Highlights of Scotland & Ireland by Rail Small Group Guided Tour

Make your own way to Scotland’s largest city, perhaps arriving a day or two early to experience its myriad pleasures in your own time – the architectural jewels of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and brilliant contemporary art for starters. Just let us know if we can help with such arrangements.

Join your fellow travellers this evening for a welcome dinner hosted by your tour leader.

Your Accommodation in Glasgow

Relax before your journey in elegant style just yards from where you’ll catch your morning train. You can also enjoy spectacular views over the city from the rooftop area – there’s even a free mini-bar in every room to toast your forthcoming adventures!

Leaving Glasgow’s cosmopolitan bustle behind, your train will skirt the Firth of Clyde onto wooded slopes above Gare Loch, Loch Long and Loch Goil, before gliding effortlessly around Loch Lomond’s famously bonnie banks. White-flecked rivers accompany you through remote gorges, while viaducts swing past peaks like Ben Doran. Rannoch Moor provides an almost Zen-like meditation on wild tranquillity distilled from peat, river and lochan.

Stepping off the West Highland Line at Fort William, you can glimpse nearby Ben Nevis on your mini-coach transfer to the southern shores of Loch Ness.

Following a soup-and-sandwich lunch stop, stretch your legs with a walk to the Commando Memorial. Raised in remembrance to the soldiers who trained locally, the statue stands above the heather and moor. Look over to the Grey Corries, mountain peaks of quartz with flows of scree. As you pass through the Great Glen, stop at Loch Oich and a monument to bloody clan vengeance.

You will head to the 1000 year old ruins of Urquhart Castle. Emerge from the underground visitors centre onto the green sloping lawns, imagine ancient feasts in the Great Hall, then take in the loch vistas from atop the Grant Tower. You’ll then head to your accommodation and enjoy a short break before your dinner reservation.

Your Accommodation by Loch Ness

This traditional coaching inn in the lochside village of Drumnadrochit was originally opened in 1838 and has been recently refurbished to bring the interiors up to date with artwork by local artists in the individually designed cosy bedrooms. Downstairs, the restaurant has a reputation locally for innovative dishes using fresh local ingredients. After dinner, perhaps retire to the lively bar at the rear of the hotel, which is popular with locals and hikers on the Great Glen Way.

Cameras at the ready- today you are exploring Loch Ness and the surrounding area. 

 After breakfast, enjoy a cruise on the legendary waters of Loch Ness, absorbing the atmosphere of this most enigmatic body of water. You  will learn so much more about this most mysterious of places, whose depths have fascinated visitors for centuries – be sure to keep an eye out for its most famous resident!

Taking the quiet high road back, you’ll stop at the Falls of Foyers. A short walk through Scots pines and Douglas firs opens out to a view of the Foyers waterfall. This quiet spot of immense beauty has been an inspiration for poets through the ages, and is a highlight of the Great Glen.

Travel on to the historic village of Dores on the loch’s lesser-visited side, for lunch (payable locally). From Dores, you can gaze 22 miles down the loch back towards Fort Augustus, watching as light and water ceaselessly shift into new patterns. You’ll then travel back to your accommodation in the afternoon for some free time to unwind before your evening meal.

Returning to Fort William, it’s ‘All Aboard’ the Jacobite steam train to complete your trip on the West Highland Line, a journey starred with film associations. Rattling past the silver sands of Morar you’re on the set of  Local Hero and Highlander, while this is the train for wizard passengers in the Harry Potter movies, memorably puffing across the Glenfinnan Viaduct en route to Hogwarts rather than Mallaig.

Tick off Britain’s deepest freshwater loch (Loch Morar),  shortest river (River Morar) plus the deepest seawater loch in Europe (Loch Nevis) along the shore where Bonnie Prince Charlie landed in 1745 – and fled a year later after defeat at Culloden. On a clear day, you can glimpse the islands of Rum, Eigg, Muck, Canna – plus your day’s final destination, the Isle of Skye.

As a working fish port, Mallaig offers superlative seafood for your lunch – including a spot Scotland’s Sunday Post hailed as “one of the best fish suppers in Scotland!”. Suitably fed, it’s time for the half hour ferry jaunt “over the sea” to Skye. As you approach, enjoy distant previews of the jagged peaks of Cuillin, the epic mountain range that crowns the island.

Once on Skye, it’s time to explore the mature gardens and forests of Armadale Castle (it’s 1790s manor house was clan home of the MacDonalds). The recently refurbished on-site MacDonald Museum has an excellent collection of artefacts tracing the story of ‘Scotland’s most powerful clan.’ From here it’s only a short transfer to your accommodation for the next two evenings.

Your Accommodation on Skye

Built as a 19^th century hunting lodge, your characterful locally owned hotel blends period features with contemporary style. Locally sourced food and a grand location make this a wonderful stop. Dinner is included on both nights of your stay here.

