Itinerary:
Day 1: Depart for Great Britain.
Day 2: Arrive in Glasgow. Drive to Oban by way of Loch Lomond and Inveraray. Check into the Oban Caledonian hotel and enjoy a welcome tea. Walk about the charming environs of this coastal town. This evening, gather with fellow travelers at a welcome reception, featuring a piper and Highland dancers. Afterwards, dinner at the hotel includes a traditional Haggis ceremony. (B,L,D)
Day 3: Travel by ferry to the Isle of Mull. Visit 13th-century Duart Castle, the ancestral home of Clan MacLean. Learn about the epic geologic and political events that shaped this storied region. Stroll through picturesque Mull and visit Tobermory Museum. This evening in Oban, enjoy a hearty Highland dinner and lively folkloric show at McTavish’s Kitchen, featuring traditional dance and singing. (B,L,D)
Day 4: En route to Skye, journey along the southwestern shore of Loch Ness and stop at Eilean Donan, “Scotland’s most romantic castle.” Pass over Skye Bridge and visit the Clan Donald Centre at Armadale Castle. On the return, take the ferry to Mallaig and travel the scenic Road to the Isles. Stop in Glenfinnan and see the monument marking the site where Bonnie Prince Charlie and his army incited the 1745 Jacobite rebellion. Learn about Scotland’s chief-ruled clan system, and the causes and effects of the Highland Clearances that began in 1785. (B,L,D)
Day 5: Begin the day with free time. Learn about all the trappings of traditional Highland dress, including a demonstration on wearing a kilt and bagpipe playing. Cross the single-arch Bridge over the Atlantic Ocean from the mainland to the Isle of Seil. Take a short ferry ride to Easdale Island and visit the Folk Museum that replicates a quarrier’s cottage. Participate in an interesting open discussion with a panel of Scots from various walks of life. (B,L,D)
Day 6: En route to Dunblane, travel south through the Trossachs National Park. Experience the interactive exhibit at the National Park Gateway Centre and learn the facts and fiction about Rob Roy, Scotland’s renowned folk hero. Then, walk along the “bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond!” Visit strategically important Stirling Castle. See the Wallace Monument that honors Scottish national hero, William Wallace, celebrated in the film, Braveheart. Continue on to the battle site of Bannockburn where Robert the Bruce defeated the English to gain Scottish independence. Upon arrival in Dunblane in the lowlands, check into the Dunblane Hydro. (B,L,D)
Day 7: Explore the Royal Mile, the Old Town, High Street and the Royal Park of Holyrood. Discuss current Scottish politics, government, the relationship to the E.U. and the ever-present independence movement. (B,L,D)
Day 8: Spend the day at leisure, or join an optional excursion to St. Andrews. This evening, enjoy a farewell party and dinner, featuring a Scottish sing-along. (B,L,D)
Day 9: Depart for the U.S. (B)
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