CLOCKWISE


FROM ABOVE: Alladale Wilderness


Reserve; Eilean Donan Castle; Tulloch Castle


PICTURES: Peter Devlin; VisitScotland/Paul Tomkins; Nick Smith Photography


grow up to 4m long, were reluctant to appear during our two hours on the water, our knowledgeable guide, Freya, kept us rapt with tales about a resident pod. The company’s ethos is ‘passive’ watching, rather than chasing the creatures when there’s a sighting. In return, this has earned them the trust of the dolphins, as demonstrated recently when a female dolphin, known as Bonnie, brought her week-old calf alongside the boat to meet the crew.


KING OF THE CASTLE Tulloch Castle, just outside Dingwall and 15 miles from Inverness, was our rather grand home for the night. Passed down through generations of the Davidson clan, the fort is now owned by Bespoke Hotels. Part of its charm lies in the fact that the 20 en suite rooms – several boasting four-poster beds – are a little frayed around the edges, in keeping with the 900-year history of the place. Clients into their history will particularly enjoy the museum, housed in a hexagonal-shaped outbuilding, which can be visited on request.


Dining by candlelight in the castle dungeon was


certainly a unique and atmospheric experience. Learning that some prisoners had come to a grisly end there couldn’t spoil our three-course meal – the sticky toffee pudding with cinnamon ice cream was divine. A goose-bump-inducing ghost tour is another quirky selling point for clients. During an hour-long walk around the castle, we learnt about the Green Lady, said to be the friendly ghost of a young girl, Elizabeth, who died


54 26 SEPTEMBER 2019


TRIED


& TESTED


CALEDONIAN SLEEPER


To shake up the old-fashioned image of the Caledonian Sleeper, which launched in 1873, Serco handpicked a specialist team with backgrounds in luxury travel, hotels and airlines – and it shows. Luxury en suite single and double rooms feature wet-room-style showers and handcrafted mattresses by Glencraft – which holds a royal warrant to supply Her Majesty the Queen. Four USB ports in each cabin come with three handy ‘cradles’ to hold


your mobile devices, while a control unit lets you adjust the room temperature, dim the lights and call the attendant at any time. We loved the complimentary toiletries produced by Arran – and the lavender and chamomile pillow mist spray added a real touch of decadence. Adjoining Classic Rooms can be turned into one space by unlocking an interconnecting door. An extensive menu, featuring locally sourced produce and a range of wine,


whiskies and cocktails, makes the dining carriage a destination, rather than just somewhere to grab a bite to eat. A shortened menu is available for room service.


in suspicious circumstances. Apparently, she’s particularly likely to make her presence felt in room 15. A portrait of Lizzie and her family hangs in the Great Hall, to add further weight to the story.


HIGH TIME IN THE HIGHNDS Returning to Inverness the next day, we boarded another train, this time bound for the Kyle of Lochalsh, on Scotland’s west coast. It’s a classic route and throughout the three-hour journey, we witnessed why it is billed as one of the world’s most scenic railway journeys. Arcing across the Highlands, it cuts through seemingly limitless moors and around depthless lochs in the shadow of the Torridon Hills, before picking its way along the coast on its final stretch to Loch Alsh.


travelweekly.co.uk


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84