North Scotland, Loch Ness & Orkney

Edinburgh - Callander - Glencoe - Loch Ness - Inverness. Heading out of Edinburgh this morning, we pass Stirling Castle, the Wallace Monument and Doune Castle on our way to the town of Callander where we enjoy a short stop. Crossing the Fault Line into the Scottish Highlands, we then take in the incredible vistas of Loch Lubnaig, Loch Earn, Glen Ogle and Glen Dochart.

Continuing to Glencoe, we have time to admire the mountain vistas and learn about the 1692 Glencoe Massacre. Around 30 members of Clan MacDonald of Glencoe were slaughtered here for failing to pledge allegiance to King William III and Mary II. Then we continue to Loch Ness, allegedly home to the Loch Ness Monster. Keep your eyes peeled as we have plenty of free time to look for Nessie!

Arriving in Inverness, the evening is free for you to explore the 'Capital of the Highlands'.

Please note: Check-in closes at 08:15 on day 1 (tour departs at 08:30) - Edinburgh Bus Station Pick Up, Gate J and Gate K, inside Edinburgh Bus Station, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, EH1 3DQ.

Accommodation: Dalmore, Pine Guest House or similar

Inverness - John o'Groats - Kirkwall. Departing Inverness early, we head past Dunrobin Castle and along the coastline of the northeast Highlands, taking in some of Scotland's most dramatic scenery. If the ferry timetables allow, we will enjoy a stop at John o'Groats, on the north-eastern tip of Great Britain. Arriving in Gills Bay, we board the ferry to Orkney, crossing Pentland Firth. Landing on the archipelago, we stop for a visit to the colourful Italian Chapel before arriving in the former Viking stronghold of Kirkwall, capital of the Orkney Islands. The evening is free, we recommend paying a visit to the magnificent Viking Cathedral of St Magnus, dating back to the 12th Century.

Accommodation: Bellavista Guest House, Heatherlea B&B or similar

Today we explore Orkney, taking in the stunning nature of green pastures and windswept sandy beaches alongside Orkney's past. We take in the 5,000-year old village of Skara Brae, A Neolithic settlement older even than the Pyramids of Giza or Stonehenge! We also take in the prehistoric stone circle at Brodgar and the Druidic standing stones at Stenness. Each of these sites is UNESCO-listed as part of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney.

We also visit Maeshowe, home to a number of well-preserved Viking runic inscriptions, dating back to the 12th century. We then return to Kirkwall for the night.

Accommodation: Bellavista Guest House, Heatherlea B&B or similar

Kirkwall - Ullapool. This morning after breakfast, it is time to depart Orkney, as we take the return ferry back to the mainland. We then take a spectacular drive along the northern coast of Scotland, taking in the stunning Ben Loyal and Ben hope mountains and a picturesque coastline. We stop to admire Ardvreck Castle in the far north-west mountains of Assynt before reaching Ullapool, a pretty whitewashed fishing village located at the mouth of Loch Broom. The evening is at leisure.

Accommodation: Foinaven, Ullaviews or similar

Ullapool - Edinburgh. Today we make our way back to the Scottish capital of Edinburgh, but we have a number of fascinating stops along the way. We see where the River Droma plunges 6o metres over a cliff into the Corrieshalloch Gorge and we enjoy views of Loch Glascarnoch as we pass Inverness.

We also make a short stop at Culloden Moor. This was the site of the Battle of Culloden in 1746, the last stand of the Jacobites who suffered a crushing defeat by the troops of the Duke of Cumberland. Interestingly, this was the last battle to have been fought on the British mainland.

Next we see the ancient standing stones at Clava Cairns, made famous by Diana Gabaldon in the ‘Outlander’ books. We then journey around the edge of the Cairngorm mountains, past lush pine forests and make our way back to Edinburgh, where our tour ends.

Please note: This tour ends at 19:00 - Edinburgh Bus Station Drop Off, Gate J and Gate K, Edinburgh Bus Station, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, EH1 3DQ.