Eco Tour Scotland

Programme

Day 1: Cairngorms National Park

lndividual arrival in Edinburgh. Your first drive takes you straight to heather-covered plateaus of the Cairngorms National Park. The largest national park in the United Kingdom boasts a spectacular landscape and provides a unique habitat, home to many rare plants and animals. The Pass of Drumochter is a main mountain pass in the Central Scottish Highlands and the only gap suitable for road traffic for almost 70 miles. You will pass Dalwhinnie, where Scotland’s highest distillery is situated, before stopping at the tranquil Loch an Eilean to enjoy the fresh, clean air and beautiful mountain panoramas. The area is home to the ancient Caledonian Forest with its Scots pines, which are directly descended from the first pines to arrive in Scotland following the late Glacial about 7000 BC. Your B&B for tonight prides itself on extensive recycling. Here you can relax and enjoy the wide variety of wildlife in the lovely eco-garden. Distance: 140 miles, Driving Time: about 3 hrs, Accommodation: Grantown-on-Spey

Day 2: Bird Watching and Whisky

Enjoy a delicious, locally sourced breakfast before exploring the surrounding area, which is popular with bird watchers. See if you can spot ospreys at Abernethy National Nature Reserve. After going extinct in Scotland in 1899, ospreys have been successfully re-introduced to the area in the late 1950s and have been thriving ever since. From the visitor centre you can watch live on camera some of the about 100 pairs and their nests. Visit the Insh Marches Reserve, covering 10 square kilometres of the river Spey floodplain and looked after by the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds). It is one of the most important wetland areas in Europe and home to a wide variety of breeding waders like curlew, lapwing, redshank and snipe as well as other wildlife including pine marten, wildcats, ptarmigans and golden eagle. But the Speyside is also a paradise for Whisky enthusiasts, as it has the highest number of distilleries in the country. The two best-selling Single Malt Whiskies in the world, Glenlivet and Glenfiddich, come from Speyside. Take a tour and learn more about Scotland’s famous “aqua vitae”. Benromach Distillery, for example, is producing Scotland’s only organic whisky. Accommodation: Grantown-on-Spey

Day 3: Inverpolly Natur Reservat and Knockan Crag

Today you can visit Inverpolly Nature Reserve. Founded in 1961, this remote area covers 11,000 hectares of moor- and woodlands and mountains. The Suilven might only be 731 meters high but is one of Scotland’s best known and most easily identified mountains thanks to its remarkable outline. Visit Knockan Crag National Nature Reserve to discover three billion years of geological history – preserved in rocks you can touch with your fingers. At the visitor centre you can learn more about the amazing story of colliding continents and scientific intrigue before heading along the 1.5km long path to the low cliff of Knockan with its exposed rocks that set the scientific world ablaze in the 19^th century. The Moine Thrust, as it is known, was created by the force of two continents crashing together many millions of years ago and moving older rock and sediment on top of younger one in the process. You will stay in a friendly and welcoming vegetarian B&B close to Ullapool overlooking Loch Broom. Distance: 110 miles, Driving Time: about 2.5 hrs, Accommodation: Ullapool

Day 4: Ullapool and the Summer Isles

In the morning head to picturesque Ullapool, where whitewashed cottages hug the coastline around Loch Broom and the small fishing harbour designed by Thomas Telford. Despite its small size it is the largest settlement for many miles around and an important port and tourist destination. Ferries sail to Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides. The village is known for its lively folk music scene and is a centre for Gaelic music, art and language. Explore the stunning and remote coastlines of The Summer Isles by kayak or boat and get close to the local marine wildlife. The Summer Isles are a collection of wonderful islands at the mouth of Loch Broom and the isles and sea are home to numerous sea birds, seals, dolphins, porpoise, whales and eagles. Accommodation: Ullapool

Day 5: Inverewe Gardens and Eilean Donan Castle

A little further south, on the shores of Loch Ewe, blooms the prettiest and most northerly garden Scotland’s – Inverewe Gardens. Created from barren land in 1862 by Osgood Mackenzie, the garden boasts many exotic plants from all over the world, which grow here thanks to the influence of the North Atlantic current. Inverewe has a noteworthy rhododendron collection and hosts an Erythronium festival in spring. Since 1952 the garden and estate are managed by the National Trust for Scotland. After your visit you will carry on to Eilean Donan Castle. Being one of the most photographed castles in the world, the site has also been used as setting in a variety of movies, most famously the 1986 film “Highlander”. Situated on an island at the point where three great sea lochs meet, the castle is only accessible via s small stone bridge and is one of the most visited and important attraction in the Scottish Highlands. After a short stop in Plockton, a small Highland village with stunning views overlooking Loch Carron and popular with local artists you will reach the Isle of Skye, the largest and best known of the Inner Hebrides. Distance: 165 miles, Driving Time: about 4 hrs, Accommodation: Isle of Skye

