Wild
Scotland

Your journey begins at Edinburgh Waverley in the early afternoon. Almost at once the train crosses the Forth Railway Bridge, the great Victorian cantilever bridge that opened in 1890 and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and tea and scones are served as you roll on through the old Kingdom of Fife. The line then follows the east coast north past Arbroath, Montrose and Aberdeen before turning inland to Keith, where the train stays for the night.

Before dinner you can unwind at the Dior Spa Royal Scotsman, which offers treatments tailored to each guest. Dinner this evening is informal and makes the most of Scotland’s finest local ingredients, and afterwards the Observation Car fills with live folk music and entertainment. It is a good evening to get to know your fellow guests before the adventures ahead.

This morning the Royal Scotsman leaves Keith and heads west through Inverness onto the line to Kyle of Lochalsh, widely thought of as one of the most beautiful railway journeys in Britain. Lunch is served on board, and then you step off the train at Strathcarron to discover Scotland’s rugged west coast in the company of the RVIVAL guides.

The afternoon is all about life on the shore. You learn traditional coastal skills, forage for wild ingredients and then sit down to a feast of freshly prepared lobster, crab and scallops right by the water. If you fancy it, you can take a dip in the sea, or simply relax with a wild cocktail while the guides share stories of how people have lived along this coast for generations. Back on board, dinner is followed by an evening of atmospheric Gaelic music in the Observation Car.

After breakfast you travel from Carrbridge to Rothiemurchus Estate in the Cairngorms National Park for a full day in the Scottish landscape. RVIVAL’s traditional skills expert leads you through ancient woodland, showing you how to forage for wild ingredients and teaching the essential crafts and fire-making techniques that have been handed down through generations.

A rustic fire feast follows, cooked in the traditional way with seasonal flavours, and there is the option of a bracing swim in the loch for those who are tempted. The afternoon drifts on around the campfire with stories and conversation before you rejoin the Royal Scotsman at Boat of Garten. The day ends in style with a splendid gala dinner on board as the train travels south to Perth, where it spends the night.

The train leaves Perth early this morning, so you can enjoy a leisurely breakfast as it crosses the Tay Bridge and makes its way back towards Edinburgh. Your journey ends at Edinburgh Waverley, three nights and four days after it began, with memories of the coast, the woods and the campfire, and the comfort of one of the world’s great trains waiting at the end of every day.

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