Her latest travel itch is to visit Lauterbrunnen in the Swiss Alps, as it was Tolkien's inspiration behind Rivendell in The Lord of the Rings... needless to say, it's likely to be stunning! 

Are you part of any special interest/hobbies group that might translate to a tour?

I have quite varied interests but the ones that translate to travel the most are TV & film, literature, art museums, archaeology, and bird watching.

Tell us about your ideal private tour.

My ideal private tour would be a week on Shetland, split between time on mainland and time in the North Isles, preferably during the summer months to see all the birds! My bucket list for this trip is Sumburgh Head, Jarlshof, the Broch of Mousa, Eshaness Cliffs, Breckon Sands, and Hermaness National Nature Reserve.​​​​​​

Why do you want to go to these places? Is there any special reason/story behind your choices?

I went to Shetland for the first time at the start of March 2020, just before the world shut down. I had the best time ever! I'm fascinated by sea birds, and I saw so many when I was there even though it was only March, so I've been wanting to go back during the summer months ever since.

I've also been fascinated by archaeology since I was a child when I wanted to be Indiana Jones, and Shetland has so many incredible archaeological sites to explore.

Which part of your private tour are you most excited about and why?

Spending some quiet time somewhere this remote, and not planning too much to allow time for surprises! One of my favourite things to do when travelling in Scotland, and especially on the Scottish islands, is deciding to take a detour to travel to the end of a one-way road. Chances are you will end up on a beautiful beach with absolutely no one around, and Shetland has so many of these!

Are you part of any special interest/hobbies group that might translate to a tour?

Reading is probably my main hobby, always happy to get book related requests that are different from the usual Harry Potters/Outlander. 

Tell us about your ideal private tour.

A writers tour, in Ireland, would be amazing. But I suppose the ideal tour would be a foody one, particularly of Ireland. It could even tie in with writers and spots they're from or wrote about. I feel like food tours are not ones we get requests for often and both Ireland and Scotland have great local produce and food suppliers that could be explored.

For Ireland, I'd start in Dublin (so many literary stops here) and eat in some of the best places I remember going as a kid, as well as new ones I discover each time I go home. Traditional Irish food, incredible seafood and Saturday night fish and chips (always Leo Burdocks) are a must.

Continuing on, I'd stop in Bray, Wicklow to do the famous Bray to Greystones walk, which most people would usually end with a brunch in The Happy Pear. 

Driving through Wexford (sunny South East), you can overnight in Gorey and have a nice dinner in one of the town's many restaurants. For me, I'd probably go for Table Forty One or Raspberry.

Next day, I'd head for Kinsale, which is locally known as one of Ireland's best stops for food. You can stop in Cork City, visit Blarney Castle, Midleton Distillery, or - if you have the whole day - a personal favourite, Fota Wildlife Park! For dinner, you have more than enough choice in the small and colourful town of Kinsale.

I would spend two nights in Kinsale, having a relaxing day the next day exploring and eating as much as I could!

Next, on to wondrous Ring of Kerry. Killarney is the ideal base for a few nights to explore this region, with loads of vibrant food spots and the opportunity to spend the day exploring the Ring of Kerry, going to Dingle for their famous Murphy's ice cream, or spending the day on a jaunting cart seeing Killarney National Park.

After Kerry, a quick stop in the lovely village of Adare on the way to County Clare. Ennis is the main city in the county, with plenty of things to see and do, but there are hidden gems in the small surfing town of Lahinch and in picturesque Doolin too. While in Clare, seeing the Cliffs of Moher is always a must, and I'd make sure to have time to sit and enjoy the view. 

Up to Galway next, an easy place to spend a couple of nights - make sure one of those nights you try The Dough Bros pizza! A great day trip from Galway is to one of the Aran Islands, Inis Mór, Inis Oírr, or Inis Meáin. Gorgeous landscape, friendly locals, and incredibly peaceful, they are all worth a visit!

