Ffestiniog Travel

Friday 29 June to Tuesday 10 July 2012

An exciting mix of spectacular rail travel, ancient sites and stunning scenery blended into a memorable holiday. The very best that the Scottish Highlands have to offer!

Day 1   Welcome to Edinburgh

A welcome dinner in the Barcelo Carlton Hotel, Edinburgh, where our tour leader will update you on our travel plans and offer advice as to how you might spend your free time.

Day 2   A morning at leisure in Edinburgh

Spend the morning exploring this great city with its Castle, Royal Mile, Botanical Gardens and the former royal yacht Britannia. We take a mid-afternoon train to Inverness for a 2-night stay at the Ramada Jarvis Hotel.

Day 3   A Free Day in Inverness or...

Take the stunningly spectacular train ride out to Kyle of Lochalsh and back. This is one of the most spectacular rail journeys in the world! Alternatively you may choose to enjoy a boat excursion on nearby Loch Ness. The train journey is covered by your Freedom of Scotland Travel Pass but lunch and boat tour would be at your expense.

Day 4   To the North

A free morning in Inverness before taking another spectacular train journey to the Pentland Firth for a 3-night stay at the Pentland Hotel in Thurso. The run over the wild moorland is unbelievably beautiful, one of the few wilderness areas of the UK.

Day 5   A Day of Exploration

Use your travel pass to explore the area on local buses as well as the railway. A very rewarding excursion is the circular route taking in the Castle of Mey (the Queen Mother’s home), John o’ Groats and the Caithness Glass Museum at Wick – a combination of bus and train all covered by your travel pass.

Day 6   On to Orkney

An 08.45am sailing to Stromness where a local guide and bus will take us on a day’s tour of the “mainland” including the ancient sites of Scara Brae, Skail House, Ring of Brodgar and much more.

Day 7   To the Grampians

Another delightful train journey, via Inverness, for a lunchtime arrival in Aviemore and an overnight stay. We will have enough time to visit the top of Cairngorm Mountain via the funicular railway.

Day 8   The Spey Valley and Fort William

This morning we have a return journey on the lovely Strathspey Steam Railway to Broomhill, via Boat of Garten, then a drive to Fort William for a 2 night stay at the Alexandra Hotel.

Day 9   The Jacobite Steam Train

The “jewel in the crown” of any Scottish holiday as we take to the renowned “Road to the Isles” behind a classic steam locomotive. Another world class rail journey!

Day 10   Across Rannoch Moor

Today we cross the desolate but stunningly beautiful Rannoch Moor on another wonderful rail journey. We change at Crianlarich for the run through Glen Lochy and the Pass of Brander to Oban, where the Royal Hotel is our home for 2 nights. A late afternoon visit to a local distillery, which is within walking distance!

Day 11   Iona

A full-day excursion by ferry across to Mull and Iona - a magical island, where the prophecy foretells that when judgement day comes and the oceans sweep over Ireland and Islay, Iona will “swim above the waves”!

Day 12   Homeward bound

We retrace our route as far as Crianlarich where we re-join the West Highland Line for the superb run down Lochs Lomond and Long, before dropping down to Gare Loch and the River Clyde and our final destination, Glasgow.