Inverness (89

Scotland GOLDEN COLOURS OF THE HIGHLANDS

Inverness Castle NEW TOUR

Sun 30 Oct - Fri 4 Nov 2022 5 Nights £899

Autumn is a beautiful time of year to visit Scotland; the landscapes are ablaze with autumnal colours, the skies have a wonderful purple and orange glow, and the wildlife is thriving with activity. This new tour is based at the luxurious 4-star Kingsmills Hotel in Inverness, capital of the Highlands. Offering sumptuous rooms, fine dining and a relaxing spa.

Look What’s Included on your Holiday:

྆Door to Door Service྆Our own courier service྆Luxury Traveller Coach with ‘First Class’ seating & legroom྆Fully reclining seats with calf supports྆Complimentary on board hot and cold drinks྆Free WiFi and USB charging points྆Complimentary gift bag྆5 nights half board྆Jacobite Cruise of Loch Ness྆Loch Ness Centre & Exhibition྆Beauly Priory྆Glen Ord Distillery Tour ྆Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre྆Fort George྆Moray Firth Dolphin Cruise. Not included: All other lunches.

Your Holiday Itinerary

Sunday Relax in style and comfort as our Luxury Traveller coach journeys north through the Scottish Borders and the Central Highlands, arriving in Inverness in time for dinner and for our 5-night stay at the Kingsmills Hotel. Monday Today, we take the short drive to the Clansman Harbour where we join our Jacobite Cruise for a one-hour voyage along the mysterious waters of Loch Ness. Keep your eyes peeled for a spot of ‘Nessie’ spotting as we also take in the breathtaking sight of historic Urquhart Castle. We rejoin our coach for a visit to the Loch Ness Centre & Exhibition Centre at Drumnadrochit, where we discover the history of the loch and the many mysteries and explorations that have surrounded its past. From here, we enjoy a gentle drive to Beauly where you can view the interesting historic ruins of Beauly Priory, founded in 1230 by the French Valliscaulian Monks, who remained here for over 300 years. No tour of Scotland is complete without a visit to a distillery, so our day concludes with a tour of Glen Ord Distillery. Tuesday A day at leisure in Inverness to enjoy the hotels amenities or discover the city’s flourishing culinary scene. Explore the Victorian Market or Eastgate Shopping Centre for a bit of retail therapy or take your time to admire art exhibitions in the city’s gallery spaces. Wandering through the handsome city centre is pretty enjoyable too; appreciate Inverness Castle and St Andrew’s Cathedral, or simply stroll along the banks of the River Ness. Wednesday Our first visit today is to the award-winning Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre. The course of history was changed at Culloden, on April 16th 1746 and history is brought to life at the, with interactive characters who witnessed or were involved in the 1746 battle that helped determine Scotland’s fate. As a result of that defeat, the British government built three forts at Fort William, Fort Augustus and Fort George. In the afternoon we visit Fort George, five miles from Culloden, which is today still a British military barracks as well as a fine museum. Thursday We enjoy a short tour of the Black Isle, which is neither black nor an island, but rather a delightful scenic peninsula surrounded by three bodies of water. We will stop at Fortrose and the charming nautical town of Cromarty. Our day ends as you board the Dolphin Spirit to enjoy a cruise around the inner Moray Firth in the hopes of spotting the Firth’s resident bottlenose dolphins. A specialist guide will give a full commentary so that you do not miss anything. Friday We leave after breakfast and begin the journey home.

Loch Ness

The Kingsmills Hotel

Although based in Inverness, our hotel enjoys a real countryside feel with most rooms having views over landscaped gardens or Inverness golf course. Set in 4-acres of beautiful gardens the Kingsmills Hotel has restaurant and bar facilities. There is also a leisure club, spa, swimming pool, sauna & steam room with the city centre less than a mile away. Mobility Grade: 4. The hotel offers good access throughout with a lift to all floors.

Crathes Castle - Pitmedden Gardens - Balmoral - Glamis Castle Scotland

Glamis Castle

Sat 13 - Fri 19 August 2022 6 Nights £1149

Aberdeenshire has been called ‘the castle county’ for many years due to the fact this remote region of Scotland is home to more castles per acre than anywhere else in Britain. There are over 260 castles in the county, some of which are perched high on top of the remotest cliff tops, others that are nestled deep in thick pine forests, and many more situated in scenic rolling countryside. Scotland’s far north-east is famous for its stunning landscapes where mountains meet lochs and sea-battered cliffs front quaint fishing towns, so it is understandable that Aberdeenshire is one of the top tourist destinations in Scotland.

