Beyond the Tartan with Caroline Cotter

      Multidestination

      SF
      Scotland Folk Tours
      • Email address verified
      43 reviews
      Jul 16 - 26, 2024
      Group size: 12 - 16
      Beyond the Tartan with Caroline Cotter
      Multidestination

      Scotland Folk Tours
      • Email address verified
      43 reviews

      Jul 16 - 26, 2024
      Group size: 12 - 16

      About this trip

      This musical tour has it all when it comes to exploring Scotland! You begin the 11 day tour in the capital city- Edinburgh. For the first four days you are shown around by a true local, one of our fantastic tour guides. You’ll experience historic must-see tourist sites, such as Edinburgh Castle, Old Town and Grassmarket to name a few, but you’ll also get to see how modern Scottish people enjoy themselves with cultural events, music and meals peppered around the city.


      On Day 5 we head north into the highlands, where your mental image of our beautiful country will be challenged and expanded with every kilometre travelled. We’ll see castles, mountains, glens, monuments, sheep (lots of sheep), rivers, lochs and the sea- all on our first day out of Edinburgh!


      Over the course of the days to follow your cameras and phones will be filled with beautiful 

      photographs of the Highland and Island landscape, local flora and fauna, and with luck some of the magic you experience as well. We’ll take you to historic sites and sites of folktales, but don’t worry about having your schedule too full as you will also be given plenty of time to explore on your own throughout our journey together.


      You’ll hear Scottish music, taste traditional food and, of course, hear traditional stories from our talented and friendly tour guides. Come along and explore our country with like-minded people on a tour that is sure to expand your horizons to an unforgettable musical score.

      What’s included

      • 11 Days of fun!
        Please note the first day, your Arrival Day, only has an unofficial dinner and is an opportunity for you to settle in before events start the following day. Accommodation is still included this night.
      • 10 nights Accommodation
        Accommodation begins on Arrival Day and concludes when you check-out the morning of Departure Day.
      • Breakfast
        Breakfast will be included at the accommodation every day!
      • Dinners
        Three group dinners will be included in the tour cost
      • All sites & activities
        Any site, event or activity listed in the itinerary is included in the tour cost. No additional entrance fees will be required.
      • Near nightly Live Music!
        Many of the nights we share together will include private concerts with either local musicians or your tour leader (they have one show). We also take you to local pub sessions along the way!
      • Ferries
        All fees for any ferries that might be required.
      • Group Airport Transport
        We will provide 2 group airport shuttles on Departure Day. One will be early morning, and one late morning/early afternoon, depending on when passenger's flight times are.
      • Orientation Meeting
        Zoom meeting with tour leader, company directors, and other passengers to ask questions and meet people before the tour!

      What’s not included

      • Flights
      • Lunches

      Available Packages

      Double Room (double occupancy only)
      Available until June 15, 2024

      *Must be booked in increments of 2, as this if for traveling pairs sharing a double room. Not to be booked by solo travelers.

      This package comes with a double room (one bed) at the accommodations throughout the tour for sharing with your traveling partner. This is usually a double or queen sized bed.

      $3,100
      Deposit: $500
      Twin Room (double occupancy only)
      Available until June 15, 2024

      *Must be booked in increments of 2, as this if for traveling pairs sharing a twin room. Not to be booked by solo travelers.

      This package comes with a twin room (two beds) at the accommodations throughout the tour for sharing with your traveling partner. These are usually single or twin sized beds.

      $3,100
      Deposit: $500
      Single Room (single occupancy only)
      Available until June 15, 2024

      *For one person traveling alone or wanting their own room

      You will receive your own room, with a single (sometimes twin) bed at all the accommodations throughout the tour.

      $3,600
      Deposit: $500

      Available options

      Arrival Day Airport Transfer
      $60
      Deposit: $0

      Once you arrive into Edinburgh we will have a car pick you up and take you directly to the hotel city centre. 

      Departure Day Airport Transfer
      $125
      Deposit: $0

      This option is for you if you are unable to make one of the group transfers on Departure Day, but would still like a ride pre-arranged.  

      T-Shirt
      $25

      We will send you options to choose from, and have the item ready on your Arrival Day!

      Hoodie or Sweatshirt
      $40

      We will send you options to choose from, and have the item ready on your Arrival Day!

      Additional Night at Hotel Before Tour
      $250
      Deposit: $0

      If you would like to add additional nights onto your stay, we are happy to book this for you! *Please note this is dependent on availability

      Additional Night at Hotel After Tour
      $250
      Deposit: $0

      If you would like to add additional nights onto your stay, we are happy to book this for you! *Please note this is dependent on availability



      Itinerary

      Day 1
      Arrival Day & Settling In

      Today we don't have any official activities, so that you may arrive, check-in and combat jet lag at your leisure. The hotel's check-in time will be 3pm, however if you arrive before then you can have them hold your luggage at reception in order to explore the town centre handsfree. 


      In the evening there will be an unofficial welcome dinner (not included in the tour cost). Your walking guide will meet you in the hotel lobby and take you to a nearby restaurant where you will have the opportunity to meet your fellow passengers and prepare for the adventure ahead!

