Scotland Country Roads: A Guided Coach Experience
- Bobbie Rae Murphy
- Oct 4
- 9 min read
What started as a small private Active Travel Pro group with Brendan Vacations morphed into a longer journey that included much more! We loved touring this incredible country, and the larger group of 35 travelers, plus our bus driver and guide, enhanced it greatly. If you have not done a guided bus vacation yet, read on and let me know if you are ready to give it a whirl?
It will be quite difficult to share details about each day of our journey without making this a book instead of a blog, but I will highlight those places and landscapes that inspired me to write. To make it easier, I will do a "day by day" journal. I hope you enjoy it!
Day 1. In order to adjust from the long journey "across the pond" from the midwest, our small group of six decided to add an extra night at the beginning of the adventure. I booked the beautiful MalMaison hotel in Leith just north of Edinburgh. This was the same property the tour used for 2 nights. It was a great decision, as it gave us the afternoon to walk to the Royal Yacht Britannia.
I highly recommend fitting the museum/yacht into your visit if it works for you. The little town is lovely and an easy tram ride to and from the city center. The food and friendly service at the charming and VERY old "King's Wark" restaurant were to die for. We tasted perhaps the best fish and chips I have ever had! I personally LOVE that the bars all have these cute little glasses for a half-pint of beer.
Day 2. It just so happened that the next day was a Saturday, as well as my birthday! The town had scheduled its first-ever Tartan parade, just as we exited the hour-long Whisky Experience (which I highly recommend) on the Royal Mile. That certainly made for some fun videos as we followed the last of the bagpipers down the hill.
Be forewarned: Edinburgh has some steep terrain to climb, so wear comfy shoes for sure!
We had lively dinner at the "Barologist", which was within walking distance of our hotel. The dinner was included in our tour, as many were. We were entertained by a polished actor and storyteller as we dined on yummy food. Sleep came very easily that night.
Day 3. After a quick breakfast at the hotel, we set off for a tour of the castle and city of Edinburgh. Berties provided more fish, chips, beer, and we enjoyed a fun walk through the various levels of streets. We loved Victoria Street, which some say inspired Diagon Alley in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books!
Day 4. We visited two wonderful manors today on the A-9 up to Inverness. The Atholl Palace was a lovely place for High Tea, complete with little sandwiches, and the Blair Castle was gorgeous, with incredible antiques, artifacts and trinkets everywhere we looked! The grounds were special, with a few giant Sequoias. You will not find many forested areas in Scotland. They do grow trees that are harvested at about 15 years old in lots of places. It creates some unusual mountain views. The Kingsmill Hotel was our lodging and a late dinner led to a short sleep this evening.
Day 5. The early start led us to Loch Ness with a view from Dores Beach. The misty morning was warm, and we had a nice walk on the rocky shore, searching for Nessie. A local had parked his small mobile home there and at times liked to entertain visitors. Cute place!
Next stop was Culloden battlefields. If you are a fan of Outlander, you know much of the history of the place. Fascinating to be sure, and I got a photo of the Fraser stone! I will share that 1.5 hours was not enough to see both the lands and the museum!
Interesting Fact: Men greeted with their left hand, even in pubs, as their right was always on their weapon!
Our guide, Michael, shared MANY words with us...so many cool facts, and some that were NOT facts. Grin. One story revealed that a white horse, called a Kelpie, guarded the entrance to the underground and was also a symbol of fertility. If a lady sees exactly 7 white horses from sunrise to sunset, she will be married before the end of the year, The ewes (sheep) in the lowlands give birth to twin lambs twice a year, while in the highlands, they do so just once.
This was our longest driving day, and brought us to Helmsdale for a nice lunch of, guess what? Fish and Chips...authentic vinegar and salt style. Delicious, though I think Kings Wark better,. Timing in May was perfect for the bright yellow of both Gorse and Broom plants. The gorse is the one with the thorns.
Next stop was the Old Pulteney Scotch Whiskey Distillery...a small family-owned business. We loved the single malt 12-year-old, and we can get it in Cincinnati , just 6 minutes from us at a place called Jungle Jim's! Dinner was served at our hotel in Thurso, the Pentland Hotel. We walked to the beach up the street...wide and beautiful, where the sun doesn't set in May until 10 pm.
Day 6. The dawn brought a bright, sunshiny day for our drive to the nearby port. Our bus driver backed up expertly onto the ferry for the hour-long sailing to the Orkneys. We heard many facts about this area that are of historical significance. I encourage you to read more about the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Skara Brae, including the Ring of Brodger. We are talking about sites that are older than Stonehenge!
The day was made more special as I was finishing my self-tour of the home where the fascinating Skara Brae was discovered after a huge storm disturbed the ancient underground stone "village". There was displayed a recently framed certificate to a Sir Robert MacRae! More research looms on the horizon for me, clearly!
Interesting fact: On the mainland of Scotland, the king owns the coastline and the fishing industry. On Orkney, if you own a home near the water, you also own the land along with 200 yards into the sea!
One of the most memorable moments of the trip was our walk down the street in Thurso after dinner to listen to a jam session in a local bar. Regularly on Wednesday evening some local musicians, many of whom are music teachers, get together to drink beer and entertain each other and tavern guests. What fun! Not only were they amazing musicians, but the usual group of six or seven blossomed into a large gathering of 12 or so.
