Scotland Vacations by Umfulana: Customized Scotland Tours to Edinburgh, the Scottish Highlands - Great Britain
Bookings for 2021
Your safety and an enjoyable travel experience is our top priority.
For this reason and due to the current pandemic, we can only take bookings for 2021 at short notice at the moment.
If you are interested in a trip, please feel free to send us your enquiry. We will continuously check the possibilities and contact you as soon as it is foreseeable that the trip can take place. Enquiries for 2022 can be placed as usual.
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Where Spirits Roam: The Scottish Highlands

From the urban cityscape of Edinburgh to the vast wilderness of the Highlands, this package offers an ideal blend of city, nature and adventure. Stops include the idyllic Isle of Skye and ever-mysterious Loch Ness.

This trip will be customized according to your wishes.

From Edinburgh to Aberdeenshire

Rental car pick-up
Vauxhall Astra
Vauxhall Astra

Rental car pick-up

Broker: Sunny Cars GmbH
Company: Keddy by Europcar
Vehicle: Vauxhall Astra or similar (CDMR)
Loca­tion: Edinburgh Airport (Desk at Airport)

From Edinburgh to Aber­deen­shire

207 km | 3:00 h
Numerous Victo­rian mansions and medieval castles lie along the route between Edinburgh and Aberdeen. A few of the most important are Dunotar Castle near Stonehaven, the House of Dun and Scone Palace in Perth.
Attractions

Grampian Mountains

Heath, moors, silent Munroes
Scot­land's most important mountain range is bordered in the northwest by the Great Glen, which stretches straight from southwest to north­east. Moor and heath char­ac­terize the landscape, in which red deer and a large bird variety are at home. Most Munroes, as the Scottish mountains over 3000 feet are called, are located in the Grampians, including Ben Nevis, which at 1345 metres is the highest mountain in Great Britain. The Grampians are one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world. Before the Atlantic, they were a cont­in­u­a­tion of the Appalachians.

Central Lowlands

Indus­trial heart of Scot­land
The Lowlands form the centre of Scot­land. They lie between the Grampians in the north and the Southern Uplands in the south. In the west they extend to the Firth of Clyde, in the east to the Firth of Forth. The Central Belt is the indus­trial heart. There is exten­sive agri­cultural land and the densest settle­ment in Scot­land. This region includes the cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee, Perth, Stirling and Ayr.

Forth Road Bridge

2,5 km long suspen­sion bridge
The motorway bridge over the Firth of Forth was built as a suspen­sion bridge between 1958 and 1964 and was the largest of its kind in Europe at the time. It is a good 2.5 kilome­tres long and consists of a total of almost 47,000 tons of steel. Together, the wire ropes are almost 50,000 kilome­ters long. The Forth Road Bridge has been listed since April 2001. However, a new bridge is being planned. The existing bridge is to remain pass­able for buses, taxis and cyclists. Parallel runs the Forth Rail Bridge, a steel bridge dating from 1890, which Alfred Hitchcock made world famous with a scary scene in his spy thriller, The Thirty-nine Steps.
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Aberdeenshire

Uninhabited mountains with a coastline both gentle and craggy
Spectacular coastline: Slains Castle in Cruden Bay
Spectacular coastline: Slains Castle in Cruden Bay

This region in eastern Scot­land offers a variety of landscapes ranging from the pris­tine and largely uninhabited world of the Cairngorm mountains to the storm-tossed coast­lines of the North Sea and the Mora Firth.

Alternating between craggy and gentle, these coasts among the most spectac­ular in the world. This is also the site of Buchan Ness, a rocky island with a small light­house repre­senting Scot­land's most east­erly point. Apart from its four small cities, Aber­deen­shire has a rural flair. Some of its towns, such as the beau­tiful village of Crovie, have less than two dozen build­ings, and Collie­ston is consid­ered Great Britain's most beau­tiful fishing village.

