How cool is this?
Introduction
This is a guided tour.
This tour is designed to introduce participants to the sites featured in Diana
Gabaldon’s novels and also to provide some understanding of the Highland life in the
18th century.
The tour will be led by Alastair Cunningham, an experienced Highland tour guide,
author of ‘Scottish Clans and Tartans’, a copy of which will be given to everyone.
Dates
The tour dates are 27 September to 2 October.
Participants will be met at Inverness railway station or airport at any time after noon
on 26 September and taken to the hotel. Everyone will dine together that evening with
the tour guide.
Accommodation
The first three nights will be spent at the Bunchrew House Hotel, on the shore of the
Moray Firth, three miles from Inverness and in the heart of Fraser of Lovat country.
The following three nights will be spent at Hotel Eilean Iarmain, a restored inn by a
little harbour in the south of Skye.
Accommodation is on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis with single occupancy of
rooms - which can be taken as doubles if required..
Background Rationale
The first three days round Inverness are specifically tailored to the novels. Skye has
been chosen for the other three nights as it can still evoke the traditional ways of life
in the Highlands and is also a convenient spot from which to see the brochs - often
mentioned in the novels, but hard to imagine.
Above: the view from outside Hotel Eilean Iarmain
Programme
The draft programme is as follows:
27 Sep. Morning: Clava Cairns (where it all started?) and Culloden Battlefield
Afternoon: Castle Leod (to be confirmed), Moniack Castle, Beauly Priory
and Fraser mausoleum
28 Sep. Morning: Glen Affric (approx. location of Lally Broch)
Afternoon: Loch Ness and Inverness
29 Sep: Drive by Loch Garve, Ach na sheen (place of storms) and the
wild mountains of Torridon to Skye.
30 Sep: Visit traditional townships, a clearance village, and the Skye
Museum of Island Life.
1 Oct: Small ferry to Glenelg, see the finest brochs on the Scottish
mainland, great views over Loch Duich, then visit Eilean
Donan Castle (below) on the way back.
2 Oct: By ferry to Mallaig, see Glenfinnan where Prince Charles
Edward raised his standard then the few remains of the fort at
Fort William. Then by Glencoe, the Trossachs and Stirling to
Edinburgh, arriving about four pm.
Eilean Donan Castle with Skye in the background
Lunch and other stops
A lunch stop - one that will cater for varying appetites - will be made each day for
about an hour. In most cases we will be stopping at a country inn.
Other stops will be made if good photographs present themselves. On no day will we
be pressed for time.
Transport
Transport will be in a nine seater minibus.
Price
The Price is £1065 and includes:
Pick up from Inverness Airport or train station on 26 September
Three nights half board in single room accommodation at Bunchrew House
Three nights half board single room accommodation at Hotel Eilean Iarmain
Driver guided tours on each day ( 27 Sep – 2 Oct inclusive)
Petrol, ferry, insurance.
NOTE: There is a reduction of £110 per person if you share a room.
The following are not included.
Entry fees (£5 Culloden Battlefield, £5 Eilean Donan, £2 Museum of Island Life)
Lunch, drinks, telephone calls.
Payment Arrangements
We ask for a 20% deposit, hence £213. In the unlikely event of the minimum number
of four participants not being booked your deposit will be refunded.
Deposits may be paid using our secure online payment facility:
The balance will be payable eight weeks before departure, and so on 1 August.
We look forward to hearing from you!
info@clansandcastles.com
Scottish Clans and Castles Ltd
The Old Stables, Househill, Nairn IV12 5RY
Tel. +44 1667 456942 / Fax +44 1667 455 4999 info@clansandcastles.com