Walk through Scotland: The Highlands and Isle of Skye
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Luggage transfer
24h telephone assistance
Hotel accommodations
Explore the natural beauty of the Scottish Highlands as you make iconic tours of the UK's northernmost railway line, the North Highland and West Highland lines.
Walking along wooded trails and mountains that will allow you to get to know Inverness, Blair and Urquhart castles, the latter being part of the cruise tour on the mysterious Loch Ness.
On this route, you will also encounter the Caledonian Canal, an outstanding engineering work that connects the lochs of Oich, Lochy, Dochfour and Ness.
- Visit Blair Atholl Distillery, located in the village of
- Tour Neptune's Staircase locks, built by Thomas Telford between 1803 and 1822.
- At Fort William, you can enjoy views of Ben Nevis, the UK's highest peak at 1,345 metres high.
- Walk to Spean Bridge and get to know the Commando Memorial.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrival at Blair Atholl
This route starts in Scotland's capital, Edinburgh. From the city's airport, take a bus to the train station where you will take your transport to the village of Blair Atholl, located in the middle of the Grampian Mountains and surrounded by the River Garry.
Overnight in Blair Atholl
Dalgreine Guest House
Dalgreine is located in the beautiful village of Blair Atholl, nestled on the southern edge of the Cairngorms National Park. All rooms come with a TV, tea/coffee making facilities, and a hairdryer. Additionally, there is a relaxing lounge opposite the dining room exclusively for guests.
*In case this accommodation is not available, you will stay at a similar category one.
*In case this accommodation is not available, you will stay at a similar category one.
Day 2 - Enjoy your day around Blair Atholl 11,6 miles I 18,7 km
Today's walk will take you along to Blair Castle and its surroundings. This is one of Scotland's most famous castles, surrounded by beautiful gardens, ensuring a peaceful walk. Inside, you can find carefully preserved works of art and antiques.
After getting to know the castle, you can take an optional walk to Pitlochry to get to know the Blair Atholl Distillery or walk through the wooded Faskally Wood area.
After getting to know the castle, you can take an optional walk to Pitlochry to get to know the Blair Atholl Distillery or walk through the wooded Faskally Wood area.
Overnight in Blair Atholl
Dalgreine Guest House
Dalgreine is located in the beautiful village of Blair Atholl, nestled on the southern edge of the Cairngorms National Park. All rooms come with a TV, tea/coffee making facilities, and a hairdryer. Additionally, there is a relaxing lounge opposite the dining room exclusively for guests.
*In case this accommodation is not available, you will stay at a similar category one.
*In case this accommodation is not available, you will stay at a similar category one.
Day 3 - Blair Atholl to Inverness 6,7 miles I 10,8 km
Head by train to Inverness, a cosmopolitan city with a great range of gastronomy, galleries and charming places like Inverness Castle and St Andrew's Cathedral.
This city is very close to the famous Loch Ness, which you can cruise with different tour options, among which you can get to know the ruins of Urquhart Castle, the village of Fort Augustus, and the Loch Ness Centre & Exhibition.
This city is very close to the famous Loch Ness, which you can cruise with different tour options, among which you can get to know the ruins of Urquhart Castle, the village of Fort Augustus, and the Loch Ness Centre & Exhibition.
Overnight in Inverness
Ardross & Glencairn Guesthouse
Ardross & Glencairn is conveniently located near the center of the Highlands, close to the River Ness, and only a few minutes' walk from the city center. Enjoy a pleasant stay in this cozy, clean, and comfortable guesthouse.
*In case this accommodation is not available, you will stay at a similar category one.
*In case this accommodation is not available, you will stay at a similar category one.
Day 4 - Inverness to Portree
Enjoy a unique experience as you travel by train along the North Highland Line, the UK's most northerly railway line. You'll be amazed by the variety of landscapes in the Scottish Highlands, including mountains, forests, rivers and coastline. You can purchase the train ticket at the stations or through the website of the Scottish train company.
