It was a perfect day for a trip to the Isle of Skye, one of the best day trips in the Scottish Highlands. Cool temperatures, no rain in the forecast and a nearly cloudless sky. I had an ambitious itinerary of sights that I wanted to see, so I got an early start. I took…
Welcome the homebase of our new Scottish Highlands UnTour. Inverness is a walkable town in the heart of the Highlands with good international restaurants, cozy pubs, and live music. “It is a perfect departure point for exploring the Scottish Highlands,” says UnTours President Brian Taussig-Lux. “But what I love about Inverness is that you…
Stirling Castle is one of the most important castles in Scotland. Many feel it is actually the best, even better than Edinburgh’s. It is surely the crowning jewel of Stirling. The town and its quaint satellite villages make up our Central Scotland UnTour, offering easy rail access to Edinburgh and its castle. But we strongly…
Scotland is estimated to have in excess of 2,000 castles. Some are known only through historical records. Some are in a state of ruin. Some are intact stone structures but empty inside. Some are elegant dwellings still occupied. Some are museums filled with treasures. While castle hopping throughout Scotland may not be your primary focus…
When we first announced our new Scotland UnTour, we were inundated by emails from new and seasoned UnTourists expressing their enthusiasm for our choice and their love of Scotland. One of my favorite emails came from one of my favorite clients, Glen McClure. Regular readers of our blog know Glen as an amazing photographer…
Scottish cities are ugly and grey. Especially the capital, Edinburgh, where you have to walk to (mostly free) museums with awful views like this. Once again, this clean and green city with a park in the center of the city and a castle built on an extinct volcano. Who wants that?! No one needs to…
It can be difficult to find a travel destination that suits everyone’s needs: grandparents, parents, kids, and young adults. As your kids get older, their interests change and what defines a great destination shifts with it. Finding a country where the locals are warm, the museums are a plenty, but there are also quirky other…
This week UnTours is talking with Val Storrie, our local Scotland UnTours host, based near Stirling. We’re getting the inside scoop about what are the best local gems to see and what experiences to not miss when in Scotland. What do you love about living in Scotland? The friendly people, the banter, the stunning and…
We’re thrilled to announce our new Scotland UnTour, with our first arrival dates this fall. Stay tuned for details or sign up to get first notice when it is ready to book. In the meantime, here is a little more about our homebase there, and the reasons we have chosen Stirling and its surrounding countryside…
Repeat after me: Keep left. Good. Now a few more words about driving on the left side of the road. Travelers to Ireland and the UK may dread the idea as they plan their vacations, but it doesn’t have to be as scary as it sounds. After all, the driver side of the car is…