High Point Holidays and Randonnees Outre-Manche

While not huge like King's castles, or as grand as Duke and Earl's castles it was genuine and authentic, more like a baron's castle. The hosts were welcoming and the chef was remarkable. We were treated to the best meal we had on the entire trip there. Besides the restaurant, there is a separate bar which has a different menu. Our room had a four poster bed and a large, very modern private bathroom. I would caution you to read the room descriptions carefully as you can stay in everything from servants quarters, which are very small, to a grand two bedroom suite. This is one hotel where you will get what you pay for. There is a small family museum on premises which remains locked, but you can get a key if you are interested. I highly recommend the Tullock Castle and would definitely return if I'm ever near Dingwall again.

The Stonehenge and Bath Day Tour was impressive. I was warned Stonehenge was a free for all, but those folks had visited many years ago. Today it is well managed, traffic and parking is not an issue and the Visitor's Center is a gem. If you go, make SURE you see the 360 degree short film on Stonehenge before you go out to the site. The new displays, showing huts which would have been similar to what the workers would have stayed in enhanced the experience. Bath itself and the Roman Baths are intriguing. I especially enjoyed going underground and seeing the old Roman structures. The little interpretive stops were great in explaining how the old plumbing worked. It is another definite must do.

The West Highlands were delightful. Being on the bonny, bonny banks of Loch Lomond, Inveraray and Doune (Outlander) Castles and the Rest and Be Thankful Pass with its stunning views and interesting story were the highlights.

What stands out is its significant historical status. It is way more immersive and engaging than other castles. It has seen extensive restoration and is rich in royal history sitting at the heart of Scottish history. It not only served as a primary residence for the Stewart/Stuart dynasty, it was also a critical military stronghold.

What an incredible day. Gorgeous scenery, Bolton Castle and the Wensleydale Cheese Factory were the highlights. It was an 8 hour tour and I wish it had been 10 so we could have stopped more to take pictures. The Wensleydale cheese really was extraordinary.

Westminster Abbey serve as the coronation site for British Royals. It is a soaring, magnificent, gothic church which cannot be experienced by simply looking at pictures. It also serves as the resting place for over 3000 notables, including kings and queens. It is a must do at least once in your lifetime.

HUGE museum and was initially surprised it was arranged by country. However, considering at its peak, the British Empire ruled over 23% to 24% of world lands it's understandable. It houses an impressive display of artifacts from all over the world (over 100 countries). You would need two or three weeks to see it all. I will admit I came away feeling, "wow, those should be returned to the Iroquois," and "I wonder why Greece and Iraq haven't asked for their artifacts back?"

The Tower of London tour turned out to be a highly unexpected experience complete with a stunning discovery. Our entire trip was historical in nature as we were tracing some of Mark's family history roots. Edward Seymour (brother to Jane and Lord Protectorate for Edward VI who was Henry VIII and Jane's son) and John Dudley who served as the de facto regent and ruler of England after he orchestrated the downfall of Edward Seymour were both beheaded during those turbulent times. Edward and John were Mark's 12th and 13th great grandfathers from different lines of his family. In the Tower of London prison, the largest and most elaborate etching on the wall carved in by various prisoners, belonged to John Dudley! It was one of the top two highlights of the entire trip! As if that wasn't enough, our version of the Changing of the Guard was extreme. Instead of a few, we got to see 100s of uniformed guards, military members, musicians and horsemen rehearsing for the King's Birthday. We had a front row seat for their practice parade at its inception so we could see the pre-staging as well. That was unexpectedly precious. St. Pauls was a nice surprise due to its ornate interior, the American Memorial Chapel and knowledgeable guide. Then end this tour, the river cruise included seeing the raising of the Tower Bridge so a sail ship could pass through. Remarkable day.

It got cancelled due to lack of people signed up.

It's a long day from Paris, especially with the number of traffic issues we experienced. The beaches, bunkers and memorials we were allowed to see were great, but we were hurried along and told not to read the signs; they were supposed to provide links instead, but never did. The cemetery was sobering but pristine. The lunch stop was good and since lunch was included in our tour it was a treat.

Most certainly opulent!! Line skipping was nice, guide was knowledgeable but excessively wordy. It was very, very hot and very very crowded so we were stuck listening to someone drone on forever we oft could not even see. The tour itself was great, but our guide not so much so. We were supposed to have 4 hours there, but 2.75 of that was listening to the guide get off track and tell personal stories, leaving us only 1.25 hours to explore the rest of the palace, find some place to eat, visit the gardens, the grand and petit trianon and Marie-Antoinette's hameau. We did get fed, saw some of the gardens but missed the rest which I was really wanting to see.

Already reviewed the Tullock Castle Hotel, but the town was delightful as well. They have a really nice local museum

Bus ride to the boat ride, plus stopping and getting off the boat to see the castle, time for the visitors center and bus ride home was well planned and a great deal of fun.

Two of our top five activities were included in this day trip, Clava Cairns and Culloden. The sheer intrigue and age of Clava Cairns left a permanent impression. The visitor's center at Culloden was well done from both perspectives. The dramatic change to Scotland's future path was handled well. Walking the battlefield and finding various clans brought the battle to life. We were also finally able to make a connection as to why Tullock Castle was "lost" to our family in 1746.