Friendly hosts: Farm on the Whisky Trail
Friendly hosts: Farm on the Whisky Trail

Accommodation: A historic farm house

2 Nights | 1x Double Occupancy | Bed & Breakfast

This listed farm house was built in 1762 by the ancestors of the present owner. Forest with deer, birds chirping and tranquillity surround the rural idyll. Those who enter the presti­gious stone house will be met by the stern glances of the ancestors of the McCombie family in the impres­sive galleried entrance hall. All the more friendly are the hosts who make every effort to make their guests happy. Veronica is a trained Cordon Bleu chef, which is reflected in both Breakfast and dinner. The house in the heart of Aber­deen­shire is ideally located for exploring the surrounding castles, gardens, and whiskey distil­leries.

Attractions

Cairngorms National Park

Lakes and marshes and heather in Britain's largest natural park
The largest national park in Great Britain is located in the central high­lands and dominated by the peaks of the Grampian Mountains. The wild landscape with its heather-covered hills and the deep black lakes, inac­ces­sible moors and green forests form a unique natural setting. Some 25,000 red deer roam the forests and heaths of the park. Large parts of the area are not devel­oped for traffic. The largest towns are Ballater in the east and Kingussie and Aviemore in the west. Highest point is Ben Macdui with 1,310 m. Although two roads follow the border from west to east or to the south, there is no road access to the national park's center. The area can therefore be reached only on foot. South­east near Braemar stands a popular tourist attrac­tion: Balmoral Castle.

Craigievar Castle

A dist­inctly vertical Scottish tower house
This castle on the River Dee is a typical Scottish tower house. In contrast to conven­tional castles, tower houses are higher than they are wide. This castle consists of three floors crowded over a small L-shaped foun­da­tion. The main tower, however, has a fourth floor. The chinks below the battle­ments between the towers, known as machico­la­tions, are purely deco­ra­tive and did not serve a defen­sive func­tion in this case.

Included in:
Scottish Heritage Pass

Castle Fraser

Spooky and creepy story behind massive walls
The castle from 1636 with its Z-shaped ground plan has served as a film backdrop several times already – prob­ably because of its massive exte­rior with an incred­ible round tower. In the large hall, which seems archaic in its simplicity, the ancestors of the Frasers look down seri­ously on the visitor. In a green room – so the legend goes – a princess was once murdered in her sleep and then dragged down the stairs. But the blood she stained on the stairs could not be removed, no matter how much the servants scrubbed. It was therefore decided to cover the stairs with wood. To this day, no one has dared to remove the steps. And the princess is believed to visit the place of the nefar­ious deed at night.
Hiking suggestion

Ben Rinnes

Scenic mountain in whisky country
There are count­less whisky distil­leries all around the River Spey – more than anywhere else in the world. One of them is Benrinnes, which is named after the scenic mountain to the south. If you need some fresh air to clear your head between whisky tast­ings, we recom­mend climbing the mountain. (3 hrs, 6.8 km, eleva­tion change: 440 m)

From Aber­deen­shire to Nairn

128 km | 2:30 h

The route largely follows the Malt Whisky Trail. The distil­leries near Dufftown are open to the public for tours and purchases.

Before reaching the Glen Grant distillery near Rothes the route touches the Castle Trail, which leads to several imposing struc­tures built over a period of 700 years.

Attractions

Castle Trail

Scot­land's most beau­tiful Castles
The Grampians west of Aberdeen contain some of Scot­land's most picturesque castles, eleven of which are connected by the Castle Trail. Most of the struc­tures were built in the 13th century, a period when Scottish lords began to fortify their settle­ments under the influ­ence of the Normans. The castles have been reno­vated numerous times through the centuries in response to the changed living condi­tions of the nobility. The imposing fortresses are surrounded by equally majestic landscapes. The moors and remote, grassy hills of the High­lands are the perfect breeding grounds for legends involving ghosts and other supernat­ural occurrences. Trav­ellers who have had their fill of castles can switch to the Whisky Trail, which leads to several renowned distil­leries.