Today take in the – literal – high points of this largest island in the Inner Hebrides and discover Skye’s culture, history and traditions. Commanding a remote ridge, the Quiraing’s almost supernatural aura made it a dramatic setting for the 2015 film of Shakespeare’s Macbeth while the splintered majesty of the Cuillins honed the skills of Victorian mountaineers for more far flung peaks. Ask your guide about the 19th century Gurkha who came here, and the hill race still run in his honour. Hear stories of the warrior queen and the fortress of shadows, travel through one dramatic scene after another, then have a wander round Portree. This will be a day of rich natural beauty and poignant history as you explore the Misty Isle.

Stops and sites are at your guides discretion to make the best of the conditions on the day.

Heading back across the Skye bridge to the mainland, Duirinish (home of Scotland’s best trained Highland cows) marks the start of your 80 mile train ride to Inverness. Before boarding, though, you can stop to admire the 13th century Eilean Donan Castle, perched exquisitely on a loch islet.

Completed in 1897, the Kyle Line was the most expensive rail project of its era, with the opening 10 mile stretch to Stromeferry clinging to a crinkle-cut shore via 31 cuttings and 29 tunnels blasted through solid rock. Here pretty coastal villages like Plockton jostle for attention with deserted beaches and mountain views, while the sharp-eyed may spot seals, otters or hunting eagles.

On arrival in Inverness, you embark on a tour of key sites in the development of the ‘Highland Capital.’ A couple miles outside the city is the Battlefield of Culloden where Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobites made their final stand; it is as atmospheric today as it was on the 16th April 1746. End the day with a wander around the enigmatic Clava Cairns. The great stone monuments of this 4,000 year old cemetery hold neolithic mysteries still only partially unravelled.

Your Accommodation in Inverness

Nestled where the River Ness meets the Moray Firth, your hotel is located in the heart of Inverness – conveniently close to the city centre where you can enjoy a variety of shops and restaurants. 

Your Scottish rail tour concludes with another grand train journey. Departing Inverness station, mountains dominate as you cut Southward past Aviemore and the rugged slopes of the Cairngorm National Park. Look out for waterfalls and scour the hills for ‘Monarch of the Glen’ stags.

Beyond the ancient city of Perth – Scotland’s capital for five centuries – rolling fields and lush woods usher you towards the Firth of Forth, crossed within the distinctive metal filigree of the iconic Forth Rail Bridge. Grab a glimpse of Edinburgh Castle as you arrive in the heart of Scotland’s capital and wave goodbye to your Scottish tour leader before heading to your hotel just across the street with a whole evening ahead to enjoy the delights of enchanting Edinburgh.

Your Accommodation in Edinburgh

This stylish, modern hotel is a distinct treat, in a most convenient location next to Waverley Station and moments’ walk from the Royal Mile. Placing the coolly furnished reception, lounge and dining area – all retro-modern and Scandi-chic – on the seventh floor is something of a masterstroke. Here, arriving guests are afforded quite superb views North across the city and the Firth of Forth to the Kingdom of Fife through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

This morning enjoy a public small group walking tour of Edinburgh’s Old Town and discover some of the secrets of this most atmospheric of neighbourhoods. Transfer to the airport after lunch for the short flight across the Irish Sea to vibrant Dublin. You will be met on arrival and taken straight to your hotel for your welcome dinner with your Irish tour leader.

Your accommodation in Dublin

This independent hotel lies in a superbly central location, perfect to explore the city. The shops of Grafton St and the many bars and restaurants of the city are close to hand. Rooms are modern and the hotel boasts its own whiskey bar.

Disembark and head to a fine dockside restaurant for a delicious lunch with your tour leader and an expert local guide. After lunch, you’ll have time with one of Ireland’s leading storytellers – listen in as Celtic folklore is brought to life right in front of you, from the myths and urban legends of Ireland and Scotland, to authentic family stories.

With a little luck, the Galway Hookers will be out on the bay. Their famous red sails ripple, sharpened bows cutting through the water, pulling the sea open like a clam. Perhaps learn of the Claddagh fishing industry’s rich history, before wandering away from the dockside towards the Latin Quarter and the cathedral.

You’ll have some time at leisure to explore the delights of Galway City, including exceptional fresh seafood and delectable Guinness if you wish.

Your accommodation in Galway 

Your accommodation is right in the heart of the city, only a short walk from the water. Enjoy the ambiance of this relaxed setting and go for a drink in the luxurious bar, or maybe head out and explore the city on your doorstep. The staff are welcoming and take pride in offering the most comfortable setting in Galway. The attention to detail makes this a special place to spend the next two nights.

A short ferry ride from the mainland brings the group to the Aran Islands. A visit to the largest island, Inis Mór, is sure to be a highlight of the trip – jigsaw pieces of grey rock rise high out of the ocean, dry stone dykes thread over the bare green of rooted weed and grass, furrows of silver wrinkle between the rocky crops.

Embark upon a guided tour with a local resident of this unusual location – visit the ruins of early Christianity, piles of shale and rebuilt chapels; walk along the cliff’s edge far above the waves breaking below; explore the prehistoric forts that grow from the rocky outcrop. The culture of this unique place is ancient, the Irish language still widely spoken in this microcosm of old ways. Many an artist and writer has been inspired by this beautiful place on the edge of Europe; tiny fields packed together on the barren planes, records of history still passed by the oral tradition, ancient monuments built amongst the dykes and grazing animals.

