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Math Dhut!
( That's Scottish Gaelic for Bon Voyage/Have A Nice Journey!)
Featuring journeys through Outlander sets, the Scottish Highlands, the Isle
of Skye and Orkney Islands, National Parks, historic castles and prehistoric
villages, and much more.
If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story.
Orson Welles
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Dear Mom,
We love you!
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Before The Trip...
Money
Your gift is the trip in its entirety. Everything is already paid for. That means
transportation (plane, rental car) is paid for. Food - from true Scottish whisky to
seafood straight from the ocean to your plate - is covered. Accomodation and
lodging is - you guessed it - paid for. Tickets and entry to places we will be visiting
is covered. We have been saving for years in order to be able to give you this
experience with as little cost to you as possible. The only financial consideration
you will need to take is souveniers or other similar purchases.
We considered this to be one of your greatest areas of concern, and for good
reason - going away for 2 weeks? We know you have a hard enough time leaving
them for one day! Well, don't you worry your pretty head about it. We have the
best team possible assembled to housesit AND watch the brittanys - headed by
none other than Pat and Cindi - and the Lorinis are excited to watch The
Poodles while we are gone. This way the brittanys will be comfortable at home,
the house will be watched, the poodles are going to be spoiled rotten, and YOU
can fully relax knowing that everything is taken care of back in the USA!
Work
"I can't possibly take all that time off of work!" you might cry. Well, that concern is
completely unwarranted, since you already have the 2 weeks in August for the
trip marked for CLT.
Yeah, you've HAD the time off work for quite a while now. Jenn and Andrea know
about the trip and not only have the time marked off and know not to plan for
time off themselves during that period, but are incredibly excited for you! Pretty
much everyone in your office knows, by the way. They're all ecstatic for you and
are ready to take the reins and do whatever needs to be done while you're away.
Better get Andrea her payroll sign-in set up!
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Day 1
Wed. August 15th, 2018
Over The Sea
We are flying out of Stewart International Airport at 9:25PM.
This airport is an hour and a half from Albany - just south of
Poughkeepsie - and far away from the city, so no obnoxious
New York City-ness! Can you believe a little unknown airport
like this has nonstop flights to Edinburgh? Neither did we, but
dang does it work out in our favor! Allie and Igor are flying
into Albany the night before, and will be arriving around
midnight. That way we can all travel to Stewart International
together - and together onward to Scotland!
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Norwegian Airlines Quick Look
Our airfare includes:
Welcome to Scotland!
Our first day will be spend in Edinburgh! We start out grabbing lunch, then touring
Edinburgh Castle. For hundreds of years the castle withstood sieges and wars, hosted
kings and queens, and witnessed more history than many countries hold themselves.
In the evening, on the promenade of the castle, we will be attending the world-
famous Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The Tattoo an annual series of military tattoos
(ceremonial form of evening entertainment) performed by British Armed Forces,
Commonwealth and international military bands, and artistic performance teams.
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Edinburgh Castle: "The castle opens daily at 9.30am, and closes at 6pm (last entry
5pm). We recommend you allow at least 2 hours to see all the castle highlights and to
get the most out of your visit.
Tours are either self-guided or guided - Tours take place throughout the day and the
meeting point is through the Portcullis Gate past the audio booth by the clock."
National War Museum: 1 April 30 Sept hours 9:45-5:45. Entry to the museum is
included in admission to Edinburgh Castle.
Edinburgh Military Tattoo: The 2018 Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo will take place
over the period 3-25 August with performances on Monday to Friday at 9.00pm and on
Saturday at 7.30pm and 10.30pm. Tickets despatch will commence on 1 May 2018.
Doors open approximately 45 minutes before performance.
Spectators must be seated 15 minutes before start of performance.
Duration of performance: approximately 100 minutes.
TV recording: on these evenings the programme is being recorded by the BBC for
worldwide transmission at a later date. Join us if you wish to be part of these
performances. (We will be!!)
