Southern Sassenachs™ Bidding to Beat Blood Cancer

All Day Diana Gabaldon Outlander Special Tour - April 5, 2016

Donated by Inverness Tours

• You are bidding on a nine hour, all day tour for April 5, 2016. This date is not negotiable.
• Perfect for the Outlander fan who is planning a trip to Scotland or lives in the UK!
• Don't miss this opportunity to experience the beautiful and historical places that you know so well from the Outlander series.
• If you wish you may contact Inverness Tours directly to add days onto the front of the tour, April 2, 3 or 4, 2016. http://www.invernesstours.com/contact.html

This is The Classic - The One Day Diana Gabaldon Outlander Tour from Inverness to Culloden, Clava, Lallybroch, Castle Leoch and other Mackenzie and Fraser Locations featured in the stories - whilst checking the content of this tour, and giving it her blessing, Diana Gabaldon also gave permission for the inclusion of this link to her blog - http://www.dianagabaldon.com/blog.

• Begin this Classic day by travelling from Inverness to Clava Cairns, a contender for Craigh na Dun. See the “Split Stone”, through which Claire Randall might have tumbled, into 1743. If your visit is near May 1st (Beltane) then best not to go too close to the stone, lest you follow Claire!!
• Next on the agenda is Culloden Battlefield. The award-winning Visitor Centre opened in 2008, providing new insights on the battle. Your guide will also conduct you on a personal tour of the field, including a stop at the Clan Fraser Stone, marking the grave of those clansmen.
• As you travel across the beautiful Black Isle you will hear stories of how the Highlands fared in the aftermath of Culloden. The next call is a visit to Storehouse of Foulis, a lunchstop dating from the 1740's although their cuisine is the very best of the 21st century!.
• After lunch the journey continues, past Castle Leod, by Strathpeffer, (the inspiration for Castle Leoch). This castle is indeed a Mackenzie stronghold, and the home of the Earl of Cromartie, Chief of the Clan MacKenzie.
• As a specially organised optional extra the Earl will take an hour and a half to welcome you and personally show you some of the Castle’s interior.*
• After seeing the castle you travel through the spa village of Strathpeffer to Loch Garve, immortalised in Outlander/Cross-stitch as the home of the water kelpie. Hear the legends of the Water-Horse of Loch Garve. If time permits then walk to the impressive Falls of Rogie.
• No Outlander day would be complete without a visit to Lallybroch, and so afternoon tea will be taken, in the house in the vicinity that (in your guide’s opinion) most closely resembles Diana’s own descriptions of Lallybroch in her book “The Outlandish Companion”. During this tea you will also see a demonstration of eighteenth century weaponry. Note that this option is only available at certain times of year.
• The last stop of the day (before returning to Inverness) will be in Beauly, in Clan Fraser lands. There will be a short walk conducted by your guide, around the tranquil ruins of Beauly Priory, another site Claire found herself touched by. There is also brief free time in Beauly to take a quick look at some of the attractive shops, or even to just take a stroll.
• Your guide, Hugh Allison, as well as having read the novels, used to manage Culloden Battlefield, and so is acquainted with Diana Gabaldon, herself.

*Please Note: if the Castle Leod option is the chosen itinerary then the Earl requires reasonable notice of dates, in order to make suitable arrangements in his diary. If you choose this option it is not included in the auction price and do bear in mind that the guided visit of the castle is £35 per head extra and is for a minimum of £140 (four people).

For more information about Inverness tours and possible additional pre-April 5 days visit their website: http://www.invernesstours.com/s03-diana-gabaldon-outlander-tour.html