Fly north, meet your friendly tour manager and board the coach to begin the journey to your hotel. Once there, take some time to rest and relax as you settle into your new surroundings. The Carrbridge Hotel is situated on the edge of the village, and acts a gateway to the scenic Cairngorms National Park, and there are some delightful local walks (the hotel staff will be happy to point you in the right direction). The famous old packhorse bridge, dating back to 1717 and reputed to be one of the oldest in the Scottish Highlands, is just opposite the hotel. This evening, you’ll have the chance to meet your fellow guests at a special Welcome Reception in the hotel’s Highland Suite. Later, enjoy dinner followed by some traditional entertainment – the perfect start to your festive break.

After a relaxed breakfast, join your tour manager and fellow guests as you head west by coach to Fort William, huddled beneath mighty Ben Nevis at the gateway to the Great Glen. Here you’ll board a train for the 42-mile scenic journey on the last stretch of the famous West Highland Line, all the way to the tiny fishing village of Mallaig. Voted by readers of Wanderlust Magazine as Britains’s most scenic train journey, this spectacular route crosses the Caledonian Canal – look out for Neptune’s Staircase, a succession of eight locks built in the early 19th Century – then runs alongside Loch Eil and over the spectacular 21-arched Glenfinnan Viaduct, famously featured in the Harry Potter movies. Other highlights of this scenic journey include island-studded Loch Eilt, considered by many to be the prettiest along the route, Arisaig, Britain’s most-westerly railway station, and the Atlantic-washed sands of Morar, just south of Mallaig. Re-board the coach in Mallaig, and return to the hotel to begin your Christmas in earnest. Enjoy a second dinner in the company of your fellow guests, followed by some light-hearted entertainment. Why not join some of your new-found friends and stroll the 400 yards to Carrbridge Church in time for the traditional service?