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Tour Scotland: Landscapes and Literature

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Tour Scotland: Landscapes and Literature Tour Scotland: Landscapes and Literature September 21–28, 2019 Join the Authors Guild Foundation for a literary-themed tour of Edinburgh, Glasgow, and the Highland Perthshire. Explore charming architecture, meet local storytellers, see ancient castles, and discover the culture that has helped shape our literature for centuries. This itinerary is subject to change and may be updated prior to booking deadlines. Meals in parentheses below are included. Saturday, September 21: Arrival in Edinburgh (Dinner) Arrive in Edinburgh and transfer with the group from the airport to the hotel, where you’ll have some time to unpack and acclimate. At 4 p.m., storyteller and poet James Spence will regale us at the Canons’ Gait pub in Old Town Edinburgh. At 7:30 p.m., enjoy a three-course Welcome Dinner Reception with our host and guide for the week, Iain Stewart, and our guest speaker, poet and writer Kenneth Steven. Sunday, September 22: Canongate and the Royal Mile (Breakfast) Breakfast at the hotel, then depart at 10 a.m. on a guided walking tour of Canongate and the Royal Mile. Dramatic guides portraying Robert Burns and Robert Louis Stevenson will illustrate the history and lore of the Old Town. The tour wraps up at noon outside the Writer’s Museum at Lady Stair’s House. With expert tips and recommendations from our guides, you can choose how to spend the afternoon—such as lunching on traditional Scottish fare at Howie’s or seeing Stevenson’s childhood home at Heriot Row. Literary sightseeing abounds, including the titular location of Alexander McCall Smith’s novel 44 Scotland Street and the Oxford Bar featured in Ian Rankin’s Rebus novels. 1 You’ll be free in the evening to explore the city’s fine restaurants, colorful pubs, live music, and easily walkable streets. Monday, September 23: Countryside Tour en Route to Perthshire (Breakfast, Lunch) After breakfast, depart Edinburgh at 9 a.m. Our guide will take us by coach to explore the countryside. The first stop: the Hawes Inn under the Forth Bridge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Robert Louis Stevenson wrote Kidnapped at the Hawes Inn while the bridge was being built. Nearby, we’ll visit Blackness Castle, the “boat that never sailed,” which has served as a royal castle, a prison, and as Fort William on Outlander. After crossing the bridge, we’ll head to the village of Culross, used for filming both the 1971 Kidnapped film and scenes from Outlander. Heading north, we’ll stop to explore the Innerpeffray Library, Scotland’s oldest free public lending library. Librarian and Keeper of Books Lara Haggarty will personally show us the collection, including the Borrower’s Register—a handwritten record of locals dating from the early 18th century. At Drummond Castle, we’ll see traditional, 17th-century terraced gardens on a historic estate that has survived through wars and stood in for Versailles on film. Lunch will come from an award-winning local farm. Then we will tour the beautiful countryside and make our way to Highland Perthshire to check in at our hotel and enjoy a tranquil evening. Tuesday, September 24: Tour Perthshire (Breakfast, Lunch) Following breakfast, head out at 9 a.m. for a guided tour of Highland Perthshire. Stops include Loch Tay, a freshwater lake set against the mountains. In Aberfeldy, we’ll visit The Watermill Bookshop, a charming store and art gallery located inside an actual watermill. 2 After a snack lunch in Aberfeldy, we’ll make our way to Dunkeld. At 4 p.m., professional singer and ethnologist Christine Kydd will lead us in an exploration of the Scots voice, Scottish balladry, and traditional work songs. We will return to our hotel for a second night in Highland Perthshire. Wednesday, September 25: Woodland Walks and Writing Time (Breakfast) Following breakfast at our countryside hotel, enjoy free time for reading, writing, hiking, and exploring. Stay in town and hole up at a local café or pub, take a short day trip to the Tay Forest Park or Cairngorns National Park, or find your writing muse relaxing by the River Tummel. We will reconvene at our Highland Perthshire hotel to unwind for a final night in the countryside. Thursday, September 26: Kingdom of Fife, Loch Leven, and Doune Castle (Breakfast, Lunch) After a breakfast farewell to Perthshire, we’ll head to the Kingdom of Fife and the picturesque village of Falkland. Visit the Renaissance-era hunting palace, crow-stepped gable houses, picturesque fountains, and unique shops. At Loch Leven, we will see the castle where Mary, Queen of Scots, escaped from captivity. Refreshed after a packed lunch, we will head to Doune Castle, recognizable from Monty Python and the Holy Grail as well as Castle Leoch on Outlander, Doune dates from the 14th century. To complete the day, we will wind through the scenic, forested Trossachs National Park on our way to check in at four-star accommodations in Glasgow. 3 Friday, September 27: Exploring Glasgow (Breakfast, Dinner) The group will visit the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, which houses a large collection of French Impressionists and iconic works by Rembrandt, Dalí, and the Scottish Colourists. Optionally, you can attend “A Play, A Pie, and A Pint,” a beloved lunchtime theater show at Òran Mór. Ask our guide for personal recommendations, or simply enjoy a freeform exploration of Glasgow for the afternoon. At 7:30 p.m., we will all reconvene for a Three- Course Farewell Dinner in Glasgow with a talk from local writer Carl MacDougall. Saturday, September 28: Departure (Breakfast) On the final day, we will take a group transfer from Glasgow back to Edinburgh Airport to bid “ae fond kiss” farewell to Scotland and catch our flights home. This itinerary is not final, and the Authors Guild Foundation and its contractors reserve the right to alter it at any point either before departure or during the trip if the need arises. Pictures are suggestive of locale, but sites are not guaranteed. Details will be added about specific presentations closer to the departure date. When changes or substitutions are necessary, all effort will be made to provide an experience of equal value and interest. 4 .
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