Edinburgh the Highlands & Islands 2012 

Our fantastic Scottish tour begins at the superb Apex Hotel Waterloo Place, located close to Edinburgh's main Waverley station, just off the renowned Princes Street. Your Tour Manager greets you at the hotel. The remainder of the day is free for you to explore Scotland's fascinating capital city. (D)

We leave Edinburgh this morning on Scotrail's inter-city service to Glasgow. Here we begin a journey on one of the world's most spectacular scenic railway lines, the West Highland Line. From Glasgow we travel along a hillside ledge overlooking Gare Loch before we enter the spectacular Highlands, an idyllic, remote and untouched landscape. The incredible journey skirts the western banks of Loch Lomond, Britain's biggest body of inland water. We reach Crianlarich, where we spend two nights at the Hotel Crianlarich. The village is the meeting point of the two stunning branch lines of the West Highland Railway. (B,D)

From Crianlarich we follow the West Highland Line's course along the River Lochy through its majestic glen to picturesque Loch Awe and Loch Etive and the town of Oban. Leaving the mainland by Caledonian MacBrayne ferry, we take the 40-minute ferry crossing to the Isle of Mull. As we head through small islands and across to Mull, the incredible picture-postcard views are simply awe-inspiring; rugged coastline, hills rising sharply from the waters edge, endless greens, purples and browns of the moorland and jagged, exposed rock faces - this is Scotland's stunning west coast just as you had imagined it to be. We arrive on Mull at the town of Craignure. From here we visit Duart Castle, the ancestral home of the Maclean Clan. The castle is only a few minutes drive from our mooring point at Craignure and remains in superb condition, occupying a picturesque position overlooking Loch Don. After our visit to Duart Castle we retrace our journey to Oban and Crianlarich. (B,D)

The next stretch of the West Highland Line awaits us today, as we depart Crianlarich, climbing quickly to Upper Tyndrum and wild Rannoch Moor, a dramatic region of peat bogs, streams and ancient forests that are only visible from the train; there are no roads and the only inhabitants are the wild animals and birds living among the heather and gorse. Mighty mountains provide an imposing backdrop to our journey as we approach Fort William, nestled at the foot of Ben Nevis, from where we transfer to Ballachulish and our hotel for one night, the Hotel Ballachulish, perched on Loch Linnhe's shore. (B,D)

We make the short transfer back to Fort William, where we join the Jacobite Steam Train* for the return journey to Mallaig on the final leg of the wonderful West Highland Line, arguably the most scenic in the UK. During the journey the train steams past Ben Nevis, then climbs into the mountains surrounding Glenfinnan, a small town famous as the rallying point for Bonnie Prince Charlie's assault on the British throne. Here we cross the 21-arched Glenfinnan Viaduct seen in the 'Harry Potter' films; one of the most iconic engineering works found throughout the British railway network. As we head towards Mallaig, we drop down to the sea's edge and the landscape opens up with the first views of the rugged, craggy "Small Isles" - Rum, Eigg and Muck - which hang tantalisingly close offshore, and tease in and out of view close offshore near our journey's end. After time for lunch we make the return journey to Fort William, from where we continue by coach along the banks of Loch Ness to Inverness and the Royal Highland Hotel, our home for three nights ideally located beside the railway station. (B,D)

*On early departures the Jacobite Steam Train does not operate and we make this excursion using Scotrail's scheduled service. Please call us for details.

Enjoy a day at leisure in Inverness, the capital of the Highlands. Enjoy a relaxing stroll along the River Ness or take the opportunity to explore further afield. Your options include a visit to Culloden, the battlefield where "Bonnie Prince Charlie" and his Jacobite forces were defeated in the last pitched battle to be fought on British soil. A fascinating visitor centre stands by the site of the battlefield, which has largely been preserved as it was on the day the battle was fought. Alternatively, you could take a cruise from Inverness to the the tranquil waters of mystical Loch Ness, famous for its 'monster' as much as for its beauty. Alternatively, the mountain resort of Aviemore is a relatively short distance away by train, as are the Speyside whisky towns, Keith and Elgin. (B,D)

Today we enjoy one of the most breathtaking railway journeys in Europe, the Kyle Line. This incredibly scenic line takes us across Scotland from east coast to west, crossing the Caledonian Canal as we leave Inverness and skirting the shores of crystal-clear lakes. Countless photo opportunities present themselves as we wind through wooded hillsides and over sparse moors, climbing over the highlands and past charming loch-side and sea-side towns. The tracks rise and fall over hills and valleys, travelling at low speed throughout most of the journey, giving you time to soak up the terrific views that accompany the entire experience. The train sweeps one way and the next, wild deer grazing beside the tracks that follow a route dictated by politicians and powerful landowners as much as by civil engineers. During the final part of the journey we pass the picturesque white-washed houses in the village of Plockton, location for the BBC Television series 'Hamish Macbeth'. We arrive at Kyle of Lochalsh, the end of the line, located across a short stretch of water from the Isle of Skye. The commanding Cullin Mountains rise sharply from the island's shoreline, towering over the railway station at Kyle and create a dramatic backdrop for our tour of the island's landscape and the quaint, small settlements dotted along the coastline. We make a stop at the colourful fishing village of Portree - also the island's capital - before we cross Kyle Bridge and board the train for the scenic return journey on the Kyle Line. (B,D)

We leave Inverness, travelling south through the Cairngorms, via Aviemore, Pitlochry and Kingussie, to arrive back in Edinburgh for a night at the Radisson Blu Hotel, superbly situated on the midway point of the Royal Mile between the Castle and Holyrood. Our farewell dinner is part of a special 'Scottish Evening' in the hotel's Great Scots Hall. Our traditional meal is piped in and we are regaled with Scottish tales. (B,D)

After breakfast in the hotel, your Tour Manager bids you farewell and a safe journey home. For those wishing to stay a little longer, Edinburgh has many attractions to tempt you, such as museums, galleries and the Royal Yacht Britannia. (B)

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner
Where shown, meals are included in the price of your holiday

Due to the popularity of this tour, we have added four extra departure dates:

29 April
27 May
12 July
11 October

Much of the itinerary for these tours is the same as described above, but with the following changes:

Day 2 - instead of spending 2 nights in Crianlarich and 1 night in Ballachulish, customers will spend 3 nights in Fort William at the 3-star Alexandra Hotel.

Day 3 - the excursion to the Isle of Mull and Duart Castle is as described, although the journey from Fort William to Oban will be by coach rather than by train.

Day 4 - this day will be spent at leisure in Fort William.

Days 5-9 are as per the itinerary above, however in Inverness, customers will stay at either the Columba Hotel (3-star) or the Inverness Palace Hotel (3-star) instead of the Royal Highland Hotel.

Please call for further details.