Tour Scotland 2004 - Available Dates
April
Sunday 4th April to 14th April (10 Day tour) - 17th April to 27th April (10
Day tour)
May
Sunday 2nd May to 12th May (10 Day tour) - 17th May to 31st May (14 Day tour)
June
Sunday 6th to 16th June (10 Day tour) - 17th June to 1st July (14 Day tour)
July
Sunday 4th to 14th July (10 Day tour) - 18th July to 1st August (14 Day tour)
August
Thursday 5th to 15th August (10 Day tour - 20th to 30th August (10 Day tour)
September
Sunday 5th to 15th September (10 Day tour) - 19th to 29th September (10 Day
tour)
Suggested
itinerary:
Day 1. Your tour starts when the tour director
and driver collects your party at Glasgow international Airport (Time to be
arranged.) We will head from there to the quaint little village called Queensferry
nestled underneath the two spectacular Forth Bridges. We have time here for
a coffee break and photo opportunities. We then head of to Dunfermline, Scotland's
ancient capital for more than 500 years, and we will visit one of the most
important Abby's in Scotland, where most of the Scottish King's and Queen's
were crowned and was also the resting place of the great Scottish hero Robert
the Bruce.
After a short lunch next to the Abby we head of on the road to Perth, where
we then take the road to one of Scotland's most famous town's called Pitlochry
which is reputed to be the centre of Scotland. Here we can have some afternoon
tea and do some shopping, before we head of up into the Highlands for our
first overnight stop at our Highland hotel.
Day 2. After a full Scottish breakfast, we will
have a relaxing day today, visiting most of the local attractions in this
area ie Dunkeld once the religious capital of Scotland and also Edradour the
smallest distillery in Scotland. We will also visit Kinloch Rannoch and the
Famous Queen's View reputed to be the finest in Scotland and before returning
to the hotel for the evening meal we will visit the heart of Scotland a place
called Fortingall where the oldest living yew tree still stands and is over
3,000 years old.
Day 3. After a hearty Scottish Breakfast we head
north to the Highland capital of Inverness passing Kingussie, and stopping
at Aviemore the Skiing capital of Scotland for a coffee break and then on
to the famous city of Inverness. Here we will visit numerous attractions,
before heading for our overnight hotel in Inverness.
Day 4. Today we head for loch ness and hopefully
we might come across the loch ness monster and also visit the famous Urquhart
castle,near Drumnadrochit, where the monster has been spotted most times.
Sometimes it is possible to have a sail on loch ness if you have the courage.
We also visit the loch ness visitor centre for lunch before heading for the
Culloden battlefield where Bonnie Prince Charlie was defeated by the dreaded
English in the year 1745.
Day 5. Today we leave Inverness behind and we
head of to the west coast of Wester Ross for our two night stay in the village
of Kyle of Lochalsh, where we have time to visit the isle of Skye.
Day 6. Today is the highlight for scenery where
we visit the tiny village of Applecross and the road to get there is probably
the most spectacular in Scotland. This is a particularly rugged area of the
Western Highlands, red peaks rise above a land of moors and hundreds of loch's.
Several nature reserves protect the area's wildlife and terrain. Traditions
of life are retained in the crofting and fishing village's that lie along
the shores of the sea lochs and currents, of the North Atlantic drift, which
allows exotic plants to flourish. In the village of Applecross, St Maelrubha
built a monastery in this bay in AD 672, declaring it a sanctuary, for all
fugitives. Until the new road was built in the 1970s, this was one of the
most inaccessible area's of mainland Britain. We will also pass through the
village of Shieldaig, which was originally founded by the admiralty, in 1800
when Britain was short of seamen. It was intended as a nursery for rovers,
and grants were offered to entice people to live there. Roads from the village,
provide stunning views of the Highlands.
Day 7. After a hearty breakfast we leave the
Kyle's of Lochalsh and head south for the west coast town of Oban. During
this journey we will stop at the famous Eilean Donan Castle where the movie
Braveheart was filmed.
We then continue on our journey to Invergarry and from there to Fort Augustus
at the bottom of Loch Ness.
We continue to Spean Bridge for lunch. We then continue south through Fort
William, Ballachulish and then to our two night stay in Oban which is the
gateway to the Isles and the capital of the West Highlands. Oban clusters
around the busy port, everactive with fishing and leisure craft, as well as
the ferries bound for Mull, Coll, Tiree and Iona.
