Islay
& The Whisky Coast 4 Day Tour
This 4 day specialist whisky tour takes you to the “Queen
of the Isles” and the Whisky Coast. Islay is home to 8
of Scotland’s finest malt whisky distilleries Lagavulin,
Laphroaig,
Bowmore,
Bunnahabhain,
Bruichladdich,
Ardbeg,
Caol
Ila and Kilchoman. For the whisky enthusiast this tour will
give you an in depth knowledge and even better - you won’t
need to drive anywhere yourself!
Day
1
Leaving Edinburgh you will head west through Scotland’s
largest city, Glasgow along Loch Lomond then west through the
mountains to the beautiful little village of Inveraray on the
banks of Loch Fyne. Here you can visit the local micro brewery
and then sample some of the local seafood. Or perhaps just explore
the historic town itself. After lunch you will travel down the
Kintyre peninsula to Campbeltown for a visit to Springbank
Distillery, one of the last distilleries producing everything
by hand. Nearby are the impressive seacliffs of the Mull of
Kintyre and the superb beach at Machrihanish. From here it is
a short drive to catch the early evening ferry to Islay, before
travelling to Bowmore for your 3 night stay.
Day 2
A full day exploring Islay. The itinerary today is quite flexible
with a mixture of beautiful scenery, white sand beaches, short
walks and of course the famous Islay whiskies - renowned for
their strong peaty flavours and nurtured by the salty sea air.
In the morning we will take the short drive to the west of the
island via Saligo Bay for a visit to Kilchoman Distillery (the
newest and smallest on the island) with the option of a coastal
walk to Machair Bay for any non-whisky lovers. After lunch here
you will travel to the tiny harbour village of Portnahaven (look
out for seals) then take the back roads along the west coast
with its lovely sandy bays. In the afternoon you will stop at
the privately owned Bruichladdich
Distillery for a tour and tasting followed by a short visit
to the Islay Museum or a drink in a local pub before returning
to Bowmore.
Oban
& Distillery |
Bowmore Distillery |
Day 3
Another day in paradise! Today you will explore the southern
side of the island, home to the smokiest and peatiest of all
whiskies – Laphroaig,
Lagavulin
and Ardbeg.
We will make photo stops at the first two then visit Ardbeg
for a tour, tasting and lunch. The restaurant here is a beautiful
place to relax and enjoy local produce as well as some unique
whisky. While in the area we will visit the ruins of Kildalton
church with its famous 8th Century Celtic cross. In the afternoon
there will be the option to spend some free time in Bowmore
village. Here you can visit the famous Round Church, Bowmore
Distillery itself (June – Aug) or just relax with
a quiet drink looking out over the water. Alternatively you
could continue with the tour to Bridgend where we will visit
the community craft producers (and brewery!) at Islay House
Square or take a walk through the woods along the nearby River
Sorn.
Day 4
This morning you take the ferry back to the mainland then travel
through Argyll and the ancient Kingdom of Dalriada. There are
more than 350 prehistoric monuments within a six-mile radius
of the village of Kilmartin. We will stop here for lunch and
a chance to visit the mysterious stone circles and the local
community museum. From Kilmartin it is a short drive to Oban
– the main ferry port for the islands. Here we will drop
off anyone who is continuing on the Mull, Iona and Isle of Skye
extension. The others will have some free time to explore the
town, before departing for the return journey to Glasgow and
Edinburgh.
More Islay & The Whisky Coast
4 Day Tour info here!
Highland
Lochs, Glens & Whisky Day Tour
A
journey through the Celtic heartlands in the central Highlands
taking in the waterfalls in Birnam forest, Pitlochry, the Queen's
View and the splendour of Loch Tay, an area abundant with standing
stone circles.
Depart Edinburgh at 09.30 and travel north over the Forth Road
Bridge, passing one of Scotland's great engineering wonders
- the Forth Rail Bridge. Continuing north into the Kingdom of
Fife we pass Loch Leven castle where Mary Queen of Scots was
imprisoned in 1567 and forced to abdicate
from the throne.
