The Scottish Enlightenment: Edinburgh and Glasgow

A FOUR NIGHT HOLIDAY | 1 SEPTEMBER 2023

Discover Edinburgh’s and Glasgow’s most famous scientific thinkers, and how their work underpinned emerging ideas for understanding the world from the 16th century onwards. Explore key sites and moments from the Scottish Enlightenment, a period of unprecedented scientific and intellectual creativity in the 18th and early 19th century. Where leading practitioners in medicine, maths, physics, astronomy, economics and philosophy exchanged and developed scientific thought. Learn about the wide cast of protagonists including such luminaries as James Watt (inventor), Lord Kelvin (temperature), Mary Somerville (polymath), John Napier (logarithms), James Clerk Maxwell (electromagnetism), Sir Charles Bell (spinal nerves), James Hutton (geology), Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (author), Robert Burns (poet) and even Charles Darwin, as he was exposed to early ideas on the evolution of life whilst studying in Edinburgh.

The Hunterian Museum

the itinerary

1

After checking in to our hotel in Glasgow, you will meet your fellow guests to hear opening comments from the tour leader and an introductory lecture from author Dr Craig Smith. Craig will cover commercial, philosophical and political factors that led to the Scottish Enlightenment and assess its impact. Afterwards you will have dinner together in the hotel.

2

After a leisurely breakfast we shall have a brief city tour before our visit at Glasgow’s Hunterian Museum, the oldest museum in Scotland. What started off as a Victorian gentlemens curio collection has expanded to cover nature and life sciences, from Captain Cook’s voyages to anatomical teaching aids and the scientific instruments used by James Watt, Joseph Lister and Lord Kelvin. In the afternoon we visit the nearby Kelvingrove Museum, and will finish the day with a second lecture which focuses on natural history and the work of Sibbald, Hutton and Lyell.

3

After checking out, you will travel south of Glasgow to Whitelee Windfarm, the UK’s largest onshore windfarm and the second largest in Europe. The 215 turbines can generate up to 539 megawatts of electricity on a windy day and standing under one, when it is in full rotation, is an awe-inspiring experience. The next stop is at the Falkirk Wheel, a visually stunning and unique rotating boat lift with two gondolas that replaced 11 locks and allows ease of navigation between the Union canal and the Forth and Clyde canal. Arriving in Edinburgh, we check in to MacDonald Holyrood Hotel & Spa for the next two nights. Your final visit is an early evening private talk and tour of the James Clerk Maxwell Foundation. Maxwell discovered that light is made up of electromagnetic waves and his work laid the foundation for fields such as special relativity and quantum mechanics. Einstein said “I stand on the shoulders of Maxwell”.

DAY

DAY

DAY 4

Today you will begin with an orientation tour of the city, before a fascinating visit to The Surgeons’ Hall Museums, including The Wohl Pathology Museum, the History of Surgery Museum and The Dental Collection. Originally developed as a teaching museum for students, here you will see the work of noted surgeons and anatomists such as Sir Charles Bell and John Barclay who developed anatomical nomenclature. A short walk will take us via Greyfriar’s Kirkyard where a number of influential scientists are buried, before reaching the National Museum of Scotland. Half of the museum is housed within a magnificent iron-clad and light-filled auditorium, built in 1866, and the collections cover science, technology, natural history, archaeology and history – one of the more unusual exhibits is the preserved body of Dolly the sheep, the first successful cloning of a mammal from an adult cell. We will enjoy a final dinner together at the Royal Scots’ Club in Edinburgh this evening.

DAY

After breakfast the tour will conclude, but those who arrived by vehicle in Glasgow will be returned this morning by coach.

DAY 5

TOUR INFORMATION

DEPARTURE DATE & PRICES

DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP 1 September £1,175 £250

Our prices are per person, based on the shared occupancy of a twin/double room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

WHAT WE INCLUDE

• Four nights’ accommodation in Glasgow and Edinburgh with breakfast • Two dinners • The services of the Kirker tour leader throughout • Lectures and guided walks with experts as described • All transfers, sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities

DEPOSITS & FULL PAYMENT

If you are booking more than nine weeks prior to departure, a deposit will be required to secure your reservation. The amount of the deposit (a minimum of £400 per person) will be confirmed at the time of booking. Full payment is required no later than nine weeks before departure. We prefer payment by BACS transfer (call 020 7593 2285 or see your confirmation invoice for Kirker bank details) or by cheque made payable to Kirker Travel Ltd. Payment by debit or credit card can be made by calling us on 020 7593 2288.

CANCELLATION CHARGES

Cancellations made more than 70 days prior to departure: deposits forfeited. 70-56 days: 30% of the holiday cost or deposit (whichever is the greater). 55-29 days: 50% of the holiday cost. 28-15 days: 80% of the holiday cost. Within 14 days of the departure, on the departure date or after the holiday has commenced: all holiday costs forfeited. Any client who curtails their holiday will not receive a refund for unused accommodation, transportation or other services.

