A Journey Through Scotland - Orkney, Cairngorms & Highlands

NEW FOR JULY 2026, take an epic journey right up through a wide variety of beautiful Scottish landscape to the north of the spectacular Highlands This is a wonderful opportunity to stay on mystical Orkney (actually a group of 70 scattered islands) and although just a few miles of ocean separate Orkney from Scotland's north coast, you can feel the magic and mystique as soon as the ferry casts off from the mainland. The journey is also very much the destination with a stay in the mighty, majestic Cairngorms as well as historic Caithness. There is so much to discover en-route including Dunrobin Castle, the Castle of Mey, the Falkirk Wheel and a Hairy Coo Safari! An epic adventure where memories will last a lifetime!\n\nTo see August departure (slighly different itinerary/different hotels), please click hereHighlights
- 1 overnight in Gretna Green with dinner & breakfast- 2 overnights in Newtonmore with dinner & breakfast (some entertainment)- 2 nights in Castletown with dinner & breakfast- 3 nights in Kirkwall with dinner & breakfast- 1 night in Perth with dinner & breakfast- 1 night in Newcastle with dinner & breakfast- Return crossing Scrabster - Stromness- Porterage throughout- Entrance to Famous Blacksmith Gretna Green Experience- Trip on the Falkirk Wheel- Return trip on Cairngorm Mountain Railway- Rothiemurchas Coach 'Safari' with deer feeding & meet the hairy coos- Entrance to Dunrobin Castle- Entrance to Castle Mey- Light lunch on Castle of Mey day- Local guide for a full day discovery of Orkney- Gin Distillery tour & tasting in Kirkwall- Entrances to Skara Brae & Skaill House and Italian Chapel- En-route stop in Edinburgh

Your Itinerary
DAY 1 - After joining your holiday coach, you head north with suitable stops en-route for lunch and refreshments. Continue to your overnight stop in Gretna Green at 3* Gretna Hall Hotel. DBB\n\nDAY 2 - Time permitting there may be the opportunity for a visit to the Famous Blacksmiths Gretna Green Experience, a state-of-the-art immersive attraction tracing the history of love and marriage at Gretna. Then head north via the iconic Falkirk Wheel for an included trip on the world's only rotating boatlift. It was constructed to replace a series of 19th century lock gates and is the showpiece of the Millennium Link project which re-established coast-to-coast navigation of the canals. Travel on through the glorious mountainous scenery of the Cairngorms National Park to check in for the next 2 nights at 3* Highlander Hotel in Newtonmore. DBB\n\nDAY 3 - Today, take an exhilarating ride on Scotland's only funicular railway, the Cairngorms Mountain Railway - in just 5 minutes you reach the 'Top Station' at over 3,500 feet above sea level where you can enjoy panoramic views stretching down to Loch Morlich and the Spey Valley beyond. There is a shop and a 270-degree immersive exhibition as well as the UK's highest restaurant. Return to the Base Station where your coach awaits to take you on the Rothiemurchus, for an insight into traditional Highland estate life amongst the ancient forests and mountains to experience wild Scotland in its glory. A ranger will board the coach to take you on a 'safari' around the estate stopping for wonderful views of the Cairngorms, a chance to feed deer by hand and to encounter some wonderful hairy highland coos. Return to the hotel later this afternoon.\n\nDAY 4 - Depart the Cairngorms to continue your journey north via the Kessock Bridge which divides the Beauly and Moray Firths near Inverness and along the East Coast. A visit is included along the way to magnificent Dunrobin Castle, the most northerly of Scotland's great houses and fashioned in the style of a French chateau with towering conical spires. Onward to Caithness for your 2-night stay at 3* Castletown Hotel in Castletown near Thurso. DBB\n\nDAY 5 - Enjoy an included excursion today to the Castle of Mey, the beloved residence of the Queen Mother, which stands in a magnificent setting on the north coast of Caithness with glorious views across the Pentland Firth. The castle, with its jutting turrets, is kept as it was when The Queen Mother was in residence and the gardens are a delight with her personal touch apparent everywhere. Enjoy an included light lunch before continuing on to John O'Groats, with its dramatic coastal location. Situated at the top of mainland Britain, whilst it is not the most northerly point (that's Dunnet Head), John O'Groats is certainly best known as the end point of the 874 mile trek from Land's End in Cornwall.\n\nDAY 6 - Enjoy a relaxed start to the day and maybe take a stroll around the village or a jaunt to the beach (approx. 