Isles of the West - Arran and Skye

Two islands that famously encapsulate the best of the Scottish landscape are Arran and Skye, and this stunning tour features both, complete with a visit to some lovely castles and a cruise on legendary Loch Lomond .Wednesday: We depart the Travel Centre this morning and make our way north, making adequate comfort stops before arriving at our hotel, the Riverside Lodge Hotel in Irvine, where we stay for the next two nights.

Thursday: Today we make the short journey to Ardrossan, where we board the ferry to sail to Brodick on the Isle of Arran, known as ‘Scotland in Miniature’. Here, we visit Brodick Castle, which occupies a picturesque spot by the sea, bedecked with gardens, surrounded by hills and overlooked by the majestic Goatfell mountain. After free time for lunch in Brodick, we take a scenic drive around some of the island, before we board our ferry back to the mainland and return to the Riverside Lodge Hotel.

Friday: Today we depart Ayrshire and journey north, heading into the Trossachs to drive past lovely Loch Lomond. We have time to pause at the postcard-pretty village of Luss, before continuing to the famous ‘outdoor capital of the world’, Fort William. In the afternoon we head to the fishing village of Mallaig via the iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct, featured in the Harry Potter films. Upon arrival we catch the ferry to Armadale on Skye and make our way to our hotel, the Dunollie Hotel on the Isle of Skye where we stay for the next two nights.

Saturday: Today we journey to the north west corner of Skye to visit the famous Dunvegan Castle & Gardens with a guide on board the coach. Built on a rocky outcrop on the shores of Loch Dunvegan, Dunvegan is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland. After our visit, we enjoy a scenic drive around the northern Trotternish Peninsula via Duntulm, before returning to our hotel.

Sunday: After a leisurely breakfast we say goodbye to the Isle of Skye and make our way to the pretty town of Pitlochry. We stop at the legendary Loch Ness along the way, where we attempt to track down the world’s shyest monster on a 50 minute cruise of Loch Ness. Brimming with history and monster tales, the real stars of the Loch are its castles, monuments and scenery. Sit back and relax as we cruise past Cherry Island, the loch’s only island, and enjoy a fabulous loch-side view of the striking Fort Augustus Abbey. We then continue on to Pitlochry to our hotel for the next two nights, the Fisher’s Hotel.

Monday: We spend today relaxing in our hotel and exploring the picture-postcard town of Pitlochry. Popular for over 150 years as a holiday destination, the town boasts Queen Victoria as one of its original visitors. Enjoy a stroll along Main Street in this charming resort, with its many attractive shops, bars and tearooms to discover.

Tuesday: Today we bid a fond farewell to the Fisher’s Hotel as we make our way back south, making adequate comfort stops, before arriving back at the Travel Centre early evening.The Riverside Lodge Hotel
The Riverside Lodge hotel is located on the outskirts of Irvine and has been transformed into a lovely hotel.
All 128 comfortable bedrooms are en suite with tea/coffee making facilities, television, telephone and hair dryer, There is no lift but there are 64 ground floor rooms. There is a cosy, intimate restaurant and an open plan reception as well as a lounge/bar area.

The Dunollie Hotel
The hotel is located on the main road through Skye, set by the waterside of Broadford Bay with magnificent views across the sea to Loch Kishorn and the Applecross Hills.
All 84 bedrooms are en suite with tea/coffee making facilities and are spacious and the stunning setting of the restaurant provides lovely views across the bay. There is also a comfortable bar and lounge which is perfect for relaxing in by the open fire. There are steps throughout the hotel and no lift access, so the hotel is not ideally suited for wheelchairs. The hotel does have some ground floor rooms.

Fisher’s Hotel
This friendly Victorian hotel is situated in a picturesque village location in the heart of historic Pitlochry.
All 140 bedrooms are en suite with tea/coffee making facilities, television and hair dryer. There is a bright, spacious restaurant and two bars, one of which is a pub-style bar and one a smaller, more intimate bar. There are also two elegant lounge areas full of comfortable sofas and armchairs and an outside seating area in the lovely gardens. The hotel does have ground floor rooms.

Hotels
• Riverside Lodge Hotel (Irvine) - View Information
• Fishers Hotel (Pitlochry) - View Information
• Dunollie Hotel (Isle of Skye) - View Information