The Deacon's House is a famous scottish Cafe near Edinburgh' s castle. It is believed that at one time
the present Cafe was Deacon Brodie's workshop. William Brodie was a well known and respected
cabinet-maker by day and by night gambler, drinker and thief. Robbing his clients with copies of the
keys made while working in their shops. His life inspired Robert Louis Stevenson to write "Jekyll and
Hyde". Deacon's house Cafe is a perfect place to stop for morning coffee, tea, lunch (fresh local
produce) homemade soups, freshly prepared salads and sandwiches with an excellent selection of
home baking and puddings.
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Day 3
Fri August 17th
Outlander Tour Day 1/4
"Go time travelling and follow in the footsteps of Jamie and Claire on our Outlander tour
from Edinburgh. Relive the tragic battles, death-defying escapes, and sentimental
moments of Outlander. Youll visit towns that are virtually unchanged since the 16th
century. Wander through ancient battlefields. And visit some of Scotlands most hidden-
away castles. Whats more is that you share this unique experience with Outlander fans
from around the world.
So discuss your favourite scenes from the show, enjoy Scotlands gorgeous landscapes,
and follow the epic journey of the time-travelling love affair."
The first day of our tour departs at 9am from Gate J and Gate K at the
Edinburgh Bus Station. Touring requires a lot of energy, so we will be
grabbing breakfast first!
The tour allows each passenger to bring a 30lb bag with them - that
means carryons with a few days' worth of clothes and toiletries. The
rest of our luggage and our car will be stored at a reserved private
parking space.
This tour is 4 days long and involves 2 nights in Inverness (yes, THAT
Inverness!) and one night in Fort William (yes, THAT Fort William!)
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Outlander Tour Day 1 Highlights
Get as close as possible to the 16th century in the well preserved town of Culross. Or
as its known to Outlander fans, Cranesmuir!
Visit beautiful Falkland and explore the setting for 1940s Inverness in Outlander!
Tour Info
You leave Edinburgh and begin following the trail of the best-known film locations
featured in the Outlander TV Series.
Heading north, your first stop is the charming village of Culross. In Outlander Culross
posed as the fictional village of Cranesmuir and the home of Geillis Duncan and her
ill-fated husband, Arthur. Exploring the towns cobbled streets is like taking a step
back in time. Look carefully and you may even find Claires herb garden behind the
impressive, historic Culross Palace.
We continue to the small town of Falkland to relive the first scenes of the show,
where Falkland substitutes for 1940s Inverness. See if you can recognize the familiar
sights such as Mrs. Bairds Guesthouses (The Covenanter Hotel) and the Bruce
Fountain, where Claire sees the ghost of Jamie.
In the early afternoon we stop at the Newtonmore Highland Folk Museum, which
houses replicas of 18th century turf-roofed Highland crofts. These were used as a
setting in the first episode of the show.
Venturing further north we pass Aviemore, where you may recognise the stunning
hilly and wooded area of Tulloch Ghru. This appeared during the journey Claire takes
with Jamie and the Highlanders from Craigh na Dun to Castle Leoch. Arriving in
Inverness later that afternoon your base will be at the Glen Mhor Hotel (or similar).
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Day 4
Sat August 18th
Outlander Tour Day 2/4
Outlander Tour Day 2 Highlights
Your day starts by visiting the majestic Glen Affric. Lochs, mountains
and pine forests: this is one of Scotlands most glorious glens. Its also
an ideal spot for our Jamie to hide!
You then take a short drive to the ancient standing stones at Clava
Cairns, which could have given the inspiration for Craigh na Dun. We
return back to Inverness with time to explore the town and enjoy the
city for another evening.
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Day 5
Sun August 19th
Outlander Tour Day 3/4
Outlander Tour Day 3 Highlights
Delve into Highland clan history at Castle Leod.
A short drive this morning takes you to Beauly, the site of Beauly
Priory and the tomb of Lord Lovat in the heart of Clan Fraser lands.
Beauly priory is a beautiful 13th century ruin and, according to Diana
Gabaldons book, is where the Lovat Frasers are buried.
You then continue along the entire length of Loch Ness before
arriving in Fort William for our overnight stop.
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Day 6
Mon August 20th
Outlander Tour Day 4/4
Outlander Tour Day 4 Highlights
Feel true Scottish pride at the gorgeous Glenfinnan Monument.
