National Trust Scotland unveils 2006 holiday opportunities

A cruise to some of Scotland's most scenic corners is among the holiday opportunities National Trust Scotland is offering in 2006.

The week-long Scotland in Trust cruise, which marks the trust's 75th anniversary, starts from Greenock and takes in the dramatic landscapes of St Kilda, the port of Oban, and Inverewe Gardens in the beautiful Loch Ewe.

Passengers will get the opportunity to visit a diverse range of the trust's properties, as well as listening to lectures, deck commentary and relax to the sound of live music while on board.

For those wishing to cruise further afield, and for a little longer, the two-week long Northern Lives cruise visits the Faroe Islands, Norway and Spitsbergen.

Alternatively, National Trust Scotland's 2006 holiday opportunities include self-catering holidays in Scotland, working holidays and wildlife breaks.

Self-catering properties include a lighthouse in Stoer Head, which was owned by Robert Louise Stevenson's father, a thatched crofter's cottage on the Isle of Skye, and apartments within castles.

New properties for 2006 comprise a Victorian flat for four in the centre of St Andrews, an 18th century house in Cromarty with coastal views and a cottage for eight in the fishing town of Kirkcudbright.

For a more hands-on holiday, the trust's Thistle Camps offer activities including dry stone walling, footpath construction, gardening, archaeology and woodland management.

These residential working holidays can be demanding, but offer a good way of seeing Scotland on a budget, with meals, transport and accommodation provided.

Meanwhile, the trust's Go Wild about Scotland holidays are a good way of seeing the country's flora, fauna and spectacular scenery.

This series of five different three-day, four-day and week-long breaks, from watching breeding birds at St Abbs Head, to exploring the Highland Glens, are led by expert ecologists, wildlife experts and naturalists.