Express Explorer West to East

Tour Summary

• Arrive in Glasgow -

  We provide a sightseeing guide to Glasgow’s main attractions and recommended restaurants. The guide also includes directions for a short drive west from Glasgow to Loch Lomond, so you can choose between staying in the vibrant city, or in a scenic rural location in the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park.

  Stopover in Glasgow / Loch Lomond Area

• Glasgow to Skye -

  On the first leg of this 3 day tour from Glasgow, you drive west to the shores of Loch Lomond where you cross the geological boundary that delineates the start of the “Highlands”.

  When you get to Loch Lomond, you may wish to join a loch cruise, or take a journey break at a haunted coaching inn that has changed little in the last 300 years. Heading north, you enter the wild and barren landscape of Rannoch Moor on your way to Glen Coe.

  After Glen Coe, it is just a short hop to Fort William, but we also supply a longer route option that lets you visit Glenfinnan where you can see the viaduct made famous by the Harry Potter movies. 

  From Fort William, you travel past Ben Nevis and through the Great Glen where sightings of a strange creature have been seen in Loch Lochy. We can’t promise any monster sightings, but we will give you the option of a detour to one of the best viewpoints in Scotland.

  On the drive to the Skye bridge, you pass the iconic Eilean Donan castle and we will give you tips on where to go for a good photo.

  Explore Skye - We provide directions for a road trip around the Isle of Skye that includes the famous scenic landmarks of Skye plus Dunvegan Castle, Talisker Distillery, craft shops, tearooms, pubs, and walks. However, you really need a full day (preferably more) for sightseeing on Skye.

  Driving Distance: ~175 miles

  Stopover in Skye & Lochalsh area

• Skye to Inverness -

  This is a relatively short drive so you can spend a morning exploring Skye, or leave early and spend the afternoon exploring around Loch Ness and Inverness.

  The drive to Inverness takes you back past Eilean Donan castle, but we also suggest a small detour so that you can visit Plockton, which is one of the prettiest villages in Scotland. Travelling east, you come to Loch Ness and a choice of routes to Inverness. You can either follow the more direct road past Urquhart Castle and the various “Nessie” attractions, OR you can follow an arguably more scenic drive that passes along the quieter southern side of Loch Ness.

  The day ends in the vibrant town of Inverness, “Capital of the Highlands”. Our guide gives you recommendations on where to eat and where to find live music.

  For an extended stay in Inverness, or if you arrive early in the afternoon, we supply some short touring routes by car that explore;

  • Culloden battlefield, Clava Cairns, Cawdor Castle and Fort George.
  • The Black Isle where you find pretty villages and dolphin spotting boat trips.

  Driving Distance: ~115 miles

  Stopover in Inverness Area.

• Inverness to Edinburgh -

  This is a route that is packed with sightseeing opportunities.

  For the first journey leg, from Inverness to Pitlochry, we supply the option of a direct route, or a longer scenic drive that travels via Grantown on Spey and the Rothiemurchus Forest. Both routes include the option of a visit to the historical battlefield of Culloden Moor.

  We recommend you take a break from the driving and schedule a stop at the quaint Victorian Spa town of Pitlochry where you can visit the Salmon Ladder and a Whisky Distillery (or two). Also nearby is the grand Blair castle which boasts its own private army, the Atholl Highlanders, and is a good place to see hairy Highland coos.

  The second journey leg takes you to Stirling, where you can visit the Castle & Wallace Monument, before joining the motorway for a fast drive to Edinburgh.

  Driving Distance: ~185 miles

  Stopover in Edinburgh.

• Explore Edinburgh -

  Edinburgh is a compact city and easy to explore on foot. We provide directions for 3 walking routes that show you different sides of the Capital city; a walk down the historical Royal Mile, a riverside walk to the Botanic Gardens that escapes the hustle & bustle of city life and a more energetic walk to Arthur’s Seat with a good pub at the end. Edinburgh boasts a great range of atmospheric old pubs and we steer you to a selection of our favourites.

  The guide also includes some options for day trips around the surrounding area by car or bus / train.

  The driving day trips from Edinburgh take you to West Lothian, where you can visit many of the sites used in the filming of “Outlander”, and to East Lothian, where you can visit some spectacular castle ruins, a distillery, pretty villages and embark on boat trips to see the Bass Rock.