Day 1: Travel to Scotland and the village of Drymen near Loch Lomond for a 4-night stay at the Winnock Hotel. We will stop enroute at Gretna Green in the Scottish Borders. Enjoy some free time to visit the famous Blacksmiths Shop - 'Old Smithy' in the heart of the village.
Day 2: Loch Katrine Cruise & Stirling
We travel to Loch Katrine, where you can discover the natural beauty of this legendary Loch as we take a 2-hour cruise aboard the steamship Sir Walter Scott.
We continue to Stirling, where the skyline is dominated by its castle, towering over some of the most important battlefields of Scotland’s past. Stirling is one of Scotland's most interesting places to visit. From Stirling Castle to the Old Town Jail, this city is steeped in fascinating history and offers some of the most wonderful views across the Trossachs National Park.
Day 3: Falkirk Wheel, Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway & The Kelpies
After breakfast we make the journey to the Falkirk Wheel. The wheel is a rotating boat lift, connecting the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal. It opened in 2002, reconnecting the two canals for the first time since the 1930’s. We take a round boat trip on the canals where you can experience the ascent and decent through the wheel.
Afterwards we take a return journey on the Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway with Cream Tea served on board. We will also visit the Kelpies (mythical water horses), the world’s largest equine sculptures. Marvel at the complexity and engineering which created these fantastic pieces of art, photographs can only hint at how magnificent these 30-metre-high sculptures actually are.
Day 4: Loch Lomond Cruise, Luss & Inveraray
Our first stop today is Loch Lomond shores, where we take a relaxing one-hour scenic cruise on Loch Lomond. We continue to the pretty conservation village of Luss, situated on the western shore of Loch Lomond. The village was used for the TV series ‘Take the High Road’ which cemented its popularity in the 80’s and 90’s. Enjoy some free time to wander around the village and to walk down to the Loch, no visit to Luss is complete without taking in the view from the end of the pier with Ben Lomond standing proudly over Loch Lomond.
We then travel through Arrochar and along picturesque Loch Fyne to Inveraray, a delightful, planned town and the traditional county town of Argyll. Enjoy some time at leisure in the town which is dominated by the imposing Inveraray Castle. A must-see attraction is Inveraray Jail, one of the finest and best-preserved jail and courtroom complexes in the world.
Day 5: We depart Scotland and return home to North Wales stopping for lunch in Carlisle.