SINGLE TRAVELLERS

We recognise that single room supplements are unpopular and, although we do try to dissuade the hotels from charging high single supplements, we do not always succeed. In 2023 our tours to the North Norfolk Music Festival and the Grange Festival have no single supplements.

WALKING & MOBILITY

Our tours have been created to show you as much as possible of your chosen destination, and often the best way to do this is on foot. In order to enjoy these holidays you need to be reasonably fit, able to stroll at a normal pace for at least 20 minutes, to go up and down a staircase without assistance and to stand – perhaps in a queue – for 10 or 15 minutes at a time. Should you have any concerns whatsoever, please speak to our reservations staff who will provide you with advice and perhaps recommend holidays that may involve easier walking. AGE LIMIT: We do not have an age limit but we do ask that you advise us of your age at time of booking and expect all participants to be able to walk comfortably without assistance. Existing medical conditions and walking difficulties must be declared at the time of booking.

TRAVELLERS WITH DISABILITIES

Although we are pleased to welcome clients with disabilities, their participation will depend on the nature of the disability and in some cases it will be necessary to be accompanied by an able-bodied companion. In order to ensure the comfort and enjoyment of all participants on any tour we must ask you to declare full details of your disability, especially if this affects your mobility, so that we can consider your personal circumstances.

A RESPONSIBLE HOLIDAY COMPANY

As a member of ABTA and AITO, we conform fully to government legislation regarding the protection of clients’ money. In addition, in the event that your holiday is affected by something out of our control, we shall always endeavour to take the appropriate steps to minimise any disruption you may experience.

CHANGES & CANCELLATIONS

We will always do our best to avoid making changes to holidays but the tours are planned many months in advance and amendments may be necessary. All changes notified less than eight weeks before departure give you the right to cancel your holiday and receive a full refund. We do understand the disappointment caused by cancelling a tour, however, we reserve the right to do so because they are dependent on a minimum number of participants. We will try to inform you not less than ten weeks before the departure date if your tour will not be operating. AITO is the Specialist Travel Association. Member companies, usually ownermanaged, strive to create overseas holidays with high levels of professionalism and a shared concern for quality and personal service. The Association encourages the highest standards in all aspects of tour operating. EXCLUSIVE MEMBERSHIP – AITO sets criteria regarding ownership, finance and quality which must be satisfied before new companies are admitted to membership. All members are required to adhere to a Code of Business Practice which encourages high operational standards and conduct. FINANCIAL SECURITY – AITO members are required to protect money paid by customers to the member for any holiday sold under the AITO logo and to comply with UK Government Regulations in this respect. Members submit details of their bonding and guarantee arrangements to the Association on a regular basis. ACCURATE BROCHURES and WEBSITES – All members do their utmost to ensure that all their brochures and other publications, print or electronic, clearly and accurately describe the holidays and services offered. PROFESSIONAL SERVICE and CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENTS – All members are committed to high standards of service and believe in regular and thorough training of employees. Members continually seek to review and improve their holidays. They listen to their customers and always welcome suggestions for improving standards. MONITORING STANDARDS – AITO endeavours to monitor quality standards regularly. All customers should receive a postholiday questionnaire the results of which are scrutinised by the Association. RESPONSIBLE TOURISM – All members acknowledge the importance of AITO’s Responsible Tourism guidelines, which recognise the social, economic and environmental responsibilities of tour operating. Those demonstrating their achievements beyond the pure acceptance of this principle are recognised by the award of 2 or 3 star status. CUSTOMER RELATIONS – All members endeavour to deal swiftly and fairly with any issues their customers may raise. In the unlikely event that a dispute between an AITO member and a customer cannot be settled amicably, AITO’s low-cost Independent Dispute Settlement Service may be called upon by either side to bring the matter to a speedy and acceptable conclusion. Kirker Holidays is a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators. To contact the Association visit www.aito.co.uk or call 020 8744 9280. PRIVACY POLICY

In order to make certain that our holidays run smoothly, and to enable us to maintain the high levels of service our clients require, we need to collect some personal data and store it. All members of the Kirker team take your privacy seriously and our Privacy Policy outlines in more detail how and why we obtain and process data which can identify you. Full details are set out on our website: www.kirkerholidays.com/privacy, but if you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact Patrick Millar (Marketing Manager) on 020 7593 2281 or email patrick.millar@kirkerholidays.com