Moving on then to Mayo, and I had the budget, an afternoon tea in Ashford Castle, even just to see the impressive grounds alone. Moving up to Sligo, a favourite of Yeats, and here I'd indulge in some of the best oysters around!

On the drive back to Dublin, I'd stop in Sean's Bar (Ireland's oldest pub) and Kilbeggan Distillery (Ireland's oldest distillery).

Why do you want to go to these places? Is there any special reason/story behind your choices?

For a literary tour, there is so much you can explore. Not just from Irish born writers, but places in Ireland that inspired literary greats. But there are so many writers with so many stories based in Ireland, it would be a shame not to see these places while you're here!

For a food themed tour, a few of the choices are nostalgic, a few are places real foodies would enjoy, regardless of the budget. Ireland has a great amount of high quality food and businesses, for any price point.

Which part of your private tour are you most excited about and why?

The eating, mostly! But having the opportunity to support local businesses in small towns. Ireland is full of these, each with their own story and character.  

Are you part of any special interest/hobbies group that might translate to a tour?

I studied film and media at uni and particularly love the fantasy genre, so a lot of the tours I enjoy tend to include filming locations or have elements of mythology to them. I also love taking photos whilst I'm away so any tours which include great photo opportunities are a bonus!

Tell us about your ideal private tour.

There are so many places in Scotland that make you feel as though you have stepped in to a fantasy novel so I think my ideal trip would have to include places like: Fingal's Cave, Bow Fiddle Rock, Glencoe, Fairy Glen, The Mermaid of the North (Tain), Devil's Pulpit, and Dunnottar Castle. 

Why do you want to go to these places? Is there any special reason/story behind your choices?

I think growing up in Edinburgh, I really appreciate the trips where I can leave the city and immerse myself in nature and appreciate how beautiful and unique Scotland is in terms of its scenery and history. 

Which part of your private tour are you most excited about and why?

Fingal's Cave - it ticks all of the boxes for me!

Are you part of any special interest/hobbies group that might translate to a tour?

I love to knit, and I'm a history nerd! You can get me hyped about any tour regarding basically any places with a long backstory! Highly recommend places like the Isle of Harris, if you're into your fabrics.

Tell us about your ideal private tour.

My ideal private tour takes me to the Islands, the more remote, the better. My ideal location is Shetland (going this year!) and the Uists, as I've not been there before. Ideally, it's a bit of everything - a bit of history, a bit "tourist-y must-see places" (they are must-see for a reason!), a bit of insider places. One thing that's most important to me is to take it slow, take time to actually see sights and not pack too much into each day. 

Why do you want to go to these places? Is there any special reason/story behind your choices?

I've always been a fan of the remote places - NC500, Orkney, Lewis and Harris, and so on. The Uists intrigue me, as not a lot of people seem to have them on their radar, and as we don't have any group tours going here either, it really is the perfect spot for a private tour. 

Which part of your private tour are you most excited about and why?

I'm going to be a bit stereotypical and say: the beaches and the slower way of life! Everything seems to be moving so fast these days, that a mix of sightseeing and beach-days sounds like absolute heaven to me.

Are you part of any special interest/hobbies group that might translate to a tour?

I’m a music and history lover, so I would love to book a tour around this. Whether you’re interested in traditional Scottish music and want to join a Ceilidh or if you want to visit some iconic venues while in our cities, I always have recommendations. Equally with history, I’m always keen on arranging tours with some stops at battlegrounds – Bannockburn and Killiecrankie are personal favourites!

Tell us about your ideal private tour.

My ideal private tour would be around the Outer Hebrides – starting in Benbecula walking along the white sand and clear blue-sea beaches, working your way down to Eriskay before getting the boat to Barra. Lots of whisky and food in-between!  

Why do you want to go to these places? Is there any special reason/story behind your choices?

I spent a lot of time here when I was younger, thanks to my sister teaching on the island – nowhere I’ve been to since compares to this time, nowhere’s as peaceful and beautiful! 

Which part of your private tour are you most excited about and why?

Either of sitting in Eriskay with a dram, or the ferry over to Uist – hopefully see some dolphins!  

