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The historic Edinburgh Castle towers over the golden Ross Fountain and lush gardens in Scotland under a blue sky.
Scotland

The Best of Scotland

Program No. 20881RJ
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Program
At a Glance
Duration
15 days
Program Begins
Glasgow
Program Concludes
Edinburgh.
Group Type
Small Group
Meals
34 ( 13B, 10L, 11D )
Activity Level
From
7,099
South to the cultural riches of Edinburgh and Glasgow. West to the sacred and misty island of Iona in the Hebrides. Inland to the breathtaking highlands, where clans and kings fought to defend their hearths and heritage. Discover rugged landscapes, turbulent history, romance and legend on a remarkable, sweeping journey through Scotland. From peaks to glens we’ll go, with a wee dram to fortify us along the way.
Best of all, you'll...
  • Explore the beautiful islands of Mull, Skye and Iona.
  • Journey on one of the world's most scenic railways, the West Highland Line.
  • Experience iconic Edinburgh Castle, dominating the skyline of the Scottish capital city, on a fascinating field trip to the top of the volcanic Castle Rock.
See Related Programs
Small GroupMost Popular
General Notes
For those interested in a less active version of this program, please see "Scotland at a Slower Pace: A Journey From Glasgow to Edinburgh" (#23881).
All Experts
Please Note:
These experts may not be available for every date of the program
Kevin Heymann is retired from international work in Higher and Further Education. A member of a Mountain Rescue Team for 25 years, Kevin has been involved in many outdoor activities. Kevin takes an interest in ongoing historical research and environmental projects.
Kevin Tooher, an expert horticulturalist and Royal Horticultural Society judge, can be found giving speeches on a variety of garden-related topics around the UK. Before his interests turned green, Kevin was a detective for over 20 years at New Scotland Yard, where he worked in covert operations, counterterrorism, and organized crime operations; this experience later landed him an advisory role on the famed British police drama ‘The Sweeney’ for several years.
Stuart Findlay has been a Road Scholar group leader since 2017 after spending many years in education, both nationally and internationally. He currently lives in a small town close to Bristol but was born and raised in Edinburgh. To date, he has enjoyed leading many land-based programs as well as afloat programs.
David Praill was CEO of a UK-based NGO supporting hospice care in the UK and internationally. Before this, he ran education programs in Jerusalem, and he founded a company specializing in travel to the Sinai Desert in Egypt. He runs a news website, ehospice.com; is a trustee of a small charity; and is attempting to write a novel. He has worked as a group leader with Road Scholar since 2022, focusing on their programs in Scotland where, apart from London, he feels most at home.
Margaret Hubbard has many years' experience guiding visitors around her native Scotland. She holds an M.A. in English and history, a diploma in secondary education, and a diploma in family and local history. Margaret qualified as a Blue Badge guide in 2006 and was for many years a trainer and principal assessor for the STGA course. She has led "Best of Scotland" Road Scholar programs since 2014. Her knowledge is matched with an ability to weave the stories of Scotland with humor and local interest.
Brian Farrell is an experienced group leader working since 2009. He has over 30 years of customer experience across finance, heritage, and transport industries. Brian qualified as a Blue Badge Guide with the Scottish Tourist Guide Association in April 2025 and is now fully qualified to lead across Scotland. He has a passion for excellent customer service and delivering an entertaining, engaging, and enthralling experience.
Paula Benassi is a recognized Blue Badge Guide of the Scottish Tourist Guides Association. In addition to having CPD Qualification, Paula is a polyglot and speaks English, French, and Italian. She is passionate about her country and enjoys traveling with guests all over Scotland. Guiding has dovetailed very well with her long experience in teaching and her love of geography, history, and spending time with visitors from different cultures.
Ann Carr, after careers first as an officer in the Royal Air Force then an air stewardess, joined a major UK tour operator in an operational role, handling incoming American groups and later a cruise line as head of enrichment. Experienced in all aspects of tour planning, she trained as a Blue Badge Tourist Guide and has over 30 years of practical experience as a guide and tour leader. She is a food and wine expert and has a passion for sports and theatre.
Noreen Lyon was born in County Antrim, Northern Ireland but has been living in Scotland for over 40 years. As a geography teacher for over 35 years, she had the opportunity to teach about Scotland and travel throughout it. She qualified as a Blue Badge Tourist Guide in 2012 and uses this qualification to develop trips in her local area of Ayrshire or provide guiding services for visitors throughout Scotland.
Morten Ronne, although born in Denmark, has lived more than 15 years in Scotland working almost exclusively as a tour guide/group leader showing people around all corners of the country. His background is as an interpreter/translator but for the past two decades has worked mostly in the travel industry in the UK, Spain, Portugal, and Latin America.
Wendy Newton, born into a Highland farming family, used early practical skills to become an engineer, which took her all over the world. Now returned to her native Highland home, Wendy has been sharing her Scottish homeland, its history, story, crafts, culture and heritage, and its future with visitors from across the world. She is qualified as a Scottish Tour Guide Association Blue Badge Guide.
Morten Ronne was born in Denmark but has lived in Scotland for more than 15 years, working almost exclusively as a group leader showing people around all corners of the country. His background is as an interpreter/translator but for the past two decades, he has worked mostly in the tourism industry in the UK, Spain, Portugal, and Latin America.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Learn About Activity Levels
Walking up to two miles on uneven terrain.
Small Group (13 to 24)
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Suggested Books and Resources
View Full List
You can also find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
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Call 800-454-5768
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Peace of Mind

We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. That’s why we go to the ends of the earth to give you peace of mind, from the moment you enroll until the day you return home.

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Assurance Plan

Road Scholar is committed to the well-being of every participant, whether on a program in the United States or abroad. That’s why all participants are covered under our Road Scholar Assurance Plan, which provides 24-hour assistance in the event of an emergency during your program, as well as insurance for emergency medical evacuation.

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Want to Protect Your Investment?

Road Scholar is pleased to offer its Trip Protection Plan as a way to protect your program investment. You may purchase this optional trip protection plan when enrolling in your program.

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Sustainable Travel

We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Read about our commitment to a more sustainable planet.

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