Scottish holiday specialists Brightwater Holidays (www.brightwaterholidays.com, 01344 657155) has launched its brand new 2020 Scenic Scottish Tours brochure, offering a superb selection of escorted holidays to all corners of the country. New to the programme are two foodie tours to Argyll and Aberdeenshire, celebrating the very best of Scottish cuisine – from ocean-fresh seafood and top-quality beef, to smoked fish, meats and whisky – as well as a new dedicated whisky tasting tour of Islay and Jura. Other new tours include a Highland Wildlife Safari, with the chance to see ospreys in the Loch of Lowes and spot dolphins in the Moray Firth; a wonderful Stornoway, Skye and the Summer Isles itinerary; and a new, extended 11-day Grand Tour of Scotland trip, created to meet increased demand for those looking for a more in-depth Scottish holiday. Garden enthusiasts will enjoy the new Private Gardens of Caithness and Sutherland tour – blending formal gardens, grand castles and private gardens; as well as a new Highlands and Islands garden holiday, ideal for lovers of rhododendrons, magnolias and camellias, which thrive in the gentle climate of Scotland's western seaboard.

Commenting, Andrew Sharples, the Product Manager at Brightwater Holidays, says: “We're delighted to launch our new 2020 brochure, celebrating the unique magic of Scotland. Our Scottish tours are extremely popular at the moment, with departures for 2019 currently up by over 33% on 2018.

At Brightwater we have over 25 years of creating exciting and insightful holidays to Scotland, offering the chance to discover its natural beauty, history and culture, to and sample some of its delicious produce along the way. As a Fife-based company, our team is passionate about the place we call home and between us, we have visited every corner of the country including some 35 islands. Whether you want to discover ancient treasures or enjoy the fresh air of Orkney and Shetland, take a ride along the most scenic of railways or just discover Scotland's finest castles, gardens, produce, and wildlife – we've got it covered. Our 2020 tours include new destinations and new experiences in well-planned itineraries that are perfectly paced and led by experienced tour managers. We look forward welcoming guests from all over the world to experience the many and varied delights of Scotland.” 

The programme covers a vast array of interests, with award-winning holidays taking guests all over the country in the company of expert tour leaders. From the delights of the Scottish islands – including Arran, Mull, Staff, Iona and the Inner Hebrides – to an Archaeologist's View of Orkney and Shetland, and from classic steam train breaks to a knitting holiday in the Shetland Isles, there is a great range to choose from. Highlights from the new range of tours include the following:

Private Gardens of Caithness & Sutherland

The spectacular seascapes and wild lands of Caithness and Sutherland, right at the very top of Britain, are home to a surprising number of stunning gardens – from formal gardens that surround grand castles to small and homely gardens tucked away in neat little villages. Travelling among the jagged headlands and shining white sands of the northern coast, the tour includes Bighouse Lodge by Melvich and The House of Tongue in a spectacular setting on the Kyle of Tongue. There is also a visit to the Castle of Mey in Caithness – the former summer retreat of the late Queen Mother – as well as the fine gardens that surround Dunbeath Castle. Prices from £545 for four days, including all accommodation and excursions. Departures on 6 and 20 July 2020.  

Highland and Island Gardens

The gentle climate of Scotland's western seaboard is one in which rhododendrons, magnolias and camellias thrive – and in May and June are at their finest, creating a riot of colour. Timed to coincide with this beautiful backdrop, the tour includes visits to the unique Ascog Fernery on the Isle of Bute and Mount Stuart, one of the most spectacular High Victorian Gothic houses in Britain and a real treasure trove for the garden enthusiast. Visits are also made to the island of Gigha, where Sir James Horlick (of bed-time drink fame) created his marvellous woodland garden at Achamore as well as Arduaine at Loch Melfort, the quaint private garden of An Cala on the Isle of Seil, Crarae Gardens with its great collection of Asiatic shrubs, and Benmore Botanic Gardens, near Dunoon. Prices from £645 for four days, including all accommodation and excursions. Departures on 15 May and 5 June 2020.

Foodie Paradise: Aberdeenshire – Scotland's Larder

Two new foodie tours have been added to the programme, which celebrate the best of Scottish produce. Aberdeenshire is renowned for its superb beef, melt-in-the-mouth shortbread and smooth malt whisky, as well as being a household name in the world of preserves and the famous Cullen Skink soup. The four-day Aberdeenshire: Scotland's Larder tour, based at Ardoe House Hotel & Spa in Aberdeen, features visits to top-quality producers – from a prize-winning herd of Highland cattle to skilled bakers – and it travels the length and breadth of the county (including into neighbouring Moray), sampling, tasting and learning all about the food and drink produced here. Prices from £975 for four days, including all accommodation and excursions. Departures on 10 June and 18 September 2020.

