Music and merrymaking is on our menu so kick up your heels for
a week of fireside feast, good whiskey and generous glass of
Scottish hospitality. The Celtic people of the Perthshire region love
this time of year and celebrate with many festivals and musical events –
of which one of the most
outstanding is The Glenfiddich Piping Championship held at Blair
Atholl. Pitlochry will host to a rambunctious musical festival
the week of our stay so dust off your kilt.
October 24-30, 2008 - Cost: $2,950.00
per person exclusive of airfare and airport transfer
•
6 Day Lodging in Victorian Estate
•
All Meals, Whiskey, Wine and Ale
•
The Glenfiddich Piping Championship
•
Castle Menzies Concert with Dougie McLean
•
Cooking Lesson with Famous Baker
•
Piper's Dinner at Local Restaurant
•
Whiskey Tours
•
Castle Tours
•
Chauffeured Trek to the Highlands
TRAVEL ICONS
Music & Merrymaking
Of all the Scottish castles, Blair is our favorite, and the intimate setting for this event promises to be remarkable. As much a visual spectacle as an aural one, the darkened walls of the ballroom are adorned with antlers and weaponry, while the pipes resonate throughout – an awesome display that is reminiscent of Scotland’s formidable past. This two-day event draws pipers and fiddlers from round the world who vie for international titles in bagpipes and fiddles.
Besides the many musicians who play at the local pubs, the much-beloved Dougie MacLean will perform several concerts over the course of a few days. We join Dougie at Castle Menzies for a delightful afternoon. Dougie is you haven’t heard is a Scottish musical hero. He is world renown for is haunting, lyrical ballads and warm engaging performances. In the imitate castle ball room you feel as though you are in his home. The Scots have always been renowned musicians with their own distinctive style and music has always played an important role in Scottish culture. Dougie entertains with a small group of special performers and will have the entire room on their feet with his rhythmic reels and jigs.
Highland dancers will entertain with a true mix of Scottish humor and gaiety. So, jump in and swing your own kilt, dancing the Gay Gordon’s, St. Bernard's Waltz, and Strip the Willow as we mingle with the locals in favorite pub during this festive week when pipers and musicians from all around the world gather for the fun.
Fireside Feasts
Our Vagabond Gourmet adventure is filled with fireside dinners preceded by delicious smokies from Aberdeen and the finest artisan cheeses. We’ll also partake of rich Scottish cuisine like lobster stew and a ballotine of Skye salmon and scallops flamed with Drambuie.
From Bawd Bree to Partan
Bree, a distinctive culinary
repertoire awaits the
traveler to Scotland, and those who associate Scottish cooking
with such deadly sounding dishes as haggis and black bun are in
for a pleasant surprise. Blessed with a wealth of natural produce
from its rich land and teeming waters, Scotland has developed a
culinary repertoire of exceptional quality and variety. Partridge,
grouse and pheasant from the rolling moorlands, venison from the
red deer running wild in the mountains, salmon and trout from Highland
rivers, succulent beef from the Aberdeen Angus herds, shellfish
of all kinds, with ingredients like these, only a truly lamentable
cook could fail to come up with a feast.
Join Laura in the kitchen and soon names like Cullen Skink, Howtowdie and Hogmany Brose will soon translate and tempts your tastebuds with images of smokey fish chowder, herb- roasted chicken and whisky-laced shortbreads.
Scottish Comfort
Our beautiful Victorian estate near the town of Pitlochry is home for a week. And we've filled the pantry with forfar birdies, neeps and tatties, bangers and
The house has open log fires, a spacious drawing room with comfortable sofas and a lovely dining room for those special occasions. One of the many unique features is a former billiards room with wooden floor and ornate fireplace, now equipped with ping-pong table and piano - ideal for games and Scottish dancing.
Wee Dram?
"The origins of malt whisky distilling in Scotland are lost in the mists of antiquity. They date back at least to the monks of the 15th century and probably long before. Although the distillers' art has been understood since earliest times, the subtle aromas and flavors of whisky have never been fully explained, even today."
In search of some of the finest single malts in the world, we'll we’ll take the high roads and the low roads, over hill and over dale, and first stop is the renowned Edradour Distillery. The vast numbers of distilleries is astonishing.
Castles and Nessie
Kings and Queens, armies and generals, poets and artists - even heroes - all have passed this way, leaving behind a rich legacy of castles, churches, battlefields and historic sites.
There are an estimated 3,000 castles in Scotland, ranging in size from royal residences and large military outposts with hundreds of rooms; to simple fortified farmhouses are now only ruins.
In times gone by the ancient road to Skye crept along into the Western Highlands and the magnificent mountains, rugged moors, and sea lochs of the Great Glen. The drive to Glen Sheil is one of the most breathtaking experiences of the Highlands.
A private coach leads along the Loch Tay the largest loch in Perthshire, framed by majestic mountains and hillside farms onward to Glen Lyon often described as the longest, loneliest, and loveliest glen in Scotland. As we driver further the Highlands become a wonderful mystical canvas and the stories of the Clans come to life. At Glencoe the ruggedness of land and the proud people who lived and fought there has shaped many of Scotland’s legends. The beautiful eerie quietness of the Highlands helps to understand the importance of the long standing customs and traditions.
Sit back relax and enjoy this splendid journey and on the way back we’ll skip past the beautiful Loch Ness for a glimpse of her most famous resident!
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Of all the Scottish castles, Blair is our favorite, and the intimate setting for this event promises to be remarkable. As much a visual spectacle as an aural one, the darkened walls of the ballroom are adorned with antlers and weaponry, while the pipes resonate throughout – an awesome display that is reminiscent of Scotland’s formidable past. This two-day event draws pipers and fiddlers from round the world who vie for international titles in bagpipes and fiddles. 
Our Vagabond Gourmet adventure is filled with fireside dinners preceded by delicious smokies from Aberdeen and the finest artisan cheeses. We’ll also partake of rich Scottish cuisine like lobster stew and a ballotine of Skye salmon and scallops flamed with Drambuie.
"The origins of malt whisky distilling in Scotland are lost in the mists of antiquity. They date back at least to the monks of the 15th century and probably long before. Although the distillers' art has been understood since earliest times, the subtle aromas and flavors of whisky have never been fully explained, even today." 
Kings and Queens, armies and generals, poets and artists - even heroes - all have passed this way, leaving behind a rich legacy of castles, churches, battlefields and historic sites.