Your Holiday Itinerary

Saturday We board our Luxury Traveller coach for the leisurely drive north. Enjoy the scenic, undulating views of the Borders region as we journey to our overnight stay at the 4-Star Macdonald Inchyra Grange Hotel near Falkirk. Sunday Departing after breakfast we travel to Dundee, where after free time for lunch we visit Discovery Point. Here, we explore Captain Scott’s ship ‘Discovery’, which he sailed on during his remarkable Antarctic exploration. From here, we journey north to Aberdeen and our 4-night stay at Norwood Hall. Monday After breakfast we drive to Banchory to visit the Aberdeenshire Highland Beef Farm. This is a working farm, where the owners are passionate about their herd. Following tea, coffee & shortbread on arrival we have a guided tour where we meet this native breed, discover their history and sample some succulent highland beef. To conclude our visit, we include a lunch of ‘shoulders tea’, tatties & onions (A regional dish to Aberdeenshire) with beetroot and oatcakes on the side. Later, we continue to nearby Crathes Castle - one of the most superb castles in Scotland. This splendid 16th Century family tower house has well-preserved interiors and wonderful gardens. Tuesday Today, a local coach and driver meets us for a visit to the highly acclaimed Pitmedden Garden. Admire the intricate box parterres, 40,000 plants in the colourful borders and breathe in the scent of roses. Later, we return for a Guided Tour of Aberdeen. Known as ‘Granite City’ and famous as the off-shore oil capital of Europe, this is a city with not one but two Old Towns: Old Aberdeen, with its cobbled streets, mature trees and 15th century fortified cathedral. Then there’s Footdee – known locally as Fittie – a quirky fishing quarter at the water’s edge, with squares of tiny cottages, flower-filled gardens and brightly painted outhouses, their eccentric decorations drawing on the city’s seafaring soul. Wednesday This morning after breakfast, we travel west crossing the river Dee at the Bridge of Feugh, a waterfall to see we can catch a glimpse of the salmon jumping up the falls. Heading deeper into Royal Deeside we Stop at Crathie Kirk. This church has been used by the Royal family for worship since Queen Victoria and Prince Albert discovered and purchased the Balmoral Estate. We continue NEW TOUR

Look What’s Included on your Holiday:

྆Door to Door Service྆Our own courier service྆Luxury Traveller Coach with ‘First Class’ seating & legroom྆Fully reclining seats with calf supports྆Complimentary on board hot and cold drinks྆Free WiFi and USB charging points྆Complimentary gift bag྆6 nights half board྆Dundee Discovery Point ྆Aberdeenshire’s Highland Beef Farm with guided tour & lunch྆Crathes Castles྆Pitmedden Garden྆Guided tour of Aberdeen྆Balmoral Castle྆Braemar Highland Games Centre (Inc Refreshments྆Glamis Castle. Not included: All lunches.

to Balmoral Castle before visiting the Braemar Highland Games Centre – where we discover the 200-year history of the Braemar Royal Highland Games Society. Our visit includes a bagpipe welcome, welcome cup of tea with a scone. Thursday We bid a fond farewell to Scotland’s far north and journey south pausing at Glamis Castle. Once home to the HRH Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, the castle oozes over 500 years of history where many legends and myths can be told. In the afternoon, we continue to our final night at the Inchyra Hotel. Friday We leave after breakfast and begin the journey home.

Macdonald Norwood Hall Hotel

Norwood Hall Country House Hotel was built in 1881 on the site of the 15th Century Pitfodels Castle, offering guests the best in breathtaking Scottish scenery and fine facilities. Conveniently located within easy reach of the historic city centre. Norwood Hall Hotel features log fires, wooded grounds and secluded gardens. The hotel retains many of its original Victorian features including sweeping staircases and colonnaded entrances. The Library is open to guests and there are seating areas in the garden. The Tapestry Restaurant features fresh seafood from nearby ports and game from Highland estates. It also has an extensive wine list. The Georgian Lounge serves a selection of malt whiskies and light meals. Rooms are decorated in a classic style and feature modern facilities including flat-screen TVs and WiFi access. Some rooms have work desks and walk-in showers. Mobility Grade: 4. The hotel offers good access throughout with a lift to all floors.

