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McKinlay Kidd: What's new for 2010

Itinerary Fam-5: Family Scottish Highlands Adventure, from GBP 665 per adult for 7 nts

Selected by the Sunday Times as one of their "100 best summer holidays for 2010."  (number 16 on the list.)

We have designed this holiday for families looking for an active and diverse Scottish holiday, with plenty of variety and interest for all. This three centre holiday also includes three different experiences - a downhill mountain bike ride, a day trip on the famous Jacobite Steam train and a family rafting adventure in the Cairngorm National Park. You will also have plenty of time to explore on your own, including Loch Ness, Ben Nevis and the numerous attractions of the Cairngorms and Aviemore. You will stay in friendly, relaxed country hotels, ideal locations to chill out at the end of a busy day.

Day One - the Southern Highlands

Your first base is less than two hours north of Edinburgh or Glasgow, in a small and historic village close to Loch Tay.

Your Hotel

This charming hotel, with its unique "Arts & Crafts" design has been welcoming guests for over one hundred years, and has recently been sympathetically, and stylishly modernised. It has been, and still is, the heartbeat of the village, where no-one is too busy to say hello. As happy to receive dogs as their owners, in a place where guests rub shoulders with ghillies and fishermen,  walkers at the end of a long day Munro-bagging, or city guests up for a get-away break of doing nothing but relaxing. The village lies at the geographical centre of Scotland, and many believe that because of this, magical qualities have been conferred on the area. Indeed, next to the hotel is a Yew Tree that is so ancient that it was probably planted in the Bronze Age, 5,000 years ago.

Day Two - Effortless Hilltop start on a self-guided bike ride

Today escape to the hills with a "Drop at the Top" Cycle Safari, a cycling adventure which takes you onto the hill tops without the effort of the climb up! Experience the exhilaration of cycling down the mountain tracks, country lanes and forest roads, the perfect way to explore Highland Perthshire. Adventure deep into Scotland's stunning wilderness with minimal environmental impact and the maximum fun! With maps, timings and all equipment supplied, as well as a delicious picnic lunch from the local farm shop, this is a day to take your time and enjoy the scenery and the fresh air, together with some gentle exercise. 

Day Three - to the West Highlands

Today you travel north and west, with your route taking you through the majestic and infamous Glencoe valley and on to the shadow of Ben Nevis, Scotland's highest mountain.

Your Hotel

With views toward Ben Nevis, your hotel is a popular restaurant serving organic, home-cooked food, which also has comfortable but informal accommodation. On arrival, you will be greeted with fresh tea and home-made scones. There are comfy sofas and cosy corners in the sitting rooms, with a library of books begging to be looked at, and when the need arises, real fires to warm your toes. This is a perfect haven for a relaxing break whatever time of year, where the pace of life slows the minute you arrive.

Day Four - Jacobite Steam Train

Make the short journey to Fort William to join this train, made famous by its appearance in the Harry Potter stories, and celebrated as one of the great railway journeys of the world. This 84 mile round trip takes you past a list of impressive sites. It starts near the highest mountain in Britain (Ben Nevis), visits Britain's most westerly mainland railway station (Arisaig), then passes close by the deepest freshwater loch in Britain (Loch Morar), and the shortest river in Britain (River Morar) and finally arrives next to the deepest seawater loch in Europe - Loch Nevis. The train leaves Fort William at 10:20am and returns to Fort William at 4:00pm with an hour and a half in Mallaig. It is a great way to spend the day!

Day Five - Loch Ness and the Cairngorms

Time to head east, with your route including the famous, but no less impressive Loch Ness - and a chance for some Nessie-spotting perhaps, before reaching your final hotel, on the edge of the Cairngorm National Park.

Your Hotel

Originally a sporting lodge, your elegant, yet family friendly hotel, is set amidst 10 beautiful acres of the best ‘Monarch of the Glen’ countryside within the Cairngorms National Park. Surrounded by forests and mountains, you can even glimpse an ancient castle as you stroll through the gardens or take tea on the elevated garden terrace. In a throwback to Victorian tradition, two majestic, shaggy highland cows provide a captivating focal point among the leafy trees and bushes. Recently refurbished and updated the hotel is a wonderful blend of the traditional and modern, and has become an elegant yet informal ‘boutique-style’ country house where you immediately feel at home. Dining in the impressive Victorian conservatory is quite an experience.

Day Six - Family Rafting adventure

This should prove an exciting way to enjoy the best of the Highlands. Depending on the ages of the children, the morning can be spent gently rafting or – for older children - white water rafting on a beautifully scenic section of the River Spey. Each family has their own raft and instructor.

Day Seven - Exploring the Cairngorm National Park

You may choose spend a day exploring some more of the National Park, which offers watersports, wildlife and walking, or for something different take a ride on the Cairngorm mountain railway. This, the UK's highest mountain railway, offers spectacular views of an ancient Scottish mountain landscape and the viewing terrace at the top offers you the best weather watching opportunity in Britain. All seasons in 1 hour or less......The mountain is the most popular visitor attraction with the Cairngorms National Park.

Day Eight - Return home

Prices and dates

This holiday can be arranged from mid-May to end October 2010

The price is £665 per adult in May & October, £739 per adult in June, July, August & September. The price for a child sharing a room with two adults is £330. Prices based on 2 adults sharing a room, for 7 nights on a bed & breakfast basis. Several of the hotels offer up-graded rooms for small supplements - ask us for more details.

The price includes a "drop at the top" bike safari including bike hire, first class day return travel on the Jacobite Express steam train and a family rafting safari in Rothiemurchus, near Aviemore.

All our holidays include a map of Scotland with recommended routes from your specified starting point, suggestions on places to see and visit depending on your personal interests and our expertise to help you get the most from your holiday.

All itineraries and room types are presented subject to availability at specific hotels.

The McKinlay Kidd Guarantee

All our holiday prices include a service charge of £8 per person per night towards the costs we incur in researching, planning and designing your holiday. We guarantee to refund this service charge if you believe that arranging your holiday through McKinlay Kidd has not met your expectations for value.

All we ask is that you write to us within 7 days of your return and explain your reason for claiming the refund. This will ensure that we can improve the experience for all our future guests.