The Clan Campbell Society organizes Group Trips to Scotland about every three years. Seating is generally limited to 40 Campbell kinspeople per trip on a first come, first reserved basis. A waiting list is kept in case someone is unable to attend. Transportation in Scotland is included in the price and is by a 40 seat bus, and or split mini-buses as required by locations. Contact the CCSNA Vice President or refer to recent Clan Campbell Society (NA) publications and announcements for pricing information and schedules.

For reference proposes only, the 2022 trip was $3,350.00 pp double // Single additional supplement $520.00 // $100 donation to the CCSNA.

Some items to note:

• Airfare to and from Scotland is the responsibility of the individual.
• You must have a current passport and up to date vaccination certificates to travel to the UK.
• Be ready for long daylight hours in Scotland. Sunrise is around 4:30 am and sunset is after 10:00 pm.
• You must be able to handle your own luggage, occasionally up and down stairs in centuries old hotels.
• You must be able to walk up to a mile in hilly conditions. It IS Scotland, so expect the hikes to be uphill both ways!
• Be prepared for Scottish weather, i.e. cold, damp, rainy, windy, hot, sunny, muggy, or snowing in July. Aye... Dreich.

Below is a typical schedule for a Clan Campbell Society Scotland Trip. Actual dates and locations will vary depending on the year, however this provides a reasonable outline of the past trips and locations.

CLAN CAMPBELL SOCIETY. TOUR OF SCOTLAND 2022

UPDATED ITINERARY (as of October 2021)

Every tour day starts at 9.00am (unless otherwise stated). Most tour days will end around 6.30/7.00pm

DAY ONE – 7/6/2022

• Group gathers at meeting point in Glasgow Airport (GLA)
• Time estimate – 10am, but this is subject to change depending on final flight information. For those staying in Glasgow City Centre the night before there is a regular public bus service from Buchannan Street Station. There are no train services to the airport, but taxis are available (£20 average cost – private hire, up to £40 per car. Note: 2022 pricing).
• Meet guide (an experienced CCSNA tour member) and coach / driver
• Travel via Loch Lomond and the Rest and be Thankful to Inveraray
• Overnight – George Hotel, Inveraray

DAY TWO – 7/7/22

• Touring day around Argyll
• Visits to Auchindrain historic village and the old smiddy at Strachur (a smiddy is a blacksmiths)
• Stop at Kilmun, burial site of the Campbell, Dukes of Argyll
• Other stops in Cowal
• Finish the day in Dunoon
• Overnight – Argyll Hotel & Royal Marine Hotel, Dunoon. The group will be split – the Argyll is nearer the town centre, for mobility and accessibility

DAY THREE – 7/8/22

• After breakfast we gather from both hotels, and head to the ferry over to the Mainland. Passengers will embark on foot, while bus loads into hold.
• Arrive at Gourock, disembark and rejoin bus at meeting point.
• Tour to New Lanark – eighteenth century model village and UNESCO World Heritage Site. For those who like to trail walk there is a chance to see the spectacular Falls of Clyde (trail = easy to moderate with a few steep points)
• Stop to visit the famous Rossyln Chapel. Strongly connected with the Masonic Orders, the Knights Templar and the Holy Grail, it was featured in Dan Brown’s “Da Vinci Code” in both book and movie.
• Day finishes in the Scottish Capital, Edinburgh
• Overnight – Radisson SAS Hotel, Royal Mile, Edinburgh (this will be our accommodation for three nights)

DAY FOUR – 7/9/22

• Free Day in Edinburgh (Details will be given for attractions and a see-and-do guide provided).

DAY FIVE – 7/10/22

• Free Day in Edinburgh. I will as guide offer a one-hour walking tour of the Royal Mile (walk is easy grade, but it is 1830 yards, and you need to walk back up again). There will be no extra charge for the tour (but we’ll probably finish in a decent tavern having a pint).

DAY SIX – 7/11/22

• Depart Edinburgh
• Visits to Bannockburn Battlefield and photo stops at ‘The Kelpies’ and the Forth Bridges
• Visit to Castle Campbell at Dollar. This will be done in some form of shuttle or walk as the coach cannot access the castle.
• Finish in Stirling with visit to the castle and Argyll’s Lodgings. Note: Stirling Castle houses the regimental museum of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders.
• Overnight – Golden Lion Hotel, Stirling, Scotland

DAY SEVEN – 7/12/22

• Morning visit to the National Wallace Monument
• We then head to Fife and Falkland Palace. Falkland is also part of the film settings for the Outlander TV Series
• Then north to Perth to visit Balhousie Castle – home and museum of the Black Watch Regiment
• Head into the Highlands via Loch Earn and travel through the ancient lands of the Campbell’s of Breadalbane (no access to Taymouth Castle – one time seat of the Earls of Breadalbane).
• Finish the day in the forests of Highland Perthshire, and the Cathedral City of Dunkeld
• Overnight – Hilton, Dunkeld House Hotel
• The hotel sits on the River Tay about a mile from the town itself. There is a great riverside walk down to the Cathedral and the old village. The gates to the church close at 7pm, but open again in the morning. There are options to eat in the town (including great fish and chips).

DAY EIGHT – 7/13/22

• Head north from Dunkeld, and through the Grampian Mountains to Glenlivet distillery for a tour (stops in between.)
• Visit to Cawdor Castle, seat of the Campbell Earl Cawdor. (Possible tour with Lady Cawdor – TBC)
• Visit to Culloden Battlefield, site of the last battle fought on British Soil (1746). We will see where the Campbell lines were on the field of combat
• Overnight – TBC (To Be Confirmed) Inverness is the plan, but we may look at Nairn instead

DAY NINE – 7/14/22

• If staying in Nairn, we will have morning free time in Inverness
• Stop at Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness (time for some Nessie Spotting)
• We will book the Jacobite Train to Mallaig. The coach will follow the route to Mallaig, and collect the group and then drive back to Fort William
• Lunch to be determined by the timing – Mallaig or Fort William
• Stop at Glencoe. Time to spend at the visitor centre
• Finish by heading through Appin to Oban
• Overnight – Oban Bay Hotel, Oban (this will be our accommodation for three nights)

DAY TEN – 7/15/22

• Free Day in Oban (visit / to-do option to be given)

DAY ELEVEN – 7/16/22

• Group to split into three – each to join a minibus with private guide to do full day tour of Mid-Argyll
• Stops will include: Kilmartin Glen (Neolithic standing stones and burial chambers date back 6000 years); Kilchurn Castle (ancient seat of the Campbells of Glenorchy (Breadalbane)); Pass of Brander and Loch Awe (original Clan Campbell homeland); Dunstaffange Castle (important seat of the Dukes of Argyll in their role as Crown enforcers). Other stops possible given time – including Carnasserie Castle.
• All groups return Oban

DAY TWELVE – 7/17/22

• Straight run from Oban to Inveraray
• Possible stop at the Argyll Archives (TBC)
• Overnight – George Hotel, Inveraray (this will be our accommodation for two nights)

DAY THIRTEEN – 7/18/22

• Free Day in Inveraray
• Options for individuals to visit the castle, Jail and relax

DAY FOURTEEN – 7/19/22

• Inveraray Highland Games (NOTE: Usually held on the 3rd Tuesday of July)
• Our group will have tickets and a private tent at the games
• After games, straight drive to Glasgow
• Overnight – Glasgow. Location TBC
• Tour guiding services end.

DAY FIFTEEN – 7/20/22

• Possible transfer to Glasgow Airport (GLA) (no guide)
• Tour ends, group members fly back to North America with lifelong memories of our beloved Scotland.