Downloadable Self-drive Itineraries for Scotland
Tour Company Launches Cheap, Compact Driving Guides
Scotland is a popular tourist destination. It is estimated that 16 million people visit the country every year, including around 400,000 Americans, many of whom go to trace their genealogical roots, according to the North American Manx Association. Secret Scotland has been organizing tours for visitors since 2005; but the downloadable self-drive itineraries, launched in January 2009, are the latest addition to the travel company’s growing number of services.
The tours, which start from either Glasgow, Edinburgh or Inverness, are grouped by duration (from as short as three days, up to 14 days) and theme. The themed tours cover everything from scenic, romantic and island-hopping tours, to whisky, seafood and castle tours. An advanced search function also enables visitors with more specific wishes to put their own tour together.
Cost-effective, Compact Guides
There are currently 25 downloadable tours available, with prices starting from $7. After payment is received (currently only credit cards are accepted), customers gain immediate access to their report, can download it in PDF format and print it off themselves.
In addition to driving directions, with distances covered and estimated times, the guides also include alternative routes on quieter or more scenic roads and color-coded information on interesting sights, places of natural beauty and recommended restaurants, pubs and accommodation along the way.
Recommended Accommodation
Most of the accommodation takes the form of bed and breakfasts, costing between $35 and $65 per person per night. Some small hotels that cost slightly more are also included if they are considered particularly good. Husband-and-wife team, Aurelia (originally French) and Scotsman Mike Peddie, Secret Scotland’s founders, are quick to point out that they have no financial interest in the recommendations made in the guides and they have personally visited all the accommodation and most of the attractions listed.
Although the layout of the guides is simple - they are little more than Word documents converted into PDFs - they are clear and informative, and the fact that they are stored online means they can be updated much more easily than a printed guidebook. These features allow visitors to benefit from the most current information and the Peddies’ insider knowledge, while giving them the opportunity to discover Scotland without the constraints of a group tour.
A full list of the driving tours can be found on Secret Scotland’s website. Guides exclusively covering B&Bs are available to download from $4.50. The website also includes a free list of attractions across Scotland, all of which the Peddies say they have reviewed and given their opinion on whether they are worth visiting.
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