Further
on we will also pass Perth, the medieval capital of Scotland,
before crossing the Highland Boundary Fault line, and the point
where the scenery changes from the rolling farmland of the Lowlands
to the forested hills and mountains of the Scottish Highlands.
Surrounded by this beautiful scenery and on the banks of the
River Tay is the Cathedral town of Dunkeld, our first stop of
the day. Dunkeld was for many centuries the capital of the Christian
Celtic Church, and its 13th century Cathedral reflects the once
great importance of this quaint Highland village. From Dunkeld
it's a short drive to the Hermitage, a fantastic woodland walk
leading up to the Black Linn Falls where the River Braan cascades
into a narrow gorge. Surrounded by some of Scotland's tallest
trees and changing spectacularly in appearance throughout the
seasons it's a great place at any time of year. You may even
have the chance to see the spectacular sight of Salmon attempting
to leap up the falls and on towards their spawning grounds.
Leaving the Hermitage we follow the wide valley of the River
Tay towards the Victorian resort town of Pitlochry. Here you
will have the chance to visit the Blair
Athol Whisky Distillery and discover the secret of how Scotland's
national drink is made. No visit to Scotland is complete without
sampling a 'wee dram' and you will get the chance to taste some
of the finished product. Known in the Gaelic as Uisge Beatha
(or 'water of life') whisky has been produced for centuries
in Scotland and the art is now close to perfection. We will
spend around 2 hours here to visit the distillery and have lunch
in the town. Or if you prefer you can spend the full two hours
exploring Pitlochry and its great shops and restaurants or maybe
even take a walk down towards Loch Faskally.
After
lunch we take a scenic drive through the mountains of Highland
Perthshire, first crossing over the Pass of Killicrankie before
a short stop at the Queen's View overlooking Loch Tummel. On
a clear day the view here is stunning, looking over to the unmistakable
peak of Schiehallion and beyond to the mountains of Glencoe.
Continuing alongside Loch Tummel we then head over the hills
and down to the secluded village of Fortingall where you can
see Europe's oldest tree - the 3000 year old Fortingall Yew.
According to local legend Fortingall also has the strange claim
to being the birthplace of Pontius Pilate! Shortly after Fortingall
we come to Loch Tay and make our way around the loch towards
Killin. The small town is situated on the edge of the River
Dochart and has the fantastic Falls of Dochart at its heart,
flowing under the old bridge and past the ancient burial ground
of the Clan MacNab who once dominated the area. After Killin
we take a drive over the Braes of Balquhidder, the resting place
of Highland outlaw Rob Roy MacGregor, and across to Callander
for a stop before returning to Edinburgh.
More
Islay & The Whisky Coast 4 Day Tour info here!
The
Whisky Coast Northern Explorer Tour
An
exclusive, island-hopping, small group tour of the northern
Whisky Coast. Starting from Glasgow or Edinburgh the tour heads
straight for Inveraray, home of the “Spirit of the West”
Festival – two days of the best food, drink and entertainment
from this wonderful region. After the festival the tour visits
the harbour town of Oban
with its distillery and seafood restaurants before taking the
ferry to Mull for two nights. Here we will visit the magical
island of Iona as well as Tobermory
Distillery. Another two ferries take the tour through the
wilds of Ardnamurchan and on to the Isle of Skye. Again only
one distillery but people travel a long way to visit Talisker
and with good reason! The two nights on Skye allow plenty of
time for exploration and the opportunity to sample some award
winning food. The final day returns us to Glasgow and Edinburgh
via Ben
Nevis Distillery and the scenic highlights of Glencoe and
Loch Lomond.
More
Islay & The Whisky Coast 4 Day Tour info here!
The
Whisky Coast Southern Explorer Tour
An exclusive small group tour of the southern Whisky Coast including
the Spirit of the West Festival. Starting from Edinburgh or
Glasgow the tour first visits Arran,
with its award-winning whisky and other great local produce.