We had a lovely chat with a bloke who builds and designs banjos. A photo of his incredible handiwork is below. Wow, if you know someone in the market for one of his creations, I have his contact information!
We met with some of our new friends from the trip to walk to the beach in hopes of seeing the Northern Lights. I brought along the bubbly I was given on my birthday to share, but, alas, no color. Much fun was had, nevertheless!
Day 7. we placed our luggage outside in hallway at 7 am, had breakfast, and then boarded the coach at 8. We head to the Isle of Skye for the stunning scenery!
We were treated to a lovely little tea and pastry stop along the way to stretch our legs, followed by a scrumptious lunch in Ullapool with views of a loch. The fish soup, perhaps the best I have ever had, was full of clams in a red broth with a bit of heat to it. The food was quite delicious this trip and better than I had imagined it would be.
After lunch, we enjoyed about 2.5 hours of restful scenery with mountains, rivers and lochs floating by our windows. A wonderful and very restful sleep was had that night in the Broadford Hotel.
Day 8. We set off on another tour at 8 am, traveling through the highlands to Glencoe. With occasional views of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Scotland, this was a day of learning some Scottish traditions and history. We also learned about the effort to reintroduce some of the indigenous flora and fauna.
A lunch stop in Portree was especially nice, as were the views of neighboring islands in the distance.
The highlight for me this day was our morning photo stop at Eilean Donan Castle...the most photographed castle in the world...reputed to belong back in the day to the MacRae clan. And yes, our skies were blue almost every day on this May 2025 trip!
I like to consider myself Robert the 5th because my great grandfather, Robert Laidlaw Rae, came to Boston in the late 1800's from Dumfries, located south 2 hours from Glasgow and Edinburgh. His passport application listed HIS father as Robert Rae. My paternal grandfather was Robert Gordon Rae, my father a junior, then I came along, the fourth daughter. My parents gave in and named me Roberta!
Day 9. Continuing south towards Glasgow, we opted to do a boat tour of Loch Lomond and had the opportunity to enjoy a coffee and a beautiful cruise. This lake is known as the "Queen of Scottish Lochs".
As we arrived in the city, the bus drove around a bit, and Michael shared infomration about some of the historic buildings. Our rooms were available upon arrival, and, after depositing our belongings into the nice room, we walked down the street for a late lunch and beer at "The Duke's Umbrella".
The majority of our new friends decided to opt in for the special dinner that evening at "The Mackintosh at the Willow", a unique and historic tea house where we were served a delicious and beautiful three-course menu. The museum and exhibits were fascinating. The architecture was incredibly unique, with hints of art deco. It was a wonderful way to say goodbye to our new friends, guide and driver. The Radisson Glasgow had a small but comfy room for us. Their breakfast was quite good, too.
Day 10. The other two couples in my group rented a vehicle with the intention of visiting Stirling, a charming town, on the way to Edinburgh for our last night before the flight home. Whoops! Foiled by roundabout after roundabout, they totally missed it!
We rented a vehicle, Dumfries as our destination, and had a ball driving on the left side. My drive was easier than Dan's, as it is primarily highway from the Glasgow airport.
It was an enjoyable and spontaneous walk about Dumfries, happening upon one of the only places open for food on a Sunday at noon (family day). It was a pool hall! Our bar tender's name was Ryan, a colorful local who was thrilled we stopped in! We asked if he served lunch. "No...Well, I could make you a toasty?" After discovering it was a grilled cheese and he could add ham, we ordered with a big "YES, PLEASE! " He had a cute little half-pint glass for me and a pint for Dan. Pubs in Scotland carry mostly English beers, we discovered. Funny how this was one of the most memorable moments in our trip, right?
Properly fortified with food and drink, I loved the leisurely walk along the river past the historic toll building (museum closed), over the bridge and around the town back to our car. The walkabout was brief, but it felt amazing to have finally visited the home of my Scottish ancestor! His middle name was Laidlaw, a family name from the southern Scotland, northern England region. I surely have more research to do...for another day and another journey!
As Dan drove us through the countryside on the incredibly narrow country roads, I was able to reflect on the wonderful journey we had. Back in Edinburgh, we met with our friends for dinner at the Italian restaurant (Bella Italia) across the street from our Hilton Carlton Edinburgh! We enjoyed sharing new memories and impressions of the travels we had together.
Day 11. Leaving to return home from a journey like ours is bittersweet! However, the fact that the tram in Edinburgh is an easy way to get to the airport for just a few pounds as opposed to 50 (or more!) for a cab helped to take the sting out of it.
The streets of the city are quiet in the early morning hours. I found it peaceful, calm, and even more majestic than during the hustle and bustle of a normal day.
This was one of my longest adventures ever. Scotland is welcoming. Having the pleasure of seeing so much of her landscape makes me want to visit again so that I may take the opportunity to immerse in the local way of life.
The people of Scotland are special. They are friendly. They are proud of their culture and country. And I will be back one day. I do hope this inspires you to do the same.
More of my favorite images from Scotland. Thanks for reading!
Cheers. Bobbie, your Active Travel Pro
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