Ron & Amber Hessing

To the ferry in IJmuiden

The atmosphere was good right from the start. At the meeting point the organisers (Erwin and Shirley) handed out a nice goody bag: a window sticker with the Scotland 2024 logo, a cap and a programme booklet. We enjoyed tasty snacks and a drink and met the participants. Everyone listened carefully to the instructions, after which we drove in convoy to the DFDS ferry in IJmuiden. The organisers’ blue Porsche led the procession, we were a few cars behind, and “extra special” right behind us were our son Colin and his girlfriend Danique in their Mercedes C63 AMG. Doing this edition together made this trip very special for us. The buffet on board was excellent. Although the cabins were compact (understatement!), that did not spoil the fun.

Newcastle – Kinlochard

After a smooth disembarkation we gathered a few kilometres outside the port to start our journey together. The route took us via Selkirk-Ashkirk, where we enjoyed a tasty lunch, to Kinlochard. Our hotel, Forest Hills, was beautifully set amidst green gardens. Is it raining? No problem — an umbrella is your best friend in Scotland. After dinner we took a walk through the magnificent gardens – the ideal close to a wonderful first day.

Isle of Skye via Fort William

After another lovely breakfast, route 1 of the day. Our first stop was the Kingshouse Hotel in Argyllshire. This idyllic spot offered a fantastic view of the surrounding mountains. After a good cappuccino and a delicious piece of pastry, we continued through the insanely beautiful surroundings of Glencoe to Fort William, where we had lunch in the impressive Inverloch Castle. The food, including our main course – Black Isle Lamb Rump with basil puree, asparagus and lamb jus – was fantastic. The castle? You don’t get more authentically Scottish than that. Well, in our case you do, because this turned out not to be the only beautiful castle on this tour. From Fort William we drove on to the Isle of Skye. The first kilometres on the island were nothing special, but as we drove further onto the island a spectacular landscape unfolded.

The nature here seemed even more untouched, with steep cliffs, wide views and the characteristic rugged character of Skye. At our stop, photos and drone footage were taken by the media crew, who captured all the highlights of the tour. That evening we finished in an atmospheric hotel with a pleasant dinner, where we talked long about the impressive day.

Exploring the Isle of Skye

That day we explored a large part of the Isle of Skye and eventually drove an unbelievably beautiful run to the northernmost part of the Highlands. The landscape was breathtaking: green hills, blooming fields and rugged mountains took turns. Driving on the left, the single-track roads and the many crossing sheep made the driving challenging, but also unforgettable. Both the relaxed rider and the faster driver get their fill here, partly thanks to the light traffic at this time of year.

Tongue and Scottish traditions

The route (especially the last hour before arrival) to Tongue was, in our view, the most beautiful we have ever driven. The nature almost seemed to come from a fantasy world à la Lord of the Rings, with green hills and quiet roads that only our group seemed to use. After a pleasant evening in the hotel, complete with a local beer, the “WolfPack IPA,” a special day began. Part of our group dressed in traditional Scottish attire – kilts, complete with the bag, socks, shoes and pins and a little hat. Breakfast in a kilt, driving in kilts (with blue-and-white Scottish underwear under the kilt, of course), and the visit to Dunrobin Castle. The castle was a perfect backdrop for photos, with even other tourists spontaneously capturing us. These kinds of unique moments make a tour like this extra special.

Loch Ness and Inverness

In Inverness we went on the boat as a group to sail Loch Ness. And yes, Nessie really exists. Honest ;-) Lunch was at the Country House Hotel at Loch Ness. Again a magnificent location, where we ate well, laughed a lot and took beautiful photos. The end of yet another day 4 — or was it day 5? Yes, when you take in so many new impressions, time flies. We stayed at the Golf View hotel, where we were surprised by Erwin and Shirley who after dinner had organised a really fun quiz for the group with an intermezzo by a traditional bagpiper. You either hate the sound or you love it. We belong to the latter category.

Whisky Distillery

The guided whisky tasting at Ad Gefrin in Wooler was one of the next highlights. All of us took a bus from the hotel to the distillery and back to our hotel. Everyone could enjoy a good dinner and taste the different whiskies without a care. We had an excellent time. As a group we were more or less the only ones in the hotel, and with a small company we stayed up late together with the waiter (who by his own account could mix anything — absolutely anything). The next day we were fresh again and after a solid breakfast we drove routes through Cairngorms National Park. It was beautiful again, winding roads — and had we already mentioned the views?

Jim Clark Museum

Our last day, before the travel day home, took us to a special location: the Jim Clark Motorsport Museum. Three of his race cars are on display, and his entire career is exhibited including trophies of this remarkable driver,… who holds the most wins at Circuit Zandvoort. The Alnwick Garden. This beautiful location (Google it!) was a perfect close to the tour. Here Erwin and Shirley surprised every participant with a nice photo of the car taken during the tour in a special photo frame, Scottish shortbread biscuits and a little bear in Scottish dress, and a word of thanks to all participants. Where do they find the time to arrange that? On behalf of the group, Vincent spoke a well-deserved word of thanks to Erwin and Shirley.

Conclusion

This Scotland tour is, by a clear margin, number one for us of all our Fancycartours trips. Everything was perfectly arranged: from the routes (seamless navigation via TomTom Go) to the accommodation and from the activities to the food. The combination of impressive nature, camaraderie, unique experiences and kind participants who know how to enjoy life made this trip unforgettable. We signed up for the 2026 edition straight away. We cannot wait!