7-day Scotland tour

Day 1 (Glasgow – Ayrshire)

• Arrive in Glasgow, Scotland’s biggest city with an internationally acclaimed blend of museums, galleries, architecture and history. From here you will travel to the Ayrshire coast to start your Royal journey with a visit to Culzean Castle & Country Park. This fairytale castle, perched on a clifftop, has enjoyed the distinction of several Royal visits over the years: the Duke of Edinburgh in honour of the first summer season of Culzean Country Park in 1970 – the first country park in Scotland; Princess Alexandra in 1984 to celebrate its 15th anniversary; and HRH The Prince Charles in 1977 to celebrate the Queen’s Silver Jubilee.

Day 2 (Glasgow – Arran)

• Travel across the sea to the island of Arran for a visit to Brodick Castle, Garden & Country Park. Arran is often described as ‘Scotland in miniature’, with its combination of beautiful scenery and diverse attractions. One of its major historic attractions is Brodick Castle which overlooks Brodick Bay. In medieval times, Brodick was one of three strongholds on the island. King Robert the Bruce went into hiding on the island after his defeat at Methven in 1306; his reconquest of Scotland at Bannockburn in 1314 is an iconic date in Scottish history. In 1945 each member of the Royal family planted an oak tree in the castle car park. Each one is still growing and can be identified. The Royals still visit regularly, on an informal basis, usually arriving by yacht in Brodick Bay.

Day 3 (Clackmannanshire – Fife – Aberdeen)

• AM Private morning visit to Alloa Tower in Clackmannanshire. The largest surviving keep in Scotland, this fine building with its medieval dungeon and magnificent oak beams is steeped in Royal history. It is the ancestral home of the Earls of Mar and has played host to many of Scotland’s monarchs. According to legend, Mary, Queen of Scots was reconciled with Darnley here. Another tradition tells us that Mary’s infant son, later James VI and I, died at birth and was replaced by the Earl of Mar’s baby son. Her Majesty, the Queen, officially opened the tower in 1996 after an extensive restoration programme marking its 500th anniversary. Prince Andrew, Duke of York, opened the adjacent Parliament Walk in 2002, and the Duke of Gloucester visited the tower in 2006.
• PM Afternoon visit to Falkland Palace in the Royal Burgh of Falkland, Fife. This magnificent Royal Palace was built by James IV and James V between 1450 and 1541 and is a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture. The Stuarts used Falkland as a lodge when hunting deer and wild boar in the forests of Fife, and one of its most famous residents, Mary, Queen of Scots, spent some of the happiest days of her childhood here. The palace has an enviable collection of portraits of the Stuart kings and queens and you get a real flavour of palace life as you enter the King’s Bedchamber and the Queen’s Room.
  
  You can also visit the Royal Tennis Court. Built in 1539, it is the oldest tennis court in Britain! As befitting a Royal palace, Falkland has hosted many Royal visitors and occasions over the years including Royal garden parties and anniversary events.
  
  Travel north to Aberdeenshire where the Trust has a cluster of castles and tower houses, all immersed in Royal patronage. Deeside in particular has been a popular destination for generations of the current Royal family, who continue to appreciate the outstanding beauty of this region.

Day 4 (Aberdeenshire)

• AM Private morning visit to Castle Fraser, one of the grandest castles of Mar. Dating from 1575, this is a building to be savoured and enjoyed: a walk around the castle has been compared to viewing a huge piece of sculpture which changes and shifts in relation to the surrounding landscape. The history of the castle is closely associated with the Fraser family, loyal supporters of James II in the 15th century. In 1980, the castle had one very memorable and unexpected visitor when the late Queen Mother decided on an impromptu visit in order to fully enjoy the delights of this unique tower house.
• PM Afternoon visit to nearby Fyvie Castle, one of a chain of fortresses that sought to strengthen the medieval Scottish monarchy. From 1390, following the Battle of Otterburn, five successive families created one of the finest examples of Scottish Baronial architecture. William the Lion was at Fyvie around 1212 and Alexander II granted a charter at Fyvie in 1222. Other Royal guests have included Charles I (who spent part of his childhood at Fyvie) and Robert the Bruce who dispensed justice in an open-air court held beneath the hanging beechwoods of Fyvie estate. Today, Fyvie boasts one of the largest private collections of Raeburns in the world and a wealth of legends and folklore to keep you interested all afternoon.

Day 5 (Aberdeenshire)

• AM Morning visit to Crathes Castle, one of the most beautiful 16th-century castles in Scotland. Lived in by a single family for over 350 years, the first Burnard (later Burnetts) of Deeside received his badge of office, The Horn of Leys, from King Robert the Bruce, which still hangs in the castle today. The King enjoyed hunting here and designated the area a Royal Forest. Prince Charles also visited Crathes in 1990. Follow in his footsteps and find out more about the fascinating history and legends of this superb, romantic castle.
• PM Visit to nearby Craigievar Castle. This fairytale castle has changed very little since it was first built in the early 17th century, and it exudes a special, intimate atmosphere, created by the Forbes family who lived here for 350 years. One of its most renowned visitors was Queen Victoria on 18 June 1879. She recorded this incognito visit in her diary, describing how ‘At first no one knew who we were but it gradually dawned on them.’! As local residents (Balmoral is a mere 20 miles away), Royal family visits to Craigievar were frequent. Follow in their footsteps and enjoy the fragile beauty of one of Scotland’s best preserved and most loved tower houses.

Day 6 (Angus)

• Depart Aberdeen and travel south to Edinburgh, stopping off at The House of Dun near Montrose. This elegant Georgian mansion house was officially re-opened by the Queen Mother in 1989. There is a wealth of history behind the Dun Estate where archaeological evidence has shown that people have lived here for at least 9,000 years! Home to the Erskine family from 1375 until 1980, you will discover fine collections of furniture, porcelain and portraits, along with exquisite embroidery by the most famous lady of the house – Lady Augusta FitzClarence, daughter of William IV and the actress Dorothy Jordan.

Day 7 (Edinburgh)

• AM Private morning visit to Newhailes just outside Edinburgh. Once home to the influential Dalrymple dynasty, this intriguing property is testament to modern conservation skills which have preserved its fascinating multi-faceted character . The Trust’s Patron, HRH The Prince of Wales, officially opened Newhailes in 2002 when he congratulated the team of workers and volunteers involved in this remarkable project. The prince completed his visit with a low helicopter flight, to get a better view of the historic landscape! Newhailes awaits his return to see the next stage of the landscape onservation.
• PM Return to Edinburgh’s Old Town, to the Royal Mile, for a tour of Gladstone’s Land. This narrow, tall 17th-century tenement building is one of the finest surviving examples of its kind. Successive occupants have witnessed the procession of Scottish history from its windows: Charles I en route to his coronation at Holyrood Palace in 1633; the arrival of Bonnie Prince Charlie with his troops in 1745; the visit of George IV in 1822; and, more recently, HRH The Prince of Wales in 2003 – his first visit to an NTS property in his role as Patron.

Stout walking shoes recommended for all visits