Highlights of Scotland

7 Days & 6 Nights 4.8 Read 5 reviews

Check off the highlights of Scotland in just one week
Royal Deeside and Balmoral, the Queen's Scottish home
Sample some "drams" in Speyside, Scotland's whisky capital
The wild west coast, Isle of Skye and historic Glencoe
Scotland's seafood capital Oban, and the islands of Mull and Iona

Explore some of the highlights of Scotland in just a week, from the Highlands to the scenic west coast. Visit picturesque Royal Deeside, home to Balmoral Castle and Braemar, sample a few "drams" of whisky in the Speyside region, and discover the wild and rugged beauty of the west coast, and the wonderful Isle of Skye. You will soon realise why both film-makers and poets alike have been inspired by the landscapes of this beautiful country! Staying in hand-selected characterful hotels and guesthouses, you will experience first-hand the famous Scottish hospitality. Our carefully curated and personalised information packs will provide comprehensive information on all the best places to stop, eat and drink, so you are sure not to miss a thing!

What To Expect

Travel Restrictions

If you are short of time but want to enjoy some of the real highlights of Scotland, this is the trip for you! Starting on the east coast, you head north through Royal Deeside and Speyside, home of malt whisky, before returning via the west coast and Skye to Glasgow. Our local expertise mean we have packed as much as we can of this fine country into just a week!

Trip Type:

Discovery | Think of it as a ‘local’s guide’ to the best of the region. It includes a combination of activity and transportation to give you the freedom to explore and cover more ground at your own pace. We do all the research and organisation for you. All you have to do is turn up and enjoy!

Activity:

Self Drive | Take the wheel and explore an area at your own pace taking in places and highlights that our travel experts recommend.

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travellers

As a guide, we would suggest that the minimum age of traveller this holiday would be suitable for is: 5 Years

Ideal if you have an interest in:

Foodie
Islands
Whisky
Coastal Walking
National Parks
Accessible by Rail

Navigation

Your information pack will include a day-by-day itinerary, with recommended driving routes between overnight stops, as well as recommended detours and must-see sights and attractions. You can use Google maps to navigate the route on your phone, or your car's sat-nav. If you are hiring a car we recommend adding on a sat-nav as internet signal in the Highlands isn't always reliable.

Accommodation Information

You will stay overnight in hand-picked small hotels, B&B's and guesthouses, all of which have been chosen to ensure you experience warm Scottish hospitality at its best! We regularly use the below properties but may accommodate you elsewhere if these are unavailable.

Single Rooms

This holiday is available to solo travellers but as all our tours are priced per person based on two sharing there is a single supplement payable to cover the additional costs. If you require single rooms within your party we will, of course, try to accommodate your request subject to availability.

Meals

Breakfast is included each morning and normally consists of a continental buffet with tea and coffee, fresh fruits, yoghurt, cereals, eggs and bread with jams. Often also on the menu are cooked options like freshly made porridge, a traditional cooked Scottish breakfast and smoked fish with scrambled eggs.

We don't include lunch and dinner so you are free to choose from the available options. Your information pack includes details and recommendations of convenient lunch stops, cosy cafes and restaurants along the way. A couple of decades ago the food scene in Scotland was somewhat lacking, but now you'll find a range of high quality, varied options with everything from award-winning fish and chips to intimate Michelin-listed dining experiences, and casual restaurant menus showcasing delicious locally-sourced produce.

Additional Nights

You can add additional nights wherever you please on the route. Of course we highly recommend additional nights in the cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow at the start/end of your trip!

