An Epic Exploration of England, Scotland and Ireland

On the way to your hotel, enjoy a visit to the stunning Cliffs of Moher.

Wild Kitchen is a unique food experience and involves guided walks on land and along the shore. You'll discover and identify delicious and edible wild plants such as seaweed, dilisk and sea spirulina. A wild food walk is such a great way to engage with nature and offers the opportunity to learn about the exceptional nutritional value and unique taste of wild plants. You'll learn how to identify them, what not to eat or touch, what’s in season, tasting as you go and all the while taking in the beautiful scenery of the Burren and the Wild Atlantic Way.

En route to Connemara, enjoy a two-hour walking tour of Galway city and experience the best of Galway’s local cuisine. Your local guide will show you Galway’s hidden food treasures, from new artisans to traditional family businesses. Indulge your taste buds and get to see the best of the city.

Michael Gibbons is one of Ireland’s leading field archaeologists. He was born and raised in the Connemara region. He has worked with the Department of Antiquities in Jerusalem and for the Museum of London City Excavation Programme. Michael is a member of the Nautical Archaeology Society and his current research interests include the archaeology of Irish uplands and islands, in particular the maritime pilgrimage tradition. He has carried out detailed research on some of the most important of these including Skellig Michael World Heritage Site.

Today you'll visit Westport before heading to the Great Western Greenway and finally Achill island.

Bright and vibrant even in the depths of winter, Westport is a photogenic Georgian town with tree-lined streets, a riverside mall and a great vibe. With an excellent choice of accommodation, fine restaurants and pubs renowned for their music, it's a hugely popular place yet has never sold its soul to tourism. Next you'll head to the Great Western Greenway where you can escape the bustle of urban life on the longest off-road walking and cycling trail in Ireland. The World Class Great Western Greenway is a traffic free cycling and walking trail which follows the route of the renowned Westport to Achill railway which closed in 1937.

Finally you'll head to the beautiful Achill island. Not only does Achill island offer spectacularly beautiful views, but it also rewards visitors with equally spectacularly beaches, two in particular – Keem Bay and Keel Beach are must visits. A visit to Achill Island can be as active, or as relaxed, as visitors choose. Achill Island offers lots of restaurants with fresh Atlantic seafood as a speciality, and its pubs and bars provide a traditional Irish welcome.

Killary Harbour is Ireland’s only true fjord and extends 16km (10 miles) in from the Atlantic to its head at Aasleagh. It forms the border between counties Galway and Mayo and boasts some of the most spectacular scenery in the west of Ireland. Killary Harbour is also extremely deep, over 45m at its centre. It is a centre for shellfish farming, and strings of ropes used to grow mussels are visible for much of its length.

En route to Dublin you will visit the Clonmacnoise Monastery, the Celtic Roots Studio and The Kilbeggan Distillery. The sixth-century Clonmacnoise Monastery, located on the banks of the River Shannon, is home to three high crosses, a cathedral, seven churches and two round towers. The monastery flourished for 600 years as a centre of learning and religious instruction as well as providing much of Ireland’s finest Celtic art and illuminated manuscripts.

The Celtic Roots Studio combines a workshop and gallery space with an interpretative centre and display of historic artifacts made from bogwood. This natural material was formed from trees that became engulfed in Irish bogs thousands of years ago and preserved in the low oxygen atmosphere of the peat. Now, discarded bogwood is reclaimed and slowly dried out over two years before it is carved and polished into contemporary sculpture and jewellery.

The Kilbeggan Distillery is the oldest licensed distillery in Ireland, retaining its licence to distill whiskey on the same site and in the same buildings for over 256 years.

Trinity College’s Old Library and the Book of Kells Exhibition is a must see for all visitors to Dublin. The Book of Kells is Ireland's national treasure, a 9th-century manuscript documenting the four Gospels of the life of Jesus Christ. The exhibition is on display inside the 18th-century Old Library building and includes access one of the world's most beautiful libraries, the Long Room, which displays 250,000 of Trinity College’s oldest and rarest books.

Saint Patrick's Cathedral has been at the heart of Dublin and Ireland's history and culture for over 800 years. For centuries it was the largest enclosed space on the island and it remains the largest cathedral in the country. It has been visited by some of Irish history's most influential individuals from Cromwell, William of Orange and King James I, to Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert. We can organise a private vergers tour with behind-the-scenes access.

