Conference tours
The Scottish Tourist Guides Association have designed a great programme of pre-conference and post-conference tours, all showcasing Scotland’s heritage as well as some stimulating examples of interpretation. Other tour members will all be interested in interpretation, so there should be plenty of lively debate!
Each tour is led by a qualified Blue Badge tourist guide, a university-trained professional heritage interpreter, who will create a unique and authentic experience for you.
The tours take account of environmental issues by using appropriate modes of transport and vehicles, travelling in small groups, and using local suppliers and products wherever possible.
Mark the tours that interest you on the booking form. (This link will open a new window on the website of Solas Events, who are handling the conference administration.) All tours must be booked in advance by 10 September.
What is included and conditions of booking
The stated price for all tours includes:
- transport in comfortable midi to full-size coaches – as appropriate
- ferry transport – as appropriate
- accommodation in twin / double or single rooms (with supplement) in mid-range class hotels
- dinner, bed and breakfast (lunches not included, unless stated)
- English speaking commentary and customer service by qualified Blue Badge Guides for Scotland throughout the tour
- entrance fees to all mentioned attractions and activities
- Tours are subject to minimum numbers. If minimum numbers are not achieved the tours will not take place.
- Tours are subject to maximum numbers and places will be allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis.
- We reserve the right to change any programme as circumstances may dictate.
- Costs in € and $ (US) are indicative, and based on exchange rates in January 2007. The actual cost will reflect exchange rates at the time of payment, if you pay by credit card. Cheque payments or bank transfers must be in pounds sterling.
Quick links
- Pre Conference 1: Edinburgh: Scotland’s Historic Capital
- Pre Conference 2: Edinburgh to Aviemore, The Vital Spark Conference Venue
- Pre Conference 3: Glasgow: Scotland with Style
- Pre Conference 4: Glasgow to Aviemore, The Vital Spark Conference Venue
- Post Conference 8: The Orkney Isles: Egypt of the North
Pre Conference 1: Edinburgh: Scotland’s Historic Capital
Saturday 29 September 2007
Experience a fascinating day in a variety of attractions of your choice in and around Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital city. Edinburgh boasts the medieval Old Town and elegant 18th-century New Town – both part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its attractions range from the formidable historic castle towering on its volcanic rock to the Scottish Parliament’s new and inspiring, award-winning building. In the evening the atmosphere changes, and we invite you to walk along the cobblestones of the Royal Mile or to visit some of the many historic pubs.
Depending on your arrival time, you may join the morning excursion, one of the afternoon visits or one of the evening events. If you are arriving late on Saturday, join us on Sunday for our journey to the conference venue in the Scottish Highlands with some fascinating visits en-route.
| Time | Location | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 09.00 to 13.30 | A: Excursion to the Scottish Seabird Centre and to Newhailes, an 18th-century country house with a remarkable story of conservation. Meet in Waterloo Place, Edinburgh (min 10 and max 35 participants) | £28 / €42 / $53 |
| 14.00 to 17.00 | B: Edinburgh City Tour and Castle, with additional time at Edinburgh Castle until 18.00. Meet in Waterloo Place, Edinburgh (min 10 and max 25 participants) | £20 / €30 / $38 |
Ideas for other places for you to discover on your own include: Georgian House, Gladstone’s Land, National Gallery of Scotland, National Portrait Gallery, National Gallery of Modern Art, Our Dynamic Earth, Palace of Holyroodhouse, former Royal Yacht Britannia, Royal Botanic Garden, St. Giles’ Cathedral, Whisky Heritage Centre.
Pre Conference 2: Edinburgh to Aviemore, The Vital Spark Conference Venue
Sunday 30 September 2007
We leave Edinburgh at 09.30 and travel past the magnificent Forth Railway Bridge to visit Stanley Mills, a former 18th-century cotton mill and testament to Scotland’s industrial heritage. After lunch (at your own cost) in Pitlochry, a charming Highland village and popular with visitors since the coming of the railway, we walk through the enchanting Plant Hunters Garden and discover the contribution of eighteen internationally-recognised Scottish ‘plant hunters’. Our final stop for the day will be at the Queen’s View Visitor Centre overlooking the breathtaking panorama of Loch Tummel. We arrive in Aviemore at 17.00, in time to register for the conference.
