Scotland Discovery - Travel with Marion Bunnik

Welcome to Scotland and its capital city Edinburgh. Steeped in history, the city is a picturesque combination of old and new, with medieval buildings lining the vibrant and bustling streets making it an ideal city for locals and visitors alike. We arrive in Edinburgh and make our own way to our hotel before meeting our fellow travellers and small group tour leader for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Our day begins with a guided city tour of Edinburgh. Starting at Edinburgh Castle, we'll step into the shoes of past kings, queens and soldiers and explore the castle, learning about its fascinating history. Sitting atop a hill that overlooks Edinburgh, we are treated to spectacular views out over the city. Next, it's onto Edinburgh's old town as we stroll down the city's Royal Mile before making stops at the St Giles' Cathedral and the National Museum of Scotland. Our tour ends with a wander through the picturesque Princes Street Gardens, taking a look at the Scott monument. We'll enjoy the remainder of our afternoon at leisure to explore more of the city at our own pace.

We'll say goodbye to Edinburgh this morning and make our way to Scotland's north-east coast, to the city of Inverness. The town welcomes visitors eager to explore the nature that surrounds the town at every turn. Crossing the Firth of Forth, we'll continue to the town of St Andrews passing by the town's cathedral and castle, before making our way to Perth. Here, we'll walk through the grounds of Scone Palace, where the coronations of Scotland's kings took place throughout 1306 to 1651. We enjoy a traditional afternoon tea at the grounds of the palace before continuing to the town of Dunkeld.

Special Experience: Connect with a local family business in Dunkeld when we visit the Dunkeld Smoked Salmon Company and enjoy a tasting of the delicious smoked salmon.

Special Experience: Visit a local farm and watch as sheepdogs work together to manoeuvre sheep through various obstacles. Learn about Scotland's farming life and the role the sheep and sheepdogs play in Scotland's agriculture industry before we continue to Inverness for an evening at leisure.

We'll explore the city of Inverness today. Referred to as the capital of the Highlands, the pretty cosmopolitan city is located on the banks of the River Ness. We'll pass by Inverness Castle and admire its architecture before seeing the Victorian Market, the Gothic-style St Andrew's Cathedral, Falcon Square, Tollbooth Steeple and Inverness Town House. After our walking tour we'll have free time for lunch before making our way to Culloden. The Culloden Battlefield marks the site where the Jacobite army was defeated in 1746. We'll learn about the Battle of Culloden and pay tribute to the men who tragically lost their lives in the final Jacobite Rising. Continuing to Forres, we'll view the largest Picto Scottish Standing Stone, Sueno's Stone. Dating back to Scotland's early medieval period, the stone stands over 6.5 metres tall and is adorned in intricate carvings.

Special Experience: Taste the local drop at the Glen Moray Distillery. Established in 1897, we visit the whisky distillery and learn about the Scottish drink of choice.

Renowned for its incredible landscape, the Isle of Skye is arguably one of Scotland's most beautiful destinations. The enchanting island is made up of dramatic scenery, rich history and quaint villages, and is ours to explore for the next couple of days. After breakfast this morning we'll start our journey through the Highlands. Travelling along the shores of Loch Ness, we'll make our way to Drumnadrochit. Next, we'll visit one of Scotland's largest castles, Urquhart Castle, to enjoy panoramic views across Loch Ness. We continue to Eilean Donan Castle for a stop outside the 13th century castle, before travelling to the town of Glenbrittle. Here, we'll enjoy a walk through the scenery to witness the incredible beauty of the fairy pools. We wander along the walking trail and stop at each pool to admire their crystal-clear spring water and waterfalls. We'll continue to our hotel and enjoy a group dinner this evening.

Challenging Day: Today is a particularly challenging day, where there will be extended periods of walking time, often across uneven ground and in areas of high altitude or heat and humidity.

Have your cameras charged as we spend our day discovering more of what the incredible Isle of Skye has to offer. We'll begin with a drive through the picturesque Trotternish Peninsula before arriving at the Skye Museum of Island Life. We step back in time and explore an old Highland village and its traditional thatched cottages to learn about the life locals led 100 years ago. Next, we'll enjoy a coastal walk on the Quiraing walking trail and take in some incredible views of the cliffs and rock formations. We then make our way to the largest town in Isle of Skye, Portree. This cultural hub is a thriving port town with quaint buildings and a variety of attractions and activities. En route, we'll visit the spectacular Kilt Rock, the Old Man of Storr and the Black Cuillin Hills before arriving in Portree and enjoying lunch at a local pub. We enjoy the remainder of our afternoon at leisure before returning to our hotel for dinner.

Challenging Day: Today is a particularly challenging day, where there will be extended periods of walking time, often across uneven ground and in areas of high altitude or heat and humidity.

The seaside town of Oban is our destination today. Surrounded by a dramatic coastline and sandy beaches, the picturesque town is home to many pubs, restaurants and shops. We'll begin our day with a ferry ride back to the mainland, from Armadale to Mallaig, before continuing to Glenfinnan. Here, we'll step into the world of Harry Potter and stop to view the viaduct that the budding wizards travel across on their train journey to Hogwarts. We continue to Fort William, home to the tallest mountain in the United Kingdom, and enjoy free time for lunch.

Special Experience: Take to the skies for panoramic views over the Highlands as we board the United Kingdom's only mountain gondola and ride up to Aonach Mor, Scotland's eighth highest mountain. We'll travel to the town of Taynuilt this afternoon and enjoy dinner together this evening.

The vibrant city of Glasgow welcomes visitors with arms wide open and is home to a wealth of character, a rich history, and unique neighbourhoods. We make our way to Glasgow this morning, stopping en route at Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. We'll also drive past the iconic Inverayray Castle, also known as Duneagle Castle in the popular series Downton Abbey.

Special Experience: Incredible scenery awaits us at Trossachs National Park where we cruise the vast waters of Loch Lomond admiring its spectacular natural beauty. We'll spend some free time for lunch in the nearby town of Luss where we also have time to explore its pier and old village before continuing to Glasgow. We'll check into our hotel and enjoy some free time before indulging in a group farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Our tour concludes after breakfast this morning. We'll say goodbye to our new friends and to wonderful Scotland.