Grand Tour
of Scotland

The Royal Scotsman leaves Edinburgh in the early afternoon and heads north to Perth, with afternoon tea served along the way. From there the Highland line climbs through Dunkeld, Pitlochry and Blair Atholl, where the white walls of Blair Castle stand out above the valley, and on into the dramatic peaks of the Highlands. The train spends the night at Boat of Garten on the private Strathspey Railway, in the quiet of the Cairngorms. Dinner celebrates local produce, and afterwards the Observation Car comes alive with lively entertainment and the easy company that builds quickly on a small luxury train.

An early start from Boat of Garten takes the train north to Tain and Glenmorangie Distillery. Founded in 1843 and known for its pioneering work with cask finishes, Glenmorangie welcomes you for a private tasting in the warehouse, followed by lunch at nearby Glenmorangie House.

Back on board, the train continues north towards Wick. After dinner you head out to Dunnet Bay Distillers to meet the people behind Rock Rose Gin and Holy Grass Vodka, with drinks on the beach, a bonfire and lively entertainment to finish the evening. Dunnet Bay lies close to Dunnet Head, the most northerly point on the British mainland, and there is a real sense of being at the edge of the map.

After a Scottish breakfast, a coach takes you to Gill's Bay for the ferry across to the Orkney Islands. Orkney has some of the best preserved Neolithic sites in Europe, and the highlight is Skara Brae, a stone village so well preserved that you can still see the beds, hearths and dressers inside its houses. It was lived in for around 600 years before being abandoned around 2500 BC. After a traditional lunch there is more of the islands to explore before the ferry back to the mainland in the early evening. An informal dinner follows as the Royal Scotsman travels south towards Dingwall for the night.

After breakfast you leave the train for a full day on the Isle of Skye, with two very different ways to spend it. If you love the outdoors, head out with RVIVAL, specialists in wild Highland adventures, exploring waterfalls, looking out for wildlife and hiking away from the usual trails. Alternatively, join a historian for a tour of Skye's great landmarks, including Kilt Rock, the Trotternish Peninsula and the colourful harbour town of Portree, followed by Dunvegan Castle, the ancestral seat of the Clan MacLeod, and its gardens.

The day ends back on the train at Kyle of Lochalsh with an informal dinner and live Scottish folk music.

After a leisurely brunch on board, you set off with a historian to explore Royal Aberdeenshire along Royal Deeside, a landscape of castles, pine forest and pretty villages that Queen Victoria loved so much she made Balmoral her Highland home. The visit centres on Crathes Castle, a 16th-century tower house that was home to the Burnett family for centuries, famous for its turrets and towers, oak-panelled rooms and painted ceilings. Back on board, an elegant formal dinner is served while the train is stabled for the night in Dundee.

Breakfast is served as the train crosses the Tay Bridge into Fife. A private tour of St Andrews follows, taking in the castle, the ruined cathedral and St Rule's Tower, and then there is time to wander the old town at your own pace before a light lunch back on board.

In the evening you head to the pretty coastal village of Elie in the East Neuk of Fife for a dinner of local seafood at the Ship Inn, with a stroll along the beach afterwards. Back on the train, drinks are served as it travels on to Wemyss Bay for the night.

After breakfast you set out on a private boat cruise on Loch Lomond, some 23 miles of fresh water dotted with islands and rich in wildlife, legend and folklore. Lunch is served back on board as the train heads south towards Dumfries.

After lunch you visit Drumlanrig Castle, the turreted pink sandstone home of the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch and Queensberry, with its celebrated art collection, formal gardens and woodland. The Grand Tour of Scotland then draws to a close with a gala dinner in the State Dining Room, followed by drinks and farewell celebrations in the Observation Car as the train travels on to Kilmarnock for the final night.

The train leaves Kilmarnock early this morning and travels east to Edinburgh Waverley. Take your time over a final breakfast as you look back on a week that has taken you from the Cairngorms to Orkney, from Skye to the East Neuk of Fife and from Loch Lomond to Drumlanrig.

Itineraries and timings shown may be changed for seasonal or operational reasons.