Included

Overnight in 3 and 4* B&B's, guesthouses and small hotels
Breakfasts
Ferry ticket (car included) from Skye to the mainland
Detailed information pack brimming with our local knowledge
Our daily recommendations for places to see and visit
Our daily recommendations for top places to eat and drink
24/7 emergency support from our UK office

Excluded

Car hire (available as an optional extra)
Lunches, dinners, snacks and drinks
Travel Insurance
Personal equipment
Accommodation in Edinburgh or Glasgow
Entrance fees

Extras

Car hire
Additional nights

When To Go

You can start this tour on any day of the week from March to November, subject to availability. The busiest times of the year are around Easter and May when accommodations fill up quickly, so book as early as possible if you are planning to travel then. If you travel before Easter, and after mid-October it is worth noting that some attractions may either be closed, have limited access (i.e. castle interiors may be closed but the gardens open), or may open later and close a little earlier in the day. We always recommend checking the links in our information pack for up-to-date opening times to avoid disappointment.

During the shoulder season - March to early April and after mid-October - the Scottish weather tends to be more unpredictable and is often colder and rainier. However, attractions and popular viewpoints will generally be quieter.

Weather and Climate

Scotland enjoys a temperate climate, meaning it's relatively mild all year, except in winter when temperatures occasionally dip below 0 degrees Celsius for short periods. The Highlands are renowned for variable weather so you should be prepared for everything; from 'dreich' days (a Scottish word for drizzly days that are a bit bleak) to days with beautiful blue skies and warmer weather. Whatever the weather it tends to be breezy so spare layers are always recommended.

From the end of April to October average daily temperatures vary from 9-15 degrees Celsius. Monthly rainfall varies from 10-16 mm per month on average. Generally, May to July is the driest and mildest months, but exploring later in the year from September to October is pleasant in cooler temperatures and the autumnal scenery is spectacular as the leaves begin to change colour.

Getting to the Start

Your trip begins in the well-connected city of Edinburgh. If traveling in your own car from across the UK, or western Europe via the Channel Tunnel, you'll find the city is easily accessible and well-connected by the M8, M77, M74 and M6 motorways. If you are driving or traveling from further afield we recommend and extra night in Edinburgh at the start of your trip so you can make the most of your first day of sight-seeing.

By Road: Edinburgh is served by an excellent motorway network. It's a 1h 15m drive from Glasgow to Edinburgh on the M8 motorway. Newcastle is approximately a 2.5 hour drive from Edinburgh, and Manchester and Birmingham, 4 and 6 hours respectively. London is 7.5 hr (via the M1 and A1), and if arriving in Folkestone from France (via the Channel Tunnel) it's an 8-8.5 hour drive via the M20, M11, and A1 roads.

Alternatively, if arriving in Edinburgh by public transport and renting a car please see the excellent Traveline Scotland website for timetables and fares and more information regarding public transport in Scotland. Edinburgh is well-linked across the UK, Europe and beyond by flying into either Glasgow or Edinburgh international airports. Glasgow and Edinburgh are just over an hour apart by road and it doesn't take much longer to travel between the two by an express bus or train service.

By Air: Located 8 miles east of the city of Edinburgh, the international airport is served by routes from around the UK and the world. There are regular shuttle bus and tram services running from the airport into the city centre, with a journey time of around 30 minutes. There's also a taxi rank outside the airport to take people into the city centre.

By Rail: Edinburgh is also connected to central Scotland and England by good rail links. See the Scot Rail website for Scottish locations and National Rail for UK-wide locations.

By Bus: Services from UK destinations are operated by National Express. Services from Scottish destinations are operated by Scottish Citylink.

Car Rental

We don't include car rental in the cost of our discovery tours to keep things flexible as we realise many people may wish to use their own car. If you decide to arrange car rental through us, we have a partnership with Europcar and can arrange this easily for you. As standard we would book an Economy category car (suitable for up to 4 people) with included comprehensive insurance and sat-nav. Prices are on a request basis, so please just add this on as an option if you would like to book car hire, and we will confirm the cost.

Getting from the End

Getting from Glasgow

By Road: Glasgow is served by an excellent motorway network. It's a 1hr 15 min drive from Glasgow to Edinburgh on the east coast. Manchester is approx a 3.5 hour drive or Newcastle on the east coast is approx 3 hours.

