The Edinburgh Tattoo, the Royal Yacht Britannia

Staying at The Doubletree by Hilton Westerwood Golf and Spa Resort

3 DAYS | 14th August 2026

The Edinburgh Military Tattoo held every August is the world’s most famous military spectacle, an unforgettable blend of music, colour, pomp and pageantry. Steep rocks form the dramatic backdrop to the Tattoo’s Castle setting, and when subtle lighting picks out the lone piper playing a lament from the ramparts few in the audience fail to be moved by the atmosphere. This year’s show is themed “A Call to Gather”. The event promises a celebration of community and culture, combining music, theatre, and spectacular displays with military bands from various countries. This event has all the ingredients for a truly memorable evening and this year is definitely one not to be missed.

Our base for the weekend is The Doubletree by Hilton Westerwood Golf and Spa Resort, situated at the foot of the Campsie Hills, midway between Glasgow and Edinburgh. The hotel offers a relaxing lounge, dining room serving local Scottish produce, bar and a state-of-the-art leisure club. All bedrooms offer private bathrooms, TV, refreshment trays and free WiFi.

FRIDAY

We depart Macclesfield in the morning calling for coffee en-route to the fascinating city of Carlisle where we stop for lunch. There will be time to visit the Castle or Cathedral, take a stroll around the shops or enjoy a relaxing lunch. We then continue on to our hotel to arrive in time for a swim before dinner.

SATURDAY

Today we head to Edinburgh where we meet our guide for a tour of this splendid city. You can then choose to either visit the former Royal Yacht Britannia returning to the city centre on the coach late afternoon or alight the coach after the tour and spend the remainder of the day at leisure in the city centre. The Royal Yacht is situated by the side of a shopping complex with a variety of places to buy lunch. (Please state at the time of booking if you would like to visit the Royal Yacht cost approx. £23). The coach will collect everyone early evening for the short journey for the 18:15 performance of the famous Military Tattoo. Please note there is an approximate 20 minute walk uphill to the Tattoo. After the performance we return to the hotel where a supper of soup and sandwiches are waiting for us.

SUNDAY

After a leisurely breakfast we take the short journey to Falkirk to see the world’s largest equine sculptures ‘The Kelpies’. These impressive structures represent the lineage of the heavy horse of Scottish industry, pulling the wagons, ploughs, barges and coalships that shaped the geographical layout of the Falkirk area. We will have a guided tour of the statues and time for morning coffee before continuing our journey south, calling for lunch and afternoon refreshments en-route. We aim to arrive in the Macclesfield area early evening.