The train journey takes you to Kyle of Lochalsh and here you must take a bus on your own which continues across the Isle of Skye to Portree, its capital.
The train journey takes you to Kyle of Lochalsh and here you must take a bus on your own which continues across the Isle of Skye to Portree, its capital.
Overnight in Portree
The Rosedale Hotel and Restaurant
Cozy accommodation located in front of the Portree harbor, where you can enjoy spacious rooms with magnificent views of the coast. Take the opportunity to try local products in its outstanding restaurant.
*In case this accommodation is not available, you will stay at a similar category one
*In case this accommodation is not available, you will stay at a similar category one
Day 5 - Enjoy your day at The Storr 10 miles I 16,2 km
Today you will walk around Portree, a town with a beautiful harbour where fishing and tourist boats arrive. It is also a cultural centre that is home to the Aros Centre - a venue for cinema, live music, dance, theatre and other cultural activities.
Start the day by taking a bus on your own account to The Storr car park to head to The Old Man of Storr, ancient stone pinnacles that form part of Trotternish Ridge. From here, you'll have a pleasant walk along the coast back to Portree.
Start the day by taking a bus on your own account to The Storr car park to head to The Old Man of Storr, ancient stone pinnacles that form part of Trotternish Ridge. From here, you'll have a pleasant walk along the coast back to Portree.
Overnight in Portree
The Rosedale Hotel and Restaurant
Cozy accommodation located in front of the Portree harbor, where you can enjoy spacious rooms with magnificent views of the coast. Take the opportunity to try local products in its outstanding restaurant.
*In case this accommodation is not available, you will stay at a similar category one
*In case this accommodation is not available, you will stay at a similar category one
Day 6 - Portree to Fort William
The first destination of the day will be Armadale: a small town in the southwest of West Lothian, which you reach by bus on your own from Portree.
Once in Armadale, you can take the ferry, which is included, to Mallaig: the gateway to the Isle of Skye with a large fishing harbour.
From Mallaig, you will head by train to Fort William, a beautiful seaside town, where some scenes from the 1995 film Braveheart were filmed. This is the perfect place to explore the western mountains.
Once in Armadale, you can take the ferry, which is included, to Mallaig: the gateway to the Isle of Skye with a large fishing harbour.
From Mallaig, you will head by train to Fort William, a beautiful seaside town, where some scenes from the 1995 film Braveheart were filmed. This is the perfect place to explore the western mountains.
Overnight in Fort William
Myrtle Bank Guest House
This attractive 1890s Victorian villa is located by Loch Linnhe on the southern side of Fort William. Myrtle Bank Guest House offers a garden and terrace where guests can relax at the end of their walks. Enjoy cosy rooms with Wi-Fi, traditional decor and a private bathroom.
*In case this accommodation is not available, you will stay at a similar category one
*In case this accommodation is not available, you will stay at a similar category one
Day 7 - Fort William to Spean Bridge 15,3 miles I 24,7 km
Today's walk will take you along the Caledonian Canal, which connects Oich, Lochy, Dochfour and Ness lochs. You'll tour the locks of Neptune's Staircase, an impressive engineering work that lifted the canal 19 metres and was built by Thomas Telford between 1803 and 1822.
Continue along a wooded path to Spean Bridge, home to the famous Commando Memorial, built in 1952 to commemorate fallen soldiers from World War II.
Continue along a wooded path to Spean Bridge, home to the famous Commando Memorial, built in 1952 to commemorate fallen soldiers from World War II.
Overnight in Spean Bridge
Distant Hills Guest House
A haven of tranquility, the Distant Hills Guest House, located in the peaceful Highland village, offers comfortable and stylish rooms, quality beddings and towels, and free wifi throughout the property. Start your day right with their delicious gourmet breakfast made with the finest local ingredients!
*In case this accommodation is not available, you will stay at a similar category one.
*In case this accommodation is not available, you will stay at a similar category one.
