The first gathering was in 1983 at Carmichael based on the Tinto hotel, the tour went to Lismore, Stirling and Loch Ness. The gatherings in 1986 and 1990 were based at the Peebles Hydro. Those in 1993, 1996, 2000 and 2004 were based at Carmichael itself using cottages and local hotels.

The 1986 tour went to Oban, Lismore, Loch Ness, Inverness, Huntly castle and Braemar and Glenshee.

The 1990 tour was based at Coylumbridge and went to Armadale, Drumnadrochit, Fyvie, Balmoral and Cairngorm mountain summit.

The 1993 tour went to John o’ Groats, Orkney, Cape Wrath, Ullapool , the Western Isles and Lismore.

In 1996 the tour went to Fort William, Tobermory on Mull, Duart castle, Iona, Mull of Kintyre and Arran.

In 2000 we visited St Michaels Mount in Cornwall, Mt St Michel in Normandy, Bauge battlefield and Orleans city in France .

In 2004 we started in Skye with the Clan McLeod, visited Aviemore and Clan Macpherson, toured castles in Aberdeenshire, Dundee Jute and the Ship Discovery and ended up on top of the Wallace monument.

The gathering day tours have covered Edinburgh city and castle, the Playhouse theatre, Glasgow Burrel collection, Bannockburn, Ayrshire and Burns country, Dumfries, St Andrews and the Kingdom of Fife, the borders including Jedburgh, Kelso, Sir Walter Scott’s house, Drumlanrig and Mellerstein plus Roslin chapel and Fenton Tower and Linlithgow Palace. The 2007 tour spent the first night at Inverary and then sailed to Port Chalotte on the island of Islay, visiting Finlaggan. The third night was on the island of Colonsay and we visited oronsay priory at low tide. The fifth night was spent on Mull with a glorious day trip to Staffa and Fingal's cave. The final night was at Port Appin in the Pierhouse hotel with a return journey to Carmichael via the new Glencoe visitor centre. In 2010 we flew with Flybe with a party of 14 from Edinburgh to Sumburgh in the Shetland Isles and stayed at the Sumburgh hotel near Jarlshoff and visited there and the Sumburgh Head cliffs next day. On the Tuesday we sailed to Mousa for the best preserved Broch in the world and then stayed in Lerwick before sailing to Noss with Seabirds and Seals charter from Dr Jonathan Wills. The Shetland museum and Jewelery factory plus Esheness lighthouse and cliffs were all visited and a spectacular last night spent at Busta House hotel with guitar playing by Hamish Carmichael. Scalloway castle was visited on the way back south on the Friday and St Ninians Isle. A truly great trip!

There is still plenty more material for future gatherings and tours despite our continued criss- crossing of the country for over two decades. The tours demonstrate the rich historic tapestry that is Scotland. The heartland and nation state home of Clan Carmichael Tout Jour Prest..

Gathering 2010 Report