McCaigs Tower or folly surveys the picturesque bay and you can always pop
into Caithness glass.
Day 8. After breakfast we get on board the ferry
which will take us to the island of Mull one of Scotland's largest and most
spectacular islands, with its abundance of wildlife, walking routes, beauty
spots and heritage.
We can also make a pilgrimage to the holy Isle of Iona, the birthplace of
Christianity and the burial place of Scotland's early Kings and also visit
the sacred Abby with its ancient Celtic crosses.
Day 9. After breakfast, we Leave Oban, and head
for the historical town of St Andrews, and our overnight stay, where you will
have sufficient time to shop, and check out the famous golf links. Once the
ecclesiastical capital of Scotland, St Andrews is now better known as "the
home of golf" and is home to Scotland's oldest university. St Andrew's,
the discerning shopper's paradise, is best explored on foot; The combination
of Medieval, Edwardian and Victorian leafy streets forming one of the most
attractive towns in Britain
Day 10. We leave St Andrews behind and make our
way to Stirling, passing, Alva, Menstrie and the famous Ochil Hills and have
a stop of at the great Scottish hero, William Wallace's monument, and at the
top of the monument you can view the fantastic panorama, of the windings of
The River Forth, and the flatlands of the Forth Valley. We make our way to
Stirling Castle, and visit the regimental museum. We have lunch in Stirling
before heading for Auld Reekie (Edinburgh).
Day 11. Retail Therapy and Tattoo Day.
Day 12. We leave Edinburgh behind and head for
Ayrshire, perhaps best known as the birthplace of world renowned poet Robert
Burns, to whom homage is paid at Burns suppers around the world every January
the 25th, Ayrshire is also the birthplace of open golf with two open Championship
courses and a myriad of facilities for the expert and beginner alike.
Ayrshire is steeped in history dating back to the very dawn of civilisation.
From the Viking attacks of the early middle ages to the magnificence of Culzean
castle on the Ayrshire coast - The area has its own story to tell.
It is no accident that Ayrshire's heroes include William Wallace, the worlds
first freedom fighter, the remarkable King Robert the Bruce and the peoples
poet Robert Burns. The Vikings made regular raids on the Ayrshire coast until
they were finally defeated at the battle of Largs in 1263. Vikingar is an
award winning attraction in Largs which brings the story to life with the
aid of mult-media technology and exhibitions.After a full day in Ayrshire
we head for Loch Lomond.
Day 13. The Bonnie Bonnie Banks, immortalised
in song and verse about the Queen of Scotland's Loch's. Here to is the home
of Scotland's first National Park, we will visit Loch Lomond's shore's and
National Park visitor centre at Balloch. The seasons may change,but the area's
beauty is constant all year and your hardest decision is not whether to come,
but when. The 100 acre site also features retail outlets and restaurants,
slipways, beaches, picnic area's and the restored steamer "Maid of the
Loch".
Day 14. We are now on our way to the county of
Argyll and Bute, perhaps the best kept secret as Scotland's area of outstanding
beauty, with rugged hills and scenic lochs. We will visit the woodland wonders
of Benmore Gardens, which is famous for its giant redwood tree's and Japanese
gardens. If time permits we will visit the most accessible of Argyll's islands
called the Isle of Bute, which is just a short ferry crossing from Colintraive
on the Cowal peninsula. There are many reasons to visit this beautiful island,
but one of Butes most popular attractions is the splendid Victorian palace
of Mount Stuart House.set in 300 acres of magnificent landscaped gardens,
The ancestral home of the Marquesses of Bute features a dazzling marble interior
and a remarkable collections of furniture and art.
Day 15. We take you back to the Airport for your
connecting flight.(Glasgow or Edinburgh) Should any require train connections
this will also be taken care of, depending on departure times.
10
Day Tour
- Ground Only – Airfare Not Included $2,500.00 US per person. 14
Day Tour
- Ground Only – Airfare Not Included $3,500.00 US per person.
(Airfare Not Included) Overnight Accommodations. Full Scottish Breakfast.
3 Course Dinner Daily. Admission to all major sites. All ground transportation
while in Scotland. Your own driver and group tour guide.
Gordon
Pollock, in Scotland, on 01144 1369 701506
George Wallace, in Scotland, on 01144 1369 706295
Please e-mail
Gordon Pollock for further
details.