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A 10 Day mcleanscotland tour; Celts Picts Jacobites and Romans - plus Hadrian's Wall Available on self drive, driver guided or small group tours. Stay in hotel or guest house accommodation 3, 4 star - or even luxurious five star and castles!
M C L E A N S C O T L A N D V A C A T I O N S T O R E M E M B E R
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Day 1 Arrive into GLASGOW where your tour starts, some free time today to look around our largest city and relax after your flight. Groups and driver/guided tours will be met at the airport, while self drive tours will have all accommodations sent ahead to them before leaving home. Day 2 A day trip to Culzean Castle and Gardens, a garden lover's paradise. Set in some 560 acres of beautiful Ayrshire countryside there is plenty to see - wooded glades, hidden pathways and cliff top views all offer their unique experiences, while the more formal gardens such as the sunken Fountain Court Garden and the impressive Walled Garden, are a must. The castle itself is a major tourist attraction and once there, you will see why. Depending on time, you can visit as many Rabbie (Robert) Burns sites as possible to complete the day. Glasgow overnight. Day 3 Heading south today with your first stop at BIRDOSWALD ROMAN FORT, where you can see remains of the wall stretching into the distant hills, fort turret and milecastle. The interactive visitor centre follows the 2000 years of history here - walk the wall, step on the stone foundations of Roman ruins, a fantastic insight into history! We then take you to check into your hotel for tonight in Penrith, a very different hotel and your only night in England! Day 4 Once again you will be visiting Roman Britain, today it is SEGEDUNUM ROMAN FORT, BATHS & MUSEUM. This is a World Heritage Site and was the last outpost on Hadrian's Wall. For almost 300 years it was home to 600 soldiers. Now 1,600 years on, it is once again the gateway to Hadrian's Wall at the edge of the Roman Empire. You can visit the museum, explore the fort, take a lift to the viewpoint - giving stunning views of the fort and surrounding area. A full hands on history experience today. End your day back in Scotland - in our Capital City, Edinburgh. |
The Antonine Wall was built from AD142 to 144 and ran for 37 miles (60km) from Bo'ness on the River Forth to Old Kilpatrick on the River Clyde. Like the better known Hadrian's Wall to the south, it formed a solid barrier right across the country. Day 5 A whole day free for you to see the sights of our Capital City. We will offer a guided city tour this morning by coach, showing you the old and new towns, the Royal Mile and Palace of Holyrood, the castle and museums. This will give you ideas for where to visit later on. This evening why not take a ghost tour under the streets of Old Edinburgh? A good scary evening, usually ending at a local pub for yet more spirits (whisky variety this time!). Overnight again in Edinburgh - why not try one of the many pubs on Rose Street for dinner? |
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Day 6
Head north today leaving our capital behind,
crossing the Forth Road Bridge into the
Kingdom of Fife, you continue to the wee
Victorian town of Pitlochry
in Perthshire where you will have a whisky
tour of Scotland's smallest distillery -
Edradour, a beautiful setting in the
hills overlooking the town. After a
tour and a wee nip move north again,
stopping next at Culloden Battlefield.
It was here in April 1746 Bonnie Prince
Charlie was weeks thereafter of the
clansmen, walk the moor and see grave stones
of the clans. Clava Cairns is only a
mile away, a must, step back in time' over
5000 years in fact! Overnight Inverness. Day 7 This morning you head to Skye for a whole day tour. Portree is the main town - it's name comes from the Gaelic Port-an-Righ, which translates as "King's Port" dating back to a visit by King James V, plus a fleet of warships, in 1540. MacNab's Inn was where Bonnie Prince Charlie bade farewell for the last time in 1746 to Flora MacDonald, who had famously conveyed him "Over the Sea to Skye". We take a guided tour of the north of the island with a visit to DUNVEGAN CASTLE home and fortress of the Macleods, within its' walls is the world famous Fairy Flag. A really stunning day of scenery and history. Overnight Inverness. Day 8 Moving from Inverness take a tour right along the length of the Great Glen, Loch Ness, Loch Oich, Loch Lochy and Loch Linnhe - with stops at Urquhart Castle, Glenfinnan Monument where Bonnie Prince Charlie landed and raised his standard back in 1745 . Onto Spean Bridge Commando Memorial then stop for refreshments. The end of your day driving through one of the most famous (or infamous) glens in all Scotland - Glencoe, a wild and desolate place. It's origins go back to the poems of Ossian but it is more renowned for the massacre of the MacDonald's by the Campbell's in 1692. On 13 February a massacre was carried out, some 38 MacDonalds were killed by the troops. What offended Highlanders most about Glencoe was the abuse of the hospitality offered by the MacDonalds to the government troops. You can stop here a while before driving on to Oban. This is the unofficial capital of the West Highlands, in Gaelic the names it means "little bay" and is the Gateway to the Isles. Your final night in the highlands. |
Day 9
Leave Oban returning south through Loch Awe into
Glen Dochart, follow the shores of
Loch Lomond and on to your hotel just
south of Glasgow. On your route you
will be stopping as usual for refreshments and
sightseeing - your last full day here in Scotland
will be crammed full of beautiful
scenery, lochs and glens, mountains and castles.
Day 10
Transfer to Glasgow airport and your flight home, we
hope you have enjoyed the tour and come back with us
soon!
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SMALL
GROUP TOUR - 6 ADULTS
- Bed and Breakfast accommodation (in either hotel or
3 star Visit Scotland recommended guest house),
automatic shift 9 seater vehicle - from £800 per
person*
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We
reserve the right to alter without notice. Tour
starts & ends in Scotland, useful websites for Roman
studies:
www.hadrians-wall.org www.birdoswaldromanfort.org
www.hadrianswallcountry.org