This tour is currently unavailable. Read more here
[soliloquy id=”2512″]Discover the delights of Dubin and Edinburgh, two of Europe’s most historical cities, along with the beauty of their landscape during our 7 days guided tour.
Highlights:
On this page, you’ll find more about:
Reasons to travel with Mary’s Meanders and Ireland Walk Hike Bike
Places you’ll explore:
In Ireland
Dublin is Ireland’s capital city, situated at the mouth of the River Liffey and covering approximately 115 square kilometers. With a wealth of young people working in the city, it oozes vibrancy & progression with a total population of 1.5 million. The name DUBLIN comes from the Gaelic word Dubhlinn, meaning “black or dark pool”, referring to a dark tidal pool where the city originally grew up. Coincidentally – this is also where Guinness grew up, supposedly taking its water from the River Liffey!!
To the south of Dublin is the Dublin/Wicklow mountain range and to the north & west, flat, fertile & rich farmland. The Liffey divides the city in half between the Northside and the Southside & still today there is a fun rivalry between “northsiders” & “southsiders”!! It is a fascinating and vibrant city to visit – cosmopolitan & cultural – small, compact and easy to get around in a short time. Nightlife is always filled with good music, great food and of course the famous Irish “craic” – simply meaning fun and enjoyment – and the Irish are terrific at ensuring everyone who visits the city of Dublin has plenty of fun and enjoyment.
Wicklow is often referred to as ‘the Garden of Ireland’. The jewel of Wicklow is undoubtedly Glendalough, ‘the valley of the two lakes’ where St. Kevin founded a monastery in the 6th century. Several buildings remain (mainly from the 10th and 11th centuries), including the cathedral, a chapel known as St. Kevin’s Kitchen, the round tower and several subsidiary churches. The nearby Visitor Centre has an audio-visual presentation on monastic life in Ireland and a scale model showing how this ancient monastic city would have looked in its heyday.
This holiday is an ideal area for you to enjoy splendid with a terrific mix of City & Country Life, including many of the riches of Ireland’s Ancient East. Most of the walks are on well-walked tracks, many of them waymarked, with some stretches on minor roads. The climate in Wicklow, being on the east coast, is noticeably drier than in the West of Ireland.
Kilkenny is a medieval town in Ireland’s Ancient East. Famous for the beautiful Kilkenny Castle which was built in 1195 by the Normans, the town has deep religious roots & many well-preserved churches and monasteries including the imposing St. Canice’s Cathedral and the Black Abbey. It is also well known for its wonderful crafts including pottery, paintings, and jewellery.
The South West of Ireland is home to the famous Three Lakes of Killarney, situated in the heart of “The Kingdom of Kerry” and offers the stunning Killarney National Park and Muckross House and Gardens to be discovered. Further to the south-west is the beautiful village of Glengarriff with the amazing & ornate tropical gardens on Garinish Island. If you are trying to decide where you like best along your route – this part of Ireland will win your heart. From Glengarriff, you will return to Cork City to depart from the airport there.
In Scotland
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland situated at the Firth of Forth, The Auld Reekie, as the city is still sometimes affectionately called today, means ‘Old Smokey‘ in the Scots dialect. Consisting of the Medieval Old Town and grand Georgian New Town. Edinburgh Castle sits at the top of the Royal Mile and is home to Scotland’s crown jewels and the Stone of Destiny, used in the coronation of Scottish Rulers. At the bottom of the Royal Mile is the Scottish Parliament and Palace of Holyroodhouse – the official residence of the Monarchy when in Scotland.
Like Dublin, Edinburgh is a vibrant city. It is of course recognised worldwide for its festivals, but it is also known for its history and heritage. There is something for everyone to enjoy even some hill walking if you wish! Arthur’s Seat is an impressive peak in Holyrood Park with sweeping views, and Calton Hill is topped with monuments and memorials.
Linlithgow, was the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots. Mary and her father James V were both born in Linlithgow Palace. It was an impressive Palace for the Royals to enjoy as a retreat and to break the journey between Edinburgh and Stirling. The palace is still standing today and looks out across the Loch and Peel where visitors and locals together enjoy walks, boating & fishing. Each summer a Jousting festival is held, and you really do feel like you are back in the time of the Kings and Queens who once resided here.
Stirling is known as ‘The Gateway to the Highlands’. The city is dominated by Stirling Castle, which sits on the top of Castle Hill with cliffs on 3 sides. From the castle, you can see the Wallace Monument. Nearby is Bannockburn where Robert the Bruce battled with Edward the 2nd and allowed Scotland to become an independent kingdom once again.
Included:
- 7 days touring – 5 days in Ireland, 2 days in Scotland
- 8 nights’ accommodation
- Full Irish and Scottish Breakfast
- 7 Dinners
- Entry to all attractions on the tours
- Small group tour guarantee – 7 people max
- Experienced Bus Drivers and Tour Guides
Not included – flight from Cork to Edinburgh, lunches, drinks, and gratuity, transfer to airports for the return flight home
Tour Itinerary
Day 1
We will start the day at Trinity College home to the Book of Kells, Ireland’s greatest cultural treasure. The book is a 9th century highly decorated copy of the four gospels of Jesus Christ. We will also see the breath-taking Old Library. I will say no more and leave it as a surprise! Then we will walk along Grafton Street, Dublin’s premier shopping street and we will see where Emma’s grandfather had his Gentleman’s Outfitters shop. Lunch will be in a traditional Irish pub, perhaps this is where you will have your first Guinness? Then we will stroll alongside Stephen’s Green, the park is surrounded by a Georgian Square where our next stop is located, the tiny museum with a big punch – Dublin’s Little Museum. Full of items donated by Irish residents it truly tells the story of Dublin in a charming manner.