Taste of Argyll

The four-day Taste of Argyll holiday explores the West Highlands of Scotland, where rich coastal waters yield a treasure trove of seafood, and rain-kissed moors and pastures provide the perfect habitat for raising beef, lamb and game. Highlights include lunch at Loch Fyne Oyster Bar, a visit to Oban, hailed as the 'Seafood Capital of Scotland', with lunch at Ee-Usk, Oban's premier seafood restaurant, followed by a visit to the nearby Oban Distillery and a trip to the islands of Seil and Easdale, with lunch at the Isle of Eriska Hotel, an award-winning luxury hotel and restaurant. Prices from £955pp for four days, including accommodation and most meals. Departures on 8 May and 3 October 2020.

Whisky Tasting on Islay and Jura

With nine working distilleries on the island, Islay is synonymous with whisky and the heady aroma of malt and fermenting barley is evident as you walk through the streets. This five-day tour includes visits to three of the most famous and long-established, as well as the newest distillery. There is also a visit to Islay's sparsely populated neighbour Jura, home to a subtly smoky, sherry cask-finished whisky. With a wide range of tastings included, this is a tour suitable for both whisky connoisseurs and for those who are just getting to know the manifold delights of the 'water of life'. Prices from £1395pp for five days including four nights' dinner, bed & breakfast accommodation, all excursions and tastings. Departures on 3 July and 18 September 2020.

Highland Wildlife Safari

Scotland's natural environment is second to none with a more diverse range of habitats than almost any other country of comparable size. This 4-day holiday starts at the Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve where, in addition to a pair of breeding ospreys, there are chances to spot deer, otters, red squirrels, and woodland birds. The boat-trip on the Moray Firth takes guests to within touching distance of the resident pod of dolphins, and there is also a day among the majestic mountains of Wester Ross en route to Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve and a chance to see the mighty salmon making their way upstream at the Fish Ladder at Pitlochry Dam. Prices from £695pp for four days, including accommodation and all excursions. Departures on 26 June and 24 July 2020.

Stornoway, Skye & the Summer Isles

Few place names evoke the joys of Scotland's great outdoors more succinctly than Stornoway, Skye and the Summer Isles. Stornoway is renowned as a stronghold of Gaelic culture, Skye is one of the most popular island destinations in Scotland, and the Summer Isles holds its secret in its name. Combine calming coastlines, ancient megaliths, brilliant black mountains, and romantic boat rides as activities include a cruise with the chance to spy seals, a circular tour of Lewis, taking in archaeological sites from the Stone Age and a visit to the lush sub-tropical eden of Inverewe Gardens to admire a host of captivating trees and plants from around the world. Prices from £995pp for six days including five nights' dinner, bed & breakfast accommodation, all excursions and ferry crossings. Departures on 9 July and 17 September 2020.

View a digital edition of the brochure here. 

FOR BOOKINGS CONTACT BRIGHTWATER HOLIDAYS www.brightwaterholidays.com, 01334 657155

-ENDS-

For further media information, please contact: Sarah Bolam on 07714 337756 or email sarahbolamcommunications@gmail.com, or Martha Whatley martha@specialistjourneys.com.

Notes to Editors: With over 25 years of heritage, Brightwater Holidays is a well-established specialist in quality, escorted garden tours. The holidays feature visits to a selection of the finest gardens in the UK and Ireland, Europe and worldwide, as well as the opportunity to see plants in their natural habitat.  Itineraries have been carefully crafted and timed to ensure that gardens are looking their best, and special features of the tours include guides with garden owners or designers, visits to private gardens and behind the scenes visits to nurseries and even potting sheds! As well as benefiting from an experienced Brightwater tour manager, there are often specialist hosts on the tours.

As well as gardening tours, Brightwater feature a handpicked range of Scottish holidays, including tours to Arran, Orkney and Shetland, the Outer Hebrides and Islay and Jura. They also have a growing portfolio of interesting Archaeology holidays throughout the ancient world, escorted by suitably knowledgeable guides, as well as bespoke travel arrangements for private groups and societies. Brightwater Holidays is part of Specialist Journeys - a collection of escorted tour operators, each offering a highly individual style of special interest holiday. Brands within the Specialist Journeys family include leading archaeological operator Andante Travels and the truly unique Authentic Adventures. Each company retains a very individual feel and style, yet all have the shared ethos of providing a truly unique and magical holiday for their customers.