Taste of Scotland & Ireland: Self-Launched 11-Day Version
11 days · Scotland & Ireland
CIE Tours charges £2,945
No-markup version: ~£1,415 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched take on CIE Tours' 11-day Glasgow-to-Dublin coach tour — same headline sights (Glasgow, Loch Lomond, Glencoe, Loch Ness, a Highland distillery, Edinburgh Castle, Titanic Belfast, Dublin, Blarney, the Ring of Kerry, the Cliffs of Moher and Galway) but rebuilt around trains, buses and a cheap flight or ferry across the Irish Sea. Expect hostels and guesthouses instead of 4* hotels, self-booked distillery tours and city walking tours, and a realistic budget of roughly £1,300-1,450 per person including accommodation, transport, activities and food. You'll travel independently or as a small self-organised crew, moving at your own pace rather than a 44-seat coach schedule — with the trade-off being more planning and heavier bags. Costs are approximate August/September 2025 estimates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Glasgow: George Square, City Chambers and Kelvingrove
Glasgow, Scotland
Arrive in Glasgow (flights or train from London Euston, ~£35-60 if booked ahead). Drop bags at your hostel in the Merchant City or near Central Station. Wander George Square and the grand City Chambers exterior, then walk or take the subway (~£1.75) out to Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum — free entry, and a good rainy-day fallback. Evening: pint and cheap eats on Ashton Lane or in the Merchant City. Join a free evening walking tour if one runs, or just self-navigate.
🚌Arrival flight/train; local subway and walking
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Glasgow city centre (~£22-30/night)
- →Self-guided walk: George Square & City Chambers
- →Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum (free)
- →Optional evening walking tour (free/tip-based)
Loch Lomond, Rannoch Moor, Glencoe and Loch Ness by bus
Glencoe to Inverness
Take the early Citylink/Scottish Citylink coach or train from Glasgow up to Balloch (Loch Lomond) for a short lakeside wander, then continue north by Citylink coach along Loch Lomond, across Rannoch Moor and through Glencoe — the scenery is the attraction and the bus window does it justice. Break in Glencoe for a short walk (e.g. the Signal Rock or Glencoe Lochan trail), then take an evening coach to Inverness or Fort William. Overnight in Inverness or Fort Augustus and book a Loch Ness cruise for tomorrow.
🚌Scottish Citylink coach Glasgow–Glencoe–Inverness (~£25-30 total, book online)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse, Inverness or Fort Augustus (~£25-35/night)
- →Loch Lomond shoreline walk at Balloch
- →Glencoe viewpoint and short hike
- →Scenic coach ride through Rannoch Moor
Loch Ness cruise, then Blair Atholl distillery and on to Edinburgh
Loch Ness – Blair Atholl – Edinburgh
Morning Loch Ness cruise from Fort Augustus or Inverness (£18-25, bookable direct with Loch Ness by Jacobite or Cruise Loch Ness). Then head south by coach/train via Pitlochry to Blair Athol Distillery for a self-booked tour and tasting (~£12-18; book ahead, slots fill). Continue by train from Pitlochry to Edinburgh (~£15-25, ~2h). Optional: stop in St Andrews — reachable by bus from Edinburgh or Leuchars by train (~£10) if you want a St Andrews detour on a separate day. Check in near the Old Town or Leith.
🚌Local bus to Loch Ness cruise; coach/train to Pitlochry; ScotRail Pitlochry–Edinburgh
🛏Hostel dorm, Edinburgh Old Town or Tollcross (~£28-40/night peak season)
- →Loch Ness boat cruise
- →Blair Athol Distillery tour & whisky tasting (pre-book)
- →Optional St Andrews detour by bus/train
Edinburgh: Royal Mile, Princes Street and Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh, Scotland
Full day on foot. Walk Princes Street Gardens, up the Royal Mile from Holyrood to the Castle, and visit Edinburgh Castle (£19.50, book a timed slot online to skip the queue) to see the Scottish Crown Jewels. Add a free Sandeman's New Edinburgh walking tour (tip-based) or a paid small-group tour (~£15-20). In August, try for Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo tickets (release early, £30+); otherwise a folk-music session in a pub on the Royal Mile or Rose Street does the job for a fraction of the cost of the coach tour's Scottish evening.
🚌Walking; occasional Lothian bus (£2 flat fare)
🛏Hostel dorm, Edinburgh (~£28-40/night)
- →Edinburgh Castle & Crown Jewels (£19.50)
- →Royal Mile & Princes Street self-guided walk
- →Free/tip-based city walking tour
- →Optional pub folk session or Military Tattoo (August)
Cross to Belfast: Titanic Belfast, then on to Dublin
Edinburgh – Belfast – Dublin
Get to the west coast cheaply: bus or train from Edinburgh to Ayr/Glasgow, then the Stena Line or P&O ferry from Cairnryan to Belfast (~£25-35 foot passenger, ~2h15). Alternatively, fly Edinburgh–Belfast with easyJet/Ryanair (~£30-50) if you're short on time. In Belfast, drop bags at a hostel and visit Titanic Belfast (£25, book online for a timeslot) and walk the shipyard quarter. Late afternoon, take the Dublin Coach/Translink bus or Aircoach to Dublin (~£15-20, ~2h30) — or an evening train from Belfast Lanyon Place to Dublin Connolly (~£20-35). Check in around The Liberties.
