Island Explorer

Itinerary

Day 1: Edinburgh to Inverness We pass the famous Forth Bridge and into Perthshire, surrounded by mountains, forests and salmon packed rivers. We stop in Dunkeld, heart of Macbeth country and its mighty cathedral. We continue north hearing tales of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the tragedy of his defeat on the eerie moor of Culloden, scene of the last major battle in Britain. The chance to have a dram of whisky at a distillery before arriving in Inverness. Day 2: Inverness to Loch Ness Through the remnants of ancient Caledonian Pine Forest we take a walk through some of this amazing environment led by your fearless local Guide who will ensure we make it back to civilisation… Our journey takes us through Drumnadrochit and onto Loch Ness. We see the ruins of Urquhart Castle before arriving at Fort Augustus on the shores of the famous loch. Day 3: Free Day Loch Ness Get amongst some spectacular Highland scenery and do your own thing. Hire bikes, take a boat trip on Scotland’s most famous loch to try and spot you-know-who, climb a mountain or chill out in Morag’s Lodge with a nice local beer. Day 4: Loch Ness to Lewis Today we journey through the wilderness of the north west Highlands, some of the most remote and most isolated mountain terrain in Europe. We visit Corrieshalloch Gorge, a breathtaking mile long gorge set amongst the trees then on to the wee fishing village of Ullapool. Grab some of the best fish and chips you will ever have and tuck in to them on the pier before we board our ferry this evening bound for the Western Isles. Day 5: Lewis & Harris We visit the stunning Callanish Standing Stones, Neolithic in age and dating back more than 4,000 years. Their meaning remain a mystery, perhaps an ancient calendar but these are considered to be some of the most impressive and inspiring of any of the ancient stones in Britain. These Hebridean islands are predominantly Gaelic speaking and have an unbroken culture dating back millennia. We visit a traditional blackhouse and the home of tweed makers, a fabric exclusive to the islands but now considered very trendy! Day 6: Harris to Skye In the morning we explore the amazing beaches of Harris, famous for its clear blue waters, magnificent mountain backdrop and traditional crofting culture. These islands are home to the Clan MacLeod who have lived here for centuries. After exploring the wonders of Harris, we leave their homeland and cross by ferry to the 'winged island', the Isle of Skye. We explore the magical isle with its awesome scenery and Cuillin Mountains while hearing about its many legends and faerie stories. Day 7: Skye to Edinburgh Back on the mainland, we stop to view the impressive Eilean Donan Castle perched on the shores of Loch Duich then journey along the Great Glen fault line before passing Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain. We discover the story of the name 'The Weeping Glen' at Glencoe, and the infamous massacre of the MacDonalds. Over the wilds of Rannoch Moor, we pass Stirling with its famous Wallace Monument, where the true story of Braveheart is told, before returning to the capital city of Edinburgh.