Clans, Castles & Isles 2027 and 2028
The landscapes of Scotland carry their history with them like few other places in the world. On this five-night journey the myths and tales of that landscape come to life as the scenery unfolds, from famous battlegrounds and glorious waterfalls to captivating islands, the silver sands of Morar and the ramparts of Stirling Castle.
The train leaves Edinburgh in the afternoon and returns on the morning of the sixth day. Along the way you take in the great bulk of Ben Nevis, the rolling hills of Perthshire and the deep valleys of the Highlands, with excursions to islands, castles and Highland estates in between. Formal and informal dinners, a dram at a Hebridean farmhouse and evening music in the Observation Car make the time on board every bit as memorable as the time spent off it. For 2027 you can choose a Double or Twin Suite as well as a Grand Suite. The 2028 departures also offer Double and Twin Cabins.
Estimated departure from Edinburgh Waverley 1:56pm, with an estimated arrival back in Edinburgh at 9:40am on the final morning. All timings are indicative and subject to national railway constraints. Please check your final itinerary for confirmed timings.
Day by Day Itinerary
Edinburgh to Spean Bridge
Your journey begins in the afternoon, with tea and scones served as the Royal Scotsman heads west out of Edinburgh through Falkirk, Clydebank and Dumbarton, skirting Glasgow and following the north side of the Clyde. The city falls away quickly, and there is little to do but settle into your cabin and watch the scenery open up as the train makes its way towards Spean Bridge.
Dinner tonight is informal, which on the Royal Scotsman means relaxed rather than casual. Afterwards, musicians fill the Observation Car with Gaelic songs and lively folk tunes, a lovely introduction to the days ahead.
Spean Bridge to Fort William via Arisaig
The train heads west past Ben Nevis, Britain's highest mountain, which looks all the more impressive at close quarters. At Arisaig you step off for a morning walk along the silver sands of Morar, where on a clear day the view stretches out to the jagged Cuillin mountains of Skye.
Lunch is served as the train makes its way to Fort William, crossing the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct, a sight every bit as striking from the window as it is on screen. The afternoon offers a choice. You can explore Glenfinnan with a local guide, hearing the stories of the place where Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his standard in 1745, or head into Glen Nevis for a hike to the Steall Waterfall. The evening brings an informal dinner and Scottish music in the Observation Car.
Oban to Kilmarnock
The train arrives in Oban, the gateway to the Hebrides, and the day offers three different ways to spend it. The first is a private boat trip around the nearby islands to Kerrera, a quiet and beautiful island just across from the harbour that is full of the mystery of the Hebrides. The second is time to explore Oban itself, with lunch at a pier-front restaurant before heading out to the little isle of Easdale, shaped by centuries of slate quarrying and unlike anywhere else in Scotland.
The third takes you to the farmhouse of Coinneach MacLeod, the Hebridean Baker, for an afternoon of folklore, walking in the hills and feeding the Highland cows. Both the Easdale and farmhouse options finish at Coinneach's farmhouse with whisky and shortbread. Back on board, a formal dinner is served as the train travels south to Kilmarnock, where it stays for the night.
Kilmarnock to Boat of Garten
This morning the train travels south into Dumfriesshire, a quieter corner of Scotland that richly rewards the trip. You disembark for Drumlanrig Castle, the turreted pink sandstone home of the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch and Queensberry. Inside, the grand reception rooms carry you back through the centuries, with a celebrated art collection alongside fine silver, porcelain and French furniture, while outside there are formal gardens and rambling woodland to explore.
Rejoin the train for lunch and settle in for an afternoon of slow travel north, as the gentler hills of the south give way to the peaks and valleys of the Highlands. Tonight there is an informal dinner followed by traditional entertainment as the train arrives on the private Strathspey Railway at Boat of Garten, deep in the Cairngorms.
Boat of Garten to Dundee
After a leisurely breakfast, a coach takes you to Rothiemurchus Estate in the Cairngorms, a lovely stretch of Highland forest, lochs and parkland beneath the mountains. Rejoin the train at Kingussie for lunch as it heads south.
In the afternoon you leave the train at Stirling for a private visit to Stirling Castle, beginning with a champagne reception before a guided tour. Set on a volcanic crag above the Carse of Stirling, with views across to the Wallace Monument, the castle was at the heart of the Stuart monarchy and is where Mary, Queen of Scots, was crowned as an infant. Rejoin the train for the journey to Dundee and a gala dinner, followed by music and farewells in the Observation Car.
Dundee to Edinburgh
A final leisurely breakfast is served in the dining cars as the train leaves Dundee and runs south through Fife. Crossing the Forth Railway Bridge, completed in 1890 and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, makes a fine finale before the train pulls into Edinburgh Waverley.
If you need onward transport or would like to book a stay at one of Edinburgh's finest hotels, your Train Manager will be happy to help.
Itineraries and timings shown may be changed for seasonal or operational reasons.
Departure Dates
2027
2028
Other dates are sold out or yet to be released. Please call us to check availability.
Prices Per Cabin
| Accommodation | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|
| Double Cabin | Not available | from £34,900 |
| Twin Cabin | Not available | from £34,900 |
| Double Suite | from £37,800 | from £39,700 |
| Twin Suite | from £37,800 | from £39,700 |
| Grand Suite | from £73,500 | from £75,750 |