Glenlivet Distillery

First legal distillery
The distillery of 1823 was the first legal one in the area, which is why the founder caused resent­ment in the whole region. Illegal distilling of whisky had a long tradi­tion in this area. In 1880, the Smiths acquired exclu­sive rights to the name “The Glenlivet”. In 1977 the distillery was sold to the Amer­ican alcohol company Seagram, which in 2001 went to Pernod Ricard. The distillery has a visitor center, visits are free of charge.

Spey­side Cooperage

Whisky cooperage on the Malt Whisky Trail
Spey­side Cooperage is the only Scottish cooperage that makes and repairs whisky barrels. Approx­i­mately 150,000 oak barrels are currently produced annu­ally. Only a very small propor­tion of these are new, the predom­inant busi­ness being the refurbish­ment of used barrels. Old whisky barrels, the wood of which no longer gives off any aromas after being used several times, are prepared for reuse by sanding and charring. The cooperage has its own visitor center. The work on the barrels can be observed from a visitor gallery.
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Moray Firth

Where whales and dolphins romp about
Rugged coast near Portknockie: Moray Firth
Rugged coast near Portknockie: Moray Firth

The bay on the North Sea is consid­ered the greatest Firth of Britain. The large funnel between Kinnairds Head near Fraserburgh in Aber­deen­shire and Duncansby Head near Wick is 120 kilome­ters wide at the opening.

Counting all the bays, the Firth has a coast­line of about 800 kilome­ters, including rocky cliffs and tidal flats. The highest peak close to the shore is Ben Wyvis: With its 1048 meters it is mostly shrouded in fog and snowcapped even during summer. Frolicking dolphins and whales are best seen from Chanonry Point.

Former mansion near Nairn: Boath House

Accommodation: A manor house near Nairn

2 Nights | 1x Double Occupancy | Bed & Breakfast

The manor house on the Moray Firth Coast was built in 1825 for Sir John Dunbar and is consid­ered to be the most beau­tiful Regency House of that time.

It is surrounded by a 90,000 square metre park and lake landscape. In the 90s the run-down building was bought by Don and Wendy Math­eson and exten­sively restored. Care was taken to maintain the histor­ical charm of the house. Today, guests can expect a Country House Hotel that harmo­niously combines old and new. Guests are accommo­d­ated in one of the nine rooms, which are indi­vid­u­ally furnished with antique furni­ture and heavy fabrics and wallpaper, but also offer contem­po­rary comfort. The house is ideally located to explore the High­lands with their numerous castles and distil­leries.

Attractions

High­lands

Clans, whisky and tree­less vast­ness
Northwest of the Great Glen, which divides Scot­land from north­east to southwest in a straight line, the High­lands begin. Although there are some Munroes, as the mountains over 3,000 feet are called, they are not really high­lands. Wide parts consist of tree­less moors. The remote High­lands were less exposed to English influ­ence than the southern Lowlands. Which is why they have preserved their own cultural char­acter. The clan struc­ture in the High­lands is still alive or even being revived. This and the whisky produc­tion have made the High­lands world famous. The fact that the vast High­lands are largely unwooded and uninhabited today is mainly due to the High­land Clear­ances, the expul­sion of the local popu­la­tion between 1762 and 1884.

Great Glen Fault

Ruins and monas­teries on deep lakes
The deep fault splits the Scottish High­lands diag­o­n­ally from coast to coast. The bottom of the fault is largely covered with lakes, which are now connected by canals. The stretch between Fort William and Inver­ness is one of the most scenic drives in Scot­land. A 6th century abbey along the way marks the spot where the Irish monk St. Columban allegedly encountered the famous Loch Ness Monster – the first known refer­ence to the myth­ical beast.

