Undiscovered Scotland

Please note that this is a sample itinerary for your Scotland cooking vacation. Adjustments may be made based on the season, the weather, the specific dates booked, or the travelers’ interests. 

Day One

• Arrival at Glasgow airport and private transfer to the Mid Argyll. Upon arrival check in to your cottage. Meet with your instructor Jane, then relax and settle in for a couple of hours.
• Depending on the time of year, you may wish to go for a walk to explore the local area or just relax.
• Dinner will be served at the cooking school around 7 pm when you will have an informal meeting to discuss further and plan the aspects of your stay and ask any questions that you may have.

Day Two

Day Three

• Breakfast, and then enjoy a half day excursion. Inveraray is a very picturesque town on the shores of Loch Fyne with a variety of shops and cafés. Its historic Castle is home to the clan Campbell and dates back to the 14th Century. The current castle with its gothic turrets dates from the 18th Century and is home to the current Duke of Argyll. The gardens are beautiful in all seasons but May and September are particularly stunning for color.
• Lunch will be served at your cottage upon return. Time to relax after lunch.
• This afternoon, around 4 pm, your Scottish cooking course number two, followed by dinner, served around 7 pm.

Day Four

• Breakfast and your next cooking session, followed by lunch.
• Afternoon at leisure, and dinner served around 7:00 pm.

Day Five

• Today you will have a full-day excursion. Visit the traditional harbor town of Oban, including a visit to Oban whisky distillery and Dunollie Castle and museum. Oban is a vibrant little harbor town on the west coast of Scotland, with opportunities for you to browse the shops, walk the history trail up to McCaigs tower, or maybe sample some fresh shellfish from the many shore side huts. On this day lunch out is included in a traditional pub in Oban – or we can substitute this lunch for you to try the tradition of Scottish Afternoon Tea with views over the sea.
• Dinner back at the cooking school this evening.

Day Six

• Breakfast, followed by your second half-day excursion. Your vacation is based in one of the most historically significant areas of the United Kingdom. This 3 hour relaxed walk will take you through some of the most beautiful countryside to experience standing stones, stone circles, cairns and rock carvings that date back 5,000 years to the Bronze Age.
• Afternoon free time, and dinner on your own tonight. (We recommend the local pub, located a few minutes’ walk from your cottage.)

Day Seven

• After breakfast, beginning around 10 am, you will have your last cooking course, in which you will help decide the menu. Lunch to follow based on your efforts.
• Afternoon at leisure to enjoy your last day in Scotland!
• Farewell dinner at the cooking school.

Day Eight

• Breakfast, and departure to Glasgow airport via private car or train from Oban.

Optional Excursions

Depending on the season and how active you want to be, we can also add other excursions on request, including:

• Wildlife and Corryvrecken whirlpool Boat Trip (May to Sept only) $115 per person
  A 45 minute drive to the island of Easdale where you will board the day cruiser for a 3 hour cruise out to the gulf of Corryvrecken to experience the tide races , whirlpool and watch for whales and other wildlife.
• Day trip to the island of Jura and whisky distillery tour $115 per person.
  A short drive to the picturesque village of Tayvallich from where you take a 1 hour catamaran ferry to the famous whisky island of Jura. The Jura whisky distillery is a short 5 minute walk from the ferry jetty.
• Guided Sea kayaking – 6 hour trip $130 per person.
  Enjoy the local flora and fauna on a relaxed day of peaceful, guided sea kayaking exploring the spectacular lochs and coasts of this area. All equipment, guiding and relevant clothing will be provided.