Supplements

Scotland THE OUTER HEBRIDES & ULLAPOOL

Isle of Lewis

Tue 2 - Tue 9 August 2022 7 Nights £1215

This itinerary takes in much of Scotland’s breathtaking North West coastline and includes highlights of the Outer Hebrides – a chain of remarkable islands that stretch out like a breakwater at the rim of the wide Atlantic.

Your Holiday Itinerary

Tuesday Travel to Scotland with an overnight stop at the popular Winnock Hotel. Tonight’s dinner is a four course ‘Taste of Scotland’ menu, with individual dining and wine included. Wednesday Departing our hotel we travel via Fort William before entering the wide open expanses of the Great Glen. We continue via the Eilean Donan Visitors Centre, delightfully situated where the waters of lovely Loch Duich meet Loch Alsh, for wonderful photographic opportunities of one of Scotland’s most iconic historic castles. Then, we cross the road bridge to the Isle of Skye for our 2-night stay at the Dunollie Hotel, Broadford. Thursday Discover Skye as we visit Dunvegan Castle, probably the oldest inhabited castle in the north of Scotland. It has been occupied continuously by the Chiefs of the Clan MacLeod for more than 750 years and is located on a wonderful setting on the shores of Loch Dunvegan. Friday We board the afternoon sailing from Uig to Tarbert on the Isle of Harris, home to Harris Tweed and the Isle of Harris Distillery, before driving north to our hotel at Stornoway, Isle of Lewis for our 2-night stay. Saturday Using the services of a local coach and tour guide we explore the Islands of Lewis home to the Callanish Stones, one of the finest prehistoric sites in Scotland, the historic Broch at Carolway and the Gearrannan Blackhouses Village with their traditional thatched croft houses. Sunday Departing the Outer Hebrides we join the afternoon sailing from Stornoway to Ullapool with an overnight stay at the Royal Hotel, Ullapool. Monday Savouring the scenic delights of the North West Highlands we return via Inverness and the Grampian Mountains, descending the mighty Drumochter Pass to Pitlochry, then on to our final night at the Queens Hotel, Perth. Tuesday We commence our journey homeward, arriving home during the evening.

Look What’s Included on your Holiday:

྆Door to Door service྆Our own courier service྆Club Class Extra Legroom Coach྆7 nights half board྆Eilean Donan Castle Visitors Centre྆Dunvegan Castle྆Return ferry sailings to the Outer Hebrides྆Local Coach & Guided Tour of Lewis/Harris. Not included: All other lunches.

Isle of Skye

Dunvegan Castle

Day 1: Winnock Hotel, Drymen (3-Star) Days 2 & 3: The Dunollie Hotel, Broadford (3-Star) Days 4 & 5: Cabarfeidh Hotel, Stornoway (4-Star) Day 6: Royal Hotel, Ullapool (3-Star) Day 7: Best Western Queens Hotel, Perth (3-Star)

All hotels are varied in style and standards. Travellers should consider the fact that they will often be in beautiful, yet isolated locations where hotel availability is extremely limited. All have restaurant, bar & lounge. The Queens & Caberfeidh have a lift. No Lift at the Royal, the Dunollie & the Winnock. Mobility Grade: 2. This is a touring holiday and although most of the sightseeing is from the comfort of our coach, there are ferries to board and five different hotels, along with steps and stairs to negotiate. Please note that due to the nature of this holiday, customers with mobility difficulties may be limited in their enjoyment.

Moments to Discover Moments to Treasure Scotland

Ring of Brodgar

Sun 31 Jul - Sat 6 Aug 2022 6 Nights £998

Spectacularly located off the northern tip of Scotland, Orkney is a unique destination with a distinctive culture of Norse rule and a landscape sculptured by the sea. Focusing on the island’s fascinating war and maritime history from the scuttling of the German Fleet in Scapa Flow to the sinking of the Royal Oak our expert local guides take us to familiar and unfamiliar sites giving you a feel of what life was like for the personnel who guarded Orkney’s shores and the civilians who lived here during the World Wars protecting the British Grand and Home Fleets based at Scapa Flow.

