The Highlands & Isle of Skye: Rail & Hike

Great for active first-timers and experienced hikers with a desire to explore the best of Scotland through scenic rail journeys and a selection of some of the finest walks in the country. Most days have optional walks 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 easy-going coastal paths.

This route is graded easy to moderate, and includes optional daily walks.

Accommodation is in hand-picked small 3-4 star hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses, chosen for great value and a warm welcome.

You can add extra nights at any point during your stay. We particularly recommend doing so in Edinburgh and Glasgow, as there's so much to see and do, and for a slower pace, an extra night in Inverness breaks up the travelling and gives you more time to explore the Highland capital. Bookings for Edinburgh in August can take a little longer to confirm, due to high demand from the Fringe Festival, and because many Edinburgh hotels use dynamic pricing, a supplement may apply during busy periods - we'd always discuss this with you before finalising your booking.

Yes, solo travellers 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.

Breakfast is included each morning, while lunch and dinner aren't, so you're free to choose from the available options. Your accommodation may be able to provide a packed lunch on request, or you can stop at local shops along the way. Dinner is available either at your accommodation or at nearby pubs and restaurants.

This tour runs from the start of April to mid-October. If you'd rather avoid the busiest tourist months, April, September and October are good choices, with beautiful autumn colour later in the season, and May is also a great month, usually bringing the driest weather of the year.

Bus services on the Isle of Skye are more limited outside of June to August, so outside these months the tour can't start on certain days of the week, and outside May to September some museums, attractions and restaurants may have reduced hours. Edinburgh is especially busy during its Fringe Festival throughout August, when accommodation is in high demand and a supplement may apply.

This is a rail and hike tour, so for much of the journey you'll travel with your own bag on the train and simply drop it at reception when you check in - you only need a small daypack when you're out walking. On the longer itinerary covering the Highlands and Skye, there's one day with a genuine luggage transfer by road, where we ask you to limit your bag to around 18kg/40lbs for that leg.

It's vital that you adhere to these limits. Heavier bags, or additional items might not be transferred, and you may be charged locally. Airlines may have different allowances, but our luggage handlers do not have the same capacity or equipment, and their health and safety is our priority.

On the shorter Edinburgh to Inverness itinerary, no separate luggage transfer is needed at all, since you're never away from your bag for more than a train journey.

The walking routes aren't extensively waymarked.

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.

Getting to the Start

The longer tour starts in Edinburgh and finishes in Glasgow. The shorter Edinburgh to Inverness itinerary travels directly between those two cities.

Edinburgh (EDI) is the easiest gateway for this tour, with nonstop flights from several North American cities. United, Delta and American Airlines all fly direct to Edinburgh, with year-round service from the New York area (EWR and JFK) and seasonal flights from cities such as Chicago (ORD), Boston (BOS) and Atlanta (ATL). Flight times are roughly 6 to 8 hours, depending on where you’re flying from.

Glasgow (GLA) is another good option, with seasonal nonstop flights from Newark (EWR) and Toronto (YYZ). From Glasgow, it’s around 45 mins to Edinburgh by train. If there’s no nonstop flight from your city, both airports are easy to reach with one connection through London or a major European hub like Amsterdam or Dublin.

From Edinburgh Airport (EDI), it’s around 30 mins to the city center by tram or shuttle bus. From Glasgow Airport (GLA), a regular shuttle bus runs to the city center (around 30 mins), where you can catch the train to Edinburgh.

Planning Your Trip

Need help planning your trip by bus or train? The Traveline Scotland website is the best place to check routes and schedules.

Getting from the End

The longer tour finishes in Glasgow, so flying home from Glasgow Airport (GLA) is the easiest option if your airline offers it. Edinburgh Airport (EDI) is also just over an hour away by train and tram, with a wider choice of nonstop flights back to North America.

On the Edinburgh to Inverness itinerary, you’ll return by train to Edinburgh Waverley (around 3 hrs), which is around 30 mins from Edinburgh Airport (EDI) by tram or shuttle bus.

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.

Consider wheeled luggage on this tour, as some accommodations may be a short walk away from the local train station.

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

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