Hop Around The Hebrides

Escape from it all on this spectacular tour of the Hebrides (Inner & Outer), one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Boasting some of the best beaches and breathtaking coastal scenery in Europe, flourishing wildlife, fascinating history and unique island cultures, this tour is, quite literally, a breath of fresh air.\n\nNB sites visited on this tour may have uneven surfaces and good walking shoes are recommended. Warm clothing is also recommended as winds can be high even in the summer.Highlights
- Hotels for the 8 nights with breakfast and dinner (One early dinner on the ferry from Uig to Tarbert)- Tea /coffee after dinner- Entrance to Gearrannan Blackhouse Village- Entrance to Dunvegan Castle- Ferry crossing between Return Oban - Craignure // Mallaig - Armadale // Uig - Tarbert // Stornoway - Ullapool- Porterage throughout tour

Your Itinerary
Day 1 - To Dumfries - After joining your holiday coach, travel north with suitable stops for lunch and refreshments. Arrive at your overnight hotel, 3* Cairndale Hotel in Dumfries in time for your evening meal. DBB\n\nDay 2 - After breakfast, travel north through the lovely scenery of the Scottish borders to Stirling, the wee city with a big history, which punches well above its weight for historic attractions and spectacular scenery, not to mention shopping and places to eat. Stirling Castle (entrance not included - approx. £19.50pp in 2023) is one of Scotland's most historically important sites NB The castle sits atop Castle Hill, a steep cobbled incline. Then it's through the glorious Trossachs National Park along the shores of Loch Lubnaig for your 2-night stay at the 3* Killin Hotel. DBB\n\nDay 3 - A Day on Mull - Head to the West Coast today to Oban for the morning ferry to Mull, one of the beautiful Inner Hebridean islands! Rugged landscapes, breathtaking scenery, coastal cliffs, sparkling lochs, white sandy beaches and ancient history are just a few of the things that make this day trip magical and memorable. Time at leisure in Tobermory, Mull's main town and one of the prettiest ports in Scotland, thanks to the colourful harbour-front houses and a sheltered bay where legend has it one of the Spanish Armada ships sank in 1588 carrying gold bullion. It was also the setting for the children's TV show Balamory. Return to Oban this afternoon and head back to the hotel in Killin in time for dinner\n\nDay 4 - Glencoe, Fort William to Skye - So much to see today as you drive across the wilderness of Rannoch Moor, to descend into the one of the most beautiful places in Scotland, Glencoe where the deep valley and towering mountains were carved out centuries ago by icy glaciers and volcanic explosions. Along the banks of Loch Linnhe to Fort William, onward passed Loch Eil and the famous Glennfinnan Viaduct to Mallaig for the afternoon ferry to Armadale on the Isle of Skye. Check into the 3* Dunollie Hotel in Broadford for 2 nights DBB\n\nDay 5 - A Day on Skye - A full day to explore the magical Misty Isle Tour with a local guide and capture the best views of The Cullin Mountains. Entrance is included to the excellent Dunvegan Castle and Gardens in the north of the island. Dunvegan is Skye's most famous historic building and is the seat of the chief of Clan MacLeod. There are some interesting artefacts including Bonnie Prince Charlie's waistcoat and a lock of his hair, donated by Flora MacDonald's granddaughter. Return to the hotel for dinner this evening\n\nDay 6 - Portree, Harris & Lewis - Depart the hotel this morning for Portree, the main town on Skye for some free time. Set around a natural harbour and fringed by high ground and cliffs, the town is a popular spot used by fishing boats as well as pleasure craft. Head to Uig for the afternoon ferry to Tarbert with a 2-course early dinner on board. En-route to your hotel in Stornoway, take a scenic drive to the West Coast of South Harris to Luskentyre Sands, one of the largest and most spectacular beaches in the Outer Hebrides. Lyskentyre boasts miles of white sand, wonderful sand dunes and stunning green-blue water. Continue to Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, where you will find a host of traditional pubs and a harbour with a couple of resident seals. Check in for two nights in 3* Caladh Inn Hotel, just a short walk from Stornoway town centre. 1 night BB & 1 night DBB\n\nDay 7 - Exploring the Isle of Lewis - Lewis is the largest of the Western Isles but remains refreshingly unspoilt and uncrowded. It is home to some of the most important seabird colonies in the UK as well as some intriguing heritage and archaeological sites. During the included tour of Lewis, together with a local guide, you will visit the ancient Iron Age fortification of Carloway Broch and the Gearrannan Blackhouse Village, where you experience the way of life of a typical 19th century crofting community. Return to Stornoway mid-afternoon. DBB\n\nDay 8 - Depart Stornoway early this morning for the crossing to Ullapool back on the mainland. Head south today passing by Inverness and the magnificent Cairngorms National Park which is twice the size of the Lake District and home to more mountains, forest paths, rivers, lochs and distilleries than imaginable. Continue via Pitlochry, with its timeless Victorian ambiance, back across the border for your final overnight at the 4* Copthorne Hotel Newcastle. DBB\n\nDay 9 - Homeward bound - After breakfast, head back through Northern England, with ample stops for coffee and refreshments. Continue back to the local joining points via the fast motorway network arriving back mid/late evening.Your Hotels
KILLIN HOTEL, KILLIN - 2 nights\nThe traditional 3* Killin Hotel is situated in the central Highlands of Perthshire at the west end of Loch Tay, surrounded by the most incredible and breathtaking mountains, rivers and lochs. The hotel offers comfortable en-suite bedrooms with tea / coffee making facilities. The traditional Tartan room overlooks the picturesque river Lochay and the Munro's beyond and there is a the modern and newly renovated conservatory and the bar/bistro area. There is a lift in the hotel and some rooms (ground floor) maybe located in the adjacent annex\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDUNOLLIE HOTEL, BROADFORD, SKYE - 2 nights\nSet on the waterfront of Broadford Bay, this relaxed, low-rise hotel is 7 minutes' walk from Broadford village and offers a good standard of en-suite guest accommodation featuring TV and tea / coffee making facilities. There is a restaurant and lounge bar. Please note there is no lift at the hotel. There are some internal steps at the hotel (7 steps to the restaurant) and ground floor rooms also have a couple of steps\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCALADH INN, STORNOWAY, LEWIS - 2 nights\nThis very friendly 3* hotel is located just a few minutes' walk from the town centre as well as the port. Owned by the same family for over 20 years, the Caladh Inn provides a warm welcome, 68 traditionally styled bedrooms, a light and airy restaurant specialising in local produce as well as a small, traditional bar. There is a lift as well as tea / coffee making facilities in the room\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n