Royal Scotsman Luxury train

We depart Edinburgh at 14:08 and head west through Falkirk, Clydebank and Dumbarton to skirt Glasgow and so reach the northern bank of the Clyde.
Near the mouth of the Clyde estuary lies Craigendoran junction, the starting point for the majestic West Highland Line.

along the edge of Gare Loch. Loch Long comes into sight to our left, and after vanishing for a while, returns with a view of Ben Arthur (The Cobbler) with its distinctive peak.

As we pass Arrochar we get our first view of Loch Lomond. Then we descend almost to the water's edge at Ardlui, and have a hard climb up Glen Falloch, whose many waterfalls provide an impressive display.

As we continue north we pass through Crianlarich and Bridge of Orchy. There are spectacular views of Rannoch Moor before arrival in Spean Bridge where we stable overnight. After an informal dinner we meet Ray Owens, a Highlander who brings to life the stories of Scottish heroes. We gain a true sense of the past and learn how life in the Highlands has changed over the centuries.

Breakfast is served as we continue our journey west, passing through Fort William and with views of Ben Nevis (Britain's highest mountain) to our right. We travel by Loch Eil, past Glenfinnan and Arisaig, then north alongside the stunning coastline until we reach Arisaig. We disembark here for a walk along Morar Sands, a huge expanse of gleaming white sand, where we enjoy excellent views across the Sound of Sleat to the romantic Isle of Skye with its magnificent Cuillin Mountains.

We rejoin the train and enjoy lunch as we retrace our route towards Fort William then Spean Bridge before turning south. We arrive in Bridge of Orchy where we disembark for our visit to Inverawe Smokehouse.

The Smokery, which is situated in grand mountain scenery overlooking the lower reaches of the River Awe, is where locally caught fish are cleaned, cured, smoked, sliced and packed. The owners Robert and Rosie Campbell-Preston invite us into their home, to sample the Inverawe delicacies over a glass of wine. We return to the train in Taynuilt at where we stable overnight. After our formal dinner we enjoy entertainment in the Observation Car.

We leave Taynuilt as we take yesterday's route as far as Glasgow before heading south to Gourock. On arrival at Weymss Bay we take the ferry across to the Isle of Bute. The island embraces a variety of landscapes; seashore, moorland, farmland and forest. The natural history, geography, geology and ancient history of the island are revealed at every turn. From St Blane's Chapel at the south of the island to the abandoned townships in Glen More at the north, it seems that every stone has its tale to tell.

Today we visit Mount Stuart, Britain's most spectacular Victorian Gothic house. This was the architectural fantasy of the 3rd Marquess of Bute and his architect Sir Robert Rowand Anderson. Stunning, mysterious interiors reflect the romantic and scholarly Marquess' passion for art, heraldry, astrology, mythology and religion. There is arguably the finest privately held collection of family portraits in Scotland.

After afternoon tea, we have time to explore this magnificent house, its tranquil Rock Garden, the Wee Garden containing rare plants from the southern hemisphere, the Kitchen Garden and the Victorian Pinetum. The Limetree Avenue leads us to a secluded stretch of coastline, and one of the most beautiful beaches in Scotland.

We return to the mainland and rejoin the train, then we travel through the outskirts of Glasgow to arrive in the historic town of Stirling, dominated by its magnificent royal castle, and where we stable overnight. Our informal dinner is served.

During breakfast we leave Stirling and return through Larbert and Linlithgow to arrive in Edinburgh at 09.43 where our tour ends.

Now there is the opportunity to explore the beautiful city of Edinburgh, known as the 'Athens of the North'. Explore the historic Royal Mile, visit the Castle, take in an art gallery or simply relax with a coffee.

Rejoin the train at Edinburgh Waverley for our departure at 13.38. Head west through Linlithgow to Stirling, and then past Gleneagles on our way to Perth, the "Fair City". We then travel on to Dunkeld, Pitlochry and Blair Atholl. Once past the station we can glimpse Blair Castle on the right.

Druimuachdar, the summit of this line, lies six miles south of Dalwhinnie, which is dominated by the pagodas of the nineteenth century distillery. We pass through Dalwhinnie to reach Kingussie, and disembark to visit the The Highland Folk Museum.

We return to the train at Boat of Garten on the private Strathspey Railway for overnight stabling. Our formal dinner is served and afterwards we meet Ray Owens, who brings to life the stories of Scottish heroes. We gain a true sense of the past and learn how life in the Highlands has changed over the centuries.

We leave Boat of Garten and travel by motorcoach to Rothiemurchus. The history of this estate is as varied as most of the Highlands of Scotland. Its varied landscape comprises low lying fields on the river flood plain, open heather moorland, forestry plantations and majestic Caledonian pine forest. Here we enjoy clay pigeon shooting or a Highland Safari, where you can learn about the local flora and wildlife from the Estate's Park Ranger.

We rejoin the train in Aviemore and head north to Inverness. Lunch is served as we pass Culloden, site of the last battle on British soil in 1746. We disembark in Inverness for our visit to Cawdor Castle. The castle was romantically linked to Macbeth by Shakespeare, and is steeped in Scottish history. It is the home of Lord and Lady Cawdor and boasts beautiful gardens, lawns and 5 nature trails.

We return to the train in Nairn and travel east to Keith. Our informal dinner begins as we travel to Dundee for overnight stabling.

After breakfast, we leave Dundee and continue our journey across the Tay Bridge then through the former Kingdom of Fife. We cross the Firth of Forth by means of the Forth Railway Bridge, to arrive in Edinburgh Waverley station where our tour ends at 09.27.

Please note: this journey can also be done in reverse, i.e the Highland tour followed by the Western.

Rates are on request, please email number of people traveling, dates and we will give you a quote.