Interesting to be in the Isle of Skye and see Eileen Donan Castle. It was a day full of history and sites. Getting to drive through valleys where actual battles took place made it easy to see how they would have developed. The Donan Castle is different in that the exterior was re-created to be as close to the original as possible complete with dropping streaks. The interior is modern and a destination house for a family. The stop in Portree and getting to see several Highland "Coos" was a special treat.

Such an interesting place, very crowded but still worth the time to enjoy. To fully appreciate it, you need to take the time to see it all, the military fortress and batteries, the tradesmen quarters, royal palace and crown jewels, the tribute to Scottish warriors, St. Margaret's Chapel, prisons, museums etc.

Loved the location. The bed was a bit small, but other than that, it was great.

The hotel was in a great location. Very clean.

Loved, loved, loved The Grand York. It truly was grand. We loved our server at dinner, Jack. He was so personal and took great care of us.

Fun hotel. Location was great. Loved the girl who checked us in and the breakfast servers. So cheerful and friendly.

Bed was small for us, but other than that it was a lovely hotel.

Fun hotel.

Loved this hotel. The experience was so much fun!!!!

Great hotel. We were there for such a brief time.

Loved this hotel.

The whole experience was wonderful. Karen Elwis was so charming and informative. We had such a good time. What she and her husband are doing to preserve their Hebridean Farm is stellar. This experience is a must for any future travelers. Hard for me to put into words how special this was!

Didn't know what to expect. My husband wanted to go to Camden Town because of it's history with the Swinging '60s. It was a wonderfully crazy experience!

Our rooms were very clean and comfortable. The Kilronan House was very charming and my family would recommend.

We all loved Killaran House. Breda and her staff were excellent. The room was comfortable and we loved the coffee/hot chocolate bar right outside of our room. Breakfast was excellent, as well.

Loved the breakfast buffet

The view from our window of the Inverness Castle was great. Within walking distance of downtown. They did a load of laundry for us and when we told them we were leaving too early to enjoy breakfast after our first night there, they prepared a lunch packet for each of us, including a sandwich, chips, fruit, a cereal bar, and a juice box. (We didn't ask for that.)

Our view of Edinburgh Castle was amazing. Location was super convenient.

This was perhaps our favorite excursion. Our tour guide, Martin, was fabulous. We wanted to take him with us everywhere. Martin O'Riordan of M.O.R. Executive Travel.

We enjoyed this very much! Nice introduction to Ireland.

We climbed all 246 stairs to get to the top! This was an interesting place to visit.

We enjoyed this tour. The setting was unique and we visited some shops in the town below.

Self-Guided

Picturesque. Loved the horse-drawn carriage.

Chris was a very knowledgeable tour guide. He was very accommodating as one of our members had knee issues and he was able to help us avoid many of the stairs on our route.

Breath-taking. You just have to see this. Pictures can't quite capture the awesomeness.

James was our driver. He was great. He added a specific stop that we asked about (a filming location in Game of Thrones).

We didn't see Nessie but enjoyed this tour nonetheless.

This tour was a guided bus tour and lasted all day. I would have enjoyed this better as a private tour. The scenery was beautiful and we got to experience 4 seasons in one day (it was sunny, it rained, sleeted, hailed and snowed.)

This castle was fun to tour.

Edinburgh Castle is awesome. We saw the Scottish Crown Jewels here.

Outstanding, an apartment with all amenities included. Clean spacious and wish we had more nights there.

Wow what a great place to visit. We had a one on one tour guide that crushed it. Got to utilize the “copper dog” ourselves. Generous portions of single malt to taste.

Beautifully appointed rooms and a fabulous garden space at the back. The breakfast was top notch. We'd happily return for another stay.

A wonderful location in Galway! The staff was ever so helpful and kind. You can't go wrong with a room at The Hyde.

Greegan's was out of this world. I fell in love with the various rooms, the details, the fireplaces and the overall ambience of the place. Beautiful gardens to sit in or stroll through. The staff was absolutely amazing! I hope to return for another stay! Greegan's is one of those places you can't say enough about; it's simply amazing from the moment you pull in until you depart.

A wonderful staff and very comfortable room. It was nice to have a bar and dining option just steps from our room. We were able to spend a bit of time enjoying a glass of wine on the outside terrace. A great place to stay for a visit to Killarney.

An amazing place with incredible views. It was nice to walk around the castle and weave in and out of the various buildings.

Our guide John was so knowledgeable. It was a grand tour of Dublin and we are glad we included it on our itinerary.

A great way to experience Galway - both the city and the surrounding area. Highly recommend as a way to take in the sites and understand the area.

Farmer Tom was a great guide to his sheep and his dog, Holly. Such an amazing experience watching Holly herd and the views were breathtaking! Can't beat feeding a baby lamb either :)

A great way to see the cliffs. You can't beat the view!

What an amazing demonstration with Mark. We interacted with a falcon, an owl and a red tailed hawk. Such beautiful animals. It was interesting feeding the birds, learning about their backgrounds and training. I'm so glad we included this adventure in our trip!

From the staff checking us to the staff serving breakfast, I could not have met a more caring group of people. This hotel was centralized and exceeded our expectations! We needed this stay after the long travel it took us to get here. They were very hospitable and helpful with any question. The beds were delightful, and if I didn’t want to see more of the country, I would’ve stayed longer. Thank you!

Our favorite hotel. Charming and perfectly located. The staff went far beyond average service. Enjoyed the bar and restaurant.