Travel expert Rob Arrow picks his Scottish travel highlights. Call us for more information on any of the below, or to arrange distillery tours, VIP tickets for Glasgow’s Scottish Exhibition Centre, or tickets to Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations.
The Northern Lights
The Northern Lights are as elusive as they are ethereal, and though we can’t guarantee that these shifting fields of cosmic colour will be visible during your trip to Scotland, we can ensure you’re in the right place at the right time to catch the Aurora Borealis should they shine.
‘The best time is during the darkest period of the year, between November and February, although they can be seen as early as late August and as late as mid April,’ Rob says. ‘The phases of the moon also have an effect. A full moon can greatly detract from the spectacle, whereas there’s a better chance of seeing the lights around the time of a new moon.’
Rob suggests hiring a cottage on the northern tip of Scotland, somewhere remote away from artificial lights. We can book accommodation in Thurso on the mainland or fly members to Kirkwall on Orkney. Call us to discuss accommodation and find out how we make sure you have a memorable trip to Scotland’s northern frontier – whether you see the lights or not.
Golf at St Andrews
From Fleming’s discovery of penicillin to Watt’s revolutionary steam engine, Scotland has a long history of innovation. But the names of the inventors of one of its most enduring contributions have long been sliced into the rough of history. Golf, in its modern form at least, emerged in Scotland during the 1600s, and legend has it that the game originated on the site of the Old Course at St Andrews, where bored shepherds would punt stones into rabbit holes while watching their flocks.
‘The Old Course Hotel overlooks the world famous greens, and though availability for rooms is often scarce, we can use our insider contacts to try to book members a room,’ Rob says. ‘During large events, such as the British Golf Open, which takes place each July, we recommend booking up to a year in advance, though we can always help with last-minute requests and find options in the area outside of St Andrews.’
Call to arrange a stay at the Old Course Hotel or to talk to one of our golfing experts about equipment, courses and tournaments.
Wilderness adventures
Overlooking a dense expanse of ancient pine forest and surrounded by craggy gorse-strewn glens and hill lochs, the Alladale Lodge is a five-star retreat that blends the untamed wilderness of the Scottish Highlands with the finest creature comforts.
‘Remote is an understatement,’ says Rob. ‘It’s an hour from Inverness but completely immersed in the natural beauty of the Highlands. Here members can go stalking, 4x4 trekking, badger watching, hiking and snow shoeing under the guidance of local rangers who have nurtured the estate for years.’
The 19th-century lodge is a place of roaring fires and warm stones, but it also has a spa in which members can soak after trekking the high tops, and its kitchen serves up fresh produce from the estate on its seasonal menu.
Call us to make bookings at the lodge, find out about hiring the entire property for large groups, or discuss other wilderness holidays across the globe.
Edinburgh festivals
Burns Night, the Fringe, Hogmanay, the Military Tattoo – Edinburgh has a year-round festival calendar that draws revellers from across the globe to the Scottish capital. We can arrange tickets to events, from the Taste of Edinburgh food festival to the city’s explosive New Year celebrations, and we can book accommodation to suit all budgets, even when rooms are scarce.
Rob says: ‘One of our favourite properties is the Hotel Missoni, a boutique hotel by the world-famous fashion house, and we can arrange self-catering apartments in the city for the festival or Hogmanay. We also have a close relationship with Dalhousie Castle and spa, a von Essen property just outside the city.’
Ask our travel team about accommodation options to suit you or for a full programme of events in Edinburgh, or other Scottish towns and cities.
On the road
We’ve helped members to discover Scotland by walking the West Highland Way, but driving is the only way to fit in everything from the cities and the sea to towering peaks. Rob says: ‘We can hire classic cars, arrange ferries between islands, and help put together itineraries and plot routes that take in Fort William and Fort Augustus, the Isle of Skye, Inverness, Loch Ness and the wild villages on the east coast.’
Our dining team will book pubs and restaurants along the route, while our travel team will send over tips on the best viewpoints and advise on accommodation to suit your holiday. ‘If you want to break up the drive with a romantic stay at the Hotel du Vin in Glasgow or spend a family-friendly weekend at the Macdonald Aviemore Resort, we’ll arrange it,’ Rob says.
Call to talk to the travel team about exploring Scotland.
Connect with Ten Lifestyle