More details of the tour, together with a map of the route, are in this pdf file.
Cost in the region of £40 / €60 / $75 per person
Pre Conference 3: Glasgow: Scotland with Style
Saturday 29 September 2007
Experience a thrilling day in Scotland’s largest and most dynamic city with a wealth of museums, galleries, attractions and architectural gems. Glasgow boomed in the 19th century as the second city of Britain’s Empire after London and has since reinvented itself as Scotland’s Capital of Cool. Dive into Glasgow’s unique character and meet the easy-going locals on a Saturday night.
Depending on your time of arrival, you may join the morning excursion, one of the afternoon visits or one of the evening events. If you are arriving late on Saturday, join us on Sunday for our journey to the conference venue in the Scottish Highlands with some fascinating visits en-route.
| Time | Location | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 09.00 – 13.30 | A: Excursion to the New Lanark World Heritage Site, with an evocative interpretation of Robert Owen’s 18th-century social experiment. Meet at the Tourist Information Centre in George Square, Glasgow (min 10 and max 27 participants) | £22 / €33 / $42 |
Ideas for other places for you to discover on your own include: Burrell Collection, Glasgow Science Centre, House for an Art Lover, Hunterian Art Gallery, Hunterian Museum, Museum of Transport, People’s Palace, Pollok House, Scottish Football Museum at Hampden Park, Tenement House.
Pre Conference 4: Glasgow to Aviemore, The Vital Spark Conference Venue
Sunday 30 September 2007
Meet at 09.15 at the Tourist Information Centre in George Square, Glasgow (min 15 and max 25 participants). We leave Glasgow at 09.30 sharp and travel to medieval Stirling Castle in its striking location, master of all it surveys. During our visit to the Castle, we catch up with the restoration of the Palace and the tapestry weavers and have lunch (at your own cost). In Pitlochry, a charming Highland village and popular with visitors since the coming of the railway, we walk through the enchanting Plant Hunters Garden and discover the contribution of eighteen internationally-recognised Scottish ‘plant hunters’. Our final stop for the day will be at the Queen’s View Visitor Centre overlooking the breathtaking panorama of Loch Tummel. We arrive in Aviemore at 17.00 in time to register for the conference.
More details of the tour, together with a map of the route, are in this pdf file.
Cost in the region of £40 / €60 / $75 per person
Post Conference 8: The Orkney Isles: Egypt of the North
Wednesday 3 to Sunday 7 October 2007
This tour is a must for those interested in the interpretation of prehistory. On our way north we visit the Timespan Heritage Centre in Helmsdale, where we get an initial impression of life in the Highlands throughout the ages. We spend about two days on Orkney and get a feel for the Islands’ place in history. We will see Scapa Flow, the Italian Chapel and the Churchill Barriers – all reminders of recent times. We will dive into prehistory by visiting the Tomb of the Eagles, a family-run site and impressive museum as well as the UNESCO World Heritage site of Skara Brae, the Stone Age village.
We soak in the atmosphere of the standing stones of the Ring of Brodgar and the Maes Howe burial mound. A visit to the Corrigal Farm Museum lets us appreciate the daily life of those living from the land on the islands. On our return journey we visit the intriguing Baile an Òr Gold Rush Trail, picturesque Dunrobin Castle with its two-sided history and Glenmorangie Distillery, where we hear and see how Scotch malt whisky is made. We have one last overnight stay in the Highlands before, on the last day, we enjoy a walk through Cambus O’May Forest and travel through Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms National Park to the airports. We reach Edinburgh airport at about 16.00 and Glasgow airport at about 17.15. (min 15 and max 25 participants).
This tour centres around two overnight stays on Orkney and includes one overnight stay in Thurso on the north coast and one overnight stay in the Cairngorms National Park in the Highlands of Scotland.
More details of the tour, together with a map of the route, are in this pdf file.
Cost in the region of £425 / €635 / $805 per person