London & the Scottish Highlands

Arrive at Heathrow, Gatwick or St Pancras International, 45-75 minutes by road into the centre and transfer privately to your base. Time today to walk your neighbourhood and a nearby royal park to shake off the flight.

• Private transfer via Heathrow
• Walk your neighbourhood and a nearby royal park to shake off the flight
• Time to settle in before dinner

Westminster Abbey, the exterior of the Houses of Parliament and the Changing of the Guard when it is scheduled, then St James's Park and Whitehall on foot.

• Westminster Abbey
• Changing of the Guard (on scheduled days)
• St James's Park and Horse Guards

The Tower of London and the Crown Jewels early, then a river boat downstream or across to the South Bank, Borough Market and Tate Modern.

• Tower of London and Crown Jewels
• Thames river boat
• Borough Market and Tate Modern

The British Museum or the V&A with a guide who takes one collection properly, then Covent Garden, and a West End performance in the evening.

• British Museum or V&A guided visit
• Covent Garden
• West End theatre in the evening

Fly north or take the east coast train line up to Edinburgh Waverley. On arrival, walk the Royal Mile in the evening when the day visitors have thinned.

• Fly north or take the east coast train line up to Edinburgh Waverley
• Walk the Royal Mile in the evening when the day visitors have thinned
• Timings reconfirmed locally the day before

Edinburgh Castle first thing, then down the Royal Mile through the closes and wynds to Holyrood, with the Scottish Parliament at the foot.

• Edinburgh Castle
• Royal Mile closes with a guide
• Palace of Holyroodhouse

Georgian New Town architecture in the morning, a climb of Arthur's Seat or Calton Hill for the view, and a structured whisky tasting in the afternoon.

• Georgian New Town walk
• Arthur's Seat or Calton Hill climb
• Guided whisky tasting

Drive north through Perthshire and the Cairngorms to Speyside, about three and a half hours. On arrival, walk the riverbank at Craigellachie before a first dram.

• Drive north through Perthshire and the Cairngorms to Speyside, about three and a half hours
• Walk the riverbank at Craigellachie before a first dram
• Timings reconfirmed locally the day before

Two distilleries chosen for contrast, one large and one small, with a warehouse tasting drawn straight from the cask and an explanation of how wood shapes spirit.

• Two distillery tours
• Warehouse cask tasting
• Speyside Cooperage

A stretch of the Speyside Way on foot, with optional salmon fishing on the river, which is Scotland's fastest-flowing and strictly seasonal.

• Speyside Way walking section
• Optional guided salmon fishing (February-September)
• Telford's Craigellachie Bridge

A slow breakfast before the drive to Inverness or Aberdeen. Private transfer to Inverness or Aberdeen airports in good time for your onward flight.

• A slow breakfast before the drive to Inverness or Aberdeen
• Late check-out arranged where the hotel allows it
• Private departure transfer