Getting here

Edinburgh airport is only a thirty minute tram ride away, and with frequent trains from all over the country you shouldn’t find getting here a problem. We can help arrange car hire from your hotel in Edinburgh when you’re ready to head off. Alternatively we can provide car transfers as part of this package.

Attractions

Just a few of the attractions below… this is by no means a full list! We can organise this and much more.

Accomodation

The Balmoral Edinburgh – Five star traditional Scottish luxury £££

Gleneagles Edinburgh – New to Edinburgh, modern contemporary luxury £££

The Glasshouse – Modern fresh and five stars ££

The Edinburgh Grand – Plush new haven in the centre of town ££

Getting here

Only 1hr 30 drive from Edinburgh over one of the three famous Forth bridges. Take the direct route straight across country, or follow the Fife coastal through the quaint fishing villages of Ellie, Anstruther and Crail to really discover the east coast of Scotland (with some highly recommended fish and chips on the way).

Attractions

• Golf golf golf – lots of courses to choose from – speak to us with plenty of notice to get on the course you want.
• Town and coastal walks taking in the castle and cathedral.
• Surfing and land yachting with blown away adventures.

Accommodation

Rusacks hotel – A golfers paradise. 5 Star, famous and luxurious £££

Rufflets hotel – Grand country house hotel, 5 star £££

Fairmont – The famous one on the Old Course! ££

Getting here

1 hour 45min drive from St Andrews or a 2 hour 30 min drive from Edinburgh. Heading west off the main road to Aberdeen, you can travel over Cairn O’mount, a fabulous drive through some glorious moorland which in late August and early September will be in its full purple flower. Then drop down to the River Dee, remembering to keep an eye on the road – and not the river!

Activity

We will meet you at your hotel and drive you to the fishing beat where you will meet the beat’s ‘ghillie’ for the day. We’ll then do a bit of a safety briefing, get you kitted out in the right equipment (don’t worry we can provide this) and then head to the water! Depending on ability we can either do a full introduction to spey casting and fly-fishing lesson, or we can give you a refresher on what’s required. Either way, you’ll be swinging flies for Scottish silver salmon before lunchtime.

For non-fishers, Banchory is a stunning place to enjoy some relaxation time. With riverside walks, spots to watch leaping salmon and nearby castles to visit there is plenty to do. Or if your travel companion is fishing, then there isn’t a better place to read a book than next to the fire in one of the famous fishing huts along the River Dee at Banchory.

Accommodation

Marcliffe Spa – 5 star luxury hotel and spa. Lower down the River Dee, but closer to Aberdeen. £££

Tor Na Coille – Riverside 4 star luxury. A fishermans hotel! ££

Banchory lodge – Right next to the river, you can be fishing before breakfast if you stay at this gorgeous 4 star hotel. ££

Getting around

Banchory to Braemar is less than an hour’s drive, but you are going to want to spend longer! It’s a pleasure to drive into the heart of Royal Deeside and the eastern side of the Cairngorm mountains.

Attractions

• Balmoral – The Queen’s home in the highlands is open to the public when she is not in residence. The grounds and building are well worth the visit – www.balmoralcastle.com/
• Riverside walks – There are some amazing riverside walks on the Dee, from a gentle stroll to the old Brig o’Dee (photo at the top of the page) to a trip into the Cairngorms from the Linn of Dee or Loch Muick.
• Braemar & Ballater – Twee, traditional towns en route with great cafes, museums and art galleries. If you time it right, you could even take in the famous Highland Games in either town.
• Sport – This part of Deeside is surrounded by sporting estates offering grouse shooting and deer stalking, both of which we can organise.
• Wildlife safaris – If shooting isn’t your thing then take the camera on a wildlife safari into the Cairngorms.
• Guided walking – With the end of the road here being the gateway to the Cairngorm mountains we can help plan and guide you over single or multiple day walks, either long distance, or munro circuits.
• Guided fishing – We can also offer another day’s salmon fishing on the upper River Dee… we can even help organise a day’s fishing on the queen’s beat of the river!
• Skiing – Braemar is only 15 minutes from one of Scotland’s best ski resorts, Glenshee.

Accommodation

Fife Arms – 5 star boutique. Traditional highland luxury. Our favourite hotel in Scotland (and probably the world!) £££

Braemar Lodge Hotel – Lovely 4 star hotel in the heart of Braemar. ££

Mar Lodge – National Trust building with apartments to stay in. Amazing location and a stunning setup. Worth a visit even if you’re not staying here. ££

Getting around

It’s less than two hours from Braemar to Aberlour. The stunning road takes you over some really remote open hillside and moorland, before dropping down to the Spey valley. With distilleries dotted along the way, we’ll give you the perfect route to take in the best of them.

Attractions

• Distillery tours (multiple!)
• Whisky tasting (multiple!!)
• Ballindalloch castle and Grounds – www.ballindallochcastle.co.uk
• Guided walks
• Guided fishing (on the river Spey)

Accommodation

Craigellachie Hotel – 4 star. Scotlands oldest whisky hotel… says it all really! ££

Dowans hotel and restaurant – A proper whisky hotel, cosy and private. ££

Getting around

Aviemore and Cairngorm mountain ski hill are just over an hour away from Aberlour, heading up the River Spey. From here it’s a two and a half hour drive back to Edinburgh airport. Depending on schedule guests can either stay in Aviemore, or break up the journey by staying somewhere en-route to Edinburgh.

Activity

We can either meet you at your hotel, or at the Cairngorm mountain ski hill – the start of our walk. From here there are multiple routes that cater for all abilities. From a easy stroll up castle hill, to a two day 22 mile traverse over five of Scotland’s biggest mountains and everything in between. There are some really perfect hills here to introduce guests to Scotland’s mountains and of course some bigger ones to challenge you. There is even the option to walk to Aviemore from Braemar (above) over a famous high mountain pass the Larig Gru, and we can arrange for your luggage to be waiting for you. Your guide is qualified and insured and will tailor your trip to meet your requirements. For more details on our guiding service, please see our mountain guiding page.

If a day in the mountains isn’t for you then not to worry, we can organise a number of different activities from fly-fishing to spa days to quad biking. Or we can recommend some nearby visitor attractions such as Culloden Battlefield, a great day out and really not far away.

Accommodation

A tent on the Cairngorm Plateaux (if you’re up for it!)

Macdonald Aviemore – The best local hotel ££

Fonab castle hotel – On the way back to Edinburgh, make your last night in Scotland count in this luxury castle £££