Small group tour specialist Back-Roads Touring has teamed up with Carolyn Robb; Personal Chef to HRH Prince Charles and Princess Diana to launch a brand new tour series,A Taste of Scotland. Carolyn Robb will personally lead the new five day culinary journey which visits Edinburgh, St Andrews, Ballater, Balmoral Castle and Pitlochry, tasting local Scottish cuisine along the way. This once-in-a-lifetime experience includes Carolyn hosting a private dinner on-board the famous Royal Yacht Britannia.

After starting the day with a traditional Scottish breakfast, the tour will explore Edinburgh by foot and visit the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen's official Scottish residence. After a private tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia enjoy a sumptuous four course dinner based on a menu that Carolyn would've prepared for the royals in the past. The tour will continue to St Andrews, where Prince William and Kate Middleton met while studying at Scotland's oldest university. Continue to the Royal Lochnager whisky distillery, a favourite of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The next three nights will be spent in Ballater, a picturesque Victorian village.

Guests will meet with local producers, forage for wild produce in Cairngorms National Park. Later we visit some wonderful local hand-crafted food producers for a tasting of local honey, cheeses, oatcakes and 'Aberdeen Rowies'.  After exploring Balmoral Castle and its gardens the group will help Carolyn to prepare a special royal themed dinner using all local produce. While in Pitlochry, guests will also visit Dunkeld Smokery, a small artisan smokehouse that produces some of the finest smoked salmon in the world.

Steve Reynolds, general manager at Back-Roads Touring comments, “We are thrilled to be working with Carolyn Robb on this tour, visiting areas renowned worldwide for their exquisite food and drink. When putting together the tour we wanted to give people a real insight into the local communities who farm this traditional Scottish produce and the chance to experience it at its source.”

The tour costs from £2,895 per person and departs on various dates from April to October. Price includes four nights' accommodation in charming local hotels, mini-coach transportation, daily full Scottish breakfast, entrances fees to the Palace of Holyroodhouse and Balmoral Castle.

To book, visit www.backroadstouring.com or call 033 311 201 09.

The tour is just one of the culinary experiences available in the Back-Roads Touring portfolio. Other tours include:

Harvest in Tuscany – November 2014 - San Gimignano, Siena, San Miniato and Chianti.

Seven days/eight nights from £1295 per person.

Every November, the olive harvest in Tuscany is an important social occasion where families get together to pick the olives and press them for the first extra virgin olive oil. On this unique tour guests will take part in the olive harvest with an Italian family, meet a number of local producers of cheese, wine and balsamic vinegar, learn how to make autumn Tuscan dishes and celebrate the gastronomically precious white truffle at a festival in San Miniato. Experience the ultimate truffle experience in San Miniato, stay in a family owned, 12th century castle with original frescoes and sweeping views of the Tuscan landscape. Guests can enjoy a rich Tuscan banquet and learn the secrets of traditional Tuscan cuisine from a local chef.

Old Pubs & Great Grub – August 2014 – May 2015

Five days/four nights from £1,075 per person

Enjoy a unique insight into the oldest of English establishments: the pub. Discover the best of what English pubs have to offer and sample wine, perry and cider from local producers on this tour through Shrewsbury, as well as Ledbury and Ross-on-Wye. Explore secluded areas and travel on hilly roads, and enjoy a true Back-Roads experience down the Severn valley. In Shrewsbury, guests will enjoy a traditional pub lunch and private wine tasting at the oldest publish house in the town and also have the chance to explore the town's indoor traditional market serving up the best fresh produce the area has to offer – cured meats , warm breads and cheeses. Guests will also have the chance to visit the old city of Hereford and learn how the specialities of perry and cider are created, followed by a tasting session. The tour also takes in the Wye valley where guests visit The Choirs Vineyards, where a local expert takes guests through the vineyards followed by a wine tasting session.

Flavours of Southern England

Six days/five nights from £1,470 per person

This gourmet tour celebrates the best of English cuisine and gives guests the opportunity to taste many of the flavours of southern England including local cheeses and breads, locally caught fish, homemade clotted ice cream, cider and wine. Enjoy fresh, seasonal produce on the Isle of Wight, dine in the restaurants of celebrity chefs, savour wine and cheese at Hawkchurch and visit the Honiton Ice Cream shop, which serves 48 flavours of handmade clotted cream ice cream. Other attractions on this tour include the Osborne House, Queen Victoria's royal seaside palace on the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth's historical dockyard and the small fishing village of Beer in Devon.

To book, visit www.backroadstouring.com or call 033 311 201 09.

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About Back-Roads Touring

With over 25 years' experience in small group and tailor-made tours across the UK and Europe, Back-Roads Touring is truly the original small group touring company. Currently operating over 35 tours, the company's focus is on providing a friendly, relaxed, and flexible form of touring with a maximum group size of 18 passengers. From exploring the heart of medieval towns and villages, to enjoying the scenery along narrow, hedge-lined Cornish lanes, Back-Roads Touring ensures that its guests experience the best local cuisine, accommodation and scenery – all taken at a leisurely pace and in the company of a knowledgeable guide.

Media Enquiries:

For images, further information or press trip enquiries, please contact Jenny Groutage / Verity Ramsay at Brighter Group: back-roads@brightergroup.com or call 0207 326 9880.