11 Day The Scots Irish Tour
Itinerary
Day 1 : Edinburgh & Scottish
Cabaret
Your trip starts in Edinburgh Airport with a group
transfer to your hotel, departing at 8:00 am, 10:00 am or 12:00 noon. Passengers
arriving later will transfer to the hotel at their own expense. Spend a free
afternoon to rest after the journey. Use the hotel's leisure facilities or golf
course, if you wish. Enjoy a welcome drink at your hotel and head into Edinburgh
for a Scottish Cabaret with local foods, including haggis, and a lively show
afterwards. (D)
Day 2 : Edinburgh Castle & City Tour
This morning explore Edinburgh to compare and contrast the wide
streets and elegant mansions of the Georgian 200-year-old “New Town?? with the
narrow lanes and medieval townhouses along the Royal Mile. See Princes Street,
the main shopping thoroughfare that separates the two areas. Learn about many
prominent Scottish inventors, doctors and writers. Finish your tour at Edinburgh
Castle to see historic buildings and enjoy splendid views of Edinburgh. The
balance of the day is free for independent exploring, shopping and dining. On
August 5 to 19 departures enjoy the Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle. (B)
Day 3 : Sheepdog Trials & Culloden
Drive
into the Highlands to visit Leault Farm where dogs herd sheep and ducks through
various obstacles. Learn how each dog responds to individual whistles and see
seasonal activities. Tour Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre to walk
around the moor where, on 16th April 1746, British Government forces
defeated Bonnie Prince Charlie's army in just one hour and ended hopes of
restoring the Jacobite Stuarts to the British throne. After dinner enjoy a
ceilidh, traditional Scottish music, in your hotel. (B, D)
Day 4 : Isle of Skye & Clan Donald Centre
Drive through wild Highland scenery, pausing for photos at the
picturesque Eilean Donan Castle and cross to the Isle of Skye by bridge. Drive
through part of the island and visit the Clan Donald Centre at Armadale Castle
to discover the history of the powerful Lords of the Isles. Return to the
mainland by ferry and take the “Road to the Isles” through some of Scotland's
loveliest scenery, stopping for photos at the Glenfinnan Monument. (B, D)
Day 5 : Rabbie Burns & Belfast
This
morning enjoy final views of peaks and glens of the magnificent Highland scenery
as you drive south through Glen Coe and alongside the lovely shores of Loch
Lomond. Stop in Alloway for a brief visit at the Burns National Heritage Park to
see famous landmarks from Burns' poetry. Travel along the coastline to Cairnryan
for a short ferry ride to Larne. Drive to your hotel in Belfast to arrive in
time for dinner. (B, D)
Day 6 : Titanic Belfast Tour & Mount Stewart
This morning a Belfast guide will show you Victorian buildings,
the imposing City Hall in Donegall Square and the shipyards where RMS Titanic
was built in 1912. Visit the newly-opened Titanic Belfast to learn about this
famous liner through state-of-the-art displays. In the afternoon tour Mount
Stewart House and Gardens to see antiques and world-famous paintings. Hear
stories about the many prominent political visitors. The extensive gardens were
planted in the 1920's by Edith, Lady Londonderry, and have been nominated a
World Heritage Site. (B, D)
Day 7 : Giant's Causeway, Derry's Walls &
Donegal
Drive north along the scenic route of the “Nine
Glens of Antrim,” for lovely views of mountains, valleys and coastline. Stop at
the Giant's Causeway, enormous hexagonal columns formed by volcanic activity 60
million years ago which have spawned legends about the mythical giant, Finn
McCool. In Derry join a local guide for a short walking tour around the
defensive walls that encircle the compact old city before driving to nearby
Letterkenny. (B, D)
Day 8 : Glenveagh Castle & Donegal
Travel into the heart of Donegal to Glenveagh National Park
where Captain Adair evicted 225 tenants to build Glenveagh Castle in 1870. Learn
about the history of the mansion, owners and guests as you tour the rooms and
walk around the extensive gardens filled with exotic plants. Then experience the
glorious natural beauty of the Grand Atlantic Drive, which winds through
Downings and Rosapenna and around the coastline. Return to Letterkenny in time
for dinner. (B, D)
Day 9 : Belleek China & Kilronan Castle Stay
Drive south through the Barnesmore Gap and the Blue Stack
Mountains for a look around Donegal town. Visit the Belleek Pottery Factory to
see how the craftspeople shape and decorate clay, creating the world-famous fine
china. Pause at Drumcliffe Churchyard to view the grave of W. B. Yeats, the
Nobel prize-winning poet, who based many poems on the delightful countryside
around Sligo. A short drive will take you to Kilronan Castle Hotel for leisure
time to relax and enjoy the lovely setting. (B, D)
Day 10 : Strokestown Park House Famine Museum &
Cliffs of Moher
Visit Strokestown Park House in County
Roscommon. There are three parts to see - the 18th century mansion with its
original furnishings; the four-acre walled garden, restored to look as it would
have during the heyday of the estate; and the Famine Museum, which explains the
circumstances of the 1840's Great Irish Famine through a combination of original
documents and images. Travel south passing the city of Galway to view the Cliffs
of Moher, a dramatic wall of rock that plunges to the Atlantic Ocean. In the
evening head to 15th century Bunratty Castle for a fun medieval-style banquet
with entertainment by the lords and ladies of the castle. (B, D)
Day 11 : Tour Ends Shannon Airport
Take a
group transfer from your hotel in Ennis to Shannon Airport for your flight home.
(B)
B: Breakfast; D: Dinner