A five-star Guinness tasting experience for the ultimate Guinness connoisseur. This intimate session takes place in a private bar where expert staff will be your personal guides on a sensory journey filled with tales and traditions.

Discover some of Outlander's evocative film locations huddled along the iconic River Forth. Lallybroch Castle, the real life Midhope Castle, is the family home of Jamie Fraser. Nearby Blackness Castle was also used in filming along with historic Culross, a charming town and the setting for Geillis Duncan's house. Your guide will also tell you something of the real-life stories of these places, which are every bit as compelling as the world of Outlander.

Husband and wife team, Colin and Linda, will welcome you to their working farm and introduce you to life on a Scottish sheep farm. Highlights of the visit include a sheep dog demonstration in the fields and a talk on spinning yarn in Linda's studio, located in the farmyard. This is a wonderful insight into an aspect of rural life in Scotland at a working farm.

Stirling Castle is one of Scotland’s premier castles and has an impressive history. Home to a succession of Stuart kings and queens, this historic edifice sits atop a rocky outcrop and rivals Edinburgh Castle in both history and visual impact.

The lovely village of Dunkeld sits on the banks of the River Tay. The majestic Dunkeld Cathedral dominates this picturesque Perthshire village and features the tomb of the notorious Wolf of Badenoch. Nearby, walk along Atholl Street's variety of specialist shops or take a walk down by the river, which provides excellent views of Thomas Telford's Dunkeld Bridge. You can't miss the brightly coloured houses of Dunkeld which were built in the early 1700s. Restored to provide homes for local people, they are now in the care of the National Trust For Scotland. Another NTS property is the Ell Shop featuring the original 'ell' measure, just over a metre long, used for measuring cloth in days gone by.

After exploring Dunkeld village you'll head over to Blair Castle, the quintessential romantic Highland estate. Its baronial architecture and beautiful setting in wooded grounds with mountainous backdrop are the stuff of fantasy. But Blair Castle is rooted very much in reality and has played an active role in the development of Scotland as a country over many centuries. Join the castle's resident archivist on a very special tour behind-the-scenes. Head up into the attics where no other visitors get to go, or see letters written by Bonnie Prince Charlie, or learn about the Duke's private army, created with permission from Queen Victoria.

You'll then head over to Fife Arms in the Cairngorms National Park.

Discover a private Highland estate in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park. On the tour, you will have a good chance of seeing red deer, golden eagles, red and black grouse, red squirrels and mountain hares. You will discover a landscape steeped in history and folklore, learn about land management and the diversity of flora and fauna, absorb our breathtaking views. The tour is done at a leisurely pace to give you plenty of opportunity to enjoy the remote and dramatic landscape.

Visit the coastal town of Arbroath, perched on the east coast of Scotland. Arbroath has given its name to the Arbroath Smokie, a smoke-cured haddock considered one of Scotland's most emblematic dishes. Many old smokehouses are still in operation around the harbour and you'll have the chance to meet the owner of one and witness the process of filleting and smoking. This is an untouched corner of Scotland and retains a strong feeling of local life. Walk around the town with your guide and visit Arbroath Abbey before popping back to the smokehouse to taste a freshly-smoked smokie.

This Scottish cousin of London's famous Victoria & Albert Museum is an exciting museum celebrating the very best of Scottish design. Set in a striking contemporary building, the galleries showcase a variety of works including a pannelled room by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Beano artworks from local Dundee publisher DC Thomson.

Edinburgh is Scotland’s capital city and nicknamed the Athens of the North for its grand Georgian architecture. It’s the New Town that earned the city this sobriquet: its elegant neoclassical terraces were inspired by the buildings of Ancient Greece and though it’s called the New Town, this neighbourhood is already nearly 300 years old.

Edinburgh’s Old Town dominates the city from atop a volcanic outcrop and Edinburgh Castle balances perilously on the edge. The Royal Mile runs down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence of Her Majesty the Queen in Scotland. The Windsor connections can be seen at a hidden location in the district of Leith, where the Queen’s Royal Yacht Britannia is now docked. Explore Edinburgh’s highlights with your expert guide and discover what makes this city perennially popular.

Westminster Abbey stands next to the magnificent Houses of Parliament and is steeped in more than 1,000 years of history. It has been the setting for every coronation since 1066, as well as 16 royal weddings. It is one of Britain's most important religious buildings, and here you'll discover a panorama of British history. Please note that the abbey is a working institution and subject to last minute closures.