After this tour there is some free time, perhaps to take a walk through the park or maybe to visit the National Gallery of Ireland before we return to our accommodation.
Our evening activity will take us to Johnnie Foxes pub high up in the Dublin mountains. We will enjoy a wonderful meal followed by traditional Irish music and dancing. A night full of Craic!!
Day 2
After breakfast, our bus will bring us to one of Dublin’s newest attractions, Epic Museum which tells the story of Irish emigration and how the Irish Diaspora has contributed to the world. This museum gives you a true feeling of what it must have been for the emigrants as they said good bye to their home and started their new lives abroad. We will also have time to visit the Irish Family History Centre for some shopping and perhaps find some Irish relations of your own!
Time for lunch next at Dublin’s oldest pub, The Brazen Head. The pub is full of character – both on the walls and in the pub itself! Next, we visit Kilmainham Gaol where many of the Irish political leaders of the 1916 rising were jailed and executed. The jail closed in 1924 and is now run as a museum of Irish Nationalism.
After our tour we travel out of Dublin and along the south coastline seeing towns such as Booterstown, Blackrock, Monkstown, Dun Laoghaire, Sandycove (where James Joyce lived) before coming to the historic village of Dalkey. We will have our evening meal here beside the 13th Century Dalkey Castle and we will take a stroll along the town and finish off with a pint in Bono’s favourite pub before returning to our accommodation.
Day 3
We will leave Dublin behind us and travel south out of the city to reach the lovely village of Enniskerry and the beautiful Powerscourt Estate and Gardens. Enjoy some free time here to do a Self-Guiding tour of Powerscourt House if you wish, with a walk around the gardens afterward and enjoy some refreshment in the lovely Terrace Café. Moving further south, we reach the magnificent Glendalough and the ancient “City” famous for its monastic ruins dating back to the 11th Century. We will enjoy a walk around Glendalough to see some of the old ruins and enjoy the wonderful scenery this place offers as you hear stories of St. Kevin and his time here. We then continue south to reach the medieval city of Kilkenny for our overnight.
Day 4
Enjoying a walking tour of Kilkenny city this morning, we soon discover why this medieval town is so loved and also so inspiring. Afterward, take the time to discover the famous Kilkenny Design Centre with crafts people at their best. Leaving Kilkenny, we travel south-west to reach the magnificent Cahir Castle and (if time allows) Swiss Cottage. Continue on from there to reach the famous Killarney for your overnight with whiskey tasting over dinner….!
Day 5
This morning we will bring you to visit Muckross House and Gardens on the shores of the Killarney Lakes. With time to enjoy a walk around these beautiful gardens, we then drive further south to Glengarriff, passing through the heritage town of Kenmare on the way. A short boat trip from Glengarriff takes you across to the picturesque Garinish Island – famous for its tropical ornate gardens created by Annan Bryce and Harold Peto. The island was bequeathed to the Irish people in 1953 and has been enjoyed by many since opening to the public. From here, we continue to Cork (approx. 1¾ drive) to arrive at Cork Airport for your departure.
Arrive at Edinburgh airport and transfer to your accommodation in Linlithgow.
Day 6
After breakfast, we will take a stroll around Linlithgow Palace before going to Edinburgh. The group will take a guided walking tour along the Royal Mile. See the different small streets called Closes and Wynds tapering off the main street and a filming location or two! Hear about the different characters who walked these streets before you – Mary Queen of Scots, John Knox to name but two. After the tour enjoy some free time in the city to have some lunch, do some shopping and perhaps visit Edinburgh Castle or Holyrood Palace.
Our final stop will be in the historic village of South Queensferry where you will see not 1 or 2 but 3 bridges one of which is an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Day 7
After a hearty Scottish breakfast, we will head Northwards with our first stop being The Kelpies. These 30 metre high steel sculptures of two Clydesdale Horses are at the junction between two canals and were created as part of the Helix land transformation project in Falkirk. The sculptures are a monument to the horse-powered heritage and have become a favourite attraction for tourists and locals since opening in 2013.
From here we head back in time as we go to see Doune Castle, a 14th-century castle built beside the River Teith. You may recognise Doune Castle from Monty Python’s The Holy Grail, the Games of Thrones pilot or in Outlander where it was used for Castle Leoch. From here we go to Deanston Distillery just 5 minutes away.
Deanston Distillery is at the entry to the dramatic Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. Having been a cotton mill for 180 years, Deanston was transformed into a distillery in the 1960’s and has been distilling whisky ever since. Fabulous whisky and wonderful cakes too!
After a wee dram or scone, we then travel to Callander to see some “Heilan’ Coos” up close at the Trossachs Woollen Mill.
Next we visit the town of Callander, it is a bustling town with many shops and tearooms. We will have some free time here to shop and eat some lunch. It is then time to do our final tour of the week at Stirling Castle. The castle was built for James V and Mary of Guise in 1538. Historic Scotland spent over £12m on a refurbishment of the castle – highlights include The Great Hall, The Stirling Heads (metre wide portraits of historic figures and members of the royal court) which can be seen on the ceiling of the King’s Inner Hall.
Then it is back to Linlithgow for our final night together. We will have a meal in The Star and Garter pub and perhaps partake of some whisky and have some banter with our Scottish friends we have made along the way!
Day 8
After a hearty Scottish breakfast, we will bring you back to Edinburgh airport for your onward journeys or departure home…
Reasons to travel with Mary’s Meanders and Ireland Walk Hire Bike
The Craic and Banter Tour draws together the specialist passions of Mary’s Meanders and Ireland Walk Hire Bike.
Reserve Your Place
The Craic and Banter Tour is running between April 29th – May 5th 2019 and September 30th – October 6th 2019 and costs 2680 GBP. Reserve your place on the date of your choosing with a 20% deposit of 520 GBP.