If dropping off a rental car and continuing your onward journey by public transport we recommend breaking the journey by adding an extra night in Glasgow or Edinburgh. For specific information regarding public transport in Scotland, please see the excellent Traveline Scotland website for timetables and fares.

By Air: Located 8 miles west of Glasgow, the international airport is served by routes from around Britain and the world. A regular shuttle bus service runs from the city centre to the airport. Or if you wish to drop your car off in Glasgow and enjoy some time there before heading back to Edinburgh, regular bus and train services link the two cities, taking approx 1 hour.

For further information regarding public transport in Scotland, please see the excellent Traveline Scotland website for timetables and fares.

By Rail: Glasgow is also connected to central Scotland and England by good rail links. See the Scot Rail website for Scottish locations and National Rail for UK-wide locations.

By Bus: Services from UK destinations are operated by National Express. Services from Scottish destinations are operated by Scottish Citylink.

General Information

On confirmation of your booking, you will receive a personalised itinerary and comprehensive information pack. This carefully curated pack, designed with our extensive local knowledge and expertise, will include recommended driving routes, personal recommendations for places and attractions to stop at enroute, and our recommendations for the best places to eat and drink.

Car Rental

We don't include car rental in the cost of our discovery tours to keep things flexible as we realise many people may wish to use their own car. If you decide to arrange car rental through us, we have a partnership with Europcar and can arrange this easily for you. As standard we book an Economy category car (suitable for up to 4 people) with included comprehensive insurance, prices are on a request basis. Please just let us know if you would like to upgrade your car.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.

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Itinerary

Day 1 The rolling hills of Highland Perthshire enroute to Royal Deeside and Balmoral Castle Day 2 Whisky tasting in Speyside at Glenlivet, Glenfiddich and Aberlour enroute to Inverness Day 3 To the Isle of Skye via Loch Ness and the Great Glen Day 4 Explore the magical Isle of Skye, Nest Point Lighthouse, Dunvegan Castle and Portree Day 5 The seafood capital of Oban via historic Glencoe and the Glenfinnan Monument

Leaving Portree drive south to a contrasting part of Skye, the green Sleat Peninsula. In Armadale enjoy a walk through the beautiful gardens of the ruined Armadale Castle and visit the Clan Donald museum before taking the ferry (1 hour) to Mallaig on the mainland.

Follow the "Road to the Isles" south along the white sandy beaches of Arisaig Sound before reaching the Glenfinnan Monument at the head of Loch Sheil, where Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his standard at the start of the Jacobite rebellion and the iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct - where the "Harry Potter" steam train passes over daily. Take a short detour to pass by the mighty Ben Nevis and discover the atmospheric valley of Glencoe, famous for the tragic Massacre of Glencoe which took place in 1692. If you have the time recommend adding in an extra night in Fort William or the Glencoe area to give you more time for sightseeing. Continue to Oban, the seafood capital of Scotland and an attractive seaside town.

Driving Time: Approx 4 hours

Overnight Oban

Accommodation

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Gramarvin B&B | Guest House

Gramarvin B&B has been fully refurbished over recent years and is tastefully decorated throughout. The bedrooms are individually designed with a bright attractive colour scheme and each with private bathroom facilities.

Barriemore B&B | Bed and breakfast

The Barriemore is a 4* Victorian guest house on Oban’s seafront with stunning views of the narrow shipping channel which passes alongside the patio at the front. The ensuite bedrooms have been beautifully furnished overlooking Oban Bay or the surrounding woodland.

Argyll House Hotel | Hotel

Argyll House enjoys magnificent views standing in its own grounds, overlooking Oban Bay and the Sound of Kerrera. There are standard and spacious superior rooms, depending on your requirements. Free WI-FI fibre broadband internet access is included, and is available throughout most of the building; there is also a comfortable lounge where you can enjoy internet access and the company of your fellow guests.