Easter Ross

Green hills, mild climate
Easter Ross is the east­ernmost part of Ross-shire, which in the west reaches to the Atlantic Ocean and includes a Hebridean island. The region on the North Sea is shielded by the high mountains to the west and therefore has a milder climate than the Western High­lands. The green hills reach up to the Cromart Fjord, where some­times dolphins can be spotted. Amongst all this are small villages and manor houses.

From Nairn to Portree

207 km | 3:30 h
The crossing of the northern High­lands from east to west is one of the greatest expe­r­i­ences during a trip to Scot­land. From Inver­ness you head inland along large and small lakes passing through an increas­ingly lonely landscape.
Attractions

Hebrides

Storm-tossed islands on the edge of Europe
West of Scot­land, a group of islands defies the storms of the Atlantic: the Hebrides are among the most pris­tine and remote landscapes in Europe. In the very west lie the Outer Hebrides, which – despite their size – are almost uninhabited. On Lewis and Harris, eight resi­dents share a square kilometer. Their main source of income is catching fish and crabs or breeding sheep. The landscape is char­ac­ter­ized by grassy hills and peat bogs. Long sandy beaches invite to endless walks. The more varied Inner Hebrides resemble the scenery of the neigh­boring High­lands. Despite their extreme remote­ness, they look back on a vener­able history. Iona, one of the smallest islands, with its monastery is consid­ered the cradle of Celtic Chris­tianity.

Wester Ross

High­lands at the end of the world
The High­lands between the Isle of Skye and Ullapool seem to be the end of the world. In any case, they are among the rela­tively undis­cov­ered areas of Scot­land, and get hardly mentioned in any of the guide books. Despite partic­u­larly charming landscapes, only once in a blue moon a tourist can be seen trav­elling on one of the few streets that open up the peninsula. In addi­tion to Loch Maree the Beinn Eighe Nature Reserve protects an authentic, rugged mountain scenery up to 1,000 meters in height.

Beauly Priory

Mystical ruins on the River Beauly
During the 13th century, French monks built an abbey on a spot along the River Beauly just before it empties into the firth. They called it the “beau lieu” due to its partic­u­larly beau­tiful loca­tion. The monastery was abandoned during the Reforma­tion and became a ruin. The cloister, dormitory and the abbot's resi­dence disap­peared and the roof of the church caved in. Never­the­less, the ruin exudes a very unique charm.
Hiking suggestion

Corrie­shalloch Gorge

A waterfall and bridge in a spectac­ular gorge
Several kilome­ters before the River Abhainn Droma flows into the sea near Ullapool, it passes through a ravine that is too deep to have been carved out by the river itself. Corrie­shalloch Gorge was actu­ally formed by glaciers during the last ice age. Ferns grow at the bottom of the gorge and there is a stunning vertical waterfall. The bridge in front of the waterfall is a great spot for taking spectac­ular pictures.
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Isle of Skye

Caves, glens and waterfalls
Rugged and romantic: The Isle of Skye
Rugged and romantic: The Isle of Skye

More than anything else, the largest island in the Inner Hebrides offers 639 square miles of pris­tine nature: rugged mountains, green valleys, caves, glens, crystal clear waterfalls and out-of-the-way beaches.

Otters and seals feed on the salmon and trout that popu­late the island's unpol­luted waters. The over 200 species of birds native to the area include endan­gered species like the golden eagle and the northern gannet. Skye is also known as the source of one of Scot­land's finest malt whiskies. The island has not always been a peaceful place. Under Bonnie Prince Charles, a descent of Maria Stuart, it was the focal point of a power struggle between the Scots and the English. A bridge connecting Skye to the main­land was constructed in 1995. Those who desire even greater remote­ness can take a ferry from Uig to the Outer Hebrides, where they will find nothing but sheep, cliffs and wind.

Plenty of warmth and light: B&B near Portree

Accommodation: A B&B near Portree

2 Nights | 1x Double Occupancy | Bed & Breakfast

This B&B lies at the edge of the port town of Portree. The Cuillin Mountains are visible to the south and the Old Man of Storr, a beau­tiful hiking area with gorgeous nooks and crannies, rises to the north.

