Standing majestically at the north-west edge of Europe, the 150 mile long island chain of the Hebrides offers beaches, culture, wildlife and adventure - a great place to explore and unwind.  Nowhere else will you find such diversity of landscapes and species, arts, crafts and music : the islands have an abundance of beautiful habitats … peaceful, unspoilt and natural.  Traditional heritage lives on in a lively and modern culture, which is civilised in the true sense of the word.  The Hebridean Gaels always offer a friendly welcome, imparting a sense of belonging, freedom and of calm in an otherwise chaotic world.

This “Island-hopping” holiday is the ultimate Hebridean experience and is sure to render many happy memories of Scotland and her Islands at their late summer best!

HOLIDAY INN, Preston

1^st & 8^th nights.  Modern 3 star hotel with air-conditioned rooms. Lift to all floors.

ERSKINE BRIDGE HOTEL, Erskine

2^nd night. Modern 3 star hotel set in parkland and overlooking the River Clyde.  Lift to all floors.

ISLE OF BARRA HOTEL, Barra

3^rd & 4^th nights. Family run 3 star (STB) hotel overlooking the white sands of Halaman Bay. No lift and a few steps down to ground floor rooms.

CABARFEIDH HOTEL, Stornoway

5^th & 6^th nights. Modern 3 star hotel – expected to upgrade to 4 star shortly. Lift to all floors.

CRAIGLYNNE HOTEL, Grantown On Spey

7^th night.  Handsome Victorian 3 star hotel overlooking the Spey valley.  Old world charm with open log fires. Lift to all floors.

All hotels will offer well equipped and comfortable rooms with private bathroom, phone, hairdryer, television, and tea tray as a minimum.

OUTLINE ITINERARY

SATURDAY – Morning departure from Dorset to Trentham Garden & shopping village near Stoke for lunch.  Continue to Preston.

SUNDAY – Visit Gretna Green, then over the Borders and onto Erskine near Glasgow.

MONDAY – Past Loch Lomond and Loch Awe to Oban. Mid-afternoon ferry to the Isle of Barra with dinner taken onboard.  Late arrival at hotel.

TUESDAY – At leisure on Barra, a compact paradise - peaceful, historic & beautiful. Considered by many to be the most beautiful little island in Britain.  Relax and enjoy a coastal walk, its tranquil beaches and distinctive culture. Gaelic is still widely spoken and an ancient history makes any visit to Barra a memorable one.

WEDNESDAY – Island Hopping across 7 islands today.  From Barra this morning by ferry to Eriska, famous for the Eriskay Ponies and is also being the real “Whiskey Galore” island.  It was just off Eriskay that the SS Politician ran aground in 1941 with 50,000 cases of whiskey aboard.  The locals managed to save several hundred cases before the ship sunk.  Drive across the causeway to South Uist, where the west coast is one continuous sandy beach, with the east dominated by mountainour peaks.  Another causeway connects with Benbecula, where we stop for coffee & biscuits (included).  The Benbecula causeway links to North Uist, a relatively flat islandof  peat bogs, low hills and lochans.  More than half the island is covered by water, making it a birdwatchers paradise.  Boarding another ferry for the 1 hour cruise up the west coast, past numerous unspoilt white sandy beaches and breathtaking scenery to Harris.  The final leg of our journey is to drive across to Lewis and our hotel at Stornoway.

THURSDAY – Lewis is the most northerly island of the Hebrides and largest of the Outer Hebrides.  It has a history that goes back thousands of years and ancient archaeological sites can be seen everywhere.  Todays circular tour around Lewis will visit the “Hebrides Stonehenge” at Callanish – an awesome collection of stone circles and standing stones on the west coast.  We shall also see the moorland interior, wehre peat is till cut for fuel.  There are also traditional croft dwellings and Carloway Broch, one od Sotlands best preserved defensive structures, over 2000 years old.   Watch out for the abundant wildlife and rare foreign plants.

FRIDAY – A free morning in Stornoway, a hive of activity.  Afternoon ferry to Ullapool on the mainland  (approx 3 hour cruise) then drive through wonderful Highland scenery to the Spey Valley.

SATURDAY – Southbound through the highlands and over the Borders to Preston.

SUNDAY – Homewards with a stop in elegant Cheltenham. Return to Dorset by early evening.

TOUR PRICE : £725.00 per person

Single Room Supplement : £120.00    Travel Insurance Premium : £13.00  per person

Price Includes : All coach travel, 7 nights hotel accommodation with half board meals, 1 night hotel with bed & breakfast only (Mon), All Hebridean ferry fares, Tea & biscuits on Benbecula, Meal voucher on Barra ferry, Financial protection insurance and VAT.