Itinerary includes 12 nights luxury accommodation, breakfast each morning, 10 lunches, 10 dinners, Porterage of one suitcase per person. Minibus travel including tour guide. Knowledgeable guide for all tourist venues. All sightseeing and entertainment as indicated in itinerary including any entrance fees. All taxes and service charges. $4495US per person double occupancy. $995US per person single supplement. $500 per person deposit required to book your tour. To make your deposit with PayPal |
Scottish Dream Tours presents A Friends and Family Luxury Country House Tour of Scotland May 30th - June 11th, 2010 |
| Day 1 - May 30th - You will be met at Edinburgh International Airport but our Scottish adventure begins in the Borders region of Scotland just outside the village of Biggar. You will spend your first week in Toftcombs House, a truly delightful classic country house with views across the stunning Scottish countryside. This wonderful Baronial Style Red Sandstone Country House was once the former home of the Gladstone Family made famous by Prime Minister William Gladstone. Set in 10 acres of grounds, the beautifully furnished home has a classic country house that still retains the period features of when it was built in 1832 and provides elegant surroundings with all the luxury and comfort of a stately country home. The magnificent well proportioned reception rooms and dining rooms are ideal for entertaining with open fires and the large reception hall with minstral gallery is ideal for hosting parties and events. Before we arrive at Toftcombs we will visit Traquair House, Scotland's oldest continuously inhabited house with history stretching over 900 years. The house has ties to Mary Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie. Upon your arrival to Toftcombs House you will be met with fresh scones, shortbread and tea in the drawing room before you are shown to your room. You will have some time to investigate your new home before a lovely Welcoming Dinner in the formal dining room. Life for the next two weeks will be a leisurely and pampered existence with breakfast served each morning between 8:30 and 9:30 with your day starting at 9:30. Each evening that we dine at home you will be served tea and scones in the drawing room at 4:00 to tide you over until a later gourmet dinner. Dinner at home this evening followed by a get acquainted reception. (L,D) Day 2 - This morning we first visit one of my favorite places, Abbotsford House, home to Sir Walter Scott. Abbotsford house's many of Scott's collection including items of Rob Roy MacGregor who he immortalized in word. As we are in Abbey Country we will take in a couple of the Borders Abbeys including Melrose, probably Scotland's most well know ruin. King Robert the Bruce's heart is buried in the abbey courtyard. Next is Dryburgh Abbey, which enjoys a mystical setting on the River Tweed. Sir Walter Scott is interned here. Our last visit of the day will be to Jedburgh Abbey. The Abbey was founded, initially as a priory, by King David I in 1138. His intention was partly to demonstrate to the English that the Scots could build on a grand scale so close to the oft disputed border between the two countries. Dinner at home this evening. (B,L,D) Day 3 - Today we journey to Scotland's capitol city, Edinburgh. You will be put aboard and Open Top Bus for a Tour of the City. On your way around the city you will see Palace of the Holyrood, Grey Friar's Bobby and Deacon Brodie' along with Edinburgh Castle. Get on and off at your own pace. Before an afternoon of taking in Princes Street and the Royal Mile we will gather for Afternoon Tea at Miss Benson's Tearoom in Juniper Green. This evening we will be out to a Highland Dinner and Scottish Evening complete with Bagpipes, Song, Dance and the Ceremony of the Haggis! (B,L,D) Day 4 - Today you will have the day free to explore Toftcombs and the grounds of the house. The Drawing Room with bay windows has views over the garden and an open fireplace. There is a full sized snooker table in the magnificent Games Room and a Music Room with drum kit and electric piano along with a small study with broadband connection. The fully enclosed and Gated Garden has wide terraced lawns ideal to sit and enjoy the views. There are a further 10 acres of paddocks and grounds for you to enjoy. We will have an Afternoon Tea in the lovely garden this afternoon. The pretty village of Biggar is a short walk away with traditional pubs, restaurants and quaint shops. Dinner on your own this evening. (B,L) Day 5 - Today will find us in Scotland's largest