Skye, Orkney and the Highlands

Departing from Edinburgh, we travel westwards across Scotland to reach Glasgow,

Scotland’s largest city. Soon, we enter the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, a natural wonder waiting to be discovered. Loch Lomond is a real highlight - Britain's largest lake and one of Scotland's loveliest. It has 30 islands, including one inhabited by a colony of wallabies! We’ll make a stop in the pretty village of Luss so you can take a stroll by the "bonnie, bonnie banks".

The Argyll Forest Park is famed for its ancient trees, tranquil lochs and mountains. Look out for Ben Arthur, affectionately known as "The Cobbler” - it’s one of Scotland’s most popular climbs.

Next, our coach starts our ascent of the "Rest and be Thankful” mountain pass. You’ll soon realise why this road has such an unusual name when you look down on General Wade's original road that winds its way through Glen Croe to the summit!

The 3rd Duke of Argyll built the "new" town of Inveraray at the head of Loch Fyne. The town sits in the shadow of Inveraray Castle, and, as we will discover, this pleasant town retains much of its 18th-century charm.

From Lochgilphead, we enter Kilmartin Glen. This mysterious Glen has one of the most concentrated areas of prehistoric sites in Scotland, including a linear cemetery – a line of burial cairns stretching over 2 miles. Nearby is Dunadd, a hill fort dating back to the Iron Age. Dunadd was the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Dalriada, so this part of Argyll has played a significant role in shaping modern Scotland.

Later, we arrive in the bustling, beautiful port of Oban, our stop for tonight. This attractive seaside town is known as Scotland's seafood capital, so why not head to a local restaurant to sample some freshly landed delicacies? 

We bid farewell to Oban and head for the Connel Bridge. As we cross, look out for the tumbling waters of the Falls of Lora below.

Glen Coe is arguably Scotland's most famous glen, partly because of its awe-inspiring beauty and, more sinisterly, the location of the infamous massacre of 1692. The sad tale will be told as we take a brief detour 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-1800s. The town sits in the shadow of Ben Nevis, which, at 1,345 m (4,412 feet), is the tallest mountain in the UK.

Our adventure continues as we travel the picturesque "Road to the Isles," where the iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct awaits, immortalised in the Harry Potter films as a part of the magical journey to Hogwarts.

Keep an eye out for the Glenfinnan Monument, erected in memory of the Highlanders who fell during the 1745 Jacobite Uprising.

When the coach reaches Mallaig, there will be some free time before boarding a ferry to sail "over the sea to Skye", our home for the next two nights.

Good morning! After breakfast, we join our fellow travellers to explore Scotland’s most romantic island - Skye!

Our first treat is the jagged peaks that make up the Black and Red Cuillin. These untamed mountains are famed worldwide for their challenges to climbing enthusiasts. We’ll make a stop so you can capture the scene from a popular viewpoint.

Enjoy time for lunch in Portree, the largest town on the island. It’s set around a picturesque natural harbour, which makes a great spot to enjoy some freshly cooked fish and chips!

Next, we travel northwards to explore the fascinating geology of the Trotternish Peninsula. Here we’ll find the volcanic landscape of the Trotternish Ridge, which includes impressive pinnacles known as the Old Man of Storr and The Quiraing. We’ll also see Kilt Rock with its striking waterfall free-falling 60 metres to the sea below!

Afterwards, return to your accommodation with time to relax before heading out for dinner.

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 at every turn as we travel through Glen Shiel. Look out for the soaring peaks of the mountain range known as the "Five Sisters of Kintail". They make a magnificent sight.

From Invermoriston we follow the banks of enigmatic Loch Ness to the little village of Drumnadrochit. There’s an extended stop here so you can relax in this pleasant Highland village. Alternatively, you can take the opportunity of visiting Urquhart Castle, once one of the largest fortresses in the Highlands and take a short monster-spotting cruise on Loch Ness.

Later we will make our way to Inverness our home for tonight.

From Inverness, we join the famous North Coast 500 route and make our way across the Black Isle, across the Cromarty and Dornoch firths. From here, we drive along the northeast Highland coastline, travelling into some of Scotland's most dramatic scenery. This is some of Europe's oldest landscapes, and here we have the chance to see wildlife such as Golden Eagles and red deer.

We board the ferry, crossing the Pentland Firth into the Orkney Archipelago. On our arrival, it is a short drive to the famous Italian Chapel, where few will fail to be moved by the dedicated workmanship of the Italian prisoners of war who crafted this place of worship from a humble Nissan hut. Their story, along with many others, will be told as we view Scapa Flow, the scene of momentous events during both World Wars.

The Viking stronghold of Kirkwall is our home for the next 2 nights.

Orkney is home to many outstanding historic treasures, and today will be a unique day of discovery. On our itinerary today are visits to Maeshowe, a magnificent tomb built almost 5,000 years ago and the Ring of Brodgar, a stone circle that once comprised 60 megaliths. Today, with 27 stones still standing, some over 5 metres tall, it takes little imagination to visualise the extent of this historic monument.

Uncovered by a storm in 1850, Skara Brae is one of the best-preserved groups of Stone Age houses in Western Europe, and our visit will reveal the stone furniture, hearths and drains that present such a remarkable picture of Neolithic life.

The day will conclude with a visit to the beautiful St Magnus Cathedral, one of Europe’s great architectural achievements, which is over 800 years old.

We have a relaxed start today with free time in Kirkwall before joining the coach for the drive to South Ronaldsay, where we board the ferry back to mainland Scotland. On arrival at Gills Bay, we join the scenic coastal route for our journey southwards to Inverness.

Just outside Golspie lies magnificent Dunrobin Castle, the most northerly of Scotland’s great houses. This grand chateau-like castle is the home of the Earls and Dukes of Sutherland, and it has a commanding position overlooking the Moray Firth. We’ll make a stop so you can visit this splendid castle, tour some of its 189 rooms, and take a stroll through the extensive gardens.

Later, we’ll make our way to the Black Isle and across the Kessock Bridge into Inverness.

After breakfast, we travel the short distance to visit tragic Culloden Moor. It was here that Government troops routed the Jacobite army of Bonnie Prince Charlie in a bloody battle in 1746.

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, and 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 fantastic views of the Forth Bridge as we approach Edinburgh.