The custom-designed rooms receive plenty of light. The living room has a fireplace and is replete with books and maps all about the Isle of Skye. Rick and Georgie also happy to give advice on where to go for day trips. Pubs, restau­rants and shops can be found on the other side of Loch Portree.

Attractions

Old Man of Storr

Legendary rock needle made of black basalt
The almost 50 meter high rock needle made of black basalt is visible from afar and a landmark of the Trotter­nish peninsula. All around there are smaller upright rocks, which in old stories are called his family. His wife, the second largest rock needle, unfortunately collapsed years ago. Legend has it that they were looking for a runaway cow in the area. Then they met giants and fled. When they looked back, they were turned into stone.

Talisker Whisky

Only whisky distillery on Skye
The only whisky distillery on Skye is the Talisker distillery, founded in 1830. It is known for its double distilled single malt whisky, which is consid­ered to be one of the best. Guided tours and whisky tast­ings are on offer.

Cuillin Hills

An alpinist's paradise
This basalt massif on the Isle of Skye is a paradise for Alpin­ists. The mountain range is home to twelve Munros, as Scottish mountains higher than 3,000 feet are called. The highest is the Sgurr Alasdair at 992 meters. The Glen Sligachan mountain hotel is the starting point for hiking trails with every level of diffi­culty. Most of the trails are unmarked as they cross screes, rocks and gullies worn into the mountain­side. The views here are overwhelming on clear days. You can see as far as the main­land to the east and all the way to the Outer Hebrides as well.

From Portree to Oban

188 km | 4:00 h (including ferry crossing)
The ferry crosses from the Inner Hebrides to the main­land.
Attractions

Arisaig

Picturesque village on Scot­land's west coast
Today – because of its picturesque loca­tion – Arisaig lives mainly off tourism. The village is easy to reach for tourists trav­elling through Scot­land: by car via the pano­ramic ‘Road to the Isles’ and by West High­land Line trains from Fort William. Arisaig station is the west­ernmost station in Great Britain. From the small harbor of the village there are ferries to the offshore islands of Eigg, Muck and Rùm. However, ferry traffic plays only a minor role, as all larger ferries call at the port of nearby Mallaig.

Fort William and surround­ings

Whiskey distil­leries and adven­ture tourism
The town that largely owes its exis­tence to whisky distil­leries is situ­ated on the southwest end of the Great Glen Fault. The loca­tion is an ideal starting point for excur­sions to the fjords and lakes on the southwest coast, whether by car, boat, train or on foot. The railway line to Mallaig is regarded as one of the most scenic routes in the UK. The region's main attrac­tion is Ben Nevis, the highest mountain on the British Isles. Anyone who manages to reach the summit on a clear day will be rewarded with an overwhelming pano­ramic view that extends nearly 240 miles across the Hebrides to the coast of Ireland. The race to the peak of Ben Nevis is a popular annual event. While the current record is 87 minutes, the ascent normally takes 3-4 hours. The best route back is via Carn Mor Dearg, a mountain ridge of unbe­liev­able beauty.

Armadale Castle

Romantic ruins and exotic garden
The former manor house of the MacDonald Clan lies between Ardvasar and Kilmore on the Sleat promontory in the extreme south of the Isle of Skye. Orig­inally, the clan chiefs had lived there in simple farm­houses. It was only after they had come to money that they had a repre­senta­tive castle built in 1790. After a few decades it was added to at a huge expense, only to burn down shortly after. To this day, the romantic prop­erty is largely dilap­i­dated. Worth seeing are the restored 17th century garden with exotic plants and the Museum of the Isles.

The drive from Mallaig to Oban is one of the most scenic stretches in Great Britain. You will pass Loch Shiel, at the northern end of which a monu­ment commem­o­rates the Scottish clansmen who fought the English in 1745 to restore the exiled Stuarts to the throne.

Near Fort William you can see Ben Nevis, the highest mountain on the British Isles.