city, Glasgow. Upon arrival in Glasgow we will visit Glasgow City Chambers building. The City Chambers is truly an architectural delight in the grandest Victorian Style. After some shopping time on Sauchiehall Street we will meet at Bradford's Tearoom for Afternoon Tea. Later this afternoon before we leave Glasgow behind we will visit Glasgow Cathedral. The Cathedral is one of the few to escape destruction during the Scottish Reformation and dates to the 13th century. There had been a religious site here since the 6th century and Glasgow's Patron Saint, St. Mungo is buried in a crypt in the cathedral basement. Dinner at home this evening followed by Whisky Tasting. (B,L,D) Day 6 - Today we spend in county Dumfries and Galloway. On our way to the town of Dumfries we will stop at the Moffat Woollen Mills Outlet. Once in Dumfries we will stop at the Globe Pub which was a regular haunt of Robert Burns. Dumfries was founded as a Royal Burgh in 1186 on the east side of the lowest crossing point of the River Nith and grew rapidly as a market town and port. You will have some time to investigate Dumfries and find a bit of lunch on your own before we visit the churchyard where Burns is Buried and visit the Robert Burns House Museum. The end of the day finds us returning to Toftcombs for Dinner and a Musical Evening. (B,D) Day 7 - Today we head for the Highlands. On the way north we will stop at Dunfermline Palace and Abbey. King Robert the Bruce is buried under the pulpit in the abbey. Our next stop will be Perth for Afternoon Tea at the Royal George Hotel. The hotel has lovely views of the River Tay. Our next stop of the day is Scone Palace. Scone is the home of the Earls of Mansfield. Once the crowning place of Scottish Kings, Scone Palace occupies a unique position in Scotland's history. A breathtakingly beautiful place of power and mystery and the rightful home of the celebrated Stone of Scone, Scone Palace is regarded as a national treasure and is revered as the historic jewel in Scotland's crown. Dinner tonight at our new home in the Highlands. (B,L,D) Your second week's stay will be at Glenisla in the Perthshire Highlands in a house that was a favorite holiday home of former President George Bush. Wester Brewlands is a fine spacious Scottish Country House elegantly furnished with care, attention and period antiques. There are wonderful views to the front across the 20-acre garden and down the glen. Following the best traditions of Scottish Castles, antlers hang in the entrance hall and the spacious drawing room seats 14 people with log fire, deep sofas and antique furniture, antique rugs and family photographs. The library is clad in one of the family's tartans with a log fire, TV, video and bookshelves filled with Scottish interest books, guidebooks, novels, board games and magazines. The dining room is traditional in style with antique furniture. Day 8 - Today will be spent in the Angus Countryside. Our first stop will be Glamis Castle, the childhood home of The Queen Mother and the legendary setting for Shakespeare's Macbeth. The castle is home to the Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorn and is a true fairy tale castle. We will visit Kirriemuir which is the home of J M Barrie the creator of Peter Pan. Before we visit the Barrie Home we will stop for Lunch at the Angus Fine Art Gallery and Tearoom. Barrie was born in a little whitewashed cottage which displays his writing desk, photos and newspaper clippings. The washhouse outside was Barrie's first theatre as a child and was the model for the house built by the Lost Boys for Wendy in Never-Never Land. This evening we are out the Glenisla Hotel for a Pub Dinner followed by a games night back at home. (B,L,D) Day 9 - Today's journey takes us to the Kingdom of Fife. In Fife we find St. Andrews, the legendary home of Golf. We also find St. Andrews Castle and Cathedral. The Castle was the former Bishops' Palace, the residence of the Archbishops of St Andrews. The Cathedral itself dates from around 1160, and was consecrated in the presence of Robert the Bruce in July 1318. From here we journey to the wee fishing village of Anstruther which is famous for the best Fish and Chips in Scotland and we of course will be partaking before a visit to Falkland Palace and Gardens. The Royal Palace of Falkland was the country residence of Stuart Kings and Queens when they hunted deer and wild boar in the Fife forest. Mary Queen of Scots spent some of the happiest days of her tragic life here. The Gardens of Falkland are lovely with its 17th century orchard and a building