THE AITO QUALITY CHARTER

CULTURAL TOURS & MUSIC HOLIDAYS 2023

Kirker Holidays, 4 Waterloo Court, 10 Theed Street, London SE1 8ST Office hours: 09.00 –18.00 (Mon-Fri), 09.00 –13.00 (Sat) Reservations: 020 7593 2288 Fax: 020 7593 1461 Brochure requests: 020 7593 2282 Accounts/administration: 020 7593 2280 travel@kirkerholidays.com www.kirkerholidays.com

CONTACT DETAILS/TRAVEL AGENT’S STAMP DETAILS OF ALL PASSENGERS

Name:

Address: Title Full name as per passport

Postcode:

Contact Phone Number:

Email:

PAYMENT

• Deposit: the amount required for deposit will be advised at the time of booking and should be paid in order to confirm your holiday. • Full balance: must be paid 10 weeks prior to departure. N.B. for Music Cruises the full balance must be paid 14 weeks prior to departure. • Payments: We prefer to be paid by BACS transfer (call 020 7593 2285 or see your confirmation invoice for Kirker Bank Details) or by cheque made payable to Kirker Travel Ltd. Payment by debit or credit card can be made by telephone on 020 7593 2284. Tour Name:

Departure date: Preferred departure Airport/Station: Room Type (Double/Twin/Single):

MOBILITY MATTERS

In order to enjoy Kirker Cultural Tours & Music Holidays (and to ensure that other participants are not held up or inconvenienced) you must be reasonably fit, i.e. able to stroll at a normal pace for at least 20 minutes; go up and down a flight of stairs without assistance; stand – perhaps in a queue – for 10/15 minutes. If your circumstances change after booking and prior to your departure, it is essential that you contact Kirker. We regret that clients who are deemed unfit to take part (at Kirker’s discretion) may be obliged to return home at their own additional cost and no refund will be given. In the event that a client is deemed unfit to take part in certain aspects of the tour, please note that it is unfortunately not possible to offer partial refunds. HOLIDAY DETAILS

DIETARY REQUIREMENTS & SPECIAL REQUESTS

Next of Kin name and telephone number NAME: ____________________________

DAY TEL: ___________________ NIGHT TEL: _____________________

On behalf of all persons on this booking form I have read and agreed the conditions of booking contained in this brochure.

SIGNATURE: ___________________________ DATE: _______________

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION AND CONDITIONS OF BOOKING

