To celebrate Scotland’s official national day, we take a look at some of the islands that help make up our fascinating country…
Click on any images below to view our related tours, with coach and ferry transfers included.
1. Mull
The Isle of Mull is a place of tumbling burns, high peaks, dramatic views and a silent, lonely beauty. The town’s principal town, Tobermory will be a familiar sight to many and it’s a wonderful place to spend a couple of hours wandering around the shops, which include local arts and crafts outlets.
2. Arran
Often described as ‘Scotland in Miniature’, Arran has a blend of Highland and Island scenery with granite peaks and deep glens to the north of the island, contrasting with its rolling and lush farmlands to the south.
3. Orkney
A very fertile and green place, Orkney is an archipelago with around 70 magical islands of which 20 are inhabited. Skara Brae is a popular island attraction with its eight clustered houses giving a glimpse of how islanders lived in ancient times. The site was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 1999.
4. Shetland
Home of the Up Helly Aa Winter Festival every January, Shetland celebrates its Viking heritage. The island features a rugged cliff and sea loch scenery – more detail of which can be found in the Shetland Museum located in the islands capital town, Lerwick.
5. Barra
For a small island, Barra packs a lot in: soaring mountains, a romantic castle and an awesome view round every corner of its single-track circular road. The island also features a unique airport – being the only one in the world where scheduled flights use a beach as the runway. Be sure to check the flight schedule if you visit the island – witnessing aircraft take-off and land on sand is a sight to behold.
6. Skye
The Isle of Skye has a romantic history and a scenic beauty all of its own. It is particularly famous for its mountain scenery, and although the peaks are often obscured by a veil of mist, the resulting magical, haunting effect stays long in the memory. The towns of Portree and Dunvegan are both worth a visit on the island – the latter boasts popular attraction Dunvegan Castle, a stunning building which was the ancient home of Clan MacLeod.
The Holiday
We have tours to all of these islands available with 2016 departures.