Scotland (2006):
Mainland and Isles of Arran, Mull, Iona, Skye, Harris, Lewis, Orkney

Highlands and Islands

• Amsterdam Schiphol (train) - Edinburgh (KLM) - Glasgow (city tour).
• Ardrossan - ferry to Arran - Brodick - Corrie - Lochranza - ferry to Mull of Kintyre - Claonig - Tarbert - Ardrishaig - Oban.
• Ferry to Mull - Craignure - Bunessan - ferry to Iona - back to Oban.
• Ballachulish - Fort William - Glenfinnan - Mallaig - ferry to Skye - Armadale - Broadford - Sligachan - Portree.
• Trotternish peninsula - Kilt Rock - Portree.
• Uig - ferry to Harris - Tarbet - Leverburgh - Tarbet - Stornoway (Lewis) [Outer Hebrides].
• Lewis day: Blackhouse museum - Callanish standing stones - Stornoway.
• Ferry to Ullapool - Corrieshalloch Gorge - Inverness.
• Very early departure to John o' Groat's - ferry to Orkney - Churchil Barriers - Italian chapel - Stromness - Ring of Brodgar - Standing Stones of Stennes - Skara Brae - Kirkwall (St Magnus Cathedral) - and back to Inverness (!) (very late arrival).
  
  In the St Magnus Cathedral the tombe is found of Dr John Rae [in the Cathedral kirkyard there is a humble gravestone; 30 Sept. 1813 - 22 July 1893]. Johan Rae was an arctic traveller in northern Canada and Hudson's Bay Company doctor, who discovered the key navigable link of the Canadian North West Passage and proved the fate of Sir John Franklin. See the great book by Ken McGoogan: Fatal Passage, Bantam Books, 2001, ISBN 0-553-81493-1. John Rae faced two powerful opponents in England: Lady Jane Franklin, the widow of the lost Sir John and Charles Dickens. Hence John Rae was never honoured.
  
  
• Aviemore - Blair Castle - Dunkeld - Edinburgh.
  
  It is pity that the tour did not include a visit to the R.R.S. Discovery in the Dundee Harbour just opposite the Railway Station.
  This is the ship used by Sir Robert Falcon Scott (1868-1912) in 1901-1904 on an Antarctic expedition. Together with Ernest Shackleton (1874-1922), Scott reached latitude 82º 17’ on December 30th, 1902. On Feb. 16, 1904(!) the ship was freeed from the ice.
  
  Ernest Shackleton became famous by his return to South Georgia after crossing 1000 see miles from Elephant Island in the little James Caird. See also the nice book by Arved Fuchs: "In de schaduw van de Zuidpool", Bosch & Keuning, Baarn, 2001 [In German: "Im Schatten des Pols", Delius Klasing Verlag, Bielefeld].
  
  
• Edinburgh: city tour.
• Edinburgh (flight cancelled) - Glasgow (extra day)
• Glasgow - Amsterdam Schiphol (KLM)

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