Glasgow - A 50 minute train journey from Edinburgh takes you to Glasgow's Queen Street train station. Glasgow boasts not only Britains 2nd biggest shopping area but also the birthplace of Charles Rennie Mackintosh a famous architect, designer and artist of the 20th century. Purchase the Mackintosh Trail Ticket for £12.00 at Glasgow Tourist Information centres and visit The Mackintosh House, The Lighthouse, Glasgow School of Art, House for an Art Lover, The Hill House, The Mackintosh Church and Scotland Street School with unlimited travel on the SPT Subway and First bus services. Have lunch at the Famous Willow Tea Room designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh in 1904.
Find out what's on in Glasgow here .
You may also wish to consider purchasing a Scotrail 'Central Scotland Rover' which is a 3 out of 7 consecutive days travel pass for £30. Also includes unlimited travel on the Glasgow Underground.
Cairnpapple Hill - An important prehistoric site near Edinburgh dating back to 3,000 BC. From Bathgate train station walk 6 mins to Bathgate Soth Bridge Street at B'Wise. Take First Edinburgh bus no 474 (South Queensferry) to Torphichen, The Loan Rock Cottages - 8 mins.
During your self catering stay in Edinburgh we would highly recommend a day trip to the countryside, especially if this may be your only visit to Scotland. Don't miss out on the spectacular scenery, wild glens, deep lochs and historical buildings. Visit Loch Lomond a 24 mile long loch in the beautiful wild glens of the Trossachs or the Loch Ness monster near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. Edinburgh Trains, Buses, Tour Companies & Personal Guides all provide services for easy travel and tours around Edinburgh and Scotland.
Here are a few day trip suggestions all available without you having to drive. If you need assistance arranging such an activity please contact us.
Scottish Highland Day Tours, Breaks and Holidays. Including Tours to Loch Lomond, St. Andrews, Loch Ness, Highland Whisky and Waterfall Park and West Highland Castles
& Historic Sightseeing, Loch Lomond, the Trossachs and
Scottish Highlands & Islands.
Day trip options include boat rides and island
exploration.
Walk about Scotland - Providing walking holidays and hiking tours. Hike Ben Lawers, Ben A'an with views over Loch Katrine and Ben Lomond overlooking Loch Lomond.
Mini Tours Scotland - Private Guided Tours of Scotland with tour guide Craig McCall Flynn. Discover the historic castles, colourful history, breath-taking scenery and hidden gems that make Scotland one of the most amazing places in the world!
Touring Scotland - Personalised Tours of Scotland, by Fiona Maxwell, experienced Blue Badge tour guide. Fiona has a wealth of knowledge about Edinburgh and the area, and her tours are extremely interesting and enjoyable.
Visit Scottish Abbeys, Loch Lomond, Loch Ness, St Andrews, Whisky Distillerys, Castles and Chapels and much more! Loch Lomond is a 24 mile long loch in the beautiful glens of the Trossachs. The Loch Ness monster lives near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands.
Bus and Coach tours in Scotland.Visit Loch Ness, Loch Lomond and the Highlands of Scotland on Nick's Famous wee Red Bus. OFFER! Book two full price adult fares on the Da Vinci and Border Quest tour (Tues or Fri) and get 10% off Loch Ness and Legends! (Mon, Wed, Thu, Sat & Sun). See their website for details.
Scotline Bus Tours offers tours including a Loch Ness Adventure, Highland Spirit Castle & Whisky, Scottish Abbeys and many others.
Train Journeys
Take a lovely train journey from the Haymarket Train Station and escape to the seaside resort and harbour of North Berwick. Here you'll find the Scottish seabird centre, Tantallon Castle, public golf courses and a volcanic hill which dominates the town.
The journey takes approximately 40 minutes.
Stirling is an enjoyable day trip through the countryside from Edinburgh and only 45 minutes by train (the bus takes a lot longer). Sit on the right side to see Linlithgow Palace birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots. Stirlings train station is central as is the Stirling castle which was built before the 12th century. Stirling also boasts a William Wallace monument, Robert the Bruce Memorial, old town Jail and plenty more sites! Try the open top bus tour or take the #62 bus to the Wallace monument. The Settle Inn pub, an Alehouse dating back to the 1600's has a good reputation. Train or bus will take you easily to Stirling and back to our rental house.
Visit Scotrail to plan your visit.
Drymen Red Bus Co. Providing Minibus Private Hire, Trips, Tours, Travel
Celtic Trails - Celtic Trails offers the original tour to Rosslyn Chapel and its owner Jackie Queally has written several booklets and guides to its carvings
and ley lines. If you want an authentic in depth tour of the chapel then book one of several tours offered that includes the chapel. Jackie also offers various interesting one day tours to off the beaten track places
connected with local Celtic saints and legends, and longer ones throughout Scotland including a new popular Templar trail through Scotland. Highly originally and personalized tours guaranteed by the owner to leave you with profound memories.
Robert The Bruce Statue
Stirling Castle.
Alba Ballooning an Edinburgh based company offers balloon flights around the Edinburgh area and the Midlothians rural landscape.
After packing away the balloon celebrate the flight with their traditional glass or two of champagne and a commemorative certificate.
An Darach Ltd. - Gaelic Cultural Tours. Tours of Gaelic cultural interest areas in the Highlands & Islands are available with their Hebridean native Gaelic-speaking driver/guide who is knowledgeable about historical locations, Gaelic place-names, language heartlands, cultural high-spots etc.
Tour Companies
Five Star Day Tour award from Visit Scotland.
Tip: You may wish to consider purchasing a Historic Scotland membership. Free entry to all Historic Scotland properties including Edinburgh castle and more than 300 other historical sites scattered throughout Scotland.
Queens Cross Church in Glasgow is the only completed church designed by Rennie Mackintosh.
Edinburgh Self Catering Victorian Villa
Day Trips & Guided Tours - No Car Required
Visit the Scottish Mining Museum by Lothian bus # 29, 3 or 3a.
Walking Tours Of Edinburgh
Tours of Underground Edinburgh back to the 16th Century.
RebusTours - Guided tours exploring the dark world of Ian Rankins best selling Rebus novels which are mainly set in Edinburgh. Scotland for Golf, St. Andrews - A golf school providing instruction and the opportunity to play on St.Andrews golf course. Pick up from Edinburgh available.
Edinburgh Lothian Bus Route Sites
The Scottish Mining Museum is a 5 Star visitor attraction set in the wonderfully restored Lady Victoria Colliery in Newtongrange, just 9 miles south of Edinburgh. Visitors to the museum can see, hear and feel all the different elements which made up this dangerous, and on occasion deadly, working environment! Café, gift shop and free parking. Open all year. Lothian Regional Transport buses stop at the entrance - nos 29, 3 and 3a.
