4 Seasons With Railtrail 2018/19 Brochure

Grand Tours by Rail – Golden Galloway & the Glorious Grampians

N E W T O U R

A new Grand Tour designed to experience the golden glow from Galloway to the Grampians in all their autumnal glory. Travel from Scotland’s most southerly point to its most northerly point! Imagine the Nith Valley Line, the West Highland Line, the Far North Line, the Kyle Line, the Highland Line, the Strathspey Steam Railway, plus the Tay and Forth Bridges all on one tour! And just to be completist we’ve chosen three ‘Palace Hotels’!

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

DAY 1 For those travelling with us by train, we arrive in Dumfries, transferring by road to Cally Palace for a welcome drinks reception in the ornate Bow Lounge. (D) DAY 2 Today’s excursion heads west to the Mull of Galloway, Scotland’s southernmost point. Admiring the impressive lighthouse, built in 1830 by Robert Stevenson and now remotely controlled. (B,T,D) DAY 3 Transferring back to Dumfries, we experience the Nith Valley Line through Dumfries & Galloway’s rolling hills to Kilmarnock. Our return to Cally by road takes in the autumn gold of Galloway’s National Forest, a habitat for a variety of wildlife from red deer to Golden Eagles and Peregrine Falcons. (B,D) DAY 4 Today we take in the most scenic section of the West Highland Line, dubbed one of the world’s greatest railway journeys. A coach completes the journey through the golden glory of the Great Glen in autumn, skirting Loch Ness en route to Inverness for three nights at the Palace Hotel. (B,D) ★ ★ Take lunch on board the Strathspey Steam Railway ★ ★ Unwind at Atholl Palace, an original Victorian hydro hotel ★ ★ Marvel at Queen’s View ★ ★ Sample a ‘wee dram’ at Edradour Distillery ★ ★ Visit Edinburgh and its Royal Mile ★ ★ Cross the Tay Bridge and the magnificent Forth Bridge ★ ★ Relax at Cally Palace in its splendid grounds ★ ★ Visit Scotland’s southern tip at the Mull of Galloway ★ ★ Admire the scenery on the Nith Valley Line ★ ★ Autumn colours galore in the Galloway Forest Park ★ ★ Enjoy the West Highland Line past lochs and over Rannoch Moor ★ ★ Take in the lovely scenery alongside Loch Ness ★ ★ Stay at the original Railtrail hotel, the Palace in Inverness ★ ★ Enjoy Dave’s original ‘Great Railway Journey’ on the Kyle Line ★ ★ Touch the top of the country at John O’Groats & Dunnet Head ★ ★ Experience the Highland Line’s dramatic scenery

Fares From £1495

10 DAYS

DAY 5 The Far North Line completes our journey from south to north, spotting sealife as we travel along the Moray and Cromarty Firths, continuing through stunning coastal Sutherland and into Caithness. We make a brief stop at Dunnet Head, Scotland’s most northerly point, before visiting John O’Groats. (B,D) DAY 6 The original of Michael Palin’s Great Railway Journeys of the World, the Kyle Line to Kyle of Lochalsh, awaits today. Another journey of a lifetime, the Kyle Line connects Scotland coast to coast across great mountain plateaux. (B,L,D) DAY 7 Travelling due south on the Highland Line, we halt at Aviemore for a whiff of nostalgia on the Strathspey Steam Railway, enjoying light lunch as we steam through the Cairngorm National Park. Continuing to Pitlochry, we check into the splendid surroundings of Atholl Palace Hotel. (B,L,D) DAY 8 We discover more about the Pitlochry area today, with a half day tour featuring the stunning Queen’s View across Loch Tummel, plus a tour and ‘wee dram’ at charming Edradour, Scotland’s smallest and arguably most beautifully situated distillery. (B,D) DAY 9 We cross the tantalising Tay Bridge, a structure nearly three miles long crossing the Tay between Dundee and Fife. Our second bridge of note is shorter, at 1 ½ miles in length, but even more famous. Crossing the Firth of Forth, the Forth Rail

DEPARTS Monday 8 October 2018

FARES

FARE REGION

FIRST STANDARD RC

Bridge is a UNESCO World Heritage site. We enjoy a free afternoon in Edinburgh before returning to Pitlochry. (B,D) DAY 10 Our grand tour concludes as we make our homeward journeys, our cameras filled with coast to coast adventures. (B) London Out Euston In King’s Cross £1760 £1635 -£20 Greater London £1795 £1660 -£25 South of England £1800 £1665 -£25 East Anglia £1825 £1675 -£30 South West £1820 £1675 -£30 Heart of England £1735 £1625 -£20 Midlands £1720 £1605 -£15 Yorkshire £1650 £1590 -£15 North East N/A £1550 -£10 North West £1675 £1585 -£15 South Wales £1765 £1640 -£20 North Wales £1705 £1600 -£15 Scotland £1635 £1565 -£10 Join & Leave at Hotels £1495 Single Room Supplement £325 9 nights’ bed, breakfast & Table d’Hôte evening meal plus 3 light lunches/teas Rail travel & seat reservations from your Home Station to Tour Base (Standard or First Class) Rail & coach travel, with transfers as described All excursions & admissions as detailed Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager Hotel Porterage

Book now – online at www.railtrail.co.uk or telephone: 01538 382323

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