Ireland & Scotland’s Land of Giants – 13 Day Tour

You have the day to either relax, explore or take an adventure in picturesque Westport. It is famous for Croagh Patrick, Ireland’s holiest mountain and Clew Bay, which has an island for everyday of the year.

Westport is rich in historical areas of interest and a great traditional music scene. Be sure to experience it!!

Departing Westport, we make our along the northern wild and rugged coastline of Mayo before arriving in Donegal Town, known as the fort of the foreigners.

We will take a stroll along the dramatic wild coastline at Downpatrick Head where you view a spectacular blowhole that plummets down to the wild Atlantic ocean, the ruins of St Patrick’s church building, a stone cross and the incredible site of Dún Briste (broken fort), a lone sea-stack standing close to the edge of the cliffs.

Afterwards, we make our way towards Ballina, where we will stop to have lunch. That afternoon, we make our way north towards Donegal Town via Bundoran where you can take the opportunity to dip your feet into the wild Atlantic Ocean or catch some of the most renowned waves in the world.

Feeling refreshed, that evening you can sampling some of Donegal’s best culinary delights and music traditions.

Ballyliffin is our end destination today, as we head north exploring the wilds of Donegal with magnificent views of the dramatic Slieve League cliffs which are although less famous than the Cliffs of Moher, can reach almost three times higher, 601 metres (1,972 ft).

Afterwards, we continue our journey around the dramatic northern tip of Donegal towards Glenveagh National Park and Castle. Set in some 16,500 hectares of County Donegal mountains, you have the chance to discover picturesque lakes, wild glens and woods, a large herd of red deer and the 19th Century Glenveagh Castle.

That afternoon, we make our way to Ballyliffin, where you can relax, unwind or explore this beautiful quaint village near the historical town.

Today’s adventure is a real giant in many ways, as we take you along the dramatic coastal route of Ulster. We first head North to explore Malin Head, known as Ireland’s sunniest point and offers dramatic coastline views of the most northerly point of Ireland. Next stop Greenland!!

Once aboard, we make our way to the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its setting is famed for its unique rock formation of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption nearly 60 million years ago or being Irish of course, we have a different version of how the causeway was built which involves two giants, a fight and a bridge. We won’t spoil the ending for you now as the story is best told at edge of the bridge!!

Afterwards, we make our way to the vibrant coastal setting of Ballycastle, a seaside town famed for walking, kayaking, great food and where you can relax, unwind or simply gaze out at the majestic views before your eyes.

You will depart Ballycastle and make your way along the dramatic coastline of Antrim towards Belfast, where you can visit the Titanic museum, experience the amazing Black Cab Taxi Tour, explore Belfast with a Hop-on Hop Off City Tour or simply wander around its famous streets and experience great food.  

That afternoon, you will head south to the capital of Ireland, Dublin, where your evening flight from Dublin to Edinburgh awaits. Once you arrive in Edinburgh, you will be transferred to your accommodation venue where you can relax or explore Edinburgh’s vibrant nightlife. 

You have the day to either relax, explore or take an adventure in the magnificent setting of Edinburgh. This famous city is renowned for its historical windy streets that are full of stories and many points of interest to suit everyone’s tastes. It has  vibrant street cafes, restaurants, bars and a bustling atmosphere. Be sure to experience it!!

Your adventure starts off in Edinburgh, Scotland’s hilly capital. Our direction is north west to Stirling where we will take our first stop on our amazing adventure at Stirling Castle.  

The castle is one of Scotland’s most historically important sites and. Its origins are ancient and over the centuries it grew into a great royal residence and a powerful stronghold for the Stewart kings and queens.

It dominating setting upon a vast volcanic rock above the river Forth at the meeting point between Lowlands and Highlands offers spectacular views of the surrounding landscapes.

Afterwards, we continue our journey north to Fort William in the Scottish Highlands. A perfect destination for the outdoor enthusiast and where we will our first night beneath the foothills of Ben Nevis, Scotland’s highest mountain.

Today’s adventure takes us first to Steall Falls, a dramatic and beautiful route through Nevis Gorge, one of the best short walks in Scotland. 

From here, we take the road north-west towards the Isle of Skye, famous for its wild picturesque scenery that will take your breath away. The Island is 50 miles (80km) long, the largest of the Inner Hebrides and its capital is Portree where we will perch our feet up for two nights. The following day we will discover this magical island as we will explore its unique landscapes, wildlife, rich history and geological wonders.

Today’s adventure takes you off the beaten track to explore the real beauty of the Isle of Skye. Your first stop of the day is at Dunvegan Castle. It is one the greatest Hebridean castles and the only Highland fortress to have been continuously occupied by the same family for 800 years. You can tour the inside of the castle but don’t forget to explore its beautiful gardens also. 

After a bite to eat, you head north around the top of Skye to Duntulm Castle where you can sit and marvel at this magnificent setting. From here, take the road south to the Old Man of Storr, one of Scotland’s most iconic places. The Old Man is a unique rock feature and offers stunning views out over the Sound of Raasay. 

That afternoon, make your way back to Portree where you can experience some fantastic culinary delights, meet the locals or simply relax. 

We depart the beautiful setting of the Isle of Skye, making our way east through undulating valleys and along picturesque lakes to Fort Augustus which sits on the edge of Loch Ness. Here we will stop for a nice bite to eat before making our way north for a quick visit of Boleskine Burial Ground (the final resting place of all the Frasers of the region) and for fans of Outlander, this is a place you really must visit, however, there is no guarantee you will meet Jamie Fraser!! 

Onward we go and in search of the Loch Ness monster we take a stop at Dores. The village of Dores and its beach by the Loch is probably the most spectacular viewing point for you to get that memorable and lucky photo of Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster. The Loch itself is over 37 miles long and has more freshwater than all the lakes of England and Wales combined. 

Afterwards, we make the short drive to Inverness where you can explore this colourful ancient cathedral city in the Scottish Highlands and sample its lively atmosphere.

This morning we take a short drive to Culloden which is a powerful moving site of the final Jacobite Rising – the last and most harrowing pitched battle to be fought on British soil. 

You have the opportunity to explore the interactive visitor centre, view fascinating artefacts from both sides of the confrontation, experience the battle in the immersive surround cinema and interactive displays that reveal the background to the conflict. There is no escaping the emotions Culloden stirs up inside you as you discover how a bloody fight that lasted only an hour changed life in the Highlands forever.

That afternoon, you have free time to explore the beautiful highland city of Inverness, sample its wide variety of food offerings or take a tour exploring its unique historical places of interest.

Our adventure today brings us to the Cairngorms National Park, the largest national park on the British Isles which was established in 2003.   

Five of the UK’s six highest mountains lie inside the park, alongside 55 Munros – mountains over 3,000 ft – which can be found here too. There are huge forests of ancient native trees, cascading waterfalls, more wildlife than you can imagine and where we you can take a variety of walking routes or take a watersports adventure on Loch Morlich.

Later that afternoon, we make our way south towards the hilly capital of Scotland, Edinburgh where we will say our goodbyes as our spectacular tour comes to an end. We really hope you have had an amazing time exploring some of Scotland’s most unique destinations and in your wee heart you will have memories that will last forever. 

p.s. If you have the time, take the opportunity to soak in Edinburgh’s vibrant colourful streets, sample its wide variety of food offerings or take a tour exploring its unique historical places of interest.

Arriving at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh at 4:30 pm and Edinburgh Airport at 5:30 pm.