      Your Organizer


      SF
      Scotland Folk Tours
      43 reviews
      Our tours are for people who love music, travel and to meet the local folk! Listen to local voices of Scotland, providing you with some ‘up close and personal’ experiences of great music. Taking you to some of the most unforgettable and sensational parts of the country, our tour guides and drivers are arguably the best in the land. They have a deep fondness of their most incredible country, and years of experience. Equipped with stories of our past and our folklore, they will reveal to you some of the most incredible parts of Scotland.

      Reviews

      JK
      This was one of, if not the best, trips we have ever been on. The staff, everything we saw, our guides, the music, the food (and beer!), and the accommodations were great. What a wonderful country, rich in history and music. We loved The Borders region, beautiful landscapes, people, architecture, and unspoiled nature.
      By Jeffrey K for Beyond the Borders with Paul McKenna on Jul 21, 2024
      Hi Jeff, thank you so much for your review. We are thrilled to hear you had such a great time with us exploring the Scotland and England Borders. We appreciate you taking the time to put your thoughts down and let us know how much the trip meant to you. We hope to see you again in the future!
      By Scotland Folk Tours on Jul 22, 2024
      SF
      The highlights of the tour was any time we were able to get out into nature and experience history and wild beauty. This includes Glencoe, the Butt of Lewis, Callenish Standing Stones, Loch Ness, rugged coastal cliffs and everything in the Orkney Isles along with all the ferrys that got us across the waters. I was blown away by how deep the history and culture is there and felt spiritually uplifted many times. I am also grateful for the talented line up of local musicians who shared so much of their individual spirit in the way they played and provided context for the songs they performed. Hard to choose, but I think my favorite concert was the one at the Arctic Whaler in Stromness, because of it's unique location, the gracious host and the wide range of music generes that the performers had command over. Next I want to make sure I mention that I thoroughly enjoyed meeting all the other travelers on the tour. Each was a delight and had much to offer in what they shared. I want to thank Murry for his knowledge of Scottish history and culture and his sense of humor with his musical play lists on the coach. My disappointment was I thought there would be much more participation on the part of Tim and more depth of understanding of Scottish/Celtic music history in relation to the places we were visiting. Also it would have been helpful to have more back up plans for the days that were really pouring rain, i.e. Skye, which is one of the reasons I signed up for the trip in the first place. Also I would have preferred to have a lot fewer stops for cake, coffee and shopping at little bakeries which I am not interested in and would have gladly traded that time for more of the scenery, nature, history and castles that I really would have preferred to prioritize. Overall, a great tour with a few bugs and rough spots to work on . Thanks to all for all the effort you put in. Forgot to send extra thanks to Alexa for scrambling to find me last minute accommodations in Sterling when I did not plan properly for the last day of the tour and getting back home. And thanks to Fiona for a fabulous introduction to Glasgow. Blessings to all. Sharon Fisher
      By Sharon F for Beyond the Standing Stones with Tim Grimm on Jul 19, 2024
      DM
      Beyond the Standing Stones was a vacation that I will remember for the rest of my life. The tour took us to a wide variety of places from small and large cities, to ancient. monuments, ruined castles, Norman cathedrals, a world-renowned archaeological site, and our driver's favorite sources of sweets. To me, one of the highlights of the trip was our driver, Murray. Far more than a driver, he kept up a running commentary about Scottish history and culture throughout our tour, a commentary laced with a variety of musical selections and humorous asides. A second highlight was the other tour members. All of us got along, and were willing and happy to talk. My wife and me met several couples with whom we hope to continue to be in touch. The music was also exceptional. We got to hear a variety of local musicians in private concerts, and we were also treated to two concerts by our tour host, Tim Grimm. I highly recommend this tour for people who want to see a large cross-section of Scotland accompanied by excellent music.
      By Douglas M for Beyond the Standing Stones with Tim Grimm on Jul 15, 2024
      HI Douglas, thank you for taking the time to leave this review! What a gorgeous and concise description of the tour. We enjoyed having you and your lovely wife Lois, and truly hope to see you again.
      By Scotland Folk Tours on Jul 16, 2024
      SF
      This amazing trip was beyond my high expectations due to exquisite Gail as guide/DJ/driver and wonderful Kate Campbell! The schedule of great places and the pace with excellent fellow travelers was incredible!❤️ Thank you so much!!! I’ll be back…
      By Susan E for Beyond the Borders with Kate Campbell on Jul 11, 2024
      Hi Susan, thank you for your review! I agree, Gail is exceptional and we love having her on team Scotland Folk Tours! We hope you do come back - until then...!
      By Scotland Folk Tours on Jul 16, 2024
      SF
      JG
      I enjoyed this trip and raved about it so much that a friend of mine has signed up for it this coming September. I hope she's able to travel with Gail and has the opportunity to explore Sterling with Fiona. The music with Kate and the local musicians was great and the landscapes stunning.
      By Judy G for Beyond the Borders with Kate Campbell on Jul 11, 2024
      Hi Judy, thank you for the rave reviews and encouraging others to sign up! We're so glad you had a nice time and hope to see you in the future as well.
      By Scotland Folk Tours on Jul 16, 2024
      SF
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