I am sad (though not surprised) to learn that our RS Tour to Scotland in October has now been cancelled. However I am delighted to see an even better tour to Scotland in 2021:
https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/england-scotland/scotland
Our tour this year was for 10 days; this newer tour is for 14 days and now also includes Glasgow and Skye. Specific dates and prices are not yet available, however I'm looking forward to this improved experience next year!
Garrison
That does look like a great tour!
Garrison,
Thanks for pointing this out. I had heard from a tour friend who went on the 10-day tour last September that plans were underway for expansion to 14 days to include Glasgow and Skye. I will be excited to see the dates when offered!
Next year I’m going to sign up for the 10 day Poland tour. Loire & the South of France was on my list but may get bumped for the 14 day Scotland. I won’t do back to back tours but likely spring and fall. Now I’m feeling better and more hopeful for 2021!
Interestingly, it starts in Glasgow and ends in Edinburgh. I expected it would go in the other direction.
We just did the 10 day Scotland tour last Aug 2019 in time to attend the Edinburgh Tattoo. It was a fantastic tour all around. This new one adds Glasgow and Skye that I would’ve loved to see too.
Looks like there is a new 8-day Scotland tour too for those of us not able to take a 14-day tour.
https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/england-scotland/heart-scotland
Of course, post-quarantine, if I get there, I may stay as long as possible! Thanks for bringing the news tours to my attention. At least we can explore online.
I did the 10-day in 2018 and this looks like a good change. The 10-day just seemed a bit short. I'm sorry they cut Cawdor Castle and Clava Cairns but the substitution of Cairngorms National Park looks to be a good one. I'm glad the Crannog tour made the cut as it was excellent.
For anyone considering the tour, I'd add at least 2 nights onto Edinburgh, maybe 3 if you want to do a day trip to Rosslyn Chapel. I've not been to Glasgow so don't have recommendations on how many days to add there. Definitely go in the day before the tour starts!
This is a great update to the tour! I did the 10 day one in 2013, this looks good enough I might have to take it again.
Yes, it does go the opposite direction the previous tour goes. I'm sure there are scheduling issues with the Skye additions that required it.
Looks good. I'm awaiting dates and prices... and a vaccine.
Looks like it hits all the hot button requests! Nice planning RS staff!
Glasgow is fabulous in its own right, and a much better jumping-off point for the Highlands and Islands.
When I planned our trip 3 years ago, we also started in Glasgow and finished in Edinburgh, so obviously I think that the RS team has made an eminently logical decision!!! 😉
I am so excited with this new tour. I went to Scotland last year and can’t wait to get back.
There's nothing RS does that isn't wonderful!
I spent a week in Scotland last fall and loved the Isle of Skye. It was my favorite part of my week there. The scenery is fabulous. We stayed in Portrush and the food we ate there was outstanding. Great addition to the travel options.
I'm so glad they did this! I've been to Scotland on my own several times and thought the tour didn't cover all the places it should. Glad they made it longer to fit some key places in. It looks like a better, more well rounded tour.
Agree with above poster. We did Scotland on our own and can’t imagine not seeing the most beautiful part, the Isle Of Skye. I would go back in a heart beat!
We stayed in Portrush
I assume you meant Portree, on the Isle of Skye. Portrush is in Northern Ireland.
I did the 10-day in 2018 and this looks like a good change. The 10-day just seemed a bit short. I'm sorry they cut Cawdor Castle and Clava Cairns but the substitution of Cairngorms National Park looks to be a good one.
We did the tour last spring, and Clava Cairns had already been eliminated. Apparently, it's gotten very popular thanks to "Outlander" and the bridge to the site had been getting so much traffic that, as a result, it was considered unsafe for large tour buses.
I also agree that these look like good changes. Makes sense to create options for a destination that's become as popular as Scotland. Much as we enjoyed the tour, starting in Edinburgh then circling back at the end seemed inefficient. Too bad they've eliminated the sheepdogs on the new 8-day tour, but you can't have everything.
I'd love to take the 14-day tour if and when I can, with some extra time at both ends for Glasgow and Edinburgh. Now all I need is that vaccine.....
I was on the Best of Scotland April 2019 trip with Ann Doig and, with a nasty turn in the weather, we had a chance to see her at her professional best. Fabulous trip. The addition of Glasgow makes me wonder if it wouldn’t be worth doing again in ten years.
