Grand Tour of Scotland: Rail & Hike

Great for active first-timers and experienced hikers with a desire to explore the many beautiful areas of Scotland through scenic rail journeys and a selection of some of the finest hikes in the country.
Some days have optional hikes allowing flexibility depending on your mood or energy levels.

Before your tour, we recommend walking regularly and incorporating some hilly terrain into your routine. Be sure to check the daily distances and elevation changes outlined in your itinerary.

the tour covers a great variety of terrain from forest trails, rougher hill and mountain paths, sections on quiet country roads, some town walking, and good to faint coastal paths following clifftops.

This tour is graded easy to moderate. Within the tour individual days may vary in difficulty - some might be a bit tougher or easier than the overall rating suggests.

Accommodation on this tour is a hand-picked selection of small 3-4* hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses, chosen to offer great value and warm Scottish hospitality. We regularly use the properties detailed in your itinerary, though these are subject to availability, and we'll offer an alternative of equal standard if they're fully booked - we'll always let you know in advance if this happens, and you can then choose to change your dates, or we can arrange transfers to and from the alternative accommodation (a supplement applies for transfers). En suite rooms are booked as standard, though in locations where none are available, we may book a room with shared facilities, and we'd always let you know in advance if this is the case.

You can add extra nights at any point along the route. We particularly recommend doing so in Glasgow and Edinburgh, as there's so much to see and do, whether that's before you set off or once your tour is complete.

Most accommodations won't give you access to your room until after 3pm, even if you arrive earlier off the train, but you'll always be able to leave your main luggage at reception or in storage while you head out to explore.

Yes, solo travelers are very welcome. There will be a supplement because some costs, like transfers, aren't shared. Or if you'd like to book a single room, just ask. These are available for a supplement.

Please note it's not generally possible to secure more than three single rooms in one party.

Breakfast is included each morning, usually a continental buffet with cereals, yogurt, fresh fruit, eggs and bread, alongside cooked options like porridge or a traditional Scottish breakfast. Lunch and dinner aren't included, leaving you free to choose your own options - your Tour Info includes recommendations for convenient lunch stops, cafes and restaurants along the way. Scotland's food scene has come on in recent years, so you'll find everything from classic fish and chips to Michelin-listed dining and casual restaurants showcasing local produce. Let us know of any dietary requirements when you book.

You can start this tour on any day of the week, with availability generally running from March through November (specific dates vary by itinerary). May and the Easter period tend to be the busiest, so it's worth booking early if you're traveling then. Travel in the shoulder seasons of early spring or after mid-October tends to be quieter, though the weather is more unpredictable and some attractions may have reduced hours.

Scotland has a temperate climate, mild for most of the year, though winter temperatures can dip below freezing in the Highlands. Expect everything from grey, drizzly 'dreich' days to bright blue skies, and pack spare layers since it tends to be breezy whatever the weather. From April to October, average daily temperatures run from about 9-15°C, with May to July usually the driest and mildest months. September and October bring cooler temperatures and beautiful autumn colors, and late July to early September is the best time to see the heather bloom on the hillsides.

Luggage arrangements on this route vary depending on which itinerary you choose. On itineraries that include a transfer, your bag is collected from your accommodation and moved onto your next overnight stop, with luggage limited to one bag of up to 18kg/40lbs per person. On travel days when you're moving by train, bus or ferry, you'll need to take your luggage with you.

On our fully rail-based itinerary, luggage transfers aren't included at all, and you carry your own luggage with you on the train or coach throughout.

This tour follows a mix of well-signposted Great Trails, including the West Highland Way and the Great Glen Way, along with some quieter, unmarked routes that are still easy to follow with our app's assistance. Trail quality varies, from well-made tracks to muddier, fainter paths on less-trodden sections.

Navigation is straightforward using our app which has maps, tracks and daily route info. Simply download the information and tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone. Once on the trail you do not need signal for the app to work and follow your progress.

Recommended Reading
Lonely Planet Scotland

Glasgow and Edinburgh are the gateway cities for this tour, both served by international airports with routes from across the UK, Europe and beyond. Glasgow International Airport is located 8 miles west of the city centre, with a regular shuttle bus service into town or a taxi (around 25 minutes). Edinburgh Airport is located 8 miles east of the city centre, with regular shuttle bus and tram services taking around 30 minutes, plus a taxi rank outside. Glasgow and Edinburgh are well connected to each other, under an hour apart by train and around 1h15m by road via the M8 motorway.