Your Holiday Itinerary

Monday We drive north through the Scottish Borders to our overnight stay at the Westerwood Hotel, Cumbernauld. Tuesday We continue our drive north, pausing at Pitlochry. Then skirting Inverness, we head to Scotland’s far north and our 2-night stay in Thurso. Wednesday Today we are met by a local coach for our visit to the Castle of Mey. Formerly owned by the Queen Mother it stands on rising ground overlooking the Pentland Firth. We then drive to John O’Groats, mainland Britain’s most northerly village. The hamlet owes its name to a Dutchman Jan de Groot, who once ran a ferry to Orkney. Thursday We board our morning Northlink ferry sailing at 08.45am from Scrabster to Stromness, Orkney. On our 1½ hr sailing we pass the dramatic ‘Old Man of Hoy’ stacks which rises dramatically from the sea. Then we meet our guide for a tour of the north main island, seeing the popular neolithic village of Skara Brae before continuing via mystical Ring of Brodgar and the Standing Stones of Stenness before arriving at the Kirkwall Hotel for our 2-night stay. Friday Today we meet our specialist guide for our Orkney Wartime Explorer tour which gives us a greater insight into the islands naval involvement in two world wars. Some of the areas covered will include:

HMS Royal Oak and Kriegsmarine U-boat U-47 The HMS Royal Oak was torpedoed by German U-boat U-47 on the 14th of October 1939 with the loss of 834 on board. Follow the path of the U-47 and the strategy behind the attack on the HMS Royal Oak. HMS Royal Oak Memorial Garden Visit the idyllic HMS Royal Oak Memorial Garden, located by Scapa Beach, which commemorates the 834 men and boys who were lost on HMS Royal Oak. Visit the Scapa Pier and hear about its use by the Royal Navy Stevedores during WWII. Watch the sonar survey of HMS Royal Oak and see the buoy that marks her final resting place as a designated War Grave. The Churchill Barriers Enjoy an in-depth discussion about the construction of the Churchill Barriers during WWII. Learn about the men who built them and the stories associated with this historic site including an overview of the Blockships and Boom Defenses. Italian Chapel and POW Camp 60 Visit the Italian Chapel built by Italian POWs during WWII. See the remains of Camp 60 home to the Italian POWs from 1942 – 1944. Learn about their task to build the Churchill Barriers and their lives and interaction with the locals. Blockships WWI See a number of merchant vessels that were deliberately sunk by the

Look What’s Included on your Holiday:

྆Door to Door Service྆Our own courier service྆Luxury Traveller Coach྆6 nights half board྆Return Northlink sailings to Orkney྆Entrance to the Castle of Mey྆2 Guided Tours of Orkney྆Entrance to Skara Brae. Not included: All lunches.

Castle of Mey

British in 1915 during WWI to stop German submarines sinking the British Grand Fleet based at Scapa Flow. Western Approaches to Scapa Flow Overview of the Western Approach Defenses (Land, Sea and Air) of Hoy Sound and Scapa Flow which played a significant part in both World Wars. Learn about German High Level bombing campaigns over this region in 1940 and the Battle of Orkney. Please note that there are many other notable sites associated with WWI & II to be found in and around Orkney however many of these are in remote locations or may be on isolated islands that are inaccessible by coach. To visit some of these will involve a good deal of walking and hence may not be possible – Your guide will endeavour to assist with any requests, but none can be guaranteed. Warm & Waterproof clothing and stout footwear is recommended for todays excursion. Saturday This morning we catch the 11.00am Northlink sailing from Stromness back to the mainland, arriving at Scrabster at 12.30pm. We continue our journey south to our final nights stay in the Scottish Highlands in the lea of the Cairngorms National Park. Sunday Departing after breakfast we journey homeward, arriving back during the evening.

Day 1: Westerwood Hotel, Cumbernauld (4-Star) Days 2 & 3: Castletown Hotel, Thurso (2-Star) Days 4 & 5: Kirkwall Hotel, Kirkwall, Orkney (3-Star) Day 6: Duke of Gordon Hotel, Kingussie (3-Star)

All hotels are varied in style and standards. Travellers should consider the fact that they will often be in beautiful, yet isolated locations where hotel availability is extremely limited. All have restaurant, bar & lounge. All except the Castletown Hotel in Thurso have a lift to all floors. Mobility Grade: 3. This is a touring holiday and although most of the sightseeing is from the comfort of our coach, there are ferries to board and four different hotels, along with steps and stairs to negotiate. Please note that due to the nature of this holiday, customers with mobility difficulties may be limited in their enjoyment.