Hidden Gems of Scotland - Fine Custom Tours for Friends and Family

The Kitson clan making the most of their private tour.

Photo: Stewart Collingswood

Hidden Gems of

Scotland

Fine Custom Tours for Friends and Family

Story by Ken Morrish Photos by Stewart Collingswood

I

n 2018 Fly Water Travel tested the waters of setting up small custom tours of Scotland for couples focusing on special off-the-beaten-path attractions and an array of angling opportunities. The feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive, and while we were expecting these trips to be a once in a lifetime tour, many of our guests immediately re-upped for the following year. Pete and Sandra Bracken are among our most widely traveled clients, and they had the following to say. “Sandra and I believe that this trip was one of the best trips we have taken. It may well be the best trip ever for us. We loved our time with Stewart and the beauty of Scotland. Stewart knows Scotland intimately and does his very best to convey his knowledge of and experience with Scotland to his clients.” Better yet is that these trips are easy to plan and each one is built to suit the needs, schedule and interest of the particular group.

At Fly Water Travel few things make us happier than part-

nering with true professionals that take hospitality and service as seriously as we do. Stewart Collingswood, our partner in Scotland, is that man. He is a professional guide, a professional photographer, a skilled and detailed correspondent and the consummate host willing to go the extra mile to make sure that everything on-site is as good as it can possibly be.

Planning Your Trip The process of creating your custom trip to Scotland could not be easier. In a phone conversation we will find out how many are in your group, what your preferred dates of travel are, your party’s physical abilities, how many days the anglers in the group would like to fish, what special interests your party members have, and from that, Stewart will design a draft itinerary for your review. For those that elect activities other than fishing, the offerings will be robust and varied. Once we dial in the plan, Stewart will set up the reservations and then create the final

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HIDDEN GEMS OF SCOTLAND pricing. Smaller parties of one to three guests will typically be met at the airport by their private driver and guide in a luxury Land Rover Discovery while larger groups will be picked up in one or more new Mercedes touring vans. All state-of-the-art fishing tackle and flies are included so you won’t need to pack any of those items unless you want to. Shortly into your trip your guide will go over your entire itinerary and make any required last-minute adjustments. From there it is just you and your crew enjoying the fishing and many attractions of Scotland.

Angling Options Stewart’s guests can enjoy four distinct types of fishing, often with multiple venues within each type. Again, all rods, reels, lines, waders, boots and flies are provided for all kinds of fishing offered, making packing simple. Because there is so much

to do and see, most of our guests spend less than half of their days fishing, but for those that want to fish nearly every day, that is also possible.

Salmon: Scotland is synonymous with the art and lore of fishing Atlantic salmon on the fly. Depending on the time of year and availability, guests can fish the rivers Tweed, Tay, Dee and Spey. This is a great opportunity to spey cast with a real ghillie on some of the most famous waters in the world. Most of these waters are open from February through September or October and tend to fish best in late spring and fall.

Trout and Grayling: The options here are far too many to list.

Guests can fish for wild browns on countless Highland rivers, streams or select from lochs, many of which are not far from cities of interest. Choose between walk and wade fishing and fishing still waters by boat, depending on interest and physical

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HIDDEN GEMS OF SCOTLAND “Sandra and I believe that this trip was one of the best trips we have taken.

It may well be the best trip ever for us. We loved our time with Stewart and the beauty of Scotland. Stewart knows Scotland intimately and does his very best to convey his knowledge of and experience with Scotland to his clients.�

abilities. Basic fly fishing classes are also available for those interested in learning the sport near where it all began. Cooked fishing lunches of the very highest quality paired with wines are all part of the package. Year-round with some of the best hatches occurring in late-April, May and June.

Pike Loch: Stewart and his crew have access to an exceptional catch and release pike lake near Edinburgh. These fierce predators range from five to well over 20 pounds, and guests are welcome to fish for them with fly or conventional tackle.

This fishing experience will be for your private party alone, and guests will enjoy a fabulous lunch at the loch-side lodge.

Year-round.

Saltwater Pollock: First off, this is not to be confused with Alaskan pollack. The saltwater pollock of Scotland is a handsome hard-fighting fish that can provide excellent sport fishing for fly anglers. This fishing can be done from the shore (somewhat physical), but most often is done from a cabin cruiser. Fly fishing with sinking heads is very effective, but guests can also choose from a range of conventional methods. Much of this fishing takes place in the Highlands, Berwickshire (near Edinburgh) or on the breathtakingly beautiful Isle of Skye. May through October.

Touring While Stewart and his crew have their origins in sporting pursuits, they are true masters at putting together a great tour which exposes guests to the real hidden gems of Scotland, from the local pub you might have never found to the freshest fish and chips one could ever hope for. They have a wide variety of highly vetted accommodations as well, ranging from castles to country manors or historic downtown hotels. If guests love to hike, they have the trails. If they want to visit churches or historic sites, the options are endless. If guests want to visit distilleries and breweries, no problem. If guests wish to dig into the history and cultural sites in cities like Edinburgh, consider it done. During September and October, the most serious sportspeople can even try the Macnab Challenge in which one attempts to target a stag, a salmon and a brace of grouse in a single day! Whatever it is that you want out of Scotland, we can help make it happen!

Pricing: While all trips are custom, to date, they have averaged $930 per person per day, based on double occupancy.

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Top: A break from salmon fishing, Edinburgh. Middle: The Isle of Skye. Bottom: Boutique accommodations, pike from the private loch, touring in style. Photos: Stewart Collingswood 1-800 -552-2729