House of travel UK & Ireland Brochure 2017 | Page 37

The Northern Highlands Home to some of Scotland’s most impressive wilderness and hospitable towns. This itinerary will take you through Cairngorm National Park, towards the least explored areas of the north east and north westerly tip of the country. Dunrobin Castle © VisitScotland & Paul Tomkins 8 days/7 nights Suggested Self-Drive Tongue Lairg Day 1: Edinburgh Visit some of Edinburgh’s famous attractions including the Royal Mile and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Urquhart Castle Loch Ness Fort Augustus Day 2: Edinburgh – Perth – Aviemore (204km) Travel north over the Firth of Forth to reach Perthshire’s stunning scenery. In the picturesque Victorian town of Pitlochry visit Edradour, the smallest whisky distillery in Scotland. Explore the Cairngorm National Park on your way up to Aviemore. Fort William Glencoe Day 5: Thurso – Tongue – Lairg (130km) Travel on the single track coastal road to Tongue. The road will take you south by the mountains of Ben Loyal and Ben Klibeck to the village of Lairg. Day 6: Lairg – Fort Augustus (128km) Loch Ness stretches its bitterly cold waters for 38km between Inverness and Fort Augustus and the shores makes for a beautiful scenic journey. Day 7: Fort Augustus – Loch Lomond (172km) Follow the famous Caledonian Canal to Fort William as you head towards Loch Lomond, the largest loch in the whole of Great Britain. Day 8: Loch Lomond – Glasgow (53km) Enjoy the tranquil beauty of the Loch’s wooded shores and island vistas before a scenic drive to the energetic city of Glasgow. Rental car: Hertz (Group B) from $39 per day Our favourite places to stay: • Royal Hotel, Thurso • The Lovat Loch Ness, Fort Augustus • Cameron House, Loch Lomond Italian Chapel, Lamb Holm © VisitScotland & Paul Tomkins Thurso Dunrobin Castle Inverness Aviemore SCOTLAND Dunkeld Perth Loch Lomond Day 3: Aviemore – Inverness – Thurso (221km) Journey through one of the least explored areas of Scotland, up to Inverness and along the north eastern coast. As the road snakes towards Thurso, be sure to stop at the magnificent Dunrobin Castle. Day 4: Orkney Islands Take the ferry to the Orkney Islands to see Skara Brae and Maeshowe, the prehistoric sites that predate the Pyramids. Orkney Islands Maeshowe Skara Brae Stormness Glasgow Pitlochry Scone Palace EDINBURGH Highlights worth seeing along the way Climb the ramparts of Edinburgh Castle – The castle dominates the city centre skyline and from the ramparts you can look down on medieval lanes and sweeping terraces that hold over a thousand year of history, mystery and tradition. Admire the treasures inside Scone Palace – This superb Gothic building is the ancient crowning place of the Kings of Scotland and holds many historical treasures. Dunkeld – Medieval cathedral on the banks of Loch Tay. See a falconry display at Dunrobin Castle – The gardens, inspired by the Palais de Versailles are a beautiful backdrop to this exciting display. Admire the Italian Chapel – Built by Italian prisoners of war on the tiny island of Lamb Holm, Orkney. Discover history in Glencoe – One of Scotland’s most dramatic glens and the scene of the cruel massacre of the Clan Macdonald by Clan Campbell. Wander through Urquhart Castle – Sitting magnificently on the banks of the famous Loch Ness. Stroll through Luss – Stop at this picturesque village to admire the cute cottages. Kelvingrove Art Gallery – View this amazing collection of exhibits. Skara Brae © VisitScotland Loch Lomond © VisitScotland The price guide shown is per car hire based on 7+ day hire rate. Price sh own does not include Earlybird or other discounted offers. Specials and surcharges may apply depending on travel date 33