HAGGIS ADVENTURES: HOGWARTS EXPRESS, GLENCOE & OBAN
After spending 2 amazing days on the Orkney Islands, it was time to head back to mainland Scotland. Back to Loch Ness for another 2 days, you can read about here Haggis Adventures: Loch Ness & The Scottish Highlands The last few days were spent seeing amazing views at Glencoe, taking a train trip on The Jacobite Steam Train, exploring the fishing town of Oban and watching a falconry show at a French château style castle.
If you are wondering which tour I booked in Scotland, it is the 7 day Coast to Coast tour with Haggis Adventures, through TourRadar!!. I got to see so many amazing places in Scotland! Loch Ness, Orkney Islands, Dunrobin Castle, Oban, Glencoe, Jacobite Steam Train (Hogwarts Express) and so much more!!
WHERE TO EAT
The Bakehouse - Mallaig
Stop by The Bakehouse if you are in Mallaig. I have heard that they have really yummy almond croissants. They have a lot to offer including, pastries, bread, pizzas. A bonus is that it overlooks the harbour and you can enjoy a drink and a bite to eat with a view.
Location: Old Quay, Mallaig PH41 4QF, Scotland
The Oban Fish And Chip Shop - Oban
Our last night on tour was spent in the cute little fishing town of Oban. I bought some fish and chips for dinner from the Oban fish and chip shop. I had heard that they have really good food and there was a line inside. I recommend that you get your fish and chips from here.
Location: 116 George St, Oban PA34 5NT, UK
Mhor Bread & Tearoom - Callander
When stopped off in the little town of Callander for a lunch stop. Mhor Bread is a bakery, shop and tearoom, with a lot of different foods to choose from. I bought a pie and it was the best pie I have had in a while. Would recommend that you grab some food from Mhor bread.
Location: 8 Main St, Callander FK17 8BB, UK
WHERE TO STAY
Backpackers Plus Hostel - Oban
The last night of the tour was spent at the Backpackers Plus hostel in Oban. It is a really cute hostel in an old church which is located in a seaside town. The hostel has a great common room upstairs with kitchen facilities, lounges, pool table and places to chill!! The rooms are very comfortable with plenty of space. All of the rooms are shared with the other people from your tour and each room has bunk beds. Shared bathroom facilities that are clean and there are separate men and women's bathrooms that are all very clean. Would recommend staying there if you are going to Oban!!
I recommend walking around town and checking out the harbour. Oban is a fishing town and has really yummy fish and chips, you can find nice fish and chip shops all around town.
As part of the Haggis Adventures Tour, Our guide Duncan organised one of the bagpipers from the band to escort us from the hostel, down the main road and to the Skipinnish Ceilidh House. Was so fun to do some traditional Scottish dancing!!! It is all partner dancing and we changed partners and danced with people from our tour group and the others who were from a Contiki tour.
Location: The Old Church, Breadalbane St, Oban PA34 5PH, United Kingdom
WHAT TO DO
The first stop after getting back to mainland Scotland was Dunrobin Castle. Dunrobin Castle is a Scottish castle that resembles a French château with its towering conical spires. It is the most northerly castle in Scotland and the largest with 189 rooms!! Dunrobin Castle is on the east coast of the Northern Highlands overlooking the Moray Firth, just north of the villages of Golspie and Dornoch.
The castle looks like something out of a Disney movie! You can walk around the gardens and also walk through the castle and see the rooms, which are set up to look original. There is also a falconry show, which is the ancient art of hunting with birds of prey. There is a daily birds of prey flying demonstrations during the summer months. The spectacular bird carer showed us a golden eagle, peregrine falcons and an owl!
If you want to visit Dunrobin Castle a ticket will cost £12. The ticket includes access to Dunrobin Castle, entry to falconry display, museum and gardens. Buy your tickets at the castle as they are not available online, unless in a group. Check out the Dunrobin Castle Website for more details about opening times and falconry times. Dunrobin Castle is open annually from 1st April to 31st October.
Location: Golspie KW10 6SF, UK
Loch Lochy
Loch Lochy is a large freshwater loch in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland. We stopped here quickly as it was a really beautiful sunny day and the Loch looked amazing in the sun!! Loch Lochy is located just near Loch Ness. Scotland has some amazing Lochs and if you are passing by I suggest you stop at Loch Lochy!!
Location: 56.9626° N, 4.9171° W
Jacobite Steam Train - Hogwarts Express
One of my favourite things on the tour was taking a train ride on the Jacobite Steam Train (Hogwarts Express)!!!! The steam train is famous for being in the Harry Potter films. The train travels over the Glenfinnan Viaduct, which is famous for being used in the Harry Potter films. The steam train trip is a return journey from Fort William to Mallaig. The Haggis Adventures tour only does a one way trip from Fort William to Mallaig, as the bus meets us in Mallaig and then the tour continues on to the next destination. The scenery out the window is breathtaking, I suggest that you go on the steam train. I also suggest that you book a 1st class ticket as the cabins look like the cabins with sliding doors from Harry Potter. I was in standard seating which was good but I would have paid the extra for the experience.
If you want to take scenic a train trip on the Jacobite Steam Train a return ticket will cost you £59.95 (First Class) or £37.75 (Standard). If you would like a standard single ticket it will cost you £31.75, there are no first class single tickets, as the cabins are booked out with return tickets. Buy your tickets on The Jacobite Website and arrive at the station with your tickets ready to go.
Location: Tom-na-Faire Station Square, Fort William, Highland PH33 6TQ, UK
Glencoe
Glencoe! What an amazing scene! Can't get over how pretty Scotland is!! Glencoe is a steep-sided valley in the Scottish Highlands. It is known for its waterfalls and trails that climb peaks such as Buachaille Etive Mor and Bidean Nam Bian. We stopped here for an hour or so and walked down towards a river and chilled out for a bit. Can't wait to go back to Scotland in the winter time and see it differently Glencoe covered in Snow!!
Location: 56.6826° N, 5.1023° W
Kilchurn Castle and Highland Cows!!!
A little stop at a cute castle called Kilchurn Castle. Kilchurn Castle is a ruined castle on a rocky peninsula at the northeastern end of Loch Awe, in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It was first constructed in the mid-15th century. The land around the castle is full of bluebells and it looks so pretty!! There are Highland Cows in the land surrounding the castle! This was my first close encounter with the Highland Cows. I got some up close photos and touched one of the cows for a second before it swang its horns around and nearly got me!! haha :) There was a ram/ goat hanging around and giving me the stink eye, I thought it was going to ram me and I had nothing to hide behind! haha! I slowly crept away and then ran haha
Location: Lochawe, Dalmally PA33 1AF, UK
Stirling
Our last stop on the tour before returning back to Edinburgh. Stirling is a city in central Scotland, known for the Stirling Castle and The National Wallace Monument. We walked up to the National Wallace Monument and saw some amazing views from the top. You can also walk to the top inside the monument. Stirling is a beautiful city and will be going back next time I am in Scotland.
Location: 56.1165° N, 3.9369° W
IF YOU WANT TO EXPERIENCE ALL THIS AND MORE, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND CHECKING OUT THE 7 DAY TOUR I DID IN SCOTLAND WITH TOURRADAR