Loch Lomond Park & Stirling Castle Day Tour from Edinburgh

Excellent short tour around the Trossachs (the highlands in miniature) that gets you back to Edinburgh in good time. Not too many miles of travel but lots and lots to see!

You leave Edinburgh at 9.15am and travel northwest through the historic area of Linlithgowshire, close to the historic palace. The tragic Mary Queen of Scots was born at Linlithgow palace, and became Queen when she was only 6 days old. According to legend, her father James V died of a broken heart when he discovered his wife had given birth to a daughter and not the son he was hoping for! Your route along the Forth Valley is one which has been used for thousands of years by invading armies, it was the northernmost frontier of the Roman empire and was later used by the English King Edward I as he marched proudly towards Stirling and Bannockburn (only to be sent homewards to think again!). Nowadays it’s at the centre of one of Scotland’s most important industries with huge oil refineries dominating the area.

As you approach Stirling the magnificent castle dominates your view and you make your way up towards the high volcanic rock where it imposes itself upon the surrounding land. Known as the ‘Key to Scotland’, for centuries this was the most important castle in Scotland and the views from the top make it easy to see why. In the past this was all carse land; in other words it was very marshy and tidal and the only way through was close to the castle so it effectively dominated the route between the lowlands  and Highlands. This was why the castle was so important strategically. If you held Stirling Castle, you barred the way to the Highlands.

To the north is the 220ft high tower of the National Wallace Monument commemorating Scotland’s great hero William Wallace, (played by Mel Gibson in the Oscar-winning movie Braveheart.) From the castle you can look down over the scene of Wallace’s greatest triumph, the battle of Stirling Bridge, where he defeated the English army in 1297. To the south is Bannockburn where, in 1314, the great Scottish warrior-king Robert the Bruce defeated the English army of Edward II. The battle was fought for possession of Stirling Castle but eventually led to a far greater prize for Scotland – the restoration of independence. It’s an area alive with history and your stop at the castle to give you time to soak up the history and heritage of this great site.

From Stirling you head into the Highlands and an area known as the Trossachs. Known as ‘The Highlands in Miniature’, it marks the point where the Lowlands meet the Highlands and entering this beautifully picturesque area feels like going into a different country. With its shimmering lochs, rugged mountain tops and forest-filled glens it’s easy to forget that this was once thought of as a dangerous frontier fought over by the fiercely territorial Highland clans. You stop here for lunch in the village of Aberfoyle, made popular in Victorian times due to its great location.

After lunch you ‘take the high road’ or back-road to Loch Lomond, Scotland’s largest lochs at over 22 miles long, your will travel through the protected lands of Scotland’s first National Park. The route you take is along the eastern shores, a beautiful sheltered stretch of the loch with noble mountains dominated by Ben Lomond, one of the most climbed mountains in Scotland and our most southerly “Munro”.

You stop on the shores of the loch, the perfect place to enjoy a walk along the ‘bonny banks’, up to a viewpoint for a fantastic view of the loch and the mountain it’s named after, Ben Lomond. This tranquil area was once the home of Scotland’s famous highland folk hero, Rob Roy MacGregor. Made popular by many books and films Rob Roy lived an incredible life as a soldier, businessman, cattle-rustler and outlaw. By spending time on the trails by the loch you will undoubtedly be walking in the footsteps of one of Scotland’s great legends. There is also an alternative option to enjoy a drink at the local inn and sample the views. Leaving Loch Lomond you head east through the agricultural lands found on the west of Stirling. This area which was once an impassable bogland, inhabited only by wildfowl and a few outlaws. In the 1760s families were attracted here with offers of land and reduced rents provided they cleared the peat and expose the rich clay beneath. This scheme came to an end in 1865 and the area now is associated with some of the best hay cultivation in Britain. From here it is a short journey back to Edinburgh.

Return time - Approx 18.00

The Little Details

• Minimum Age: Age 5+
• Min Age: 5 years
• Tour Vehicle Type: Mini Coach
• Months of Operation: All Year
• Duration of Tour: Full Day
• Departure Point: Edinburgh
• Departure Point: Rabbies Cafe, 6 Waterloo Place, Edinburgh EH1 3EG
• Departure Time: 09:15 - please check in 15 minutes earlier
• Expected return Time: 18:00
• Duration of Tour: Full Day

Some Places We Will Visit

• 

  Stirling

  As you'd expect with such a strategically important town, Stirling has a long and fascinating history and is packed with major historical sights.

  • Continue Reading
• 

  Aberfoyle

  The sleepy village of Aberfoyle suddenly bursts into life in the summer with the arrival of hordes of tourists. It lies on the edge of the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park and, along with Callander to the east, is one of the main tourist centres for the Trossachs.

  • Continue Reading
• 

  Loch Lomond

  Britain's largest inland waterway, measuring 22 miles long and at certain points up to five miles wide, is Scotland's most famous (uninhabited!) loch, thanks to the Jacobite ballad about its "bonnie banks".

   

  • Continue Reading

Castle Visited

• 

  Stirling Castle

  Scotland's most strategic castle with a dominating position over the gateway to the North of Scotland.

  • Continue Reading