Day 6: Isle of Skye

Explore the magical Isle of Skye, its mountainous interior often draped in mist and clouds! The Cuillin mountain range, picturesque fishing villages, waterfalls and thatched cottages – every view is a great view! The basalt columns of the famous Kilt Rock sea cliff resemble a kilt, here the Mealt Waterfall plunges 200 feet into the sea. Visit the truly spectacular Quiraing Massive, with its distinctive landscape an icon of Scotland. The landslip on the north eastern side of the Trotternish Ridge is still moving today. Rock formations like The Needle, The Table and The Prison in ever-changing lightin conditions provide superb motives to be captured with your camera. In the afternoon step back in time at the “Museum of Island Life” in the north of the island. Here, traditional thatched blackhouses have been restored and offer visitors a unique experience and a true insight into island life 100 years ago. Or visit the Talisker distillery, which produces the famous island whisky. Accommodation: Isle of Skye

Day 7: Loch Ness and Fort William

Through the beautiful Glen Garry and past the majestic mountain rage of the „Fife Sisters of Kintail“ you will reach Loch Ness. Enjoy the view over the Loch from the ruins of Urquhart Castle or take a boat trip on the famous loch before continuing your journey to Fort William, the hiking capital of Scotland at the base of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Great Britain. Take the gondola up the mountain or take a short walk to Glen Nevis. You can watch seals on a local boat trip or visit the Ben Nevis Distillery. Distance: 145 miles, Driving Time: about 3.5 hrs, Accommodation: Fort William

Day 8: Glencoe, Trossachs Nationalpark and Edinburgh

Today the West Highlands have another highlight waiting for you – the spectacular Glencoe, one of Scotland’s most scenic and most historic glens. Made famous by the bloody massacre at the MacDonald clan in 1692, Glencoe is a place of towering mountains and deep valleys shaped by violent volcanic eruptions and sculpted by massive glaciers. Beyond the glen stretches one of the last remaining wildernesses in Europe, the Great Moor of Rannoch, a vast expanse of boggy moorland, lochans, rivers and rocky outcrops. Heading south on the only road through this empty stretch of land, watch out for the stags and red deer on the hills. You continue through the picturesque Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park and finally reach Edinburgh. The capital of Scotland is said to be built on seven hills, an allusion to the seven hills of Rome. A warm welcome awaits you in your relaxing B&B close to the city centre. Enjoy organic produce sourced locally from the farmers market as well as homemade bread and jam for breakfast. Distance: 135 miles, Driving Time: about 3 hrs, Accommodation: Edinburgh

Day 9: Departure 

Visit one of the many museums or the National Gallery or head to Leith where the Royal Yacht Britannia is moored. Buy these last souvenirs before you have to say goodbye to a wonderful welcoming country and an impressive tour.

Services

Tour includes

• 8 overnight stays in 3-4* eco-friendly and sustainable B&B accommodation (en-suite)
• Scottish breakfast (catering for vegetarians and vegans)
• environmentally-friendly hire car for 9 days from/to airport including insurance and Sat Nav
• donation to Atmosfair (CO2 compensation)
• donation to a social/green projects in Scotland
• Scotland road map
• comprehensive info pack including leisure and restaurant recommendations
• 24/7 emergency hotline

Not included

• flights
• lunch and dinner
• fuel
• admissions
• additional driver

Optional add-ons

• £69 pp additional night in Edinburgh/Glasgow B&B, based on 2 people sharing (£41 single supplement)
• £89 pp additional night in Edinburgh/Glasgow hotel, based on 2 people sharing (£61 single supplement)
• from £50 per day car hire extension

Additional Information

Duration: 9 days
Participants: from 2 pax
Start: until 2 pm from Edinburgh/Glasgow Airport
Finish: Edinburgh/Glasgow Airport

This tour can also be done by public transport, as an alternative to driving.

When deciding on your travel dates, please bear in mind that we require at least 6 weeks to prepare. Every trip is meticulously planned and organised, and the information pack is compiled with great care and attention. We also have to allow time for the information pack to be delivered (postal delivery can take on average 4 weeks in Europe). If you do want to travel at short notice, please contact us by email. Thank you for your cooperation!

Included in the price is a donation of £12 per Person to Atmosfair, a non-profit organisation that supports climate protection projects in the fields of energy efficiency, renewable energies and environmental education. Also included is a small donation to a social or environmental cause of our choice. For more information check out our sustainable travel page

Dates & Prices

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