A Royal Passion for Gardens & the Lord of the Highlands

Arrive in London before 1.00 pm today and be transferred to your hotel. This afternoon, take a tour of Kensington Palace, whose grounds include the Sunken Garden, featuring a statue of Diana, Princess of Wales. The statue was commissioned by Prince William and Prince Harry, and was unveiled in 2021, on what would have been her 60th birthday. Enjoy a Welcome Dinner this evening and get to know your fellow travellers.

Spend the day at Hampton Court Palace with a guided tour of the palace and its gardens. While here, enjoy what is said to be the largest of the English garden shows, Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival. Set within the grounds of Hampton Court Palace, the festival features show gardens, floral marquees and pavilions, talks and demonstrations. Return to London late today.

Depart London this morning and travel to Norfolk to visit Sandringham Estate, a favourite country retreat of the late Queen Elizabeth II, and now one of King Charles’ many royal residences. Tour the formal gardens, which include the recent addition of a climate-friendly Topiary Garden. Finish the day in the university city of Cambridge.

Enjoy a walking tour of Cambridge, during which you will see architectural highlights of some of its most famous universities, including King’s College and Trinity College. King Charles studied at Cambridge University and became the first British heir to earn a university degree. Depart Cambridge, stopping at a private garden as we head toward Cheltenham.

Explore the delightful village of Tetbury, and visit Highgrove House and Gardens**, the private residence of King Charles. This property’s organic garden has a wonderful wildflower meadow, as well as an amazing collection of plants. Afterwards, enjoy the chance to spot wildflowers at nearby Westonbirt Arboretum.

Start your day with a scenic drive from Cheltenham to Sudeley Castle and Gardens, nestled in the rolling hills of the Cotswolds. Spend the morning exploring the castle’s rich Tudor history and wandering through its award-winning gardens. By early afternoon, head east to the charming market town of Stow-on-the-Wold, where you'll have free time to browse antique shops, enjoy a leisurely lunch, or take in the honey-stone architecture and countryside views. In the late afternoon, we begin our journey back to London. Arrive in the evening after a day steeped in history, heritage, and Cotswold charm.

Leave England behind today, as we travel by train from London to Glasgow, enjoying the route’s enchanting rural scenes.

Travel south of Glasgow to the estate of Dumfries House. Here, 600 acres of gardens and well-designed landscape are set within a 1,400-acre farm. The main five-acre Queen Elizabeth II Walled Garden was restored as part of a project to make Dumfries House a focal point for heritage-led regeneration. The garden was opened in 2014, by Her Majesty The Queen, after two years of renovation and replanting. It is one of the most ambitious and significant gardening renovation projects to be carried out in Scotland.

Depart Glasgow this morning and travel north to Glamis Castle, which was the inspiration for Shakespeare’s Macbeth. More recently, it was also the childhood home of the Queen Mother. Continue to Inverness, where we board the Lord of the Highlands. Enjoy a seven-night all-inclusive cruise, as we explore Scotland’s famous lochs and countryside.

Visit Cawdor Castle Gardens, also immortalised in Macbeth. The castle boasts three very different gardens, each with their own unique history and appearance. Displaying a wealth of flora and fauna, the gardens at Cawdor Castle change with the seasons.

Alternatively, take a morning walking tour of Inverness and learn about the history of the Highland capital.

This afternoon, we set sail along the Caledonian Canal, which connects the four lochs of the Great Glen. Entering Loch Ness, we pass the romantic ruins of Urquhart Castle, before ascending the impressive flight of locks that runs through the heart of historic Fort Augustus. This evening, enjoy a welcome gala reception and dinner.

Continue along the canal through Loch Oich, transiting the tranquil, tree-lined Laggan Avenue, before ascending Laggan Locks. We cruise onward through picturesque Loch Lochy, before descending Neptune’s Staircase, a set of eight interconnected locks dropping 64 feet into the sea lock at Corpach. Lying in the shadow of Ben Nevis, Fort William boasts Britain’s only mountain gondola, which transports us more than 2,000 feet up the north face of Aonach Mòr.

From Corpach, we spend the morning sailing Loch Linnhe to Craignure on the Isle of Mull. Visit the private garden of Lip na Cloiche, which illustrates the wide range of plant varieties that can be successfully grown thanks to the island’s mild climate.

A brief sailing brings us to Mull’s capital, Tobermory, where brightly painted houses line the waterfront. Enjoy free time to explore Tobermory’s pretty town. We then cruise around the most westerly point of the British mainland, Ardnamurchan, to Armadale Castle on the Isle of Skye. Here, we discover the epic history of Clan Donald. The 40-acre gardens of the castle grounds complement the Gothic mansion ruins, sheltered by 200-year-old trees. This evening, we cruise to Inverie, on the shores of Loch Nevis. Before dinner, take a short walking tour with a local ranger to learn about forest maintenance. We dock here overnight, with the opportunity to visit Britain’s most remote mainland pub, the Old Forge.

Enjoy a full morning of sailing before we arrive in Gairloch, where our vessel docks overnight. Continue to Dundonnell Private Garden, the exquisite estate of Lady Jane Rice, wife of renowned English lyricist and author, Sir Tim Rice. Widely considered one of Scotland's finest private gardens, this breathtaking Highland haven features a series of enchanting outdoor spaces, a productive kitchen garden, vibrant flowerbeds, and a stunning water feature designed by William Pye.

This morning we sail the coast of Sutherland to Kyle of Lochalsh. Visit Attadale Gardens, which were skilfully restored by their owner, Nick MacPherson, following storms in 1980. The artist’s garden boasts long-range views to the Isle of Skye. The property also features a waterfall and pond, while an impressive sculpture collection can be seen extending across the 20-acre site. Enjoy a special final dinner aboard the ship this evening.

Disembark this morning in Kyle of Lochalsh and travel to Edinburgh, where we enjoy our Farewell Dinner.

Your tour concludes after breakfast this morning.