Tour Planner Vicki Explores England and Scotland with CTD Travelers
Traveling internationally has been a huge part of my life since I was 6 years old and took my first flight to visit my aunt in Germany. I even got to keep the map of the flight path they used to post in the aircraft! Times sure have changed since then, but I still love to travel and am incredibly grateful I had the opportunity to travel alongside an amazing group of people during our 2023 England and Scotland tour.
Stepping off the plane, we started with an engaging tour of London to get acquainted with the city and see some amazing sites right off the bat. As anyone who has visited Europe knows, traveling to Europe is like traveling to a whole different world. You especially see that in the architecture, history and the hustle and bustle of daily life in this mesmerizing city. Exploring amazing sites like the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, London Bridge and Buckingham Palace felt like stepping back in time and really soaking in the history. Did you know that Isaac Newton & Stephen Hawking among many others are buried in Westminster Abbey?
Heading into the England countryside we got to Marvel at Stonehenge and learn all about how it came to be. We also explored some stately homes (including where Downton Abbey is filmed), castles and beautiful gardens that just took our breath away. Along the way, we learned about the history of the United Kingdom Monarchs, how the Roman Baths were built and used, and visited William’s Shakespeare’s birthplace! While visiting Liverpool we got to experience all things Beatles related, a favorite stop for many on the tour.
Driving into the Highlands of Scotland I was in complete awe at the mountain views. The roads were windy, lined with hand made stone fences and the fields were dotted with so many sheep along with our tour group’s favorite, the Highland Cow, more commonly referred to the Hairy Coo. We were greeted in Falkirk by the Kelpies, two 98-foot-tall steel horse head sculptures built in 2013 to represent the heavy history of using horses in the Scottish economy and the mythological shape shifting water spirits.
Heading deeper into the Highlands of Scotland I couldn’t be happier to be on this tour. We drove along windy roads and as we reached the top of a mountain we were greeted with even better views on the other side. Spotted along the drives, were waterfalls nestled into the mountains, mountain goats and sheep, the iconic purple heather starting to bloom, the small cottages along the countryside, and completely still and enchantingly blue Lochs (lakes). We visited the amazing Eilean Donan Castle and took a cruise on Loch Ness (we might have even seen Nessie from the boat). History was brought to life for us at the Battlefield of Colluden, we were lucky enough to have a costumed interrupter there giving a presentation that day.
To end our time in Scotland we spent our final two nights in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. While here, we were treated to tour of the Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, a traditional Scottish dinner and show, and The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The Tattoo took place on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle around 9:30 p.m. and it was an amazing 90-minute show that included many different countries. They started with the bagpipes entering from the castle, there were hundreds of them, it was an amazing site to see!
Personally, I loved every aspect of this tour. I even came home with a list of shows and movies that I needed to watch. The Highlands of Scotland were the most special to me, because I love to be outdoors and I can’t wait to go back and get to explore more of the Highlands with my Husband and hopefully even pet a Hairy Coo!
If you missed this outstanding tour, no need to stress because we are offering it again in 2024! Click the link below for more information on this tour.
England and Scotland
Best regards,
Vicki Madsen
Tour Planner