All bookings are subject to our full booking conditions which appear on our website www.kirkerholidays.com. A copy of these can also be emailed or posted to you on request. By asking us to make your booking, you confirm you have had access to and agree to the full booking conditions which you should read. CAN KIRKER CANCEL MY HOLIDAY? We understand the disruption and disappointment caused by cancelling a tour but we must reserve the right to do so because they are dependant on a minimum number of participants. The minimum number of participants varies according to the tour. Generally, we will try to inform you ten weeks before the departure date if your chosen tour will not be operating. CANCELLATION CHARGES. Cancellations made by you more than 70 days prior to departure: deposits forfeited. 70 – 56 days: 30% of the holiday cost or deposit, whichever is the greater. 55-29 days: 50% of the cost 28-15 days: 80%holiday cost; of the holiday cost. Within 14 days of the departure, on the departure date or after the holiday has commenced: all holiday costs are forfeited. Any client choosing to leave their hotel before the end of their holiday will receive no refund for unused accommodation. Different cancellation charges apply for Kirker Music Cruises and will be advised at time of booking. The booking conditions provide for the payment of cancellation charges if you cancel or fail to make payment when due. They also include limitations and exclusions of our liability to you. For international travel by air, sea or rail, our liabilities are limited and excluded as if we were a carrier within the applicable international convention or EU regulation (for example, the Montreal Convention, the EC Regulation on Air Carrier Liability and the Athens Convention). A surcharge may be payable in limited circumstances where certain costs increase after booking. Your contract will be with Kirker Travel Limited t/a Kirker Holidays. This contract comes into existence when we dispatch our confirmation invoice to the person who makes the booking or your travel agent. We hold an Air Travel Organiser’s Licence issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (ATOL number 2450). When you buy an ATOL protected air inclusive holiday or flight* from us, you will receive a confirmation invoice from us (or via our authorised agent) confirming your arrangements and your protection under our ATOL. In the unlikely event of our insolvency the CAA will ensure that you are not left stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid to us for an advance booking. *The air inclusive holidays and flights we arrange are ATOL protected providing either the person who pays for the booking is present in the UK when the booking is made or the first leg of any flight or flights we arrange for you commences in the UK. For further information, visit the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk. We are also bonded with ABTA Limited (membership number V6595). This means that if your holiday does not include flights arranged by us, all monies you have paid to us for an advance booking will be refunded or if your holiday includes return travel and is already underway, you will be returned to the UK in the unlikely event of our being unable to provide your holiday due to our insolvency. ABTA members help holidaymakers to get the most from their travel and assist them when things do not go according to plan. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct. For further information about ABTA, the Code of Conduct and the arbitration scheme available to you if you have a complaint (details in our full booking conditions), contact ABTA at 30 Park Street, London, SE1 9EQ or see www.abta.com We are also a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO). British citizens require a British passport in order to travel to the destinations we feature. This usually takes approximately 6 weeks to obtain unless you are over 16 and haven’t held a passport previously in which case you need to allow at least 6-8 weeks. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office publishes regularly updated travel information on its website www. fco.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo which you are recommended to consult before booking and in good time before departure. In the event of any flight delay or cancellation at your UK or overseas point of departure, the airline is responsible for providing such assistance as is legally required by the Denied Boarding Regulations. The ferry, tunnel or rail operator is similarly responsible in relation to any delayed or cancelled sea crossing or international rail departure. Except where otherwise stated in our brochure or on our website, we regret we cannot provide any assistance in such circumstances other than information and advice to the extent we are in a position to do so. LOCAL TOURIST TAXES. Many Local Authorities throughout Europe and beyond have now imposed tourist taxes on visitors. In most cases, local legislation imposes the responsibility of collecting the tax on to hoteliers who are instructed to collect this additional tax direct from guests by adding the cost to clients’ extras bills on checkout. N.B. Local Authorities reserve the right to vary the charges and insist that the tax is paid directly by guests to the hotel, and not through an intermediary. Typically, the cost is approximately €2-7 per person per night depending on hotel category. DATA PROTECTION. For the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998, Kirker Travel Limited is a data controller. Please be assured that we have measures in place to protect personal data held by us. This information will be passed to the relevant suppliers of your holiday arrangements. The information may also be provided to public authorities such as customs or immigration if required by them and to other third parties who need it to enable us to provide your holiday (such as credit card companies and banks), or as required by law. Certain information may also be passed on to security or credit checking companies. Other than in relation to government/public authorities (over whom we have no control), we will take appropriate steps which are intended to ensure that anyone to whom we pass your personal data for any reason agrees to keep it secure and only uses it for the purposes of providing their services. If we cannot pass personal data to the relevant suppliers or any other third party as applicable, whether in the EEA or not, we will be unable to fulfil your booking. In making your booking, you consent to personal data being passed on to the relevant suppliers and other third parties. When travelling outside the European Economic Area, controls on data protection may not be as strong as the legal requirements in this country. We would also like to store and use your personal data for future marketing purposes (for example, sending you a brochure or other marketing material) unless you have told us that you do not wish us to do so. Full details of our data protection policy are available on our website and on request.

OUR RANGE OF ESCORTED HOLIDAYS FOR DISCERNING TRAVELLERS

Our Cultural Tours and Music Holidays are designed to appeal to a broad range of clients who enjoy travelling with like-minded companions in the company of an expert tour lecturer, and will be of particular interest to anyone who is curious about art, architecture, gardens, archaeology, history and music.

EXCLUSIVE KIRKER MUSIC FESTIVALS

Our programme of Exclusive Kirker Music Festivals offers private concerts by world-class musicians in carefully-selected settings in the UK and throughout Europe.

MUSIC HOLIDAYS

Small group tours to the finest music events and venues, including spectacular summer opera festivals, celebrated chamber music and orchestral festivals, and short breaks to the great opera cities.

CULTURAL TOURS

A wide range of expert-led escorted tours for those with an interest in art, architecture, archaeology, history, battlefields, gardens, wine and music.

GARDEN TOURS WINE TOURS BATTLEFIELD TOURS

Visits to exceptional gardens in unique settings around the UK, Ireland and Europe, including access to private gardens not normally open to the public.

Holidays for wine experts and amateur enthusiasts alike, including visits to both celebrated and less well-known wine regions, with exclusive access and private tastings.

Explore the stories of some of the most important conflicts in history through the ruins, artefacts and memorials, as well as the geography and landscapes that remain.

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Kirker Holidays, 4 Waterloo Court, 10 Theed Street, London SE1 8ST Office hours: 09.00–18.00 (Mon-Fri), 09.00–13.00 (Sat) Reservations: 020 7593 2284 Brochure requests: 020 7593 2282 • Accounts/administration: 020 7593 2280 Telephone calls: please note that in order to manage and train the Kirker team to deliver the best possible telephone service, from time to time we record calls for internal training purposes only.

Recent Awards:

British Travel Awards 2022 Finalist: Best Travel Company for City/Short Breaks Luxury Specialist Tour Operator of the Year 2020 – TTG Luxury Wanderlust Magazine – Highly Commended Top Tour Operator 2018 Comune di Venezia – Lion of St. Mark Gold Award for Tourism 2017 Classic FM – 25th Anniversary ‘Silver Traveller’ Award Winner 2017