If you choose the 13-day Grand Tour of Scotland: Rail & Hike tour, you'll start in Glasgow. The city has two main stations, Central Station and Queen Street Station (which has links north to the Highlands), and we recommend booking rail tickets early to get the best fares. Scotrail operates services if you're traveling from within Scotland. Glasgow's main bus station is Buchanan Street Bus Station, with frequent services and airport shuttle transfers, National Express operating routes from UK destinations and Citylink operating routes from Scottish destinations. If you're driving, long-stay city centre car parking can be booked in advance, though this is an expensive option and we'd recommend public transport where possible, you can easily return to Glasgow by train or bus at the end of the tour to collect your car.

On your final day, travel from Blair Atholl to Edinburgh (around 2 hours) is included in the tour cost. Edinburgh is well connected by transport links to the rest of the UK, with trains to Glasgow in under an hour (Scotrail) and onward travel across Scotland and south to London throughout the day (check National Rail Enquiries for UK-wide timetables). Onward travel by bus is also possible with Citylink. Both Edinburgh and Glasgow airports are well served by low-cost and scheduled airlines for your departure, from Edinburgh city centre you can reach Edinburgh Airport by tram or bus (around 30 minutes), and if flying from Glasgow Airport you can take a Citylink bus from Edinburgh city centre, the train from Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street, or a bus from Buchanan Bus Station (also bookable with Citylink, around 30 minutes). A taxi from Glasgow city centre to Glasgow Airport takes around 25 minutes.

We're unable to book the Jacobite Steam Train, which runs between Fort William and Mallaig, instead you'll be booked onto a Scotrail service that runs on the same line over the iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct. If you'd like to travel on the Jacobite Steam Train itself, you can book this directly. Please also note that the Isle of Skye can get extremely busy over the peak summer months, with only a few transfer companies operating on the island, at peak times your taxi transfers may be shared with other Macs Adventure guests to avoid long waits and keep things as environmentally friendly as possible.

If you choose the 8-day Grand Tour of Scotland by Rail tour, you'll start in Glasgow, well connected to the rest of the UK, Europe and beyond by flying into either Glasgow or Edinburgh International Airport. If you're driving or traveling from further afield, we'd recommend an extra night in Glasgow at the start of your tour. Glasgow is connected to central Scotland and England by good rail links (check National Rail for UK-wide routes), and by bus, with National Express operating from UK destinations and Scottish Citylink from Scottish destinations. By road, it's a 1h15m drive from Edinburgh to Glasgow via the M8 motorway, around 2h50m from Newcastle, 3h40m from Manchester, 5 hours from Birmingham and 7 hours from London, with an 8-hour drive from Folkestone via the M20, M40, M6 and M74 if arriving from France via the Channel Tunnel. Parking in Glasgow can be expensive outside of the airport, so we'd recommend public transport if possible.

Your tour ends in Edinburgh, also well connected across the UK and beyond by flying into either Glasgow or Edinburgh International Airport, with an extra night in Edinburgh recommended if you're continuing your onward journey by public transport. Edinburgh is connected to central Scotland and England by good rail links (National Rail), and by bus, with National Express from UK destinations and Scottish Citylink from Scottish destinations. By road, it's a 1h15m drive from Glasgow to Edinburgh via the M8, around 2.5 hours from Newcastle, 4 hours from Manchester and 6 hours from Birmingham. For Scotland-wide public transport timetables and fares, Traveline Scotland is a useful resource.

You'll need good hiking shoes or boots, comfortable hiking clothes, waterproofs, a daypack, and we recommend hiking poles. A portable charger for your cell phone is essential. On booking, our Tour Info will give you a complete packing list.

On certain days you can shorten the route or skip it entirely by using a taxi or public transport.

Since many of the hiking days on this route are optional, you can also skip an included walk simply by cancelling your morning transfer and taking the train directly to your next stop instead, giving you a rest day or time to sightsee.

Midges, small biting insects similar to gnats, are common in Scotland during the summer months. They're worst on still, overcast days, but don't tend to bother you when it's windy, sunny, raining, or you're moving, so packing some repellent for the odd occasion should be all you need.

We highly recommend that you have travel insurance when you book with Macs Adventure. Your policy should cover medical treatment (including repatriation and emergency evacuation by air ambulance or helicopter), injury, death, third-party liability, and trip cancellation