Lake District, Edinburgh & the Outlander Trail 2021

After breakfast, you take in views of Ullswater as we head along country roads to its southern shores.

You continue further south and travel over the narrow and winding Kirkstone Pass towards the wonderful Windermere. Here you have the option to take a leisurely cruise on the Lake or eat lunch while enjoying sublime views of the surrounding scenery.

After lunch you travel around the southern tip of Windermere and on towards Coniston Water. Your next stop is the picturesque conservation village of Hawkshead, where the poet William Wordsworth attended Grammar School.

After exploring the cosy village, you take the narrow country lanes north towards Grasmere, which Wordsworth described as “the loveliest spot that man hath found”.

There’s free time to visit Wordsworth’s Dove Cottage, taste the legendary gingerbread, or enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the Wordsworth Daffodil Garden by the River Rothy.

In the late afternoon, you return to Keswick*. (B)

* Please note all tours that depart in July will stay in Bowness-on-Windermere instead of Keswick

We head for the Whinlatter Forest Park and over the Whinlatter Pass into the most dramatic landscapes that the Lake District has to offer.

You journey along winding lanes, past the shores of Crummock Water and Buttermere, and towards the Honister Mountain Pass.

Stopping amongst the mountains you have the opportunity to visit old slate workings, where a small number of Cumbrians continue to make their living.

After refreshments, you continue through the forests of Borrowdale, passing Derwent Water, where there’s free time for lunch and shopping.

Once you’ve eaten lunch, you begin your return journey, heading towards Penrith and north towards the border. After crossing into Scotland, you take a stop in the town of Biggar, a royal burgh since 1415. From here, it’s a leisurely drive through the rolling border hills to Edinburgh. (B)

Today is a free day to explore Edinburgh.

We think you should start with our included Edinburgh City Tour to familiarise yourself with the history, geography, and laugh-out-loud tales of the city.

And after that, what you do is up to you; You can venture deep under the city on ghost tours, hike to the lofty heights of Arthur’s Seat, or even just relax in the many beautiful gardens.

Just ensure you relax and prepare for your next part of your adventure. (B)

Today you join a new bus for the continuation of your tour to the Highlands. With your new companions 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 husband, Arthur. Exploring the town’s cobbled streets is like taking a step back in time. Look carefully and you may even find Claire’s herb garden behind the impressive Culross Palace.

You 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. Baird’s Guesthouses (The Covenanter Hotel) and the Bruce Fountain, where Claire’s husband Frank sees the ghost of Jamie.

In the early afternoon, you 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, you 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.

You arrive in Inverness later in the afternoon. (B)

You first travel to Culloden. This site plays an important role in Scottish history and the Outlander books. It’s not far from the battlefield where the couple said their tearful goodbyes before Jamie joined the Jacobite army to fight for the Stuarts. You have the opportunity to explore the visitor centre and site, and pay tribute to those who lost their lives at the last battle fought on British soil.

You then take a short drive to the ancient standing stones at Clava Cairns, which may have been the inspiration for Craigh na Dun.

After lunch, we continue to Castle Leod, “home of the Clan MacKenzie”, where you can enjoy a relaxing walk while your guide tells you the history of the clan and area. The castle resembles how Diana Gabaldon described Castle Leoch, however she had never heard of this building prior to writing Outlander.

A short drive 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 where the Lovat Frasers are buried in Diana Gabaldon’s book.

In the afternoon, you can sample ‘The Water of Life’ with a whisky distillery tour and tasting.

We return to Inverness with time to explore the town and enjoy the city for another evening. (B)

Your day starts with a visit to the majestic Glen Affric. Lochs, mountains and pine forests: this is one of Scotland’s most glorious glens. It’s also an ideal spot for Jamie to hide.

You then continue along the entire length of Loch Ness and through the Great Glen before heading to Glenfinnan. The monument here commemorates the beginning of the last Jacobite rising. It stands framed by Loch Shiel and bedside a famous section of the Jacobite Steam Train railway line, famously used as the Hogwarts Express in Harry Potter.

Your overnight stop is in Fort William underneath the shadow of Britain’s tallest mountain, Ben Nevis. (B)

You start the day with a magnificent drive through Glencoe and cross the rugged Trossachs area onto Doune Castle. The Castle is an extensive ruin that represents Castle Leoch in the TV programme, home to Colum MacKenzie and his clan in the 18th-century episodes.

Later, you have a photo stop at Blackness Castle on the banks of the Firth of Forth. This was used as the set for Fort William in the show and appears in many other movies because of its beautiful setting and thickly fortified walls.

You return to Edinburgh in the early evening. (B)