista.

Set around its natural harbour, the picturesque town of Portree is the largest community on the Isle of Skye. The town's name means the "King's Port" following a visit by King James V in 1540. Today the pretty painted houses surrounding the harbour give Portree an old-fashioned appeal. During our stop, there will be time to explore the town and browse the interesting shops surrounding bustling Somerled Square.

Later we tour the famed Trotternish Peninsula. From Portree, we travel northwards to the little ferry port of Uig, where ferries sail to the Outer Hebrides. At little Kilmuir, there is a monument to Flora MacDonald, who famously assisted Bonnie Prince Charlie in escaping the Government Troops who were hunting for him.

We'll stop to explore The Quiraing, a dramatic terrain formed by a landslide and enjoy a walk through a landscape that dates from Jurassic times! See if you can identify the rock formations that are known as the "Needle", "Table" and "Prison".

A short drive brings us to Kilt Rock, so named because the basalt columns of this rock fall to resemble the pleats of a kilt - we will stop so you can snap an "I was there" photograph!

Day 4 - Isle of Skye - Eilean Donan Castle - Inverness

After breakfast we bid farewell to the Isle of Skye and return to the mainland.

We stop to visit picturesque Eilean Donan Castle. This is, without doubt, one of Scotland's most iconic sights. The castle stands on a little island situated at the confluence of Loch's Alsh and Duich. We'll have time to discover the castle for ourselves during our stop here.

There are wonderful views as we travel through Glen Shiel, look out for the impressive mountain range known as the Five Sisters of Kintail. Wildlife thrives in this part of Scotland so as we drive through this striking scenery you might see local residents such as red deer, golden eagles and pine martins.

Enjoy a scenic drive along the banks of mysterious Loch Ness and free time to explore the attractive village of Drumnadrochit. This afternoon take the opportunity to visit impressive Urquhart Castle and take a monster-spotting cruise on the dark and deep waters of Loch Ness.

A relaxing drive brings a late afternoon arrival in Inverness, the Capital of the Highlands.

Overnight: Inverness

Day 5 - Inverness - Arnol Blackhouse - Stornoway (Isle of Lewis)

From Inverness, we head across the Black Isle, then tour westwards to the fishing port of Ullapool. Founded in 1788 at the height of the herring boom, this attractive town sits on the banks of Loch Broom. Here, we board our ferry bound for the Isle of Lewis.  

After crossing The Minch, landfall is the bustling port of Stornoway, the island's main town and our base for exploring Lewis and Harris. 

We step back in time when we visit Arnol Blackhouse, a traditional style of Hebridean dwelling that is a barn, byre and home all under a thatched roof. The last residents left in 1965 and left behind a well-preserved time capsule of life on these islands not so very long ago. 

Harris Tweed is a luxury fabric handwoven by islanders using local wool. Our last stop of the day will be to a local weaver who will demonstrate the manufacturing process using a traditional handloom – a truly fascinating process. 

It is a short drive to our comfortable accommodation in Stornoway. After settling in, there is time to explore before heading for dinner.

Overnight: Stornoway, Isle of Lewis (2 nights)

Day 6 - Exploring Lewis and Harris

Together, Harris and Lewis make Scotland's largest island. These islands have been inhabited for over 6,000 years, and there is a real sense of history as we will discover as we spend today discovering these neighbouring islands.

After breakfast, we will head to the impressive Dun Carloway Broch, an Iron Age stone fort known to have been built more than 2,000 years ago. This is one of the best-preserved fortified towers in Scotland, and it has a beautiful location with incredible views over Loch Carloway and the sea beyond. 

It is a short drive to our next visit*, the astonishing Callanish Standing Stones. Archaeologists believe Neolithic people placed these 15-foot (5 m) stones here sometime between 3,000 and 1,000 BC. The site is rated second in importance only to Stonehenge. 

We'll travel through the imposing hills of North Harris, which offer beautiful vistas, to reach the ferry port of Tarbert, the main community on Harris. We'll stop here to explore this pleasant little village - a great place to pick up a souvenir of your Hebridean travels!

Our scenic tour continues with a drive to the island's west coast to savour the views over to the picturesque island of Taransay, the location of the BBC TV series "Castaway". Harris is home to some breathtaking beaches. The most famous is Luskentyre, whose white sands appear never-ending - it's the perfect place for some beach-combing!

The little village of Rodel is our final stop of the day. St Clement's Church is an impressive structure erected for the Chief of the MacLeods of Harris around 1520. It is believed to be the most significant medieval building in the Outer Hebrides. The church's interior is captivating and showcases some exquisite late medieval sculptures, such as a splendid wall tomb made in 1528 for Alasdair Crotach MacLeod, the 8th Chief.

* Due to planned facility closures, tours departing in September 2024 will be unable to visit Callanish Standing Stones.

Day 7 - Stornoway - Ullapool - Inverness

Our last day on these islands takes us westwards to see the Butt of Lewis lighthouse and to experience stunning clifftop views over the Atlantic Ocean. This remote location has the record for the windiest place in Britain, and due west from here, there is nothing but wild sea until the next landfall in North America! 

We return to Stornoway for some free time to explore this bustling port before our island interlude comes to an end. Later, we make for the ferry port where the MV Loch Seaforth waits for our crossing back to the mainland. 

On arrival in Ullapool, we head for our overnight accommodation in Inverness.

Overnight: Inverness

Day 8 - Inverness - Cairngorm National Park - Edinburgh

There’s time to explore Inverness, the Capital of the Highlands, before travelling the short distance to visit tragic Culloden Moor. It was here that the Jacobite army of Bonnie Prince Charlie was routed by Government troops in a bloody battle in 1746.

We’ll stop at Dalwhinnie Malt Whisky Distillery so that you can discover how our National drink is lovingly produced. After our tour, you’ll have the chance to sample a "wee nip” and shop for souvenirs.

The Cairngorms National Park is Britain’s largest and contains five of Scotland’s six highest peaks. The park provides a stunning backdrop to our travels through the Spey Valley then, we descend through the Drumochter Pass to reach the pleasant Victorian tourist town of Pitlochry, where we will stop for refreshments.

The dramatic scenery of Highland Perthshire gives way to rolling farmland as we reach the "Fair City” of Perth then we join the motorway for our journey through the ancient Kingdom of Fife.

The final part of our drive offers wonderful views of the Forth Bridge as we make our way into Edinburgh.