Orkney Shetland & the Highlands 2012 

Your Tour Manager greets you in Glasgow at the 4-star Grand Central Hotel. After checking in, you are free to explore Glasgow's handsome city centre. You could take the opportunity to admire some of Charles Rennie Mackintosh's famous architecture, or discover one of the many museums and art galleries in the city. (D)

We take a train for the short journey to Edinburgh today. On arrival in the Scottish capital, we enjoy a guided tour of the Royal Mile, the cobbled main street of the city. Following the tour, your afternoon is free to continue exploring at your own pace. Holyrood House, the official Scottish residence of the Queen, is on the Royal Mile, as is Edinburgh Castle, which offers a wonderful insight into Scotland's turbulent history. Alternatively if you're feeling energetic, perhaps climb Arthur's Seat, an old volcano which offers stunning views over the city. (B)

Today we leave Glasgow, and join the ScotRail service to Inverness. We travel firstly towards Stirling, and from here we head north though the mighty Cairngorms, passing Pitlochry and Aviemore, before we reach Inverness. Here we transfer to Beauly, for a two night stay at the 3-star Lovat Arms Hotel. (B,D)

Today you have the chance to explore the Highlands at your own pace. Beauly itself is said to have been named by Mary Queen of Scots for its beauty, and there are a number of scenic walks through the town. Perhaps take a walk along the charming River Beauly, or explore the striking Beauly Abbey. You could visit nearby Inverness, which as the capital of the Highlands is a thriving city. For those who wish to venture further afield, why not take an excursion on the magnificent Kyle Line to the west coast? The line is generally regarded as one of the world's best rail journeys, due to the terrific scenery it passes through. (B,D)

Shortly after breakfast we leave Beauly and travel by train on the scenic Far North Line. We pass Moray Firth and Dornoch Firth, the dramatic coast of Sutherland and beautiful Caithness, as we make our way to Thurso, the UK's northernmost railway station. Here we transfer by coach to Scrabster, where we board the MV Havnahoe. On the short cruise to the Orkney Islands, the ship passes the stunning Old Man of Hoy, a vertical column of sandstone. Its unusual shape makes it so difficult to climb that the summit was not conquered until 1966. On reaching Orkney's mainland, we disembark and enjoy a guided coach tour. We take in the Heart of Neolithic Orkney UNESCO World Heritage site. This features Skara Brae, which was inhabited from about 3180BC, but is remarkably well-preserved. It also includes the Standing Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar, which are stone structures from the same period. We then visit the Churchill Barriers, built in the 1940s to protect the harbour from invasion, and now used as access roads. We move on to the Italian Church, constructed by the Italian POWs in the same period, and Scapa Flow, the area's natural harbour. This evening we enjoy dinner in a local restaurant, before boarding either the MV Hjaltland or the MV Hrossey for the first of two nights. (B,D)

This morning we arrive in Lerwick on Shetland. Here we enjoy a guided coach tour of some of the island's key sights. These include Jarlshof, an archaeological site at the southern tip of Shetland's mainland, with evidence of life from 2500BC. Parts of the site were inhabited until the 15th century, and today there is a wonderful contrast between the Viking longhouses and the atmospheric Old House of Sumburgh, built in the Middle Ages. We also take in the brooding Scalloway Castle, built in 1600 to strengthen the Earl's position when Scotland annexed Shetland, and of course, we see some of the island's famous ponies. Following the tour, the afternoon is free for you to explore Lerwick, Shetland's capital. You could perhaps take the time to visit Fort Charlotte, a five-sided artillery fortress that offers fantastic views over the town. Otherwise, perhaps simply take a stroll along Lerwick's narrow, greyflagged main street. This evening we rejoin our ship and make our way to Aberdeen. (B,D)

This morning we arrive in Aberdeen, and transfer by coach to Crathes. Here we join the preserved Royal Deeside Railway. Travelling in a chartered heritage steam train, we head through some beautiful scenery and thick woodland alongside the River Dee, as we enjoy a short return journey on the line. On our return we continue through the rolling hills to Balmoral. If the Royal family is not occupying the residence we enjoy admission to the castle, extensive grounds and the stunning gardens, as well as the sumptuous ballroom. When Balmoral is not open to the public we visit the nearby Royal Lochnagar Distillery instead, where we enjoy a guided tour. The charming stone building is famous for producing a magnificent single malt - enjoyed by thousands of people all over the world - and on completion of the tour, we enjoy a whisky tasting. We then make our way back to Aberdeen, where our base for the night is the 3-star Park Inn. (B,D)

This morning we bid farewell from Aberdeen, including a ticket to either Glasgow or Edinburgh, depending on your onward travel arrangements. (B)

E = Eurostar meal, B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
These meals, where shown, are included in the price of your holiday