Heart of Scotland

Day 1 SATURDAY We make our way northwards and visit The National Memorial Arboretum. This beautiful site was opened in 1997 and is home to 50,000 trees and over 200 memorials as a living tribute to the personal sacrifices made by the armed and civilian services. We continue to our overnight stopover in the Lancashire area.

Day 2 SUNDAY Leaving our hotel after breakfast, we continue north and cross into Scotland. We visit the World Heritage Site at New Lanark Mill, a beautifully restored 18thcentury cotton mill village with a charming visitor centre. We then travel on to our hotel northeast of Glasgow, arriving late afternoon.

Day 3 MONDAY Driving beyond Glasgow, we spend the day at Loch Lomond. Our day includes a drive along the pretty western shore, with photo stops along the way, and a 90- minute cruise from Luss. Relax on board and enjoy the live commentary with tales from the loch and insights into the history and geology of this part of Loch Lomond. It is also well known for the resident osprey that return to the same nesting site every year. Back in Luss, stroll through the pretty conservation town, with its identical stone and slate cottages, made famous in the 80s and 90s in the TV soap 'Take the High Road'.

Day 4 TUESDAY A full day to enjoy the sights of Edinburgh. We have included a hop on hop off bus ticket so that you can visit whichever of the many attractions you wish. Alternately, stay on board for the whole 60-minute audiocommentary.

Day 5 WEDNESDAY This morning we travel to Stirling, with its impressive castle once home to Scottish kings, and a rich history interwoven with William Wallace, Robert the Bruce and Scottish independence. The castle perches on a long extinct volcano and the cobbled streets of Stirling’s Old Town boast a number of pleasant shops. This afternoon we make our way to the magnificent Kelpies, the world’s largest equine structures, before visiting the Falkirk Wheel to see this remarkable feat of engineering. We have a trip on the canal and will be lifted 115 feet by this giant wheel which replaces 11 locks and is the pride of the Scottish Waterways.

Day 6 THURSDAY Today we travel the short distance into Glasgow where we have a guided tour by coach seeing all the main sights including the university and the cathedral. This is followed by a free afternoon for your own exploration.

Day 7 FRIDAY Departing our hotel, we make our way to the east coast and then travel through Northumberland with a stop in the pretty town of Alnwick. We continue south to our overnight hotel in Gateshead.

Day 8 SATURDAY We continue our journey south making suitable refreshment stops along the way and arrive in the local area early evening.