The dates for 2008 are June 14-25. Of course you are free to arrive in Scotland before the tour starts or to
stay afterwards; but we will rendezvous in Edinburgh Airport on the morning of June 15. As in past years,
the tours will cover many parts of Scotland, including the Borders, Edinburgh, Fife, Perthshire, Angus, the
Central Highlands, Skye, Glencoe and Stirling.
Sign up for the Folk Song
Tour of Scotland Today!
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The cost of this year's tour is $2950 per person, based on double occupancy.
This price covers all transport and hotels in Scotland, all breakfasts
and dinners, performers' fees and entry to most historical sites. It does
not cover lunches, tips, single room supplement ($400) or airfare. Direct
flights into Edinburgh are vailable on Delta Airlines (fr Atlanta) and
Continental (fr Newark); while several other companies have flights via
London, Amsterdam etc. If you plan to use frequent-flyer miles towards
buying your ticket, please book very early as only a few spots are allocated
for such programs.
The basic aim of these tours is to give people the chance to enjoy and learn about Scotland through experiencing
its music and landscape. You will meet and hear performers and songwriters on their home ground, visit the
contexts from which the songs and music have come, and have the chance to enjoy occasional hikes in both the
Lowlands and the Highlands. This is NOT a search for the Scotland of Brigadoon, Braveheart and the Loch Ness
Monster - rather it is a unique opportunity to learn about the music, people, history and landscape of this
amazingly varied country in an interesting, personal and entertaining way.
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The tentative itinerary for next June, and for the September trip, includes 2 nights in Peebles; 2 in Edinburgh;
2 in Birnam/Dunkeld; 2 in Plockton; 1 in Ft William and 1 in W.Lothian. There will be free days in Edinburgh,
Dunkeld and Glencoe where hiking will be possible, with other activities for non-hikers. Some of the performers
you will probably meet and hear include fiddler Iain Fraser, songwriter Brian McNeill, Fife singer Jack Beck,
young, brilliant singer/fiddler Lori Watson, the Singing Kettle childrens program, Gaelic singer/folklorist Margaret
Bennett, singer/songwriter Jim Malcolm, bothy songster Scott Gardiner, Aberdeen singer Tam Spiers as well as local
singers/musicians in Plockton ….I, and guide Charles Hunter, will also be singing and telling stories throughout the
trip.
The tours have received a lot of good publicity this year, and I have had many enquiries about joining the 2008 tour;
so if you are interested in joining the group, please send in your deposits ASAP to ensure a place. Once I receive
these, I will send you a detailed proposed itinerary, reading list and other materials. I do very much hope you'll
join us in June! If you have any preliminary questions, please contact me at one of the addresses above.
A' the best...
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