Mystical Scotland

Scotland is far more than tartan and bagpipes! The true pulse of Scotland that beats through the land and its people is deep rooted in history, legend and strength born out of hardship.

From Celts, Picts, the Scots of Dalriada and the Druids, the folklore of yester year is tangled with patriotic tales of bloody battles, resounding victories, and crushing defeats. How much of this is based in fact, or how much is merely romantic notion, we can but speculate and discover on our own.

With visits to Iona, Fingal’s Cave, the Calanais Stones, St Andrews, the haunting moorland of Culloden, and Rosslyn Chapel, follow our detailed itinerary and explore the mystique of Scotland from a spiritual perspective.

Plan Your Trip

Sample Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive into Edinburgh Airport and collect rental car. Possible visits today include Rosslyn Chapel, linked with the Knights Templar and featured in the novel by Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code, or Edinburgh Castle. Learn the history of the passageways and closes off the Royal Mile during a spooky walking tour. Overnight Edinburgh or surrounding area.

Day 2

Depart hotel and drive by Loch Lomond, through Inveraray and into mysterious Kilmartin Glen where over 350 ancient monuments are scattered across the landscape. These include burial cairns, rock carvings, and standing stones, some of which date back 5,000 years. Overnight Oban area.

Day 3

Day trip to Mull, the spiritual sanctity of Iona and the unique structure of Fingal’s Cave on Staffa (ferry/coach tour – leave the car in Oban). Overnight Oban area.

Day 4

Depart hotel and travel north, with optional side-trip into haunting Glencoe. Continue north through the Great Glen with a stop at Urquhart Castle to view Loch Ness, then a visit to stunning Corrieshalloch Gorge. Take the ferry from Ullapool to Stornoway. Overnight Stornoway.

Day 5

Visit the Callanish Stones, laid out as a distorted celtic cross, the individual stones vary from 1m to 5m in height, Dun Carloway Broch overlooking Loch Roag on the west coast of Lewis and Arnol Blackhouse which offers an insight into the way of life once widespread in Lewis. Overnight Stornoway.

Day 6

Take the ferry back to Ullapool and travel east, visiting Culloden Battlefield and the three burial cairns at Balnuaran, the Clava Cairns, which date back to around 2000BC they are set within a kerb of large boulders in a scenic woodland setting. Continue East towards Aberdeenshire and visit the recumbent stone circles dating back to around 3000BC. Overnight Aberdeen area.

Day 7

Depart hotel and travel south, perhaps visiting the ruins of Dunnottar Castle clinging to craggy cliffs south of Stonehaven, or Glamis Castle, which is said to be one of the most haunted castles in Scotland. The historic town of St Andrews, believed to be the final resting place of the martyred apostle, is home to Scotland’s oldest university, the ruined 15th century castle and the remains of what was at one time the most impressive cathedral in Scotland. If time allows, finish the day with a visit to Stirling Castle. Overnight Stirling area.