which houses the oldest tennis court in the world! Dinner at home this evening followed by Bagpipes in the drawing room. (B,L,D) Day 10 - Today you will have a free day to explore Wester Brewlands and the Grounds. The house is surrounded by tranquil and beautiful countryside with a wildflower reserve close by and an abundance of wildlife including red squirrels, ospreys and huge herds of deer. The ancient formal garden, with revolving summerhouse, leads out through 120 acres of terraced lawns, gardens and deciduous woodland to a secret loch and down to the River Isla. A 300 yard walk from the garden through birch and native cherry trees brings you to the curling pond, a secret loch hidden in the woods with an 18th century stone boat house. Late afternoon Garden Barbecue before an outing to the Pitlochry Festival Theatre for a live performance. (B,D) Day 11 - Today we visit Branklyn Gardens in Perth. Gardeners and botanists from all over the world come to see the outstanding plants - rhododendrons, alpines, herbaceous and peat-garden plants. My favorite is the striking Blue Himalayan Poppy. We will enjoy some free time in Perth before we are off to Ballathie Country House Hotel for Afternoon Tea. We will also visit Huntingtower Castle before leaving Perth behind. Huntingtower was originally built by the Ruthven family in the 15th century although they had held the lands since the 13th century and was originally called the House of Ruthven. The castle has exceptionally painted ceilings dated from 1540 and Mary Queen of Scots visited in 1565 while on honeymoon with Lord Darnley. There is a legend of a Ruthven daughter, Dorothy, leaping between the towers to avoid being found by her mother in her lover's bedroom! Tonight you will be free for dinner. (B,L) Day 12 - Much of today will be spent in and around my favorite Highland village of Pitlochry. Queen Victoria called it the loveliest spa village in all of Europe. We will first visit the Queen's View, made famous by Queen Victoria's visit in 1866. We then visit the lovely Blair Castle and Gardens. Bonnie Prince Charlie spent 2 days here in this 700 year old rambling, turreted castle with over 32 rooms open to the public. You can also visit the lovely walled Hercules Garden and Diana's Grove. We will stop at the Atholl Arms where we will have a pub lunch in the Bothy Bar before we our off to the village of Pitlochry. Afternoon Free in Pitlochry to visit the many shops that line Main Street. You will want to take in the Heather Gems Factory and possibly Blair Atholl Distillery, home to Bells Blended Whisky. Farewell Dinner at home this evening. (B,L,D) Day 13 - June 11th - After a lovely Farewell Breakfast on our last morning you will journey to the Edinburgh International Airport for the return trip home. (B) |
| Highlights include: Traquair House, Peebles, Melrose Abbey, Jedburgh Abbey, Dryburgh Abbey, Edinburgh, Edinburgh Castle, Shopping on Princes Street and the Royal Mile, Highland Dinner and Show, Afternoon Tea at Cringletie House, Sir Walter Scott's Abbotsford House, Whisky Tasting, Glasgow and Glasgow Cathedral, Dumfries and the Globe Tavern, Robert Burns Burial Tomb, Robert Burns House, Angus and Glamis Castle, Pitlochry and the Pitlochry Festival Theatre, St. Andrews, Falkland Palace, Perth and Scone Palace and much, much more! A small intimate tour of Edinburgh and the Borders, Glasgow and Dumfries and Galloway, Pitlochry, the Cairngorms, the Kingdom of Fife, St. Andrews, the Highlands and beautiful Scottish Countryside. This tour is designed to accommodate only 10 - 12 people for a more personal experience and to allow you to get the most of your Scottish holiday. You will not be rushed from venue to venue and we spend as little time on the bus as possible. You will spend one week in a luxurious Scottish Country House in the Borders and one week in the Highlands. Itinerary includes 12 nights luxury accommodation in fine Scottish country houses, breakfast each morning, 10 lunches including sumptuous afternoon teas and garden picnics and barbecues, 10 dinners including three course Gourmet Dinners at home. Porterage of one suitcase per person. Minibus travel including tour guide and driver. Knowledgeable guide for all tourist venues. All sightseeing and entertainment as indicated in itinerary including any entrance fees. All taxes and service charges. Regularly $4495US per person double occupancy. Limited singles available. $500 per person deposit required to book your tour. To make your deposit with PayPal |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |