Highlights
Mountains
Lochs
Prehistoric Sites
Castles
Distilleries
Ferry
Places you explore
Culzean Castle – An 18th-century castle with beautiful grounds and gorgeously elegant rooms.
Robert Burns Country – Discover the locations that inspired Scotland’s most famous poet.
Brodick and Brodick Castle – A quintessential Victorian castle that’s said to be haunted by a ‘Grey Lady’.
Isle of Arran Distillery – There used to be around 50 distilleries on Arran. But now, this is the only distillery keeping the tradition alive.
Machrie Moor stone circles – These prehistoric stone circles are the most famous archaeological sites on the Isle of Arran.
Kintyre Peninsula – Admire gorgeous coastal views in this hidden away part of Scotland.
Loch Lomond – One of Scotland’s largest lochs. Admire the views and take postcard-perfect photos to share with your friends and family.
Your journey
The Isle of Arran is nicknamed ‘Scotland in miniature’.
It’s called this because it contains everything everyone loves about Scotland in 452 square kilometres.
You find stags frolicking through forests, a castle dramatically perched on the side of a river, and all the delicious seafood and whisky you could want.
So join this tour and begin with an adventure through the land of Robert Burns, before discovering all the delights of this small but bountiful island.
Students, seniors over 60, and children between 5 and 15 (unfortunately, we don’t carry children under 5 years old)
- Pack your waterproof clothing and walking shoes
- Attraction tickets may need to be purchased in advance. More information is provided in your booking confirmation e-mail
- Transport in a 16 seat Mercedes mini-coach
- Air conditioning as standard
- The stories and services of an English-speaking driver-guide
- Entry fees to visitor attractions
- Tour accommodation
Where does this tour stay overnight?
You stay two nights in Brodick* on the Island of Arran.
*Please be aware that Brodick is busy. You may need to be flexible with rooms we’re able to reserve for you here. If you’d prefer to find your own accommodation for this location, please choose the ‘book your own accommodation’ option when you book your tour.
How does the accommodation work?
Your tour excludes accommodation; but when you book, you can ask us to reserve local accommodation for you, or you can choose to reserve your own accommodation in the overnight locations.
I want to book my accommodation, what happens now?
Once you’ve booked your tour, we’ll reserve all your accommodation, and your driver will drop you off with your hosts. You’ll pay your accommodation directly. Most don’t accept credit cards, so be prepared to pay cash.
What if I want to change my accommodation booking
Plans can change, so we let you alter your accommodation choices for free within the first 48 hours of booking. After this time, amendments aren’t guaranteed and carry a surcharge.
I booked my own accommodation is there anything I need to do?
You’ll need to contact us with your accommodation details. Please only reserve accommodation within the overnight towns that your tour stops in. Your driver will drop you off at your chosen accommodation as long as it’s relatively central.
What if I cancel my tour at short notice?
You may be liable for the cost of your first nights’ accommodation for each separate accommodation booked. If you cancel less than three days before departure, you may be liable for all your accommodation costs.
What are the accommodation types?
We try to reserve accommodation that’s no more than a 20-minute walk from the town centre. We regularly check our accommodation suppliers to ensure they reach a certain standard. The prices below are for guidance only.
B&B En suite
The showering and toilet facilities are private, and breakfast is included in the price. The cost is £45 – £65 per person per night based on shared accommodation. A single en suite is £75 – £90 per night.
Hostels
Please note, we’re unable to book hostels for this tour at the moment. You may still be able to book hostel accommodation yourself if you choose to the option to book your own accommodation for your tour.
A hostel consists of dormitory rooms with 4 to 16 bunk beds. The bathroom facilities are a short distance from the dorm room. Kitchen facilities are equipped so you can make your own meals. The cost based on dorm beds is £19 – £30 per person per night.
Please note that SYHA hostels only offer same gender dorms. Some independent hostels will offer mixed rooms (males and females together).
Do you offer hotel pickups in the departure cities?
The UK and Ireland’s historic city centres are full of narrow streets and winding roads. So, to speed up your departure, we only pick up from our central meeting points. What’s more is leaving the city using the most direct route also reduces the carbon footprint of our tours.
Is there parking close to the departure point?
We don’t recommend bringing your car into the centre of our departure cities. It can be hard to find parking, and there are excellent public transportation services.
When should I get to the departure point?
Arrive 15 minutes before your departure time. Due to waiting restrictions, we can’t wait for you if you’re late.
What happens if I’m late or miss the tour?
If you’re late for your tour, our cancellation policy applies.
What are your cancellation policies?
We have a cancellation period of 48 hours for our one day tours, 15 days for two to nine day tours, and 21 days for 10+ day tours. If cancelled outside this period, we’ll give you a full refund minus a 10% admin charge. If you cancel inside this period, refunds are at our discretion.
Can Itineraries change?
Your tour will always follow the itinerary as closely as possible. While there are ongoing coronavirus restrictions throughout the UK and Ireland, itineraries are more likely to change than usual as opening hours and capacities at many visitor attractions are reduced and subject to change. Your driver-guide will keep you up to up to date on the road, and we’ll try to get in touch about any large changes prior to your departure.
What is a guaranteed departure?
It’s simple: you book, you go. This means we’ll never cancel your tour because of a minimum numbers policy.
Can I pre-book a specific seat?
Due to logistical reasons, we’re unable to let you pre-book a seat on the bus. But our comfortable 16-seat mini-coaches have huge windows. So, you’ll always get a good view.
Are there toilets on the bus?
Unfortunately, we have no on-board toilet facilities, but you’ll have regular comfort breaks.
How do you cater for people with accessibility needs?
We aim to accommodate everyone.
Do you take children on your tours?
We regret we don’t carry children under the age of five on our scheduled tours.
You can ask us about the tours we recommend for younger children. And if your child is less than 1.35m tall, you should let us know, so we can provide them with a suitable booster seat.
How much time do I get off the bus?
We want you to enjoy Britain and Ireland. And we believe the best way to do this is to get you off the mini-coach and out exploring. So, we give you plenty of time to take photos, go walking, and explore ancient ruins.
Why do you exclude visitor attractions?
We exclude visitor attractions in your tour price because it lets you travel your way. It means you can pamper yourself with a luxury lunch or skip an attraction whenever you feel like it.
Do we need to bring our own lunch?
You don’t need to. We stop in small towns, villages, and rural eateries where you can choose whatever meal pleases both your taste buds and your budget.
Should I tip the driver-guide?
Let’s be honest, our driver-guides would never refuse a cheeky bonus. But it’s up to you, and the amount is entirely at your discretion.
What about travel insurance?
We advise you take out travel insurance.
- Marvel at the opulent interiors and lush gardens of Culzean Castle
- Explore the region that inspired Scotland’s National Bard
You travel west past Glasgow and the Whitelee Wind Farm, Europe’s largest wind farm.
You then leave the modern landscapes, and travel into Ayrshire to visit the 18th-century Culzean Castle. Here you have time to enjoy its dramatic clifftop setting, beautiful architecture, and elegant living spaces. You can also have lunch in the cafe or a picnic in the beautiful castle grounds.
Travelling towards Robert Burns’ birthplace you discover the places from his poems and songs. You stop at the visitor centre in Alloway, where you have the opportunity to find out more about this remarkable man.
You continue to Ardrossan where you catch the ferry to the Isle of Arran. You’re dropped off at your accommodation in Brodick.
- Delve into the diverse landscapes of Arran, ‘Scotland in Miniature’
- Walk among the mysterious standing stones at Machrie Moor
Arran is alive with wildlife, mountains, beaches, pubs, and restaurants. There are many options of how you can spend your time on the island, depending on the weather and your group’s interest; your driver-guide will arrange the best day out for you.
You may explore the mountainous north of the island, some of Arran’s, best beaches, Lochranza Castle, and the Arran Distillery.
Arran is also home to many stone circles dating from the Neolithic period and the early Bronze Age. You visit Machrie Moor and its six stone circles; and after exploring this area you travel south through the harbour villages of Blackwaterfoot.
Travelling back to Brodick you see The Holy Isle across the water, owned by the Samye Ling Buddhist Community.
You may make a stop at the Arran Cheese Shop, a family-owned business that’s now famous all over the world.
At Brodick, we find Brodick Castle, and situated in the shadow of this imposing red sandstone castle is Arran Brewery. This microbrewery blends naturally with its stunning surroundings, combining the island’s unique water with the finest local ingredients. You can sample this ale in many of the local pubs and restaurants; a perfect way to round off your day!
- Discover the rugged beauty of the West Highlands
- Learn about the delightful Victorian harbour town of Inveraray
Today you return to the mainland on the ferry running between Lochranza and Claonaig. This short 30-minute crossing takes you onto the Kintyre Peninsula.
You travel along the coastal road to the charming fishing village of Tarbert. The village sits on the narrowest strip of land between the two bodies of water, forming a natural harbour.
From Tarbert, you follow Loch Fyne toward the whitewashed village of Inveraray, where you have free time to explore and have lunch. After lunch, you continue over the ‘The Rest and be Thankful’ mountain pass. From here it’s a short drive to Luss and the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond before returning to Edinburgh.
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