Day 8 - Glasgow
This day you will take the famous West Highland Line that will take you to Glasgow, crossing the Highlands with its beautiful landscape and forests of the Great Glen Valley.
For your return trip, in Glasgow city centre, you can take a bus route with a connection to the airport, or a taxi.
End of our services.
For your return trip, in Glasgow city centre, you can take a bus route with a connection to the airport, or a taxi.
End of our services.
Itinerary map
Services
Included
- Accommodation in en suite rooms in charming hotels
- Daily Breakfasts
- Luggage transfers between accommodations on day 7
- Ship transfer on day 7
- Information dossier with maps and routes
- 24-hour telephone support
- Sustainable travel, we compensate the CO2 emissions of your trip
- Taxes
Extras
- Travel insurance
- Cancellation insurance
- Additional nights
Accomodation
General information
The accommodations with which we collaborate have a private bathroom and all the necessary services to ensure the best comfort available.
Our team checks in situ the quality of all the accommodations offered, so that you have an unforgettable experience during your trip.
The accommodation that we will book for your trip will be selected taking into account our commitment to you: guaranteeing comfort, calm and enjoyment throughout your trip.
We work with quality hotels and country cottages with limited capacity, so we invite you to confirm your reservation as soon as possible.
The name of each accommodation will be provided to you a few weeks before your trip begins.
Room types
It is possible to book this journey in single, double or triple rooms.
All rooms have private bathrooms.
Travel & transfers
To get to the start of your route, my recommendation is to fly into Edinburgh Airport, as it is the closest airport.
From there you can take the “Airport Express” bus to “Haymarket Station”. This bus runs every 10 minutes and is operated by “Traveline”.
Once here, you can take the “Scotrail” to “Blair Atholl”. You can get tickets in advance on their website or you can buy them there directly.
If you can't find suitable flights to Edinburgh, another option would be to fly to Glasgow, and from there take the train from “Queen Street station” to “Blair Atholl”, operated by “Scotrail”.
At the end of your journey at Spean Bridge, you can always catch the 914 bus, operated by “Citylink” to Glasgow.
From there you can take the “Airport Express” bus to “Haymarket Station”. This bus runs every 10 minutes and is operated by “Traveline”.
Once here, you can take the “Scotrail” to “Blair Atholl”. You can get tickets in advance on their website or you can buy them there directly.
If you can't find suitable flights to Edinburgh, another option would be to fly to Glasgow, and from there take the train from “Queen Street station” to “Blair Atholl”, operated by “Scotrail”.
At the end of your journey at Spean Bridge, you can always catch the 914 bus, operated by “Citylink” to Glasgow.
FAQs
Is luggage transfer included? What are the luggage requirements?
Absolutely! Each traveller has included 1 piece of luggage that we will transfer between your accommodations. It's important that this piece of luggage meets the following criterias:
- Maximum weight of 45 lbs (20 kg).
- Must be only 1 piece of luggage without any attachments or accessories.
- Should not contain valuables, fragile items, food or medications.
- Must be correctly identified (booking reference of your trip and the full name of the trip holder).
How far in advance should I book my trip?
We recommend that you book as soon as you are sure about your dates, as accommodation can fill up very quickly in this area.
What equipment do I need to bring?
Once you make your reservation we will send you all the detailed information about the specific equipment you need for this route, considering recommendations for shoes, boots, clothes and a day-to day backpack.
What is the best time of year to do this trip?
The month of May turns out to be the busiest for tourists, as the weather is said to be better during this month and there are no mosquitoes. However, we consider that at any time between the months of April and October, you can have a wonderful experience on this route.
What should my physical preparation be?
To do and enjoy this route, you need to be in a good physical condition, so we recommend staying active in the months leading up to your trip.
What if I'm not able to finish one of the stages?
You can call us to arrange a private transfer for you.If you prefer, you can also use public transport or local taxis to get to your next accommodation.
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