Absolute Escapes

Decades of planning self-drive holidays in the Scottish Highlands have taught us one thing - there’s never a “wrong” itinerary, only too many good ones.

From the Isle of Skye to the rugged North Coast 500, each destination offers something quite different.

Our latest guide explores the key areas and routes to help you plan your perfect Highland escape. You'll find it in the comments below. 👇️

Which destination should everyone visit at least once? 😍

Happy National Cheese Day! 🧀

Today, we're looking back at our specialist, Katie's, visit to Wensleydale Creamery in Hawes, home to Yorkshire's famous creamy, crumbly Wensleydale cheese.

Set amongst the beautiful scenery of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, the creamery is a wonderful place to learn about the traditional cheese-making process, sample local cheeses, and enjoy a day out in one of England's most picturesque regions.

What’s the best foodie experience you’ve ever had? Share your recommendations in the comments. 👇️

What an amazing month of May you’ve all had! 😍 From conquering iconic long-distance trails to celebrating anniversaries on peaceful islands, here’s a look at what some of our clients have been up to across the UK this month…

1️⃣ Sandra & Mitzi, from South Carolina, USA, walked across northern England on the iconic Hadrian's Wall Path.

2️⃣ Doug & Pauline, from the UK, celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on an unforgettable self-drive holiday through Scotland's beautiful Outer Hebrides.

3️⃣ Mary, from Sacramento, USA, completed her 7th walking holiday with Absolute Escapes! She said, "I would recommend Scotland's Southern Upland Way to anyone looking for a challenging, quiet trail. It felt like such an accomplishment to walk from coast-to-coast. I had many excellent meals at places Absolute Escapes recommended, and the people along the way were lovely."

4️⃣ Christopher, from Virginia, USA, combined driving and hiking on a multi-centre holiday in the Scottish Highlands. He said, "This was our third Absolute Escapes holiday, and I have always been impressed with the level of service and responsiveness. The tailored activity suggestions were particularly impressive for our drive-walk holiday in the Highlands and Skye."

5️⃣ Tony & Elizabeth from St Martin, Guernsey, enjoyed their first big road trip since the pandemic. They found their 10-day holiday in Scotland on the North Coast 500 to be a "very relaxing and easy trip". They said, "It was great to be able to drive some great and interesting roads and take in the sights and ambience of this amazing area of Scotland."

Where have you been exploring this month? Share your photos in the comments. 👇️

Live from the South West Coast Path during the UK heatwave. ☀️

Sine from Absolute Escapes is the third member of our team to head off on a research trip this year. This time, she's exploring the spectacular Westward Ho! to Padstow section of the South West Coast Path through Devon & Cornwall.

Each year, our team travels across the British Isles on research trips like Sine's, helping us keep our knowledge up to date and our recommendations grounded in genuine first-hand experience.

Sine has been enjoying a few incredibly beautiful (and very hot!) days on the trail, with stunning coastal scenery every step of the way. 😍

Have you been making the most of the sunshine this week too? Share your photos in the comments.

Ever wonder what our team get up to when they're not planning your next unforgettable holiday? ☀️

We love exploring too! Whether it's hiking up mountains or island hopping, our team sure knows how to make the most out of a weekend. Which team member's trip sounds like your cup of tea?

📍 Hiking Beinn Tulaichean and Cruach Ardrain in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, Scotland
📷️ Rhiannon, Operations and Customer Service Assistant

📍 Isle of Iona, Scotland
📷️ Sian, Operations and Admin Assistant

📍 Dolphins spotted on an Oban Sea Tours boat trip, Oban, Scotland
📷️ Jessica, Operations and Finance Assistant

📍 Ben Lomond, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, Scotland
📷️ Daisy, Operations & Product Manager

📍 Bluebells in Visit Kent, England
📷️ Sine, Sales & Business Development Manager

📍 Driving from Mellon Udrigle Beach to Laide, North Coast 500 - NC500, Scotland
📷️ Andy, Director & Co-Founder

📍 Ben Lawers Range, Scottish Highlands
📷️ Rebecca, Senior Travel Specialist

📍 Luna posing at Tyninghame Beach, Visit East Lothian, Scotland
📷️ Gordon, Senior Finance Assistant

📍 Cowhouses near Muker, Yorkshire Dales National Park, England
📷️ Katie, Senior Travel Specialist

Which room would you most love to stay in? 🏡

👍 - Ty Helyg B&B, St Davids, Wales
❤️ - Harbour Inn, Porthleven, England
🤗 - Myrtle Cottage - Porlock, England
😲 - Kingshouse Hotel, Glencoe, Scotland

After a busy start to the year, we decided to treat our Sales & Marketing team to a fun team-building day at Foxlake Adventures in Dunbar. ☀️

There was plenty of laughter at the Aqua Park, followed by some time to relax in the sauna and plunge pools, before ending the day with a delicious meal at Herringbone North Berwick.

It was the perfect chance to step away from their desks, reconnect as a team, and return feeling refreshed and inspired.

Despite having spent most of her life in Scotland, our new Operations & Customer Service Assistant, Rhiannon, realised she had never taken the time to properly explore Edinburgh. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Her familiarisation day offered the perfect excuse to wander its historic streets and get to know Edinburgh better.

As a way of welcoming new team members, everyone at Absolute Escapes enjoys a day out of the office to explore the amazing destinations right on our doorstep. Thank you to Mercat Tours for giving Rhiannon a fantastic introduction to Edinburgh.