🚌Train/bus Edinburgh–Cairnryan; ferry to Belfast; bus or Enterprise train Belfast–Dublin
🛏Hostel dorm, Dublin city centre/The Liberties (~£25-40/night)
- →Titanic Belfast (pre-book timeslot)
- →Belfast city centre walk / Cathedral Quarter
- →Optional Black Taxi Tour (~£15-20)
Dublin: Christ Church, Trinity College and the Grand Canal
Dublin, Ireland
Morning free walking tour of Dublin (tip-based, 2.5h) covering Trinity College, the River Liffey and Dublin Castle, then pay into Christ Church Cathedral (~£9) or see it from outside. Optionally book the Book of Kells/Trinity Long Room (~£20) or a Guinness Storehouse ticket (~£26). Evening: a live trad session in Temple Bar or a canal-side pub dinner instead of the operator's barge cruise — or book a Dublin canal boat tour if you want the water version (~£20-30).
🚌Walking; Leap Card for bus/Luas if needed
🛏Hostel dorm, Dublin (~£25-40/night)
- →Free/tip-based Dublin walking tour
- →Christ Church Cathedral entry
- →Optional Book of Kells or Guinness Storehouse
- →Trad music session in a pub
Farmhouse scones, Blarney Castle and into Killarney
Dublin – Blarney – Killarney
Take the early Irish Rail train Dublin Heuston to Cork (~£25-35, ~2h30), then a local bus to Blarney (~£3). Visit Blarney Castle and kiss the stone or wander the gardens (~£20, book online). For a farmhouse tea and sheepdog experience, self-book a small rural farm visit near Blarney/Killarney via GetYourGuide or a local farm tour (~£25-40) — or just take a cream tea in Blarney village. Evening bus/train to Killarney (~£10-15). Optional: Gaelic Roots Irish dance and music show in Killarney (~£25).
🚌Irish Rail Dublin–Cork; bus Cork–Blarney; bus/train to Killarney
🛏Hostel or family-run guesthouse, Killarney (~£25-35/night)
- →Blarney Castle & gardens
- →Optional sheepdog demo / farmhouse tea (pre-book)
- →Optional Gaelic Roots dance & music show
Jaunting car to Ross Castle, Ring of Kerry and Valentia Island
Killarney & Ring of Kerry
Join a jaunting car (horse cart) from Killarney town out through the Gap of Dunloe or to Ross Castle on Lough Leane (~£20-25 per person for a short ride; negotiate/split the fare with others). Then do the Ring of Kerry by public bus or a local day tour: the public Bus Éireann/ Local Link route is cheap (~£10-15 return) but a small-group Ring of Kerry day tour (~£30-40 via GetYourGuide) covers Valentia Island, Moll's Gap and the Skellig Experience more efficiently. Skellig Experience entry ~£8. Pack a supermarket lunch to keep costs down.
🚌Jaunting car; public bus or self-booked small-group Ring of Kerry tour
🛏Hostel or guesthouse, Killarney (~£25-35/night)
- →Jaunting car ride to Ross Castle
- →Ring of Kerry drive via Moll's Gap
- →Valentia Island bridge crossing
- →Skellig Experience visitor centre
Shannon ferry, Cliffs of Moher and a Bunratty-style castle feast
Killarney – Cliffs of Moher – Limerick
Bus from Killarney to Tarbert, then take the Shannon Ferry across the estuary to Killimer (~£10-12 foot passenger, ~20 min) — the same scenic crossing the coach tour uses. Continue by bus to the Cliffs of Moher (visitor centre entry ~£10-12; book online). Walk the cliff path to O'Brien's Tower. Evening: bus into Limerick and either book a Bunratty Castle medieval banquet (~£55-65, a pricier splurge) or eat cheaply in Limerick's city centre and save the money.
🚌Bus Killarney–Tarbert; Shannon Ferry; bus to Cliffs of Moher and Limerick
🛏Hostel or budget hotel, Limerick city (~£25-35/night)
- →Shannon Estuary ferry crossing
- →Cliffs of Moher & visitor centre
- →Optional Bunratty Castle medieval banquet
Galway walking tour and back to Dublin
Limerick – Galway – Dublin
Bus or train from Limerick to Galway (~£10-15, ~1h45). Take a free/tip-based walking tour of Galway's Latin Quarter (~2h, tips £5-10), browse the shops on Shop Street, and eat at the Saturday market if it's running. Optional: Salthill promenade walk. Afternoon bus or train back to Dublin (~£12-20, ~2.5-3h). Check into a hostel near Heuston or the city centre for the final night.
🚌Bus/train Limerick–Galway; return bus/train Galway–Dublin
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel, Dublin (~£25-40/night)
- →Free/tip-based Galway city walking tour
- →Latin Quarter & Shop Street browsing
- →Optional Salthill promenade walk
Dublin departure
Dublin, Ireland
Breakfast, a final walk along the Liffey or a coffee in Dublin's creative quarter, then head to Dublin Airport (Airlink/Dublin Express bus ~£7-8, or Luas + bus) for your flight home. If you have time, add a last-minute visit to the National Museum of Ireland (free) or a distillery tour.
🚌Dublin Express/Airlink bus to Dublin Airport (~£7-8)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Optional free national museum visit
- →Liffey riverside walk
Self-launched vs. CIE Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | CIE Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,415 | £2,945 |
| Duration | 11 days | 11 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,530 per person (52%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more CIE Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,415
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Taste of Scotland & Ireland: Self-Launched 11-Day Version cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,415 per person for 11 days in Scotland & Ireland. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with CIE Tours?+
Yes — CIE Tours charges around £2,945 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,415 — a saving of roughly £1,530 (52%) per person.
How long is the Scotland & Ireland trip?+
This itinerary runs 11 days, covering 11 day-by-day stops through Scotland & Ireland.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, budget, backpacker trip through Scotland & Ireland, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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