Escape to the wild remote corner of the Scottish Northern Highlands and the historical splendour of Orkney. Your 6 night group tour will base you for 2 nights each in quality small rural hotels, inns or hostels in Gairloch, Ross-Shire, Tongue in Sutherland and Stromness on Orkney. The schedule leaves you freedom to pursue your own interests from your accommodation. Highlights include Loch Ness, the white sands of Gairloch and the mountains of Torridon, the wild northern coastline, Cape Wrath and the Orkney Isles, but the possibilities are as vast as the majestic landscape itself.
Full Details and Itinerary
Day 1 takes you north west and into The Trossachs - the Gateway to the Highlands. Through Crianlarich and Tyndrum, over the bleak beauty of Rannoch Moor - the largest area of true wilderness in Europe, and into the infamous, haunting landscape of Glencoe. Up to Fort William and along the Great Glen, a natural fault line that links the North Sea in the East with the North Atlantic in the West. The drive will take you along the shores of Lochs Lochy, Oich and the world famous Loch Ness, where you may wish to stop and partake in a bit of Nessie spotting! Continue North along the shores of Loch Ness and you will reach Drumnadrochit, the home of Urquhart Castle, an impressive stronghold dating from the 14th Century. Up to Inverness, the capital of the Highlands, where you can explore the shops, Museum, Castle or take a walk along the shores of the River Ness that flows right through the City. From here, take the Kessock Bridge over the Moray Firth. There is a pod of bottle-nosed dolphins that live in these waters, so keep a look out. Take the road for Ullapool, then head West for Gairloch through the Beinn Eighe Nature Reserve, the first national reserve in Britain, and along the shores of beautiful Loch Maree with views across the sea to Skye and the mountains of Harris beyond. Gairloch is a lovely wee village set at the head of Gair Loch and is a perfect base for exploring the area. Your hotel or bed and breakfast accommodation is booked here for 2 nights.
Day 2 gives you the freedom to explore this wonderful area which has some of the most outstanding scenery in Scotland. There are plenty of walks for all abilities around the nature reserve with the great mountain mass of Slioch dominating the skyline. The Torridon Estate to the south with 26,000 acres of towering mountain landscape is a haven for naturalists, ornithologists, walkers, climbers and geologists. Poolewe gardens on Loch Ewe is home to a tropical garden. Founded in 1862, plants, shrubs and trees from all over the world can flourish here thanks to the influence of the warm Gulf Stream. You can visit the thriving fishing port of Ullapool - "The Gateway to the Western Isles" with regular ferries going over to the Isle of Lewis. To the South is the fabulous Eilean Donan Castle used as a film location for "Highlander" amongst many others, also offering fine views over to the Isle of Skye.
Day 3. Depart Gairloch early as you have the most amazing drive ahead of you! You are now in the Far North West, where you can really feel that you are escaping to Europe's northern edge. The coastline features everything from hidden sandy beaches to the highest cliffs on the British mainland. You will be spoilt for choice as to where to stop here, but remember you have the whole day tomorrow if you want to go back and spend more time anywhere. Make your way through Assynt with it's superb mountains and shimmering Lochs, and straight up to the top of the country where you will spend the next 2 nights in Tongue, Sutherland with it's varied and dramatic coastline peppered with steep cliffs and small villages waiting to be explored.
Day 4 leaves you freedom to roam along the Northern coastline. Just a few suggestions are to visit the Craft Village at Balnakiel, the beach at Durness with it's sand dunes, take the wee boat crossing from Scourie over to Handa Isle to view the seabird colonies, take a trip into Smoo Cave - an amazing limestone cavern, or enjoy a long walk into the beautiful beach at Sandwood Bay. You can also enjoy catching the ferry and minibus to Cape Wrath - the north west tip of the the Scottish mainland. The options are vast and you will be astounded at the richness of this whole area.
Day 5 and you are heading for the Orkney Islands. You are booked onto the ferry departing from Scrabster at 12.00pm. The crossing takes 2 hours and arrives in the picturesque fishing village of Stromness passing the spectacular cliffs of Hoy and the legendary "Old Man" - a sea stack rising 450 feet out of the waves below. Check-in to your accommodation here for the next 2 nights.
Day 6. Orkney is so rich in heritage, culture, marine, plant and bird life. Civilisations date back as early as 3000 BC and there is an abundance of Prehistoric sites - by far the greatest concentration in Britain. A few must sees are Skara Brae, Ring of Brodgar, The Italian Chapel, Tomb of the Eagles and Maes Howe.
Day 7 and homeward bound to your starting point. The ferry departs Stromness at 09.00 hours. You will head South mainly on the A9, accessible from Thurso, meeting the coast at Latheron and continuing down through Inverness, Speyside - home to many Whisky distilleries and the Cairngorm Mountain Range, Perthshire with it¹s fine rivers and lush landscape and then over the Forth Bridges just North of Edinburgh. There are many possible stops and detours off the A9. See mileage guide below :
Tour Details
Single room rate may incur a supplement
For small groups we will be happy to quote for this with vehicle and driver/guide
Important Information
This holiday is designed to start from lowland Scotland (Edinburgh/Glasgow/Stirling/Perth), but could be started from northern England (with an early start!!) or even from central Scotland or Inverness.