You travel to Glenfinnan this morning and visit the monument which
commemorates the beginning of the last Jacobite rising. It stands framed
by typically spectacular Highland scenery at the head of Loch Shiel.
Lodging
http://www.mdsguesthouse.co.uk/index.html
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Page for Outlander Tour
Food and Lodging
Details
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Day 7
Tues August 21st
Home to Lallybroch
Time to head out and hit the road on our own! Today is mainly a travel day with a
few key stops. Our first stop - Lallybroch! Well, sort of. Midhope Castle is the
external location for Lallybroch in the show. The inside of the castle is
unfortunately derelict and unsafe, but the estate is easily accessible and open to
visitors!
After a short drive we arrive at The Kelpies, the largest equine sculptures in the
world. "The Kelpies are a feat of engineering, each made with 300 tonnes of
structural steel, and are a monumental tribute to the horse power heritage
that was vital to the early industries of central Scotland."
A short distance away lies another feat of engineering, The Falkirk Wheel. A
rotating boat lift, The Falkirk Wheel is the only rotating boat lift of its kind in the
world, raising boats nearly 80 feet in the air from the Forth and Clyde Clyde
Canal below to the Union Canal above.
A bit north is Stirling Castle. One of the largest and most important castles in
Scotland, both historically and architecturally, the castle offers tours ranging
from 1 to several hours or self-exploration.
From Stirling Castle to our Guest House in Oban is approximately 2 1/2 hours.
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Midhope Castle: The castle is on a private part of the Estate which is only accessible by
cars displaying a vehicle passbetween the hours of 9am and 5.o0pm (April -September).
Passes must be purchased before your arrival at Midhope from Hopetoun Farm Shop
which is open daily from 10am until 5pm every day and is located just a 5 minute drive
away. Please note that passes will be checked by our parking attendant on arrival at
Midhope Castle.
The castle is located on a working farm. The track in uneven and there is a steep
hill down to the castle. The castle is short walk from the car park area.
Parking is only permitted in the designated visitor parking area.
Only Estate vehicles and local residents have permission pass through to the castle
area.
Beyond the parking sign access is only permitted by foot and to the front and the
exterior of the castle.
The Kelpies: The Kelpies are always accessible for a visit.The Kelpie car parking
charges are as follows - Cars: 3 Car Park hours: 10 am - 11pm everyday.
The Falkirk Wheel: Summer hours: 10am to 5.30pm. The main car park is a 5 10
minute walk along the side of the canal with a slight incline.
Stirling Castle: Summer Hours: 9:30 AM - 6 PM. Guided tours are included in the
ticket price and take place on the hour between 10am and 5pm, starting at the well
outside the Fort Major's House.
Lunch: Napizza
Napizza is the only Take Away/Sit In pizza place that operates a wood burning oven in Stirling, Scotland
for a great Italian pizza experience. Our pizza is made with organic and traceable ingredients imported
exclusively from Napoli.
The Barn is at the rustic heart of Cologin and it is so much more than just a pub. Describing the Barns
unique ambience is not easy suffice to say that once youve been you will return! The Barn is run for us
by Mary Macleod. Mary was born on the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides and she has been head
chef at the Barn for several years. As an islander Mary understands the importance of supporting local
supplies and using local produce and during the main season The Barn serves homemade, wholesome
lunches and evening meals with blackboard specials including
local seafish and shellfish specials.
Kilmore
Argyll
PA34 4XS
Phone #: 01852 200 346
Check-in after 4pm, Check-out before 10am
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Day 8
Wed August 22nd
Seal of Approval
It's only about a 15 minute drive to our day's destination, Dunnstaffnage Marina, and
our tour begins at 9am. Rise and shine, sleepyhead! We have a treat in store!
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"This tour is suitable for passengers wanting to swim, kayak,
stand-up paddleboard, or just relax and soak up the beautiful
environment. The water clarity is some of the best weve seen in
Scotland and is only a few metres deep. This means no need for
heavy dive gear or qualifications as everything can be seen from
the surface."
