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Overseas vacation tours, 2008
Tour of Scotland
Summary of Itinerary
June 21 through July 6, 2008
Saturday, July 21— Depart St. Louis —Meet at the ticket counter at Lambert Field at 9:00 AM. The bikes will already be packed and waiting for us. We leave St. Louis on Continental Airlines Flight #2003 at 11:00 AM and arrive at Newark Airport at 2:30 PM. Depart Newark on Continental Airlines Flight #16 at 7:45 PM.
Sunday, July 22— Arrive in Glasgow—Arrive in Glasgow at 7:30 AM. Clear customs, then travel via coach to Edinburgh, a 2 hour transfer, at around 1:00 PM. We will tour the city (population 453,500) in the afternoon.
We stay at the Hilton Edinburgh Grosvenor Hotel, Grosvenor St., Edinburgh, Scotland EH25EF. Telephone 44131-2266001, fax 44131-2202387. The hotel is in the Edinburgh City Center, 100 yards from Haymarket railway station and only minutes from Princess Street, the Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle. Group welcome dinner (5 courses with wine) at the hotel, 7:00 PM.
Monday, July 23—Free day in Edinburgh—We tour the city and the Royal Mile, from Castle to Palace. 2 hour group tour begins at 9:00 AM, and covers Edinburgh Castle, Princess Street, and other major landmarks. We’ll also walk the four streets of the Royal Mile: Castle Hill, Lawnmarket, High Street and Cannongate. Dinner on your own. We remain at the Hilton tonight.
Tuesday, July 24—Cycle to St. Andrews—Today we ride 48 miles from Edinburgh to St. Andrews (pop. 11,600), following the NCR North Sea Route 1. St. Andrews is on the Fife coast, and is famous as a seat of learning and the birthplace of the sport of golf. The city’s rich heritage includes a 12th Century cathedral, a 13th Century castle, and the University of St. Andrews which was founded in 1410, making it the first in Scotland and the third oldest in all of Britain (after Oxford and Cambridge). The world famous golf course dates from the 15th Century (built originally for a different game of ball and stick).
We stay at the Albany Hotel, a family run hotel in the heart of the town, located in an elegant Georgian terraced house built around 1795. The hotel is at 56 North Street, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 9AH. Telephone 01334-477737, fax 01334-477742. Group dinner at local restaurant.
Wednesday, June 25—Cycle to Broughty Ferry—Today we ride 25 miles, through Dundee to Broughty Ferry, a suburb of Dundee. Along the way we will visit the HM Frigate Unicorn and the Broughty Castle museum, which contains exhibits on armour and whaling.
Tonight we stay at the Woodlands Hotel, 13 Panmure Terrace, Broughty Ferry, Dundee DD5 2QL. Telephone 01382-480033, fax 01382-480126. The Woodlands is one of Dundee’s finest hotels, is nestled in mature landscaped grounds, and features an indoor leisure club with heated swimming pool, whirlpool spa, sauna, solarium, steam room and a fully equipped gymnasium.
Thursday, June 26— Cycle to Aberdeen— Today we ride 72 miles along the coast, from Broughty Ferry to Aberdeen (pop. 213,000). The sag wagon will be waiting at Stonehaven, 50 miles from Broughty Ferry, for those who don’t want to ride the entire way. Stonehaven is a a picturesque stopping point, an old harbor town. Nearby is Dunnottar Castle, which was a significant location in the wars between Scotland and England, and is located on a very dramatic promontory surrounded on three sides by the sea.
Tonight we stay at the Thistle Aberdeen Altens Hotel, Souterhead Road, Altens, Aberdeen AB12 3LF. Telephone 0870 333 9150, Fax 0870 333 9250. Altens is a suburb on the south side of Aberdeen, about 2 miles from the city center. Group dinner: 5 course meal with wine.
Friday, June 27— Free day in Aberdeen— Spend a day in Aberdeen, one of the great maritime cities of Scotland and Great Britain, with a strong history of fishing and shipbuilding. Aberdeen was one of the centers of clipper ship construction, and helped Great Britain gain supremacy in the China tea trade in the second half of the 19th Century. Sights to visit today include the Aberdeen Maritime Museum, the Tollbooth Museum, Old Aberdeen, King’s College, Footdee fishing village, and the Duthie Park Winter Gardens.
We stay another night at the Thistle Aberdeen Altens Hotel. Dinner on your own.
Saturday, June 28— Cycle to Lossiemouth—Today we continue along the coast and enter Morayshire. We will pass through the towns of Tarves, Turriff, Cullen and Nair before arriving at Lossiemouth, a total distance of 106 miles. The sag wagon will be waiting at Turriff, 54 miles into the ride, for those who don’t want to ride the entire distance. Lossiemouth (pop. 6,650) is a harbor town on the shore of the North Sea.
We stay at the Stotfield Hotel, Stotfield Road, Lossiemouth, Morayshire IV31 6QS. Telephone 01343 812011, fax 01343 814820. The hotel was originally built in 1895, and has recently been completely refurbished. The hotel features excellent views of the Moray Firth and the hills of Sutherland. Group dinner at the hotel.