Take a privately guided tour to the iconic British Museum. Established in 1753, with its current building dating from the 19th century, it has since amassed one of the largest collections of works in the world, documenting human history, art, and culture from all continents from its beginnings to the present. Some of the most famous pieces held here include the Rosetta Stone, sculptures from the Greek Parthenon, the Lewis Chessmen, the Egyptian mummy of Katebet and Persian Oxus Treasure.

One of the city's most famous landmarks, the Tower of London was built by William the Conqueror in 1078, it saw several phases of expansion, mainly under Kings Richard the Lionheart, Henry III, and Edward I in the 12th and 13th centuries. Although not its primary purpose, the Tower is perhaps best known as a prison, a function it performed from 1100 right up until 1952. A highlight for many are the Crown Jewels. Still regularly used by The Queen in important national ceremonies, such as the State Opening of Parliament, they are the most powerful symbols of the British Monarchy, holding deep religious and cultural significance in the nation’s history.

The presence of Oxford University can be felt throughout the centre of this august city. Nicknamed the City of Dreaming Spires, the patchwork of college buildings, churches and quaint streets make Oxford a beautiful place to discover the stories surrounding some of the most important characters in British history. Your local guide will tailor a tour around your interests, whether it be college gardens, religion, stained glass or Inspector Morse or Harry Potter.

Head off-piste in the Cotswolds and discover some of the ancient wool villages that made Britain rich during the Middle Ages. During your transfer you will have time to stop in some of the villages, which are famous for their honey-coloured houses but most remarkable for the unusually large parish churches which are reflective of the region's wealth in medieval times.

Bath has always been a city of pleasure. From the time of the Romans, the famous hot springs have attracted folk looking to relax and socialise. The Georgians developed the city to become a harmonious architectural ensemble that is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are many ways to discover this charming city, whether it's through its Jane Austen connections, indulgent foodie scene, graceful architecture, parks and gardens, or simply relaxing in the world’s best-preserved Roman bathhouses.

The baths from which the city takes it name are one best preserved Roman sites in Northern Europe. Built on the site of an even early Celtic shrine, the temple was constructed in 60-AD, with a public bathing complex growing around it over the next three centuries. Georgian additions were also added, such as the The Grand Pump Room, and the neo-classical architecture overlooking the ancient architecture below is an iconic site. The natural hot spring waters, which fell as rain on the nearby Mendip Hills around before percolating through the rock and being forced to the surface once more by geothermal energy (a process said to take around 4000 years) are said to be curative and can be tasted from the old fountain.

Corsham Court​ houses one of the most exceptional collections of art of any private house in England. The Old Masters are well represented among the collection including a famous portrait for Queen Elizabeth I. Better than most galleries, one of the charms of Corsham is seeing art in the setting of a private home, as it was intended by the family's ancestors. Though it's open to the public, Corsham is happily off the main tourist trek but well known among scholars. Indeed, such is the importance of its collections that Bath Spa University has a campus at Corsham for the study of art history.

Discover some of the iconic sites of the Cotswolds as you delve back into history to where it all began. The ​tour will be full of ​revelations and insights ​as you learn​ the story of how England bec​a​me England​. You'll go deep into the story of England's first king as well as explore the authentic Cotswolds. Visit the 'most important town in England no-one has ever heard of' ​a​nd explore ancient, untouched villages and Saxon churches that date back over 1000 years.

For your exclusive tour of the Abbey Gardens, you’ll be greeted by the owner and escorted around the house and gardens before they open to the public. The gardens are a series of rooms, each very different to the last, reflecting the history of the site and the personality of the current owners. You’ll be free afterwards to wander around the gardens at your own leisure and stroll through the town of Malmesbury.

Windsor Castle is still very much a working castle, and is the favourite home of Her Majesty the Queen. The magnificent state rooms provide an overview of architectural and interior design over the centuries and there is no shortage of stories about the characters who once filled these rooms. Windsor town is also a perfect place for some souvenir shopping. Please note that the castle is a working institution and subject to last minute closures.

Experience a unique perspective to the Great Park with a horse-drawn carriage ride accompanied by your guide who can share the knowledge of stories and events at the park, which have been passed down through the generations of coachmen who have worked for this family business. Ride down the famous Long Walk, which has wonderful views of Windsor Castle, and was part of the route the newlywed royals Megan and Harry took on their wedding day. The carriages are all classic models that have been maintained, restored or re-created to be the same as those used centuries ago. They are fitted with authentic wheels, traditional fittings and skills which date back to the 14th century.