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Tour Itinerary
09:00am
Our day starts at Dunstaffnage Marina, where you will be checked in
then briefed on the day's plan and safety measures. It takes
approximately two and a half hours to reach our target area of the
lagoon, through the Sound of Mull. On our journey we will travel
through prime wildlife country where there are possibilities of seeing
whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, eagles and many types of seabirds,
along with our basking sharks. This area is also rich in history where we
pass Duart Castle, seat of the McLean clan, sites of historic shipwrecks,
lighthouses, stunning scenery and the famous waterfront of Tobermory.
10:15am
We stop in Tobermory for a break, so you have time to use the shore
facilities, grab some lunch from the bakery or quickly visit the shops.
Passengers joining us from here are checked in and briefed.
10:30am
Depart Tobermory giving us plenty of time for swimming, snorkelling,
kayaking, SUPing, island exploration and marine life safari.
3:15pm
Arrive back to Tobermory for those passengers to depart whilst the
Oban passengers have a break here for a late lunch or explore the town.
Around 3:45 we depart to head down the Sound of Mull. However
there's still time for more wildlife such as porpoises, seals, seabirds and
eagles.
5:00pm
Arrive in Oban
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Lunch: Tobermory Bakery
We are little cafe/bakery situated on the main street in Tobermory. We serve teas, coffee, cakes
and light lunches with picturesque views of the bay. Everything is made on the premises and we
sell local meats and products.
The Waterfront Fishouse restaurant, situated on the south pier in Oban, continues to showcase
the best of Scotlands Natural Larder for over 20 years, offering the finest, fresh fish and shellfish
from the West Coast of Scotland. As well as being famed for our delicious seafood offerings, we
have a selection of non-seafood options such as steak, pork and pigeon to ensure there is
something for everyone.
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Day 9
Thurs August 23nd
Gathering & Games
"The Games start with the arrival on the field of the Stewards March. At around
9.00am in the morning, the worlds finest competing pipers start to assemble in
Obans town centre. By 10.00am, they have formed a band. Until this moment, they
have never played together, and after today, they will never play together again. As
the drum rolls sound, you too, are welcome to become part of this main attraction.
Simply take your place amongst Chiefs, Chieftains, Stewards, clansmen, townsfolk
and visitors for the Stewards March, and led by the Pipe Major, (the current holder
of the Highland Society of Londons gold medal), you will be piped triumphantly all
the way to the Games Field..."
One of Scotlands premier Highland Games, The Argyllshire Gathering, is held every
4th Thursday in August. How convenient that we just so happen to be in town!
World class challengers from across the globe flock to Oban to do battle; whether it
be heavyweight athletes with caber, stone or hammer throws, lighter athletes on the
track, field and hill, or pipers and performers keeping the ancient traditions of
Scotland alive through music and dance. There are also vendors and exhibitors (and
there might just be Highland Cattle on display!)
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Admission: Adults 10, Concession 8.
"The first Argyllshire Gathering took place in 1871, a social occasion, to bring together kindred spirits
from across one of Scotlands largest, isolated and most beautiful tracts of land. Little has changed over
the years, other than the international dimension the event now attracts. Many thousands of people
from all over the world have experienced this dichotomy of fierce competition in a friendly
atmosphere. The Argyllshire Gathering remains committed to keeping its heritage alive, bringing you
all the traditional events unique to these occasions."
"From the basic burger to the luxury of lobster, theres food to satisfy all tastes at the Oban Games,
much of it locally sourced. Many people take a picnic, and whatever the weather, theres always an
orderly queue forming at all the ice cream vans parked on site."
"We pride ourselves on the ambience we have created in the restaurant/bar, with its natural materials
and stunning view over Oban Bay. However the ambience wouldnt be enough without good home-
cooked food, which is what we serve at Cuan Mor all through the day. Portions are good, food is fresh
and delicious and there is a wide choice to suit all tastes and budgets.
