Skye High in Scotland & the Outer Hebrides

Day 1

Home Area to Carlisle
We depart home area and make our way to our overnight hotel in Carlisle making suitable comfort stops enroute. We arrive at the Carlisle Station Hotel Sure Collection by Best Western with time to freshen up before our evening meal.

Day 2

Carlisle to Glasgow to Fort William
We depart our hotel and travel to our next hotel in Fort William, the Alexandra Hotel. We stop enroute in Glasgow nicknamed ‘Dear Green Place’ due to its abundance of parks and gardens. The city offers excellent shopping opportunities. Glasgow also has a wide range of restaurants and cafes. Time for a pre-dinner drink in the bar/lounge area before our evening meal.

Day 3

Fort William to Skye & Armadale Castle
This morning we depart our hotel and head to Mallaig, pausing at the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct - featured in the Harry Potter films - perhaps pausing for a photo stop en route. On arrival in Mallaig, we embark on a ferry journey to Armadale, on the Isle of Skye, with Caledonian MacBrayne. We then make the short journey to Armadale Castle, Gardens & Museum, where we discover the castle ruins, which date from the 19th century, and the stunning gardens. The museum reveals the history of the castle and the powerful Clan Donald. Afterwards, we head to our hotel on Skye, the Dunollie Hotel. Time to freshen up before our evening meal.

Day 4

Dunvegan Castle & Trotternish Peninsula
Today we make our way to the north west corner of Skye to visit the famous Dunvegan Castle & Gardens. Built on a rocky outcrop on the shores of Loch Dunvegan, it is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland. After our visit, we enjoy a scenic drive around the northern Trotternish Peninsula via Duntulm, before returning to our hotel.

Day 5

Portree & Journey to Outer Hebrides
After a leisurely breakfast, we say goodbye to our hotel on Skye and make our way to Portree, the largest town on, and capital of, Skye. We can explore the harbour area and find a spot for some lunch before continuing to Uig, where we catch the afternoon ferry to Tarbert on Harris. On arrival, we make our way to our hotel for the next 3 nights, The Caladh Inn, Isle of Lewis.

Day 6

Calanais Stones & Gearrannan Blackhouse Village
Today begins with a visit to the Calanais Visitor Centre and the extraordinary 5,000 year old Calanais Standing Stones, one of the best preserved megalithic sites in the whole of Scotland and predating the famous Stonehenge monument. Our day continues with a visit to the Gearrannan Blackhouse Village where we experience the way of life in a typical crofting township of the 19th century. As we return to our hotel, we make a quick stop at the Norse Mill & Kiln, two traditionally constructed and thatched stone buildings set into a small river valley, used as a mill and kiln until the 1930s.

Day 7

Scenic Tour of Harris & Lewis
Today we join our coach and embark on a relaxing tour of the islands of Harris and Lewis, steeped in history and culture stretching back thousands of years. Our day begins by travelling south to Tarbert and the Isle of Scalpay, which has a population of 300 and is a compact 2.5 square miles in total .The island is connected to Harris via a single track bridge and is a popular spot for fishing, diving and walking. This afternoon we head north to the Port of Ness, a picturesque fishing village with the Butt of Lewis Lighthouse marking the most northerly point on the mainland of the Isle of Lewis.

Day 8

Isle of Lewis to Ullapool
Today we board the ferry to Ullapool, from where we travel to our overnight hotel in Strathpeffer, The Ben Wyvis Hotel. Time to relax before our evening meal.

Day 9

Strathpeffer to Pitlochry to Edinburgh to Carlisle
After breakfast we depart for the pretty town of Pitlochry for morning refreshments. We spend an hour here taking a look around the delightful shops, including the famous Whisky shop. There are plenty of Tea Rooms and cafes. We then head to Edinburgh where we see some of the sights by coach before leaving the coach near the Royal Mile, by Edinburgh Castle. Time to take a look around the shops and purchase a late lunch before continuing to our overnight hotel in Carlisle. We arrive at the Carlisle Station Hotel Best Western with time to relax before our evening meal.

Day 10

Carlisle to Home Area
We depart our hotel after breakfast and return to home area making suitable refreshment stops enroute.

B=Breakfast Included, D=Dinner Included