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Argyll

Remote peninsula in western Scotland
Sheep, standing stones and solitude: Argyll
Sheep, standing stones and solitude: Argyll

This former county in western Scot­land is known by the Gaelic name of Earra-Ghàidheal, which means “Coasts of the Gaels.” Yet the pres­ence of numerous standing stones attest to the fact that other cultures were here long before the Gaels.

Inverary is the region's main town and is still the resi­dence of the Duke of Argyll, the head of the Camp­bell clan. With a popu­la­tion density of 20 people per square kilometer, most inhab­i­tants live in the towns of Oban, Cambeltown and Inverary. The rest of the region is virtu­ally uninhabited and work must be found else­where. These remote islands and peninsulas are ideal if you are looking for the soli­tude and quiet­ness of the open country.

Dream-like landscapes: A B&B overlooking Loch Linnhe

Accommodation: A designer B&B overlooking Loch Linnhe

2 Nights | 1x Double Occupancy | Bed & Breakfast

The designer guest house located between Appin and Oban on the west coast affords unpar­al­leled views of Loch Linnhe. The eight, indi­vid­u­ally deco­rated rooms have jacuzzi baths, under­floor heating and large pano­ramic-view windows. The day starts out with a healthy, hearty Breakfast: smoked fish or sweet pancakes provide a delicious alterna­tive to the usual ham and eggs fare. Excur­sions can be arranged to the islands of Iona and Staffa, once a source of inspi­ra­tion for the German composer Felix Mendelssohn.
For dinner the hosts recom­mend the Eriska Hotel which also features a golf course and a spa. Reser­va­tions need to be made at the time of booking.

The host Sean O'Byrne is world cham­pion in tradi­tional longbowarchery. Anyone who wants to try this historic discip­line of the ScottishHigh­lands can book a lesson through Umfu­lana (35, – GBP per person – advance­booking required).

Attractions

Oban

Base for the Western High­lands
Oban is an ideal base for trav­elers wishing to explore the Western High­lands. The little town south of Fort William boasts a harbor and a yacht club. Most of the shops and restau­rants are clus­tered around the small train station. Ganavan Sands is the best place to swim. The Oban whisky distillery, built in 1794, is known for its malt Scotch. Boat trips can be taken to the Hebrides west of Orban, while the sparsely popu­lated country east of the city offers spectac­ular mountain landscapes. Some of the most beau­tiful lakes in Scot­land, such as Loch Tay, Loch Katrine and Loch Lomond, are all within an hours' drive.

Isle of Kerrera

Hebridean island with castle ruins and 30 inhab­i­tants
The island in the south of the Inner Hebrides has a good twelve square kilome­ters, a thou­sand-year history and currently less than 30 inhab­i­tants. Since the 12th century it belongs to the Mac Dougalls clan. The Scottish King Alexander II gathered his fleet in the south of the island to take the Hebrides from there. In the 16th century the clan estab­lished its ances­tral seat, Gylen Castle, on the island. A hundred years later, the castle was conquered and all its inhab­i­tants killed. Since then the gloomy building has remained uninhabited. Kerrera is not in any travel guide, which is why only a few visitors come. The best way to explore the car-free island is by bicycle. During summer ferries leave Oban every half hour.

Loch Awe

Ruins and monas­teries on the fairy tale lake
The 37 km long, but only about one km wide freshwater lake is the third largest and at the same time one of the most beau­tiful lakes in Scot­land. It lies in a deep valley that is partly wooded. On several islands, lonely ruins of castles and monas­teries bear witness to an eventful history. The most famous castle, Kilchurn Castle, stands on the northern shore of the lake.
Hiking suggestions

Kinlochleven

Wilder­ness hike in the misty Valley
Moss, stones, wind and stormy forests: Above Kinlochleven, a settle­ment of miners with almost 1000 inhab­i­tants, there is a wild and lonely high moor­land, which is suit­able for a circular hike. The barren heath landscape offers wide sweeping views across Loch Leven, which get lost in the twil­ight of the clouds. On the way back you cross an exposed ridge between two river valleys. (Return: 9 kilome­ters, 3:30 hours, up and down 385 meters)