Sunday, June 29—Cycle to Inverness—We ride 50 miles today to Inverness, known as the “Capital of the Highlands”. This city stands at the northern end of the Great Glen, and straddles the outlet of Loch Ness. Sights include Inverness Castle, the Museum and Art Gallery, Abertaff House, and St. Andrew’s Cathedral.
Tonight we stay at the Glen Mohor Hotel, 9-13 Ness Bank, Inverness Highlands, IV2 4SG. Telephone 44 1463 234308, fax 44 1463 713170. The hotel is situated in a quiet spot on the bank of the River Ness, just a few minutes walk from the town center, Eden Court Theater and other attractions. The hotel restaurant is particularly famous for its “modern taste of Scotland” cuisine and friendly, attentive service. Specialties include local seafood, lamb, beef and game in season. Group dinner at the hotel.
Monday, June 30—Free day in Inverness—A day for sightseeing and shopping in town. We will take a boating excursion on Loch Ness. An optional ride takes us across the Moray Firth bridge on the Black Isle, a ride of about 30 miles. Sights on the island include the Black Isle Wildlife Park, Avoch Heritage Center, Fortrose Cathedral, and Groam House Museum.
We stay another night at the Glen Mohor Hotel in Inverness. Dinner on your own.
Tuesday, July 1—Cycle to Newtonmore—We ride 55 miles to Newtonmore (pop. 2,500), a small town whose main attraction is the Clan Mcpherson Museum.
We stay at the Balavil Sport Hotel, Main Street, Newtonmore, Inverness-shire PH20 1DL. Telephone 44 1540 673220, fax 44 1540 673773. This is a family run hotel in the center of Newtonmore village, with many sporting facilities including an indoor swimming pool, and nightly entertainment. Group dinner at the hotel.
Wednesday, July 2—Cycle to Dunkeld—Today we ride 50 miles to Dunkeld, a tiny village with a population of 270. One sight along the way today is the Pitlochry Power Station, whose fish ladder will have salmon jumping upstream to return to their spawning grounds. The town of Dunkeld is on the north bank of the river Tay, has a cathedral that marks the location of a monastery that was established in the 6th Century, and is in the center of one of Scotland’s most scenic precincts.
We stay at the Royal Dunkeld Hotel, Atholl Street, Dunkeld, Perthshire PH8 OAR. Telephone 44 1350 727322, fax 44 1350 728989. Group dinner at the hotel.
Thursday, July 3—Cycle to Callander—We ride 61 miles to Callander (pop. 1,700), a bustling summer resort on the banks of the River Teith. The town is on one of the principle routes into the Highlands and the Trossachs, regarded across Scotland as one of the country’s most beautiful regions. Here you find rugged, forested, low mountains reflected in the sparkling waters of the lochs. This is the homeland of Rob Roy McGregor, the 18th Century Scottish patriot and outlaw made famous by Sir Walter Scott’s novel.
Lodging tonight is a the Dreadnough Hotel, Station Road, Callander, FK17 8AN. Telephone 1877 330184, fax 1877 330328. This hotel was built in the 17th Century by the Clan McNab, and it takes the clan’s motto as its name. Group dinner at the hotel.
Friday, July 4—Cycle to Glasgow—Our last day of riding takes us 44 miles by bike path along the Clyde River into the heart of Glasgow. Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow has long been an industrial center and major port, and has recently emerged as a flourishing center of culture.
We stay at the Quality Central Hotel, Gordon Street, Glasgow G1 3SF. Telephone 44 141 2219680, fax 44 141 2263948. The Central Hotel has been one of the great hotels in all Scotland ever since its opening in 1883. The hotel’s public rooms are outstanding, with fine proportions and lush wood paneling, and the 210 guest rooms are large and well appointed. The hotel’s restaurant and bar are first class, and other facilities include the usual indoor pool, sauna and gym. Dinner is on your own.
Saturday, July 5—Free day in Glasgow—Time for more sightseeing in the city. Glasgow is full of major attractions, including the following partial list: Museum of Transport; Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum; the Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery (with a major collection of paintings by James McNeill Whistler); Hutchesons’ Hall; Tenement House; Glasgow Cathedral; The People’s Palace Museum; the Botanical Gardens; the Theater Royal (opera and ballet). Glasgow’s sights are well spread out, but the city’s mass transit system (subways and buses) work well to get you around the city.
We spend another night at the Quality Central Hotel. Group Farewell dinner at the hotel.
Sunday, July 7—Return to St. Louis—We leave Glasgow via coach at 7:00 AM for Glasgow airport. Depart on Continental Airlines Flight #17 at 9:00 AM. Arrive in Newark at 11:30 AM. Leave Newark on Continental Airlines Flight #2764 at 2:15 PM, arrive in St. Louis at 3:55 PM.
Price of this tour is yet to be determined.
For further information please contact:
Donald N. Humphries, President
tel: 314.739.4648
email: donaldh@touringcyclist.com
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