Railtrail 2026 Main Brochure

8 Days from £1579

DEPARTS Tuesday 21 April 2026 Tuesday 30 June 2026

ACTIVITY LEVEL

HIGHLIGHTS ★ Visit Balmoral, the Scottish home of the Royal Family ★ Sample a wee dram at the Glen Garioch Distillery ★ Discover the ‘Granite City’ of Aberdeen on a guided tour ★ Enjoy dolphin spotting on a harbour cruise ★ Meet Highland cattle on a working farm visit ★ Visit Crathes Castle, a classic Scottish tower house with glorious gardens ★ Enjoy railway nostalgia at the Royal Deeside Railway ★ Visit Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre, Britain’s first military airfield ★ Journey on the Caledonian Railway ★ Stroll around Dundee’s redeveloped waterfront including the V&A Museum of Design ★ Explore Glamis Castle, the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth,The Queen Mother ★ Indulge in a gin tasting in the picturesque village of Glamis Also included in your Tour Fare: ★ 7 nights’ bed, breakfast & evening meal ★ Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager

© NT Scotland

R oyal D eeside E xplorer

Discover the diversity of Scotland on this fantastic tour in Aberdeen and Dundee. From royal life at stunning castles to iconic waterfronts, from wildlife cruises to heritage transport, this nostalgic tour has something for everyone. Explore the rich history and beauty of two wonderful coastal Scottish cities perfectly combined with a couple of wee drams!

DAY 1 Journey from your home station to Aberdeen and, on arrival, we will make our way to the Station Hotel, our hotel for the next four nights.We enjoy free time to explore our new surroundings before meeting for our first evening meal together. (D) DAY 2 This morning, we travel by private coach to Balmoral , the Scottish home of the Royal Family. Here, we discover the castle’s fascinating history and famous residents, exploring the largest room in the castle, the Ballroom, plus the exhibitions, grounds, and gardens. Following our visit, we transfer to the Glen Garioch Distillery , one of the oldest operating distilleries in Scotland, for a tour and a wee dram of one of Scotland’s most exclusive whiskies. (B,D) DAY 3 After breakfast today, we enjoy a guided tour of the ‘Granite City’ of Aberdeen where we will visit the highlights of the city including the castellated Citadel at The Castlegate and the striking gothic Marischal College followed by free time to explore further.This afternoon, we enjoy a 1-hour harbour and dolphin cruise with a fascinating talk on the history of the port before sailing into Aberdeen Bay to spot dolphins and wildlife. (B,D) DAY 4 This morning, we travel by private coach to the Lochton of Leys Farmhouse, the home of Aberdeenshire Highland Beef , where we meet and learn about the herd of pedigree Highland cattle on an exclusive tour followed by tea/coffee served with shortbread. We then continue to nearby Crathes Castle where turrets, gargoyles, and the ancient Horn of Leys are just a few of the fascinating features we discover at this classic Scottish tower house. Following our visit, we make our way to the Royal Deeside Railway , unique in having served all British Monarchs from Queen

Victoria to King Charles III, and we board our train for a two-mile journey before returning to our hotel in time for our evening meal. (B,LR,D) DAY 5 After breakfast, we enjoy magnificent views as we travel to Montrose to visit the Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre , the first operational military airfield in Great Britain, dedicated to aviation history dating back over 100 years. Following our visit, we continue to the Caledonian Railway for a return journey along the four-mile branch line to the countryside stop of Bridge of Dun and, after our fascinating day of heritage, we continue our journey to Dundee and arrive at our hotel for the next three nights, the Malmaison Hotel. (B,D) DAY 6 Today, we enjoy a day at leisure in Dundee and we can visit the impressiveV&A museum, discover maritime history at Discovery Point, explore the McManus Art Gallery & Museum, make use of the Dundee hop-on/hop-off bus, or stroll the waterfront before reconvening for our evening meal together. (B,D) DAY 7 After breakfast, this morning, we journey by private coach to Glamis Castle and enjoy a guided tour to learn the rich history of the castle, the legendary setting of Shakespeare’s Macbeth and the childhood home of HM Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. Following our tour, we spend some time in the quaint village of Glamis and visit the characterful Gin Bothy where we indulge in a talk and tasting in one of their rustic tasting rooms before returning to our hotel in the afternoon for our final evening meal together. (B,D) DAY 8 After breakfast, we bid farewell to Dundee and make our way to the station for our homeward journeys. (B)

FARE REGION FARES

FIRST* £1909 £1925 £1979 £1975 £2109 £1975 £1965 £1875 £1815 £1905 £2039 £1955 £1725

STANDARD

London: Kings Cross Greater London South of England East Anglia South West Midlands Yorkshire North East North West South Wales North Wales Heart of England

£1769 £1775 £1799 £1799 £1885 £1799 £1785 £1749 £1719 £1755 £1839 £1789

Scotland £1669 £10 tour discount for holders of National Railcards £10 tour discount for National Trust Members Join & Leave at Hotels £1599 June Departure Supplement £60 Single Traveller Supplement £400 Deposit £160 *Please Note: Some local and regional train services are Standard Class seating only and First Class ticket holders will travel in standard class accommodation for these sections of their journey

HOTELS Station Hotel,Aberdeen Malmaison Hotel, Dundee

For further information and to book your place... Visit: www.railtrail.co.uk Call: 01538 382323 Email: enquiry@railtrail.co.uk

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