Head back to Galway and spend the evening at your leisure; maybe visit the cathedral on the banks of the Corrib or take a stroll on the Old Long Walk.

The morning begins with the short train journey from Galway to Ennis. Fields of gold and green stretch to the horizon, pastures brim with plump cows and grazing sheep, tractors with broken doors slow traffic. This gentle landscape has inspired songs and artists for centuries – fitting for the next destination. Freshen up at your accommodation before embarking on a short walking tour through the streets of Ennis, Ireland’s famous city of traditional music. Explore this gorgeous town, take in the flower baskets that bloom from windows along the old streets, colours abound on painted walls and smells of fresh produce fill the air outside local shops.

Tonight will be a special evening. Spend time in the company of an eminent traditional musician and learn of the quirks and lore of this place filled with music & dance. Then it’s to the pub for a traditional session. The bodhran slaps and thunders an opening beat, the fiddles stretch and yawn; music fills the room as voices quieten. Enjoy lively jigs and bittersweet folk tunes that will transport you through the times and lands of Ireland.

Your accommodation in Ennis

This 18th century traditional hotel, at the very centre of life in the town, offers a fine-dining restaurant, a bistro and a traditional pub. Its central location makes it easy to explore the area. Rooms are decorated simply and elegantly, with comfortable beds ensuring a great night’s sleep, while the hotel’s lobby area is a sumptuously furnished oasis of calm, the perfect place to relax with a refreshment or two.

Take a private coach tour and reach deep into the wilds of the west. Begin the day with a visit to the Cliffs of Moher – distant horizons sit on the ocean and birds swoop and rise on Gulf Stream warmth. Weeds and flowers cling to the rocky drop; below, waves roll into the cliffs and shatter on the rock walls. Along the way there will be plenty of surprise and excitement, this pocket of Ireland full of twists.

Next it’s onto the Burren where all is not as it seems. This Karst of limestone is a bizarre moonscape set amongst the greens of Ireland – spend the afternoon walking amongst the ridges and fissures of the eroding rock in the company of a local expert. Learn of the microcosms hidden among the gaps and their importance as a singular habitat in Ireland. Watch wild goats grazing, and discover why this strange place has been designated a European priority habitat for wildflowers.

Head back to your accommodation and spend the evening relaxing, or hit the town and take your pick of musical style and atmosphere in the ‘Mecca of Irish Traditional Music’.

This morning you’ll embark on a rail journey through the heart of Ireland. Pass through quaint towns and villages and the changing scenes of Irish life – turf smoke puffs from cottage chimneys and gorse bush bristles amongst field and crops. Your tour leader will be on hand with stories concerning Ireland’s rich history and mythology.

Arrive in Killarney and freshen up at your accommodation before stepping back in time. Outside the hotel, you will be picked up in a jaunting car – Ireland’s original train (complete with four hairy legs). The jarvey (driver) will welcome you onto the car and introduce you to the horsepower upfront before you all trot through the town and out towards Ross Castle. An imposing tower on the banks of Lough Leane, the restored 15^th century seat of O’Donoghue, Ross is a fascinating visit. Surrounded by the lush forests and green hills of the Killarney National Park, you’ll spend the afternoon gazing at the views from your horse and cart. Learn of the area’s history from a local expert before trotting back to your hotel.

Your accommodation in Killarney

Set within easy walking distance of many of the attractions in this classic Co Kerry town, this is one of Killarney’s longest-established hotels, now enjoying a renewed lease of life under local ownership. In addition to enjoying a prime central location, the hotel offers a host of facilities on site, including an inviting restaurant and well stocked whiskey bar, all wrapped up in six acres of landscaped grounds.

Today will be a mixture of stunning scenery and a chance to explore the Irish coastline. Traverse the famous Ring of Kerry – sea stacks and seaside villages, green meadows and shale splintered mountains. On a private coach you’ll wend your way through the views and drama of Ireland – hear tales of pirate queens and ambitious smugglers, rustic dangers and characters descended from the landscape. Follow narrow roads between cliff face and drop, curving with the coast and sea. Dramatic vistas and beautiful views; each corner turned is another moment to remember. Stop for lunch beside the sea and enjoy fresh produce landed at the pier just a short walk away.

Then it’s on to a truly different experience. In the hands of one of Ireland’s foremost seaweed and foraging experts, explore the diverse shoreline and learn which species are edible (and maybe try a few). With each step, the vibrant colours of the plants are revealed – the huge selection of species and tastes held between the pools and bedrock is staggering. Much of these flavours are sought out by chefs around the country and further afield – you’ll end the day with a newfound wonder at the bounty of the shore.

Complete the circuit and head back to your accommodation for the final night and a farewell dinner in the company of your travel companions.

The trip concludes with a train journey from Killarney back to Dublin. Say fond farewells to your fellow travellers before continuing on with your plans. Maybe tag on a trip to the North of Ireland and the Causeway Coast to make an odyssey of your holiday – do let us know if we can help.