­­­­12:00 Noon departure from Melard Coach, 1289 Division Hwy (Route 322 East), Ephrata, PA (east of Walmart, next to Nolt Dental).... charter bus to JFK Airport… JetBlue Airlines non-stop flight # 73 departs JFK at 9:09 PM…  Meals served.

Arrival at 9:25 AM at Edinburgh Airport (EDI)…we will drive 2-3 hours to lovely southwest Scotland… Stay three nights at 3 star Ernespie House Hotel www.ernespiehouse.com …our hotel is set on 14 acres of countryside, within 10-minute walking distance of Castle Douglas… Castle Douglas is a beautiful small town known for good food and a lively high street… we will likely have dinner here on the first night as the hotel is not in a village.

We will have two days of day trips… we will visit:  Kirkcudbright, a delightful artists village… have a two mile walk along the coast between Kippford and Rockcliffe… visits to Gatehouse of Fleet, Caerlaverock Castle, Threave Castle, Dundrennan Abbey, Arbisland Garden, Portpatrick, Logan Botanical Garden… lots of variety to enjoy in an area few Americans visit.  We will enjoy coastal towns and countryside. Overnight two more nights in Castle Douglas

1.5 hour trip to Stirling Castle, one of Scotland’s most famous Castles… less than 1 hour   drive to a small city of Dunfermline, a suburb of Edinburgh, Dunfermline is the birthplace of  Andrew Carnegie… it has an Abbey, beautiful park and vibrant downtown with many restaurants… Stay 2 nights at the 3 star City Hotel (www.thecityhotel.co.uk ) .

Public bus 45 minute ride to Edinburgh… all day in Edinburg… we will have a guided tour and time for exploration… we will visit Edinburg Castle and the Royal Mile… we will visit the Old Town and Princess Street… we will have time for independent walking and exploration… Overnight in Dunfermline.

2 hour drive to visit Kilchurn Castle, jutting out on a promontory into Loch Awe…we will drive in the beautiful Glen of  Orchy…the Scottish Highlands are rich in magnificent-looking mountains and deep valleys, but nowhere does it come together more dramatically than Glencoe, “The Great Glen” where the road connects one end to the other in just 20 minutes, but you could spend a whole day taking in the sights and hiking the trails..the highlights include the Three Sisters Viewpoint in front of Bidean Nam Bam,…we will drive on the one lane road to Loch Etive, admiring the reflections in Glencoe Lochan and driving down James Bond Skyfall Road… Stay 1 night in 3 star Caledonian Hotel (www.bespokehotels.com) …  in Fort William… this hotel is located on the shore of Loch Linnhe.

1.5 hour (58 miles) drive to Mallaig with a stop to see the the Glenfinnan Viaduct, made famous by the Harry Potter movies…30 minute ferry to the Isle of Skye, a stunningly beautiful place..we will drive on its southern end and see razor-sharp black pinnacles separated by narrow ridges as we visit the Black Cuillins, the most inhospitable mountain range in the country…we have 1 hour to Eilean Donan Castle, one of the most photographed castles in Scotland. Located on a small tidal island, the rustic building is surrounded by rugged mountains….30 minutes to Plockton, quite possibly the most beautiful village to visit in Scotland,.. Plockton sits on the edge of a sheltered bay in Loch Carron. Often referred to as the ‘Jewel of the Highlands’, a string of attractive stone houses line the harbor front. Breath-taking landscapes of coral beaches, tiny islands, and castled hills stretch into the distance…The harbor is often packed with visiting yachts, locals taking tourists out to sea the seals, and adventurers heading out on kayaks. End the day in one of the atmospheric pubs or try the fresh fish on the seafront…Stay 2 nights in the 3 star Plockton Inn (www.highlandcoasthotels.com)  dinner at the hotel

6 hour day tour on the Applecross Peninsula and drive over the amazing Applecross Pass…overnight in Plockton

1.5 hours (56 miles) drive to Ullapool…we will drive along Little Loch Broom and Loch Broom to Ullapool…The coast in this area has powdery white sand beaches provide the vantage point for whale and dolphin watching, along with stunning views over island-strewn lochs marching out to sea…Our picturesque fishing town, Ullapool, has good  seafood restaurants.. Ullapool is situated in one of the most unspoilt natural environments in the UK…There is a great choice of varied walks in the area including mountains, rocky coasts and long inland footpaths with a good portion of the finest summits in the north west Highlands too. The town makes a great base for exploring the surrounding countryside and touring Wester Ross and the Highlands…

Stay 2 nights at the 3 star Royal Hotel Ullapool (www.theroyalhotelullapool.com)

 6- 8 hour day trip on a section of  the scenic North Coast 500 Drive (NC500)…we will drive on the best segment of these windy roads near the coast, the Drumbeg Road in Assynt…Overnight in Ullapool

1.5 hour (61 miles) drive to the small historic town of Dornoch…Dornoch has a tranquil location, stunning scenery and sunny climate.

This thriving community sits on the east coast of the north Highlands that runs from the Moray Firth up to Sutherland. It is blessed with a particularly sunny climate thanks to its sheltered position, and has miles of golden sand beaches…we will visit Dunrobin Castle, the largest in Scotland with 189 rooms connected by a maze of corridors and capped with fairy tale turrets and splendid gardens…Stay 2 nights in the 3 star Dornoch Castle Hotel (www.dornochcastlehotel.com)... We will spend a full day touring the area north of Dornoch and make sure we have enough time to enjoy our village.

4 hour (183 miles) drive, with several stops on the way to Dunfermline…We will have a cruise on Loch Ness… we will break up the day with a few visits… Stay 1 night at the 3 star Hill Park Hotel (www.hillparkhotel.co.uk) in Rosyth, located 12 miles from the airport.

Time to come home…JetBlue Non-stop Flight #72 departs EDI at 12:30 PM and arrives at JFK at 3:03 PM…return to Ephrata.