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ITINERARY
(part
II):
(B) breakfast, (L) lunch, (D) dinner |
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Day
8: Begin the day at Scottish Crannog Centre, the first crannog
built for probably 2000 years. A crannog is a defensive homestead
built out in the water of a loch from as early as 5000 years ago. This
reconstruction is based on the results of excavations from the 2500-year-old
Oakbank Crannog. Ancient structural timbers, food, plant and insect remains,
utensils and even clothing have been remarkably well preserved. Many of
these finds are on display in the Crannog Centre’s shore-based exhibition
which we will visit to learn more about the way of life of the people
who inhabited this settlement. St. Mary’s Church in Grandtully first
appears to be a slightly crooked 18th century farmstead - a simple building
with lime-washed rubble walls and a blue slate roof. Upon entry we are
provided with the breathtaking sight of a rectangular shell possessing
a beautiful 17th-century painted timber vault. Dunnottar Castle is set
on sheer cliffs of conglomerate that offer a natural defense and an unusually
large area for occupation. 
This
may be the Dun Fother of the early annals and its history is naturally
one of siege and conflict. The Honours of Scotland were saved from Cromwell’s
grasp in 1652 by lowering them over the cliff and hiding them in Kinneff
Kirk. Overnight for two nights in the 18th-century Gordon Arms Hotel sited
on the historic square in Huntly. (B/D)
Day
9: In contrast to other castles we have visited, Cragievar Castle dates
from a time of relative peace and stability. It has survived largely unaltered
since 1626, so this truly becomes a journey back to the 17th century.
The result is an authentic experience - six stories of soft pink harle
overlaid with corbelled turrets, ogee-topped, crown-like balustrades and
serrated gables. The ancient building is the product of a new kind of
laird - the cultured Scot - who in this case was successful in
the contemporary Baltic trade. After lunch, we will visit the Glenfiddich Distillery where a guided tour will lead us through the process
of making single malt Scottish whisky. Besides history and golf, Scotland
is known for its single malt and blended Scottish whiskys. 
The
word whisky itself derives from the Scottish Gaelic uisge beitha,
or ‘water of life.’ The Glenfiddich is one of the most popular
and successful whiskys in the world, and as part of the tour, we will
get a chance to sample of a dram to the traditional toast: slainte
mhor (great health)! (B/D)
Day
10: Begin today in Dunrobin Castle,
a large Victorian fairytale-like mansion built around a 14th-century tower.
The museum contains many Pictish stones with carvings and other archaeological
finds and fascinating memorabilia accrued by the incumbent family over
the years. Camster Chambered Cairns date from the 4th and 3rd millennia
BC and are two of the best preserved Neolithic cairns in Britain. Overnight
at the Pentland Hotel in Thurso. (B/D)
Day
11: An early morning crossing by ferry takes us from Stromness to the Orkney Islands. Only a short drive from the pier is Skara Brae, Orkney’s most extraordinary prehistoric sight. 
This Neolithic village, buried for millennia in the sand until unearthed by a freak storm in 1850, is semi-subterranean and was built deliberately in the middle of a great heap of decayed household refuse. Skara Brae is completely preserved, including furniture and drainage system. Continue on to the Great Cairn of Maes Howe. The size and elaborate construction of this cairn suggests that it was the burial place of an important, and probably ruling, family group. The tomb has been broken into countless times in the past including by the Norse who carved their graffiti on the walls, leaving us the finest collection of runic inscriptions in Britain. Orkney’s capital of Kirkwall has been in existence since the eleventh century and this afternoon we will visit the 12th-century red sandstone St. Magnus Cathedal, the ruins of the magnificent Renaissance Earl’s Palace with its enormous fireplaces and huge oriel windows, the Bishop’s Palace, and the Tankerness House Museum with its presentation of 5000 years of Orkney life. Overnight for the next two nights in Kirkwall. (B/D)
Day
12: Orkney was once a Norse Earldom and many relics of Vikings
survive. The islands themselves range in size from grass covered "skerries"
to mountainous islands such as Hoy. This morning, take the ferry across
to the Isle of Rousay, containing an astonishing array of ancient monuments.