We boast a range of whisky from the smokiest to the peatiest, our collection being one of the largest in
the west coast featuring approx 100 single malt and special blends. Many of our whiskies are unique
and fairly rare; we work with one of Scotlands finest whisky suppliers to achieve this. "
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Day 10-11th
Fri-Sat August 24th-25th
Over the Sea to Skye
The drive up to Portree on the Isle of Skye from our Guesthouse in Oban is about 4
hours. Something tells me the scenery of the Scottish Highlands won't be too
burdensome to witness during the drive!
We arrive in Portree, the capitol town on the Isle of Skye. This quirky, lively place
is bursting with personality and is the gateway to Skye's many sights.
From Portree heading north, we will see many natural wonders - The Old Man of
Storr, Kilt Rock, Quiriang, and Fairy Glen. There are many other fun stops
around Skye, including the Skye Museum of Island Life and Isle of Skye Brewing
Company.
No visit to Skye would be complete without seeing the mystical Fairy Pools down
south. It's a short, easy hike to the pristine pools that have become synonymous
with the Isle of Skye.
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Legend has it that Old Man of Storr was a giant who lived in
Skye. When he died, he was buried with his fingers sticking
out, creating the ridges!
On the Western side of Skye sits Neist Point Lighthouse. Both the walk up the
path and the Lighthouse itself are iconic, offering some of the most
breathtaking views Skye has to offer.
Maybe if you look hard enough out to the sea, you can see our house!
Lodging:
The Isle of Skye Pod
http://
www.theisleofskyepod.co.uk/
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Day 12-13
Sun-Mon August 26-27th
Orkney Islands
Today will be spent stepping back in time on the Orkney Islands, an archipelago on the
northern end of Scotland. Some of its Neolithic villages, tombs, and monuments date back
nearly 10,000 years. Thats quite a bit further back in time than Claire traveled!
It's about a 5 hour drive from our guest house on Skye to our port, so off we go once again
(you can sleep when we are back in the US!) We arrive at Gills Bay and Pentland Ferries
at 12:45pm, in time for the 1:15pm ferry crossing. The crossing takes approximately one
hour. The coolest part about this ferry service? It ferries cars as well as people, meaning
our good ol' reliable rental car gets to travel with us across the sea!
A few of the ancient sites we will visit on our tour around Mainland:
Swannay Brewery
Orkney Wine Company
Highland Park Whisky Distillery
Orkney Cheese Company
Orkney Brewery
Along with several smaller historical sites and museums, Orkney is absolutely jam-
packed with stuff to see. We are staying 2 nights here on the islands, and with little light
pollution and dark night skies, they say you might just get to see the Northern Lights
dancing across the sky!
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Day 14
Tues August 28th
Cows and Dogs
We will be taking the 7:45am ferry from St. Margaret's Hope to arrive back on the
mainland at approximately 8:45am. From there, it's about 3 1/2 hours down to
Cairngorms National Park.
Rothiemurchus is a ancient Highland estate that now offers visitors and locals alike
activities including hikes, wildlife tours, off-roading, white water rafting, clay target
shooting and archery....you get the idea.
But we aren't here for the wild crazy outdoor adventure, oh no.
A short trip down the road brings us to Leault Farm and their Working Sheepdogs
demonstration. We will see up to eight dogs working as a team manoeuvring sheep
and ducks through various obstacles. Meet the collie pups, bottle-feed the orphan lambs
and take part in shearing a sheep!
Lodging:http://
www.arden-house.info/
Arden House
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Day 15
Wed August 29th
Home Again
Alas, all good things must come to an end. Our flight doesn't leave until 5:15pm,
so we have a bit more time to enjoy our final hours in Scotland. The drive from
our guest house to Edinburgh is a little under 3 hours. Barring any traffic or
unforseen circumstances, the plan is to head back into Edinburgh for a few
hours just to putter and shop. The airport is about a 30 minute drive from the
city center, so around 1:30pm we will be heading off to return Ol' Faithful (that's
what Ive named our rental car even though I'm typing this in October 2017) and
fly back home.
Even though our flight leaves at 5:15pm and it's a 7 hour flight, we technically
land at Stewart International Airport at 8:00pm the same day. Those 5 hours
that helped us snooze the flight away going to Scotland are back with a
vengeance! After that, its a quick jot back up to Albany and home.
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