Glencoe

Hiking across the “Valley of Tears”
The “Valley of Tears” has a bloody history: In 1691 the English King William III pardoned all High­land clans who had fought against him. The condi­tion, however, was that they had to swear alle­giance to him. Those who refused were sentenced to death. After the Clan MacDonald had agreed only reluc­tantly, his boss went erro­neously to Inver­lochy and he reached Inver­aray only after the dead­line. Thus the whole clan was denied the pardon. The royal soldiers carried out the massacre at Glencoe, in which the inhab­i­tants of the valley died. Today one of the most beau­tiful hiking trails in Scot­land begins there. (10 kilome­ters, 6 hours, up and down: 1,070 meters)

Included in the:
Scottish Heritage Pass (Glencoe Visitor Centre)

From Oban to Edinburgh

200 km | 3:30 h
Along the way you will pass Loch Etive and Loch Awe and drive through the rugged landscapes of the Tros­sachs. You will then enter the heavily popu­lated region between Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Attractions

Loch Lomond

“The Queen of all Scottish Lakes” (Sir Walter Scott)
Sir Walter Scott once referred to Loch Lomond as the “Queen of all Scottish Lakes”. What inspired the writer was the lake's incred­ible setting in what is today a national park. The 24 miles long freshwater loch – the largest in Scot­land – offers a tremendous variety of water sports and other activ­i­ties, such as hiking or riding on a paddle steamer. An unfor­gettable view awaits those who take the trouble to walk to the top of Ben Lomond (973 m/3,000 feet) on the eastern shore. The wooded glens of the Tros­sachs region north­east of Loch Lomond are also worth a visit.

Doune Castle

Late medieval fortress and popular filming loca­tion
The late medieval castle stands on a rocky spur above the River Teith, where it is protected on three sides by steep slopes. In the background, the southern Scottish Tros­sach mountains rise. There prob­ably was already a prede­cessor castle before the Duke of Albany had the fortress built in 1390. In the 16th century it served the Scottish monarchs, including Mary Stuart, as a summer resi­dence. Never­the­less, the building was never completed, which contributes to its myste­r­ious appear­ance. Anyway, Doune Castle is a popular movie set. Scenes from the TV series “Game of Thrones” and the movie “Knight of the Coconut” by Monthy Python were shot here.

Included in:
Historic Scot­land Explorer Pass
Scottish Heritage Pass

Stirling

Haunted town in the shadow of the castle
Centuries ago, the city between Edinburgh and Glasgow used to be the Scottish capital. The medieval old town devel­oped around the great castle (Stirling Castle), which still dominates the place. Stirling is often called the “gateway to the High­lands”, because here is where the flat hills of the Scottish lowlands meet the steep slopes of the high­lands. Maybe that's the reason why the city is haunted by count­less spirits. Most famous are the “Green Lady” who was seen in the castle several times, and a soldier. But nowhere appear as many ghosts as in the tavern “Settle Inn”.

Included in:
Historic Scot­land Explorer Pass
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Edinburgh

Scotland's proud capital in the shadow of the fortress
Calton Hill: view of City und Castle
Calton Hill: view of City und Castle

Scot­land's capital is consid­ered one of the most beau­tiful cities in the world. A burgh is said to have stood on Castle Rock – which offers the best view of the city – since the 7th century.

Walls were erected around the town in the shadow of the fortress following bloody and disas­trous clashes with England. The medieval plan and narrow winding streets of the Old Town once protected by those walls have been preserved. The area called New Town was created in the 18th century to relieve crowding in the rapidly growing city. With its rigidly ordered grid New Town was consid­ered the epitome of rational urban devel­op­ment during the period of Enlight­en­ment. The main shopping street today is Princess Street, which is lined with shops, galleries and museums. The cultural capital of Scot­land is often referred to as the Athens of the North. The city's polit­ical history was defined by the rivalry with England. Edinburgh is now once again the seat of the Scottish Parlia­ment.

