Beyond the Borders with Katie Dahl & Julie Wolf

Multidestination

SF
Scotland Folk Tours
  • Email address verified
54 reviews
Sep 26 - Oct 6, 2024
Group size: 18 - 25
Beyond the Borders with Katie Dahl & Julie Wolf
Multidestination

Scotland Folk Tours
  • Email address verified
54 reviews

Sep 26 - Oct 6, 2024
Group size: 18 - 25

About this trip

On this 11 day tour we’ll explore the unrivaled, relaxed beauty of the Borders. Traveling from East to West through this lesser explored region of Scotland you’ll experience everything you’d expect from an adventure across this bountiful country, and into England.


Beginning in Stirling, follow in the footsteps of Scotland’s two great legendary warriors: William Wallace and Robert The Bruce and as we travel south to explore the sights and lands that these two men fought for.


Leaving Stirling we’ll first head for Rosslyn Chapel where you can hear the tales of the Knights Templar before settling down in Peebles for a three night stay. From Peebles we’ll explore along the River Tweed and take in the Great Map of Scotland as well as the Great Tapestry of Scotland, learning about the historic industries of the borders: farming, mining and textiles.


Understand how the Borders inspired the author Sir Walter Scott to write a series of ballads about its beauty and witness it through his eyes: from his home in Abbotsford House and his favourite view in the country, Scotts View.


Leaving Peebles we’ll head west, crossing over Greymares Tail Waterfall and climbing up to Wanlockhead, Scotland’s Highest Village, before winding our way south, going beyond the border and settling in the beautiful Lake District of England.


The Lake District is England’s largest National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site. We’ll discover spectacular landscapes, picturesque villages, a warm welcome at our accommodation, and a experience the rich cultural heritage. We’ll also explore the fells, splash about on the lakes, have a wild adventure and take time to enjoy the peace.


Once we are across the border and into England, we’ll take advantage of our base and will take a day trip to visit Hadrian’s Wall and Vindolanda. Hadrian’s Wall marked the border of the Roman Empire, and there are still remains and ruins to be seen today. Vindolanda is a fascinating archaeological site that shows just how the Roman’s lived – both officer and commoner. 


To end the adventure we’ll head back north towards Stirling, stopping at Dumfries House, a beloved home of none other than the King himself and wind past the lochs, forest and rolling hills which make the borders truly unique.


This whole tour will be peppered with the sounds and stories of Scotland. Experience music across the borders with a number of music sessions and concerts scheduled across the trip. Hear the songs and melodies inspired by the legends of this land.

What’s included

  • 11 Days of fun!
    Please note the first day, your Arrival Day, only has an unofficial dinner and is an opportunity for you to settle in before events start the following day. Accommodation is still included this night.
  • 10 nights Accommodation
    Accommodation begins on Arrival Day and concludes when you check-out the morning of Departure Day.
  • Breakfast
    Breakfast will be included at the accommodation every day!
  • Dinners
    Three group dinners will be included in the tour cost
  • All sites & activities
    Any site, event or activity listed in the itinerary is included in the tour cost. No additional entrance fees will be required.
  • Near nightly Live Music!
    Many of the nights we share together will include private concerts with either local musicians or your tour leader (they have one show). We also take you to local pub sessions along the way!
  • Group Airport Transport
    We will provide 2 group airport shuttles on Departure Day. One will be early morning, and one late morning/early afternoon, depending on when passenger's flight times are.
  • Orientation Meeting
    Zoom meeting with tour leader, company directors, and other passengers to ask questions and meet people before the tour!

What’s not included

  • Flights
  • Lunches

Available Packages

Double Room (double occupancy only)
Deposit:$500
Available until August 26, 2024

*Must be booked in increments of 2, as this if for traveling pairs sharing a double room. Not to be booked by solo travelers.

This package comes with a double room (one bed) at the accommodations throughout the tour for sharing with your traveling partner. This is usually a double or queen sized bed.

$3,000
Deposit:$500
Twin Room (double occupancy only)
Deposit:$500
Available until August 26, 2024

*Must be booked in increments of 2, as this if for traveling pairs sharing a twin room. Not to be booked by solo travelers.

This package comes with a twin room (two beds) at the accommodations throughout the tour for sharing with your traveling partner. These are usually single or twin sized beds.

$3,000
Deposit:$500
Single Room (single occupancy only)
Deposit:$500
Available until August 26, 2024Sold Out

*For one person traveling alone or wanting their own room

You will receive your own room, with a single (sometimes twin) bed at all the accommodations throughout the tour.

$3,500
Deposit:$500

Available options

Arrival Day Airport Transfer
$125
Deposit: $0

Whether you arrive into Edinburgh or Glasgow airports, we will have a car pick you up and take you directly to the Stirling hotel. 

Departure Day Airport Transfer
$125
Deposit: $0

This option is for you if you are unable to make one of the group transfers on Departure Day, but would still like a ride pre-arranged.  

T-Shirt
$25

We will send you options to choose from, and have the item ready on your Arrival Day!

Hoodie or Sweatshirt
$40

We will send you options to choose from, and have the item ready on your Arrival Day!

