Day or half day tours out of Edinburgh?
 

We are considering a Rabbies or Timberbush tour out of Edinburgh (or any other suggested company), to see more of the countryside of Scotland. Has anyone been on one of these tours recently - any feedback?

Choices of sights to see include:
Loch Ness, Glencoe, Highlands
Loch Lomond, Trossachs, Stirling Castle
West Highland Lochs, Mountains, Castles
St. Andrews & Fife
Highland Lochs, Glens, & Dewar Whiskey

If we are more interested in diverse natural beauty (as seen in the movie Braveheart, for example) rather than tourist demonstrations, shopping, or canned dialogue, can you recommend which of the above itineraries might best suit us?

Thank you in advance.

Both companies are really excellent. None of their trips AKAIK include much/any shopping/canned touristy 'stuff'

>>as seen in the movie Braveheart, for example<<

. . . most of Braveheart was filmed in Ireland. But quite a lot was filmed in and near Glencoe.

Loch Lomond, Trossachs, Stirling Castle, did that one with Timberbush and think we got a driver/tour guide that was not the best of Timberbush. It was a long rainy day in the bus. Sterling Castle was not my fav, I loved Edinburgh castle more. We really didn't want to do the boat ride since it was raining so walked around the grounds till those that did it came back. Stopped for lunch by some woolen mill and grabbed a pork pie from the butcher. I did sort of see a Highland cow from the bus window. If you have a lot of time then do it but we wish we had explored more of the city.

when are you visiting?,if in the wintertime I would avoid the ones involving the highlands as you will be on the bus a long time and the amount of daylight is pretty limited in deep winter.
there are a few companies that do tours of the Border areas sometimes taking in Roslynn chapel( DaVinci code),Glenkinchie distillery and Melrose Abbey as well as other places. the countryside is very nice and it is much less time actually sat on the bus.

<i> Day or half day tours out of Edinburgh?
Posted by: itspat on Sep 28, 13 at 7:40pm</i>

Take city bus 15 to Rosslyn Chapel.

I've not been on any of the tours. We've enjoyed our 3 separate trips to Scotland but we are by no means experts. However, I think the west has the bigger wow factor and is what you think of when you imagine Scotland.

I'd opt for the Glencoe one.

I'd do the West Highlands one. I have never taken one of these tours, and both these companies get a great name. There are others, who seem to put more emphasis on scenery- I say that simply from googling; not direct experience.

Take city bus 15 to Rosslyn Chapel. That is a what I wish we would have done. I hated the long day in the bus. Depends upon when you are going as to the daylight you will have. Some people seem to love the all day tours but I would try for a shorter one if you have limited time in Edinburgh.

Great - thank you all very much for your advice!

It will be in late October, so not sure if daylight issues will be a problem? Most of the tours say they leave between 8:00-9:00 and return between 18:30-20:30 (wide range, I know, depending on the specific tour). We also found another company called Highlands Experience.

As far as going to Rosslyn via city bus, can you describe how it might play out - how much time on the bus, how much beautiful countryside can you see, how many stops does the bus make, what are approximate hours of this bus (earliest to leave, latest to depart, how frequently does it run), what else can be done in the area without transportation besides Rosslyn Chapel.

Would you recommend any other city bus trip that would take us a bit farther out from the city and yet see some interesting and different landscape?

Thanks.

Just found the 15 timetable. Which bus stop is best in Edinburgh? We are staying right near Waverley Station.

<i>itspat on Sep 29, 13 at 10:25am
As far as going to Rosslyn via city bus, can you describe how it might play out - how much time on the bus, how much beautiful countryside can you see, how many stops does the bus make, what are approximate hours of this bus (earliest to leave, latest to depart, how frequently does it run), what else can be done in the area without transportation besides Rosslyn Chapel.</i>
<i>Just found the 15 timetable. Which bus stop is best in Edinburgh? We are staying right near Waverley Station.</i>

I caught bus 15 at York Place and got off at George Street on my return. It runs hourly (xx:40) and takes 40 minutes to get to Rosslyn Chapel. I had a day bus pass (&pound;3.00 in 2009). Entry to Rosslyn was &pound;6.00 for seniors. I'm a geezer! Prices and schedules have probably changed. I don't recall anything remarkable about the road scenery. Everything was green and blooming in May. I don't have a map of Edinburgh handy.

If you have a few minutes can you stop at the lost and found office in Waverly Station and see if they have a black wool fedora, made in Italy. I lost mine on the train from Glasgow.

What else to do?
Have a look, and dinner if it's in your price range, at the Witchery. I ate there years ago.
Have a pint in Deacon Brody's pub.
I had an excellent meal of venison medallions at Maison Blue on Victoria Street. The venison was perfect. This is a small French style restaurant. With a half bottle of cabernet sauvignon it came to &pound;24.80.
I had an excellent lunch at the North Bridge Brasserie Bar in the Scotsman Hotel. Menu item "A Tasting of the Sea" was right on. With a pint of St. Andrew's ale it came to &pound;22.00 with a small tip.

get the 15 right outside the top level of Waverley station(at the top of Waverley steps) right next to the North British Hotel. You need to be on the station side of the road.Bus will take about 50 minutes depending on traffic and will cost £1.50 each way,though you can buy a day ticket for £3.50.you must have exact change for the bus as the driver can't give change.
the stop in Roslynn is only a few hundered yards from the chaple,there are a few places in the village for food and drink right beside the bus stops.
You will see it called Roslin or Roslynn, I can never work out why the different spellings but you will see both in the village.as you approach the village on the left hand side is Roslin institute (now part of Edinburgh University) this is where Dolly the Sheep was created.