We have lived in Scotland for most of our lives, yet we have never had the time to take a guided tour of our magnificent country.
For half term we are rapidly running out of ideas to amuse the children (daughter Karam 8yrs old and son Jeevan 6yrs old), until an email from Rabbies Tours pings into my inbox. Fabulous idea, let's take a day trip around Scotland.
So we opted for Lochs, Glens, Wallace Monument & Whisky day tour, something to keep everyone amused. Despite the fact that we were only coming from the southside of Glasgow we were the last people to arrive at our pickup point. There was one other couple who had travelled from Mexico, and were here for a short break, and a young man who had travelled from Australia and this was the last stop on his UK tour. Lucky for us it was a small group and the driver had the courtesy to wait until we arrived at pickup point, despite the fact that we were twenty minutes late!!
It was great that we were in such a small group. As a result the tour was much more intimate and it meant that all our questions were promptly answered and the tour could be tailor made for us. First stop was the Wallace monument. You have to pay entry fee which can be quite costly if you are a family of four, even with the Rabbies discount. The cost prior to discount, for two adults and two children is £24.25. The walk up to the monument is beautiful and breathtaking, in every meaning of the word! Our breathe was literally taken away as it's very steep, especially for a bunch of people who are as unfit as us. As we approached the top we began to wish we had taken the bus that takes you to the top! But then we wouldn't have taken in such wonderful sights. The monument itself has 264 narrow winding steps, once you reach the top you realise that it is well worth the effort. It is absolutely stunning scenery. The walk down wasn't quite as bad. There's a cafe at the bottom of the hill so we treated ourselves to cups of steaming hot coffee for the adults, hot chocolate for the children and some delicious chocolate muffins!
Next stop Aberfeldy. The drive was spectacular, the Scottish countryside is truly beautiful, and it was lovely to be out admiring it! We stopped by the tourist office to see what Aberfeldy had to offer. Unfortunately there was only enough time for lunch, which we had at The Fountain, a pub lunch. Then it was time to go and visit the Dewar's Whisky Distillery. Not a whisky lover, even I found this quite interesting, despite the fact that the smell was overpowering. They have a great wee visitors centre.
The drive through to Killin was also quite stunning. We stopped off to check out the amazing waterfalls and then headed back through Loch Lomond and over the Erskine Bridge back to Glasgow.
Overall despite the hidden costs, it was a fantastic day out, one which I totally recommend. Great way to keep the children occupied whilst at the same time they learn the history of our glorious land.
Rabbies Day Tour: Lochs, Glens, Wallace Monument & Whisky 1 Day Tour.
A journey through the Celtic heartlands of the central Highlands, taking in the Wallace Monument, built in memory of one of Scotland's greatest heroes; a whisky distillery; the splendour of Loch Tay, an area abundant with ancient stone circles; Killin and the Falls of Dochart and finally Loch Lomond National Park.
Departs:09:00Returns: 19:00
Adult Prices: from £33Discount Prices: from £30
Departs: Friday & Sunday (all year)
http://www.rabbies.com/glasgow_tour_pages/lochs_glens_wallace_whisky_g_tour.asp?lng=en