10 Day Tour: Inverness, Orkney, Partial NC500, Isle of Skye & the Trossachs

Day 1: Edinburgh to Inverness

After collecting you from your Edinburgh hotel we head from one UNESCO World Heritage site to another—the amazing Forth Bridge. Our first port of call is a beautiful short hike in Scotland’s ‘big tree’ country to a stunning waterfall, followed by lunch in the spa town of Pitlochry. As we near Inverness, there are two must-see places: Clava Cairns (5,000-year-old standing stones and tombs) and Culloden Battlefield (1746).

Day 2: Inverness to Orkney

We hug the dramatic north-east coast to Old Pulteney Distillery in Wick, view the incredible sea stacks at Duncansby Head and spend time at John o’ Groats, the most northerly inhabited part of mainland Britain, before the afternoon ferry from Gills Bay to St Margaret’s Hope, Orkney (a one-hour crossing).

Shortly after arriving on Orkney, we visit the Italian Chapel, built by Italian prisoners of war during the Second World War—a concession given to the Italians as a thank you for helping construct the Churchill Barriers.

Days 3 & 4: Orkney Day Tour

We visit the magnificent Maeshowe, a 5,000-year-old Neolithic chambered tomb—the entrance is a small tunnel-type corridor (not suitable for bad backs!). We then head off to two sets of standing stones, including the Ring of Brodgar, one of the largest stone circles in Europe. The venerable Neolithic township of Skara Brae is next, a collection of houses unearthed by a great storm.

We can also take a lovely walk along the wild and open Yesnaby Cliffs, with free time in Kirkwall in the late afternoon. On day 4 we return to the mainland and check in at the Tongue Hotel on the north coast.

Day 5: The North Coast to Plockton

Plockton is the most beautiful fishing village in the West Highlands (according to the writer!). It is well served with great restaurants, which need to be booked in advance.

Fun Fact: The TV series ‘Hamish Macbeth’ and the 1973 cult movie ‘The Wicker Man’ were filmed here!

Day 6: Isle of Skye Day Tour

There are so many things to see and do on the Isle of Skye that it would be impossible to see all of the great sites. The island has a coastline 400 miles long, and highlights include the Fairy Glen, the Old Man of Storr, the Fairy Pools, Neist Point and much more. Your guide will chat to you on tour about how to get the best from your time there.

Days 7 & 8: The Trossachs Trail & Whisky

We venture into the amazing Trossachs Trail and all of its treasures, including the wonderful Duke’s Pass mountain drive. At Loch Katrine, you may wish to hire bikes for a very safe ride on a traffic-free route, or climb Ben A’an—about an hour up and down, with spectacular views.

In the pretty town of Callander, you may partake in a very entertaining whisky tasting masterclass—you don’t choose the whisky, the whisky chooses you! A quick photo stop at Doune Castle, used in Outlander (Castle Leoch), Game of Thrones (Winterfell), Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Outlaw King, as well as many more.

Day 9: The Trossachs to Edinburgh via St Andrews & Fife

In the morning we take a walk into St Andrews Old Town and perhaps the castle, infamous during the Reformation. A wee stroll on the Old Course, and perhaps a game on the ‘Himalayas’ putting course. Fife is famous for its quaint fishing villages of Crail and Pittenweem; we make our way around the coast to see the home of ‘Robinson Crusoe’, then back to Edinburgh via the stunning medieval town of Falkland (Inverness in Outlander).

Day 10: Departure

Your guide and driver will meet you at your accommodation and take you to Edinburgh Airport.