Are you part of any special interest/hobbies group that might translate to a tour?

While I have many interests, the ones that pertain to travel, especially travel in Scotland, are whisky, history, and TV/films. I also love to read, which is something I tend to do a lot of while on my solo travels.

Tell us about your ideal private tour.

My ideal private tour would consist of whisky, history, and castles. It would also be a mixture of some new places as well as places I've been previously, as I would be taking my parents along with me and I'd want to share these amazing parts of Scotland with them. 
 
I'd start by either heading to Dunkeld (stopping at Aran Bakery - it's delicious - and doing a wee walk at The Hermitage) or I'd head to Balmoral Castle and explore the grounds with a stroll to Prince Alberts Cairn. I would stay in Grantown-on-Spey, as it is in the heart of the Cairngorms while also being central to Inverness and some great Speyside distilleries. I'd then spend a day visiting Culloden, Clava Cairns, and Tomatin Distillery (I would do the Taste of Tomatin tour, as I have attended many distillery tours, and this so far has been my favourite). Another day I'd spend hiking in the Cairngorms. I'd then dedicate a day to the Speyside whisky region, visiting Aberlour and Balvenie Distilleries, along with a stop at the Speyside Cooperage (the only working cooperage in the UK). For my final day, I'd head over to Stonehaven and walk along the coast to Dunnottar castle, then go for another dram (or three) at Fettercairn Distillery. I'd then drive through Falkland (a wonderfully quaint village and Outlander filming location) on my way back to Edinburgh. 

Why do you want to go to these places? Is there any special reason/story behind your choices?

As I've mentioned, I am interested in history (especially Scottish history) and I am quite the whisky fan. These two interests I've gotten from my dad and is something we bond over. So, I guess the main reason I've chosen these spots are because I would want to experience/share them with my dad. 

Which part of your private tour are you most excited about and why?

The Speyside Cooperage and the walk along the coast to Dunnottar Castle! The Speyside Cooperage is a place I have yet to visit, and it's on the top of my list. It is such an integral part in the whisky making process and being able to experience the art of coopering would be very cool and give you more appreciation for the whisky process. The walk along the coast to Dunnottar Castle was a recent solo day trip I did and it is so peaceful and beautiful. The castle is perched on these high cliffs, right over the North Sea, and it is just something you have to experience! 

Are you part of any special interest/hobbies group that might translate to a tour?

I am a bowler, which would never feature in a tour. But Scotland is one of the top countries in the world in this sport! However, I do have a love of photography and architecture. You will always find me snapping away when I am out and about, not just on tour but in everyday life. I am also a big lover of water. Living by the coast my whole life has definitely influenced where I travel to. All of my own holidays are by water!

Tell us about your ideal private tour.

My ideal private tour would take me somewhere new. Somewhere I cant get to on my own as I don't drive. I always seek out places that I have never been to. Ideally, I would like a tour that includes the coast, caves to explore, beautiful buildings, and if there is a chance to sample the local tipple then I am happy. At the moment I would really like to explore the coasts and valleys of Wales. I visited the north in February and it has given me an itch that I want to scratch again!

Why do you want to go to these places? Is there any special reason/story behind your choices?

Why Wales - well, why not! It's a beautiful country with a great history behind it. It also has more castles per square mile than anywhere else in Europe and I love a good castle. Specifically ones that are ruined, so that you can let your imagine re-create it. Wales also has some of the most beautiful coasts in all of the UK and as mentioned above I do like water. Plus I like to know it all, so from a work perspective this will help enhance my knowledge.

Which part of your private tour are you most excited about and why?

I would look forward to the coasts the most. I grew up by the sea and since losing both my parents it makes me feel closer to them.

If that didn't get your own private-tour-creative-juices flowing, then we don't know what will! Admit it, we've all got that ideal trip in mind. If it happens to involve England, Wales, Ireland, or Scotland... why not see if we can help? Read more about what we offer for Private Tours and get in touch with the team.