Day 1 Arrive into Glasgow and transfer to Hotel in Glasgow. Afternoon tour of this great Victorian city, the ‘dear green place that was once the heartland of industrial Scotland, but now is home to white collar industries, including the financial sector. O’nt Glasgow

Day 2 Day tour to Ayrshire, including Culzean Castle, 17th century mansion home of the Kennedys, perched on a cliff top above Culzean Bay, followed by a tour of Burns Country, including a stop at Burns Cottage, birthplace of Scotland’s national bard. Overnight Glasgow.

Day 3 Transfer to the scenic west coast, including stops on the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond and Inveraray, an early example of town planning, as the original settlement was moved to accommodate the present Castle. O’nt Oban area

Day 4 Day trip to Mull, largest of the Inner Hebridean islands, with stops at historic Duart Castle, ancient seat of Clan MacLean. O’nt Oban area

Day 5 Transfer north to Inverness, taking a side trip into the magnificent Glencoe, now a wildlife and mountaineering centre, before following the route of the early 19th century Caledonian Canal through the Great Glen to Loch Ness. O’nt Inverness area

Day 6 A day trip to Inverewe Gardens, Victorian gardener Osgood Mackenzie’s creation, where, thanks to the benign influence of the Gulf Stream, exotic sub-tropical plants flourish, despite the northerly latitude. Return via Corrieshalloch Gorge, a 200 ft deep box canyon, with views to the Falls of Measach. O’nt Inverness area

Day 7 South into the Highlands for visits to Leault Farm to see sheepdogs at work, Blair Castle and the bustling highland resort of Pitlochry. O’nt Inverness area

Day 8 Leisurely drive to Aberdeen, taking in ‘Scotland at work’ in the form of Johnston’s Visitor Centre at Elgin (cashmere and woollen goods), Baxters at Fochabers (quality foods) and Glenfiddich Distillery at Dufftown. O’nt Aberdeen or area

Day 9 After a morning tour of the Granite City, as Aberdeen is known, an afternoon visit to Crathes Castle or Drum Castle, ancestral home of the Irvine family. O’nt Aberdeen or area

Day 10 Transfer south visiting the historic city of St Andrews en route. St Andrews is not only the home of golf, but is seat of Scotland’s oldest university, founded in the early 15th century. O’nt Edinburgh.

Day 11 A small, but beautiful city, built on a number of hills, Edinburgh is known as the Athens of the North. The ancient castle and medieval Old Town overlook the Georgian New Town, built to the north, following drainage of the Nor’ Loch (now the site of Princes Street Gardens). A morning tour of the city (including the Castle) is followed by an afternoon at leisure. O’nt Edinburgh

Day 12 Day tour to the Borders. In times past the scene of much border feuding between the Scots and the English, this is now a landscape of rolling hills, where sheep indeed may safely graze. Stops may include Rosslyn Chapel, Edinburgh Crystal and Traquair House, which has welcomed more than 30 monarchs within its walls. O’nt Edinburgh

Day 13 Final day tour to the ancient town of Stirling, with its massive castle dominating the Carse, before heading into the Trossachs, the so-called ‘Highlands in Miniature’, popularised by Victorian novelist, Sir Walter Scott, with his tales of Rob Roy MacGregor (Scotland’s answer to Robin Hood).

Day 14 Depart via Glasgow or Edinburgh Airport.

The above package includes:

• 13 nights’ accommodation
• Breakfast daily
• Dinner daily (if required – groups bookings only)
• Sightseeing pass (FITs) or entrance fees to places of interest (groups)
• Hire of self-drive automatic car or minibus and driver (FITs)
  OR Coach and driver (groups)
• Ferry fare from Oban to Craignure
• VAT at 17.5%