20 mins walk). Late morning travel the short distance to Scrabster for the crossing to Stromness on Orkney. During the 90-minute crossing enjoy the view of the spectacular granite outcrop of The Old Man of Hoy. On arrival on Orkney, it's just a short hop to the capital, Kirkwall. Whilst your driver unloads your luggage at the hotel, you will enjoy a Gin Tour & Tasting at the adjacent Orkney Distillery with an introduction to some of the Orkney-grown botanicals and a guided tasting of 4 gins followed by a G&T. Check in for the next 3 nights at the 3* Ayre Hotel. DBB\n\nDAY 7 - Discover Orkney with a local guide for a full day exploring Orkney's mainland including Skara Brae, an amazing Neolithic village which lay buried by sand for 4000 years; the stone Ring of Brodgar and the standing Stones of Stenness; the delightful chapel built by Italian POWs and Scapa Flow where the remains of scuttled battleships rest. A visit to Skaill House, the finest 17th Century mansion in Orkney, is also included. History can be felt everywhere where life is defined by the past and sculpted by the sea. Orkney is a unique and fiercely independent archipelago with its history is inextricably linked with Scandinavia. For an Orcadian, the Mainland means the largest island in Orkney rather than the rest of Scotland. May operate by local coach\n\nDAY 8 - Enjoy a day at leisure in Kirkwall which stands at the dividing point between East and West Mainland. One of Kirkwall's best features is its sandstone St Magnus Cathedral, widely considered the finest medieval building in the north of Scotland. The original town is one of the best-preserved examples of an ancient Norse town. Other sites of historical interest include including the medieval Bishop's Palace and Earl's Palace (entrance approx. £8.50 pp in 2025). Orkney's thriving creative scene is unrivalled, with an enormous variety of island businesses designing everything from jewellery, ceramics and woodwork, to textiles, artwork and photography - so you may be able to pick up a wonderful memento.\n\nDAY 9 - It's time to bid farewell to Orkney and the North of Scotland. Retrace your steps with a mid-morning ferry back to the mainland and your journey continues to the 'Fair City' of Perth on the banks of Scotland's longest river, the Tay. There will be plenty of stops along the way before arriving at your centrally located overnight hotel, the 3* Salutation Hotel. The location is ideal to make the most of your last night in Scotland by stepping out this evening for a stroll through this great historic city.\n\nDAY 10 - Your final day in Scotland and what better than to spend some time in the truly delightful capital with its atmospheric cobbled streets of the old town to the attractive Georgian avenues of the new town. There is plenty to see and do - from iconic Edinburgh Castle at the top of the Royal Mile to the impressive National Museum of Scotland (entrances not included). Your driver may be able to offer you an optional guided tour of this bustling city. Head south across the border later today for your final overnight stop at 4* Copthorne Hotel Newcastle. DBB\n\nDAY 11 - As your epic adventure comes to end, head back to interchange today with comfort stops en-route, arriving home during the evening.Various Hotels Minimum 3*
See itinerary for individual overnight hotels\n\nJULY 2026\nHIGHLANDER HOTEL, NEWTONMORE - 2 nights\nBased in the village of Newtonmore, the low-rise 3* Highlander Hotel offers guests a warm welcome and true highland hospitality, set in the stunning location of the Cairngorm National Park. Modern guestrooms feature TV, hairdryer, WiFi and tea / coffee making facilities and en-suite bathrooms are equipped with walk in showers. There is a bar and restaurant. The hotel does not have a lift but many of the bedrooms are on the ground floor. There is a separate bedroom block with access to public areas (reception, restaurant & bar) via a short covered walkway. There is some entertainment at this hotel\n\n\n\nCASTLETOWN HOTEL, CASTLETOWN - 2 nights\nThe 3* family-run Castletown Hotel is located in the picturesque fishing village of Castletown near Thurso. Guestrooms are furnished to a very comfortable standard and are feature free Wi-Fi access, flat screen TV, hairdryer and tea / coffee making facilities. The restaurant specialises in traditional Scottish and British cuisine, using local produce where possible. There is no lift but there are a couple of ground floor rooms (on request)\n\n\n\nAYRE HOTEL, KIRKWALL - 3 nights\nThe 3* family managed Ayre Hotel is one of Orkney's finest hotels and is well situated on the waterfront in the main town of Kirkwall. There is a an on-site restaurant as well as comfortable lounge bar plus a laid back sports bar with large TV screens. Guestrooms feature all mod cons including WiFi, air conditioning, safe box and tea / coffee making facilities. There is a lift\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n