Five thousand year old Midhowe Chambered Cairn is one of the largest Neolithic
monuments in Orkney. Nearby is one of the best brochs in the
Orkneys. This style of fortress is unique to Scotland, and is a tall circular
tower with no windows and double walls to allow galleries and stairways
to run between the inner and outer skins. In the afternoon, visit Isbister
Chambered Cairn, a Neolithic chambered cairn popularly known as the Tomb
of the Eagles. Located on a private farm and family-run, a tour of the
tomb takes us back on a most entrancing journey into the past. Time permitting,
we will visit the Italian Chapel, a tiny church built in the Mediterranean
style by Italian POWs during World War II. (B/D)
Day
13: We will drive to the southern end of Loch Stenness to explore
several extraordinary prehistoric remains. The Stenness Stones and the Ring of Brodgar are splendid henge monuments. There are four stones still standing at Stenness while at Brodgar 27 monoliths of the original sixty are still standing. Unstan Cairn is a long central burial chamber
that was in active use for burials as early as 3400BC. In the late morning,
return to the mainland by ferry. Overnight for two nights in a late Georgian
residence in Inverness. (B/D)
Day
14: Visit Cawdor Castle, an outstanding example of a 15th-century
fortified house that has evolved over many centuries. The central five-story
tower is considered to be one of the finest of Scotland’s medieval
buildings. Continue to Clava Cairns, Bronze Age ritual and funerary monuments.
Although they are now open to the skies, their size and the huge number
of stones used to build them show what impressive structures they were
in the second millennium BC. 
Standing
stones and barren moorland ring the monuments. Our gala final banquet
will be held in the Culloden House, a Palladian grand country house that
was home castle of the famous Forbes of Culloden. (B/D)
Day 15: Today's drive south from Inverness to Glasgow takes us through some of the most spectacular scenery in Scotland - the renowned and rugged Highlands. First travel through Great Glen, with Loch Ness by far the most famous. It is said to be home to Nessie, a monstrous creature first sighted by St Columba in the 6th Century. The fortified castles we will pass attest to the area being fought over for centuries. Overnight in Glasgow at an airport hotel. Gather this evening for our final dinner together. (B/D)
Day 16: Transfer to the airport for the flight back to the USA. (B)
(B) breakfast, (L) lunch, (D) dinner
STUDY LEADER: Dr.
Christopher Richard Bowles received his PhD in Archaeology in the Department of Archaeology, University
of Glasgow. He is a specialist on the post-Roman and early medieval periods.
Dr. Bowles has worked on archaeological sites in Scotland and Turkey,
and has been an invited speaker at conferences in England, Scotland and
the United States. He has a warm personality and is enthusiastic about
the history of Scotland.
TRIP DATES: 2009 Dates To Be Announced
LAND COST: Trip Cost To Be Announced
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: Single Supplement To Be Announced
Should a roommate be requested and one not be available, the single supplement will be charged.
COST DOES NOT INCLUDE: Roundtrip international flights; all lunches; dinners as noted; all beverages; food not on regular menus; passport fees; airport departure taxes; laundry; tips and gratuities; excess baggage charges and other items of a personal nature.
REGISTRATION: A deposit of $500.00 is required along with your registration form. Final payment is due 75 days before departure. Upon receipt of your deposit and completed registration form, you will be sent a reading list and a tour bulletin containing travel information. An information book designed for this trip, including maps of archaeological sites and articles of pertinent interest will be sent upon receipt of final payment.
CANCELLATION AND REFUNDS: Cancellations received in writing at least 75 days before departure will result in an administrative fee of $250.00. Cancellations received less than 75 days before departure will not receive a refund. If for any reason you are unable to complete the trip, Far Horizons will not reimburse any fees. Registrants are strongly advised to buy travel insurance that includes trip cancellation.
HOTELS: Hotels and pubs listed in the brochure might change; the ambiance will not.
NOTE ABOUT ITINERARY CHANGES: Changes in our itinerary, accommodations, and transportation schedules may occur. A good book to read as well as a flexible attitude and a sense of humor are essential.
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