Inverness, Skye and the Highlands

Day 2 - Isle of Skye and Eilean Donan Castle Excursion

After breakfast, we travel a short distance to the Black Isle then onwards through picturesque Glen Carron.

After a stop to admire the view over Loch Carron we travel over the sea to Skye! There are grand views of the mighty Cuillin Hills as we make our way to Portree, the islands main town which surrounds a picturesque harbour.

After a break for lunch, we head to Talisker Whisky Distillery to discover how Scotland's national drink is produced.

Our tour continues with a visit to the Fairy Pools. It takes a walk of around 20 minutes to reach the series of pools and waterfalls created by the bright blue water of the River Brittle. With the Cuillin Hills in the background, the view has become an Instagram sensation and you’ll soon discover why.

Back on the mainland, we find fairytale Eilean Donan Castle set on its little island in Loch Duich. There is time to photograph this iconic castle before we make our way through Glen Shiel. Here the Five Sisters of Kintail will come into view – can you tell which of these mountains are over 3,000 feet?

The last part of our journey takes us to Invermoriston where there is a short stop to view the romantic Telford bridge. After a drive along the banks of Loch Ness, we return to Inverness.

Day 3 - Applecross and Torridon Excursion

Our journey commences with a drive across the Black Isle and through scenic Glen Carron to the attractive village of Lochcarron that sits overlooking a stunningly beautiful of the same name. This is surely one of the gems of the Highlands.

A highlight of today is the dramatic climb over the Bealach nam Ba, which means the Pass of the Cattle, in Gaelic. The Pass is the third highest road in the United Kingdom and climbs to over 2,000 feet! We’ll make a stop at the summit so you can enjoy the breathtaking views over to the Isle of Skye.

On our arrival in Applecross why not join the locals at the famous Applecross Inn for a freshly-caught seafood lunch? Later we can spend some quality time enjoying the spectacular seascapes or discovering the sad tale of the highland clearances at the Applecross Heritage Centre. In this area wildlife abounds—nature lovers look out for red deer, pine marten (one of the rarest of British mammals) and otters.

We return to Inverness along the banks of Loch Torridon then through the Ben Eighe National Nature Reserve.

Day 4 - Inverness - Dolphin Spotting - Edinburgh

After breakfast, we make a visit to Clava Cairns, a group of three prehistoric burial cairns surrounded by standing stones. This picturesque setting is thought to have inspired the Outlander author, Diana Gabaldon, to create the cleft stone of Craigh Na Dun where Claire time travels all the way back to 1743.

After a short drive, there's a brief stop at Culloden Battlefield where you can learn about the famous battle, in 1746, between the Jacobite army of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Government troops.

Our next stop is the attractive town of Beauly. It is thought that the town was named "Beau Lieu" - Beautiful Place, by the French monks. They built a Priory here in the 13th Century which was visited by Mary, Queen of Scots in 1564 and still stands in the centre of the town, surrounded by trees.

A scenic drive through the Black Isle will bring us to Cromarty, a historic fishing port which retains much of its Old World charm. At Chanonry Point, which overlooks the Moray Firth, we hope to see some of the Bottlenose Dolphins that call this stretch of water home.

Later we return to Inverness to join our coach for the journey south. Enjoy stunning views as you travel through the Cairngorms National Park then descend through the Grampian Mountains to reach Highland Perthshire. Enjoy a break in Pitlochry, an attractive Victorian resort, before heading for Perth.

The last part of the journey is through the Kingdom of Fife, then across the Firth of Forth to reach Edinburgh.

The order in which excursions are operated may vary.