The trip
In mid-June, the sun in the north of Scotland doesn't really set so much as dip for a few hours. You can walk out after dinner at 9:30pm and it's still bright. For a group trip, that's a gift: the long days mean we can cover real ground without feeling rushed.
We spend a couple of days in Edinburgh, then head north into the Highlands on the classic route: Stirling, Glencoe, Fort William, and across by ferry to Skye. Three nights on Skye give us time to see the island properly rather than racing between car parks. We come back east via Loch Ness and Inverness, and finish with a whisky distillery on the way back to Edinburgh.
Our coach has a Scottish driver who's spent years on these roads. That matters on Skye, where many roads are single-track with passing places, and on the Glencoe road when the weather turns, which it will.
Highlights
- Edinburgh Castle and an evening climb up Arthur's Seat
- The drive through Glencoe, the most dramatic valley in the Highlands
- Watching a steam train cross the Glenfinnan Viaduct
- The Old Man of Storr, the Quiraing and the Fairy Pools on Skye
- Culloden battlefield and a tasting at a Speyside distillery
Day by day
Leave Texas
Overnight flight with one connection.
Edinburgh
Land, check in and stretch your legs on the Royal Mile. Those who are up for it can climb Arthur's Seat after dinner. It's still light.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh Castle with a guide, then a free afternoon. Try the National Museum (free and excellent), Dean Village, or Calton Hill for sunset, which happens very late.
Stirling to Glencoe
Stirling Castle, then Doune Castle, which fans may recognize from Monty Python and Outlander. Through the Trossachs and across Rannoch Moor into Glencoe. Night near Fort William.
Glenfinnan & over to Skye
The Glenfinnan Viaduct. We time it to watch the steam train cross in the late morning, when it's running. Then the Road to the Isles to Mallaig and the ferry to Skye. Three nights on the island.
Skye: the north
An early start for the Old Man of Storr (a steep, two-and-a-half-mile round trip, or enjoy the view from below). Then Kilt Rock, the Quiraing, and Portree's painted harbor.
Skye: the west
The Fairy Pools, clear blue pools at the foot of the Cuillin. Neist Point lighthouse. And a distillery on the shore of Loch Harport.
Eilean Donan to Inverness
Off the island via the bridge and Eilean Donan Castle. Along Loch Ness to Urquhart Castle (keep an eye out). Night in Inverness.
Culloden & Speyside
Culloden, the site of the last pitched battle on British soil, in 1746. A distillery tour in Speyside, then back through the Cairngorms and Pitlochry to Edinburgh for a farewell dinner with a ceilidh band.
Home
Flights from Edinburgh, arriving in Texas the same day.
What's included
✅ Included
- Round-trip economy airfare from DFW or IAH
- 8 nights in hotels and island guesthouses, double occupancy
- Full Scottish breakfast daily and 5 dinners, including the ceilidh farewell
- A private coach and Scottish driver, plus the Skye ferry
- Entry to Edinburgh, Stirling, Doune, Eilean Donan and Urquhart castles, Culloden, and 2 distillery tastings
➖ Not included
- Lunches and 3 dinners
- A ride on the Jacobite steam train itself (sells out months ahead; we can try)
- Tips for the driver and guides
- Single supplement (from $980) and travel insurance
Good to know
Midges. June on Skye means tiny biting flies on still evenings. They're harmless but very irritating. Buy a bottle of Smidge repellent when you arrive. The locals swear by it.
Pack waterproof everything. You'll get four seasons in a day in the Highlands, sometimes in an hour. A light rain jacket and a warm layer are a must, even in June.
