Our content manager Laura indulges her love of all things Scottish!
On a sunny day in August, untypically Scottish weather, we started our journey from Edinburgh into the West Highlands of Scotland.
First thing in the morning – coffee of course! Luckily, Rabbie’s is not just a tour operator with great tours in Ireland, Scotland and England – but also runs a café in downtown Edinburgh next to where their tours depart. As day tours depart early in the morning this was a great opportunity to get ready for the day with a snack and beverage of your choice.
Off we went – with a great and experienced guide and driver in a small but comfortable minibus. As we were driving out of the city, Fiona our guide, told us interesting facts not only about Edinburgh but also about famous and less famous people who have made themselves well-known over the last centuries. Of course, there can’t be a tour of Edinburgh or Scotland without mentioning J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter, TV series like Game of Thrones, Outlander or Sir William Wallace better known as Braveheart.
We passed the Kelpies – imposing sculptures of horses, creatures from Scottish folklore, before we stopped at Stirling Castle for a quick photo stop.
We drove further up into the Highlands – such a magical and timeless place, almost hidden from the rest of the world.
As we drove, Fiona told great tales of folklore and also real stories of people living in the Highlands.
If one drives through Scotland, lochs & glens are always present as there are hundreds of them. Of course, everyone knows Loch Ness and on our way, we stopped at Loch Lomond. Inspired by this place and a real but tragic story of two brothers, one of the most popular songs of Scottish history was born - "By the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond". I still can’t get that story and song out of my head.
If you go to Scotland, make sure you visit some of the most beautiful castles you will ever see. One of them is Inveraray Castle, private home of the Duke of Argyll. Beautifully restored and taken care of, this place is worth the visit. It just looks like it is straight out of a fairytale! Former castles and ruins also have a special charm! We also visited Kilchurn Castle and Doune Castle, two very old and fascinating places. If you want to visit Winterfell make sure to join this tour!
After a day full of different scenery, historic periods, castles, lochs and funny stories we drove back to Edinburgh.
Tip: If you are a nature-lover and also interested in the long and imposing history of Scotland and you don’t want to sit in a huge coach with lots of people you don’t know, you should be sure to join a tour like I did. Rabbie’s offers great day trips as well as an Edinburgh City Tour.
See all the tours Travelcoup offers from Edinburgh here https://www.travelcoup.com/en/tours/edinburgh-a8901cbb-a456-458e-9b59-b487c4d53160?affiliate=b1a61d9a-ad8a-4b8b-b63f-cb82780d5d7e
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