The Shetland and the Orkney Islands in the far north off the Scottish coast are places of wild and dramatic charm. They boast a rich history from the first Neolithic settlement at Skara Brae to the remarkable tales of skill and courage of the ‘Shetland Bus’ as its crews braved the north sea on their missions to occupied Norway in World War II. We have two days of guided tours there to delve into their secrets and see the best of the unspoiled and remote scenery. The east coast of Scotland holds its own charms and historic gems. We visit Dundee, the wonderful Glamis Castle and the House of Dun.

ITINERARY

Day 1 Leaving the South Coast we travel via the Dartford Crossing and onto the motorways heading north to our overnight hotel in the Durham area.

Day 2 Soon after we set off we enter Scotland and drive through the Borders via Perth and Inverness to our hotel in Strathpeffer. A day of stunning scenery with stops enroute for refreshments and sightseeing.

Day 3 Our journey, after breakfast, continues north to Scrabster where we catch the 13.15 Northlink ferry to Stromness on the Orkney Isles. After sailing past the highest vertical cliffs in Britain, we arrive mid afternoon and drive to our hotel in the pretty town of Kirkwall for free time for exploration and our overnight hotel.

Day 4 Today we enjoy a full day guided tour of Orkney, including the World Heritage Site of Skara Brae, Skaill House, the Ring of Brodgar, the Churchill Barriers, the Italian Chapel and Scapa Flow. We return to our hotel for our evening meal before boarding our ferry for an overnight sailing to Lerwick on the Shetland Isles.

Day 5 We arrive in Lerwick early morning having breakfasted on board, and meet our local guide for another day of wonderful scenery. We visit the outstanding site of Jarlshof in the south, 17th Century Scalloway Castle and Museum and have time in Lerwick to explore. We reboard our ferry late afternoon and have dinner on board before our overnight sailing.

Day 6 The ship docks early morning but you will remain onboard and have a leisurely breakfast before disembarking and joining the coach for a tour through Royal Deeside. A refreshment stop will be made at Braemar and then we travel via the Spittal of Glenshee and Strathardale to Pitlochry for lunch and then to our hotel in Dundee for a three-night stay.

Day 7 A free day for sightseeing in Dundee. We would suggest that you visit Discovery Point, Captain Scott’s Antarctic expedition ship, or the Mills Observatory. Alternatively of course you could spoil yourself and use the luxury spa and pool facilities within the hotel or explore the extensive gardens.

Day 8 A full day out today to include a visit to Glamis Castle and Gardens. There will be a lunch break in Arbroath on the coast and then we will visit the House of Dunn, the beautiful Georgian mansion and gardens overlooking the Montrose Basin.

Day 9 We leave Dundee making our way over the famous Forth Road Bridge and around Edinburgh. A stop will be made at Jedburgh enroute to our overnight hotel in the Yorkshire area.

Day 10 We make our way south through Derbyshire and return to the South Coast via Oxford. We reach the south coast late afternoon where your taxis will be waiting to take you home.