Stirling Castle, Kelpies and Loch Lomond from Edinburgh

based on 158 reviews

Duration:10 hours (approx.)
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland

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On this incredible tour, we explore the beautiful Scottish Highlands seeing castles, lochs, sculptures and perhaps some ‘Hairy Coos’ along the way.

Departing the historic Royal Mile on an air-conditioned bus (16-34 seats) we head towards the iconic Kelpies, where you can take a close up look at these magnificent sculptures.

We make our way towards Balloch, situated to the south of Loch Lomond’s Bonnie Banks. Here you can explore and take an optional hour-long boat cruise on the loch.

Departing Loch Lomond we head towards the quaint village of Aberfoyle before exploring the picturesque Duke's Pass.

Passing through Callander we make our way to Stirling where you can either take a stroll around the city centre or visit the historic Stirling Castle.

Heading back we stop to catch a glimpse of the famous 3 bridges that span the River Forth before returning to Edinburgh

*Boat cruise and entry to Stirling Castle are paid for on the day and are not included in the price of the tour.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

WHAT TO EXPECT

1.
See the spectacular Kelpies – 30 foot high metal equine sculptures, built at the entrance to Forth and Clyde Canals as a tribute to Central Scotland’s industrial past. You’ll see why the Kelpies are fast becoming one of Scotland’s most iconic landmarks and the perfect spot for photographs.
2.
Heading West we make our way towards the town of Balloch, situated at the southern of Loch Lomond’s Bonnie Banks where you will have a chance to explore and also take an optional hour-long boat cruise on the loch. Whilst enjoying the beautiful scenery from the boat you can also hear the expert onboard commentary from Neil Oliver, who is amongst other things a renowned Scottish historian and archaeologist.
3.
After leaving the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond we then head towards the quaint village of Aberfoyle before exploring a picturesque Highland road named the Dukes Pass, the old stomping ground of the legendary folk hero Rob Roy MacGregor.
4.
Known as “The Gateway to the Highlands” Callander is situated on the boundary of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National park, an area of outstanding natural beauty.
5.
We make our way to the historic Stirling Castle where you will have the option of either taking leisurely stroll around the city centre or going inside and hearing how important this stronghold was over the centuries. From the Wars of Independence, think William Wallace and Robert the Bruce to Mary Queen of Scots who was crowned at the castle in 1543 aged just 9 months old this fortress has played a major part in our history. If you don't fancy the castle you will have free time to explore the ancient city of Stirling.
6.
After visiting Stirling we make our way back to Edinburgh, stopping at South Queensferry for an opportunity to catch a glimpse of the 3 bridges that span the River Forth including the iconic Forth Rail Bridge, a World Heritage Site granted by UNESCO in 2015.

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Posted By : John_h
Great guide. Holly was very entertaining as well as knowledgeably.This is a great way to see the Scottish countryside and Stirling is amazing.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-07-03 08:46:41

Posted By : Happiness37161734056
The views were amazing, the stops appropriate and Stirling castle was magnificent. Plenty of time allowed at each stop for either a quick bathroom break, snack or a longer explore. Our driver, Holly was wonderful, giving clear instructions and rules in a pleasant and fun way, told some amazing stories about the history of Scotland and the places we saw. Just make sure you have extra cash on hand if you want to do the Loch Lomand cruise ( ask the price before you take the tour as cash has a significant discount.)You also pay for the castle entry. In all it was a fun filled enjoyable day.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-07-03 01:28:27

Posted By : Jennifer_S
What an enjoyable experience! What we expected to be a very long day of touring turned out to be a very relaxed, comfortable and informative trip. Our driver, Peter, was personable and funny, he kept us entertained with songs, stories and humor throughout the day. Highly recommend!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-30 06:01:00

Posted By : Glynis_D
Stirling Castle was an amazing experience with enough time to enjoy exploring the castle. Holly was a great driver, gave the rules for the day in a clear, fun way and told many interesting stories and gave us facts along the way. She was friendly, bright and good fun. The only down side was not knowing in advance how expensive the boat cruise was going to be so I could better plan for it. It was the only disappointment about the day I had.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-27 16:50:15

Posted By : Icemom2013
David was an entertaining and informative guide for the Hairy Coo adventure! We stopped to see the magnificent Kelpies, then took the boat cruise around Lock Lomond. It was misty so I got some fantastic photos of the lake with highlands in the background. Then we had lunch in Aberfoyle at a quaint cafe. Then we toured Sterling Castle. I suggest taking the guided tour lots of history! Our last stop was at the Fourth Bridge- truly a spectacular sight!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-25 04:29:41

Posted By : Kenneth_C
Loch Lamond did not provide many opportunities for sightseeing at our stop, other than taking a boat trip, which we didn't do.

It was fun to see the Kelpies, and Sterling Castle was very impressive - much more interesting than Edinburgh Castle in my opinion. Very scenic, and lots to see inside.

Our driver Ryan was amazing - a safe and skilled driver, very knowledgeable, and very entertaining!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-21 04:25:19

Posted By : aerdaty
This was an amazing over the top tour experience! Our guide, Fraser, delivered everything promised on the tour booking site and then some! Started on time, start location was easy to find. First stop was the Kelpies with ample time to take all the photos we wanted to. Then continued to Balloch by Loch Lomond where we were given an hour 30 minutes to either tour the little town or take an hour boat ride. Afterwards we headed to lunch BUT Fraser made a detour so we can have an upclose experience with the Highland cows, amazing, friendly, beautiful creatures!!! The last stop was at Stirling Castle with plenty of time to tour the whole grounds, exhibits and take photos of the whole area from higher grounds.
I highly recommend this tour as the operator and guide delivered more than promised.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-19 05:12:14

Posted By : CesarGustavo_I
The tour guide was super friendly and made our trip quite enjoyable. He knew his accent was difficult to understand, but made sure we understood and enjoyed ourselves throughout.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-18 12:07:21

Posted By : Paul_M
For a one day trip, we managed to see several sites. Hairy coos are always fun to see up close.

We would have liked to have another 30 minutes at Stirling Castle.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-17 16:57:53

Posted By : 933hristiyanah
The trip was incredible! Our driver and guide, Fraser, told us about the history of the places we were visiting and driving by, and the real stories of William Wallace and King Robert the Bruce. He also took us to see and feed some hairy coos! We took the boat ride on Loch Lomond which was well worth it. You get some great views of the loch and learn about its history.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-17 15:20:06