Grand Tour of Scotland by Train Traveller Reviews

We did the Grand Tour of Scotland by rail. It was a very good break. All the arrangements worked, the scenery was magnificent, and the food exceptional almost everywhere.

McKinlay Kidd organised everything and all the arrangements worked: trains, ferries, tours, taxis. I couldn't fault them. Several of the hotel managers/landladies also commented that they find them an excellent company to do business with. It was all so easy, and best of all we didn't have to do any driving!

Starting in Glasgow, we took the train to various locations in Scotland. Most stops were two nights with 2 being of one night each. Our tour took us to Spean Bridge, Arisaig, Skye (by ferry), Plockton, Inverness, Thurso, Kingussie and Pitlochry, ending in Edinburgh. Our trip also included a ride on the Jacobite Train, a visit to the Isle of Rum (via ferry) and the Orkneys (via ferry). Breakfast was always included, as well as three dinners.

We really believe McKinlay Kidd was exceptional in designing a great trip. Their documentation provided was accurate and thorough. Any interactions with staff were helpful and customer focused. They have spoiled us!

This was an environmentally and socially responsible holiday by train and ferry through most of Scotland including The Isle of Skye and the Orkney Islands. This is a good trip if it's your first time in Scotland because you will get a good overview of the country. It was organized by McKinlay Kidd, I travelled solo, met wonderful people and had a wonderful time. All the difficult parts were done for me. I stayed at locally run B&Bs or boutique hotels. Some of the B&Bs were so beautiful and well-run that I felt I was on a movie set. The scenery is breathtaking and if you enjoy long walks in beautiful countryside, this is a good trip to take. The tour also includes Glasgow, Inverness, and Edinburgh city stays to balance out the quiet country life.

McKinley Kidd did all of the hard work and were flawless in delivery and performance. I experienced 2 minor glitches during my trip (that were not the fault of McKinley Kidd). They responded to the issues in record time (within 1 hour). I was happily stunned as I expected to deal with the issues on my own. They select beautiful properties for overnight that are well-located, or a little off the beaten path but with good access to nearby attractions. All transfers and transportation were well-managed and comfortable. I would definitely book another McKinlay Kidd Holiday and have already recommended them to several friends.

Starting in Glasgow we took trains to Spey Bridge & then on to Arisaig via the Jacobite steam train to Mallaig where we took a full day taxi tour of Glencoe & Glenfinnan monument/viaduct. Then ferry to Sky followed by a full day taxi tour of the island in snowy conditions which served to enhance the stunning scenery. At our suggestion we travelled to Plockton via Eilean Donan castle. Then train to Inverness & after a free day there we moved to Thurso for the Orkney islands. We did a full day tour of the historical sites. Train to Kingussie then two days in Pitlochry & finally terminating in Edinburgh. Train travel is very relaxing. All taxis had been pre arranged & the whole two weeks ran like clockwork regardless of the complexity. The hotels had been carefully & wisely chosen & we would recommend most of these to friends. Some of them served evening meals which represented a gourmet experience. We were most impressed with the detailed holiday arrangements & the flexibility in meeting new requests/changes. We would have no hesitation in recommending this holiday & the company.

See above.

We traveled independently by train throughout Scotland with the tour company booking the trains, accommodation, and transportation. Most of the trip was in rural Scotland and local transportation and tours were also booked by travel company.

Good communication with our travel agent Carol prior to the trip. Every detail was planned carefully so we had all our seats booked on trains, we were met at each stop and transferred seamlessly to each accommodation or activity. The accommodation and activities were excellent and provided a good variety for our 3 week trip. We had one conflict which was addressed within minutes of sending an email when we were not expecting to hear back until the next business day.

It was well organised with plenty of variety. The documentation was detailed, clear and expertly laid out. All the hotels were well above average with delicious meals. We had excellent suggestions for walks, excursions and other restaurants The weather was good and the scenery divine. The trains taxis and lifts were all on time clean and comfortable with very pleasant drivers

Excellent, kind and helpful. Nothing was too much trouble The whole trip was well thought out

We have had the most marvellous tour organised to perfection by McKinley Kidd. With short hops on trains, steam train and a ferry as well as charming taxi transfers, we saw much of the magic of the Western Highlands. Spean Brisge to Mallaig, Arisaig and Morar, over to Skye and great beauty, Kyle and the lovely Plockton before Fort George and Inverness.

McKinley Kidd worked tirelessly to provide a superb experience tailored to our wishes. Courteous, kind, thoughtful and innovative, we highly recommend them.

We were very impressed by the level of professionalism and wonderful organization of our trip! We saw a great deal of Scotland in the 15 days, including a wonderful tour of Skye and Orkney.

We would recommend McKinlay-Kidd to anyone wanting a tour that is completely organized, with the freedom to do their own thing at each stop, and also some great guided tours!

Four of us travelled around Scotland by train, taxi and ferry. It was our first trip to Scotland and it was wonderful.

I would highly recommend McKinlay Kidd.

We traveled independently, McKinlay Kidd having made arrangements for our train tickets and other transport (taxis, ferries), our lodging and excursions. We had 10 stops in 3 weeks. McKinlay Kidd furnished us with a great deal of information about our destinations and advice about what to see and do. We were extremely pleased with the high quality of the experiences, excursions, lodgings and their handling of the logistics. We felt we were being introduced to some of the best experiences Scotland offers (though I think that wonderful country's offerings are inexaustible).

McKinlay Kidd's arrangements were meticulous and everything went very smoothly. They were responsive to our questions and concerns both while we were planning our trip and during our travels. The focus seemed to be on genuinely local and authentic experiences and providers, not mass-produced typical tourist stuff. The people we talked to who operate the excursions and lodgings seemed to have high regard for McKinlay Kidd (one commented 'they treat me really well') and being under their umbrella, so to speak, seemed to smooth our path in a number of ways. We felt well looked after. We will not hesitate to consult them again on future holidays.