Additional Night at Hotel Before Tour
$250
Deposit: $0

If you would like to add additional nights onto your stay, we are happy to book this for you! *Please note this is dependent on availability

Additional Night at Hotel After Tour
$250
Deposit: $0

If you would like to add additional nights onto your stay, we are happy to book this for you! *Please note this is dependent on availability



Itinerary

Day 1
Arrival Day & Settling In

Today we don't have any official activities, so that you may arrive, check-in and combat jet lag at your leisure. The hotel's check-in time will be 3pm, however if you arrive before then you can have them hold your luggage at reception in order to explore the town centre handsfree.

In the evening there will be an unofficial welcome dinner (not included in the tour cost). Your walking guide will meet you in the hotel lobby and take you to a nearby restaurant where you will have the opportunity to meet your fellow passengers and prepare for the adventure ahead!

Your Organizer


SF
Scotland Folk Tours
54 reviews
Our tours are for people who love music, travel and to meet the local folk! Listen to local voices of Scotland, providing you with some ‘up close and personal’ experiences of great music. Taking you to some of the most unforgettable and sensational parts of the country, our tour guides and drivers are arguably the best in the land. They have a deep fondness of their most incredible country, and years of experience. Equipped with stories of our past and our folklore, they will reveal to you some of the most incredible parts of Scotland.

Reviews

Seriously - we had an incredible time. Lots of fun experiences. The bus driver makes the trip. Duncan was incredible. Enjoy We sure did.
By Nancy O for Beyond the Borders with Darryl Purpose on Sep 04, 2024
Scotland Folk Tours do great work with Scotland tourism, wonderful guides and programs. But I found for there was little support for the music portion of the trip, or for the musician who invited the participants. (Nobody from SFT thought to thank me for filling up their bus with my friends and fans.) Putting the musicians and the travelers into a cold empty hotel conference room, without involving the public, and with not so much as a rented potted plant, was a recipe for failure for these nights they called 'concerts'. If you like guided tours of Scotland, you would have enjoyed this trip. If you are interested in the music, or you followed a musician here because you care about their music, you will be disappointed.
By Darryl P for Beyond the Borders with Darryl Purpose on Sep 03, 2024
Probably a good tour, as far as organized tours go. We saw the Kelpies, Stirling Castle, Falkirk, Hadrian's Wall, Sir Walter Scott's home, Robert Burns' farm, beautiful heather-coated landscapes and other lovely Scottish landmarks. The bus we rode in was clean and well maintained. Our tour guide, Duncan, was exceptional. They kept us safe and fed us well at the various hotel restaurants. The hotels were average, nothing fancy but not too bad either. The hotel in Peebles had a fitness center, which was nice. However, I signed up to go because I was interested in experiencing Darryl Purpose's music in Scotland. His music, unfortunately, wasn't prominently featured. He was only scheduled to play two concerts for a 10-night trip. They also organized "local" musicians for 4 other concerts. Note that all but two of the concerts were held in hotel conference rooms with too-bright lights and uncomfortable chairs. There was no consideration for ambience. They also provided us with little to no information about the local musicians. My thought, before the trip, is that we'd be experiencing local music in pubs. Not the case, as all but two of the concerts were held in a conference-room setting. The last concert was good, we were at a restaurant that was reserved privately for us. We had a delicious BBQ and good music by a talented local musician, Beth Malcolm. She had a rhythm section accompanying her, which made the music really nice. Darryl Purpose, our musical "leader", made an effort to fix the situation, by hosting two additional concerts at the hotel during our free nights. These bonus concerts were enjoyable, but were done without any support from the Scottish Folk Tours organizers. I find it strange that they would market the tour as being led by a particular musician, but then practically ignore the presence of that musician. We collectively paid thousands of dollars to hear a seasoned professional play music for us, but that wasn't integrated much into the experience. The tour would have been immensely better had they scheduled Darryl to play 6 of the 10 nights. Be forewarned, if you sign up for one of these "musical" tours - you may not get the music you're expecting.
By Debra S for Beyond the Borders with Darryl Purpose on Sep 03, 2024
Our recent tour had its ups and downs, with some standout moments and a few disappointments. First and foremost, our guide Duncan was absolutely amazing. Not only is he a knowledgeable guide, but he's also a genuinely great person who enhanced our experience with his insights and friendly demeanor. The tours themselves were cool, offering a good mix of sights and activities. However, there were a few aspects that left us underwhelmed. One major issue was the Golden Lion Hotel, which was unfortunately subpar. The rooms were stinky, and the beds were uncomfortable, which made our stay there far from pleasant. The main disappointment was the handling of the musician aspect of the tour. Given that the musician was a big part of the tour’s branding, it was odd to have Darryl perform only a couple of scheduled concerts (plus the jam sessions that he himself arranged without the company's help). The lack of scheduled performances should have been clearly communicated before people are able to purchase the tickets. Moreover, most of the concerts, including those with local musicians, were held in cold conference rooms with uncomfortable chairs and limited access to a bar, which didn’t create a great atmosphere. That said, the final night was a highlight—held in a unique and cozy bar setting, it was the kind of experience we had hoped for throughout the tour. It’s a shame that this level of quality wasn’t maintained consistently.
By Kari N for Beyond the Borders with Darryl Purpose on Sep 01, 2024
Great time, great music, great food, great hotels, gorgeous countryside and weather. Super bus driver and guides.
By Guineth. “Guin” V for Beyond the Borders with Darryl Purpose on Aug 27, 2024
Hi Guin, thank you for your review! We're thrilled to hear you had such a good time. Hopefully we get to see you and your sister on a future tour. Safe travels home!
By Scotland Folk Tours on Aug 28, 2024
SF
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