Oasis in the city: A Victorian residence

Accommodation: A Victorian residence in downtown Edinburgh

2 Nights | 1x Double Occupancy | Bed & Breakfast

The hosts' first Blène, a former teacher, and Erland, a journalist with a wry British sense of humour, have created a guest suite in their new home in Cambridge Street. The suite is located on the ground floor of a stately Victo­rian mansion and is itself beau­tifully furnished in Victo­rian style. The couples' candle­light breakfasts are unpar­al­leled: Choices include Pommes Rimbaut, Mush­room Taleggio, Asparagus Apoc­alypse and Oeufs à la Brioche. Although many of Edinburgh's most important sights are only minutes away, the rooms face a quiet garden.

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Attractions

Edinburgh Castle

A castle built over an extinct volcano
This fortress towers high over Edinburgh from its perch on Castle Rock, an extinct volcano. A previous fortifica­tion prob­ably stood here as early as the 7th century. The current royal castle was first mentioned in 1093 in refer­ence to the sieges and havoc wreaked by the English. Mary Stuart, who lived here until she was impris­oned and beheaded, was the castle's most famous resi­dent. The area in front of the castle, known as the “esplanade,” provides the best view over the rooftops of Edinburgh's Old Town. The esplanade is also where the Edinburgh Military Tattoo is held every year. 

Included in:
Historic Scot­land Explorer Pass
Scottish Heritage Pass

Dean Village

Romantic mill village near Edinburgh
The small village in a deep gorge was the granary of Edinburgh. No fewer than eleven grain mills were in oper­a­tion at the best times of the 19th century. The river  Water of Leith, which had a steep gradient here, provided the neces­sary driving power. In 1833 a spectac­ular bridge over the valley was built, but then the decline began. Electric and steam mills replaced the water mills. Poverty and unemploy­ment moved into Dean. In the 1970s, Edinburgh city dwellers discov­ered cheap housing in the tranquil surround­ings. Today Dean is a hip suburb of the Scottish capital.

Royal Mile of Edinburgh

Heart of the Old Town between High Street and Castlehill
The heart of Edinburgh's Old Town, known as the Royal Mile, is situ­ated between Canongate, High Street and Castlehill. It really does measure a Scottish mile in length (1.8 kilome­ters). Here you will find the High­land Tolbooth Church, the People's Story Museum, the Museum of Edinburgh, the John Knox House and the Scottish Parlia­ment building. Small, steep alleyways known as “closes,” “courts,” or “wynds” run perpen­dic­ular to the Royal Mile in a herringbone pattern. The Old Town also features several large market squares.
Hiking suggestion

Water of Leith Walkway

Contempla­tive prom­enade through Edinburgh
The small river Water of Leith flows through a valley, across Edinburgh and into the North Sea near Leith. On its bank there is a hiking trail, which starts at the school of Balerno and partly leads over disused tracks. Although you walk through the middle of the city, you hardly ever walk over tar and still pass some important sights, for example the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art or the Dean Gallery. The trail ends at the mouth of the river Leith. (One way: 20 kilome­ters, 5 hours, up: 60 meters, down: 210 meters)

Edinburgh

Rental car drop-off

Edinburgh

14 km | 22 minutes

Rental car drop-off

Loca­tion: Edinburgh Airport (Desk at Airport)
11 days
from € 1,649.00
per person based on two people sharing a double room
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Services
  • Accommodation in a double room
  • Meals (as listed above)
  • Fähre (wie oben aufgeführt)



You can start this tour on any date.
Best Travel Time: April–October

The prices can vary depending on the season.
Your Consultants
Jessica Parkin

Ph.: +49 (0)2268 92298-23


Alina Haase
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