On this tour, you drive the full length of Loch Ness, get the opportunity to cruise on the loch and explore Urquhart Castle, pass through Cairngorms National park and the stunning Glen Coe.
Check-in - 07:45 Departs - 08:00 Returns - 21:00
As you head towards the Highlands, you’ll see the amazing Forth Railway Bridge, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With its triple cantilever design, it is the biggest one of its kind in Britain and the second biggest in the world. Our journey continues past Perth, the old capital of Scotland. With a rich and influential history that stretches back over 800 years.
As you journey north, you will pass Dunkeld – ‘fort of the Celts’ – the ancient religious centre of Kenneth MacAlpin. Our first stop will be at about 9.30 am in the beautiful, small Highland town of Pitlochry, one of the gateways to the Highlands which lies on the River Tummel. Here you can buy some delicious home baking.
Then enjoy the stunning scenery as you travel through the spectacular and unique wilderness of the Cairngorms National Park, the largest national park in Scotland. We pass Aviemore, the main town in this area, and then continue north and drive through Inverness – the capital of the Highlands. Perched picturesquely above the river, Inverness Castle dominates the horizon of this thriving city. Then it is on to the famous Loch Ness.
We then make our way through the Great Glen towards the Commando Memorial, erected in 1952 and dedicated to the remembrance of the Royal Marine Commandos who trained here during WWII. Next, we will have a short refreshment stop, where you can purchase coffee, refreshments and perhaps a wee nip of whisky.
Glen Coe is broodingly beautiful and steeped in history. It is in the centre of an extinct volcano that exploded millions of years ago, leaving the rocky mountainous place we see today. You’ll learn the parts clans Campbell and MacDonald played in this brutal part of Scottish history. The other side of Glen Coe is Rannoch Moor, one of the last great wildernesses – 50 square miles of peat bog and marsh, and a site of special scientific interest. It is also where part of the James Bond film ‘Skyfall’ was filmed.
The route home takes you past the beautiful city of Stirling and its stunning castle, which is one of the most important castles, Several Scottish kings and queens have been crowned in Stirling, including Mary Queen of Scots. Not far away from here, William Wallace had one of his greatest triumphs in September 1297. You’ll catch a glimpse of the Wallace Monument as we pass by Stirling. His exploits were dramatised in the award-winning film ‘Braveheart,’ starring Mel-Gibson. We’ll continue to Edinburgh arriving back at 8.30 pm approximately.