After a night here the tour continues through the Kintyre peninsula
for a visit to the family owned Springbank
Distillery before catching the ferry to Islay. The “Queen
of the Isles” is home to no less than eight distilleries
and while we do not have time to visit them all, it will certainly
be possible to sample whiskies from each of them. From the smoky
peaty flavours of Laphroaig
to the softer rounder flavours of Bunnahabhain,
Islay has something for everyone! On day four, the tour returns
to the mainland and Inveraray, home of the “Spirit of
the West” Festival – two days of the best food,
drink and entertainment from this wonderful region. On Monday
there will be transfers back to Glasgow and Edinburgh or the
option to continue the adventure with the Northern Explorer
tour.
More
Islay & The Whisky Coast 4 Day Tour info here!
Rabbie's
Whisky Tours of Scotland
Additional
Rabbie's Tours If you haven't quite found what you're
looking for, Contact
Us for additional information. With all the wonder ful tours
we have to offer such as Homecoming Scotland Rabbie's Tours,
Clan Tours, Company Day(s) Out tours, Groups and other Tailormade
Tours, we're sure we can find the perfect fit for you! Let us
know how we can help.
Our Philosophy We believe a small group tour
with a maximum of 16 passengers really does make a big difference
to your trip. Why? Because, like our competitors we tried touring
with bigger coaches, but you told us you didn't like them. So,
unlike our competitors, we sold the larger coaches and are now
Scotland's only 5 star tours to guarantee you a small group
experience. The smaller groups allow you to meet people from
all over the world and make friends for life.
Our Guides - Your Hosts Our local guides are your hosts
with each hand-picked for their pride and passion for Scotland.
Chosen for their expertise, knowledge and ability to entertain,
they will regale you with folklore, myths, history and legend.
And we don't just leave this to chance - we are proud to be
recognised by Investors in People for the extensive training
and development of our people so that you get a great tour led
by someone who really cares. Our Hospitality Rabbie's
is world renowned for going the extra mile for you and because
we operate small group tours, we really can give you the personal
attention you're looking for. That's why we invite you NOT to
get lost in the crowd and allow us to do what we do best, and
give you a memorable and enriching experience that lasts a lifetime.
To underline our commitment to exceeding your expectations Rabbie's
was recently accredited as Hospitality Assured, based upon rigorous
criteria of the European Foundation for Quality Management.
Your Adventure Our tours and mini-coaches are purpose
built to show you the secrets of Scotland by getting off the
beaten track and onto the back-roads where only smaller tours
can go. Time off the bus is important and we pride ourselves
on getting you out there for the authentic experience. And,
of course, your comfort is paramount as you travel in our eco-friendly,
low emission, modern Mercedes mini-coaches, with big panoramic
windows (3 out of 4 seats are window seats), stereo systems,
full sized reclining seats (with seatbelts) and more leg room
than your average coach. We weren't the first Edinburgh tour
company to be awarded 5 Stars from VisitScotland for nothing!
Legendary Friendliness Established in 1993, and named
after Scotland's best loved poet Robert Burns, we are Scotland's
longest running small group tour company with a world-wide reputation
for the friendliest tours on the planet. Innovation has always
been at the heart of everything we do and we have recently been
recognised as a Tourism Innovation Award winner for our new
gastro-whisky tours Flavours of Scotland.
And Caring for our Environment From the very beginning
Rabbie's was built by valuing, managing and conserving our environment.
We aim to leave the legacy of our beautiful landscape for future
generations to enjoy. Our tours are as close as you can get
to touring in your own car, but with the added benefit of reducing
your carbon footprint by 75% (based on 2 persons travelling
the same distance in their own car). We support local businesses
and on our overnight tours you are given the choice of accommodation,
allowing you to choose your budget, stay in smaller places and
meet the locals. This way you help to sustain their communities
and promote local cultures, environment and wildlife. And we
are very proud that our commitment to environmental excellence
has been recognised with 2 top Gold awards from the Green Tourism
scheme and Keep Edinburgh Clean awards. In 2007 we also won
the inaugural Scottish Thistle award for Sustainable Tourism
and were a finalist in the highly competitive VIBES (Vision
in Business for the environment Scotland) awards.
More
Islay & The Whisky Coast 4 Day Tour info here!