Glenfinnan Viaduct, Glencoe & Loch Shiel
1 Day Tour from Edinburgh
Overview
Join us on a spectacular day trip from Edinburgh to Glenfinnan, Glencoe & Loch Shiel. At Glencoe you’ll get an insight into how people lived here around the time of the infamous Glencoe massacre of 1692.
At Glenfinnan you’ll have time to get up to the best viewpoints to capture the Jacobite Steam Train steaming its way over the 21 iconic arches of the Glenfinnan Viaduct. *
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Small Group Tours
Max 16 Persons
Tour Duration
08:30 – 20:30
From Edinburgh we’ll pass Stirling Castle, historically and architecturally one of Scotland’s most important castles. The Highland town of Callander is where we’ll make our first stop of the day for morning refreshments.
You’ll see shimmering lochs and magnificent mountain scenery as we make our way through wild Rannoch Moor to spectacular Glencoe. Filming for the James Bond movie Skyfall took place on this stretch of road, so have your camera ready as we follow 007’s trail.
We’ll have time to explore this stunning area which was also used as backdrop scenery in several Harry Potter films. One of Scotland’s darkest periods in Scottish history, the Glencoe massacre, took place at Glencoe in 1692. 38 men, women and children of the clan MacDonald were murdered by government forces as they slept.
At the Glencoe Turf House, you ‘ll be able to see what life must have been like for the 500-600 strong community that lived here in 17th century Glencoe.
At Glenfinnan you’ll have ample time to walk up to the best viewpoints to see the Jacobite Steam train (the Hogwarts Express) cross over the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct. You’ll also get stunning views of Loch Shiel and the Glenfinnan Monument.
Glenfinnan isn’t only famous for its Harry Potter connection, Bonnie Prince Charlie first raised the Jacobite Standard in his fabled but ultimately doomed attempt to re-take the thrones of Scotland, England & Ireland. Learn more at the excellent exhibition in the visitor centre and be sure to visit the monument on the shores of Loch Shiel that marks the spot.
Walk down to the shores of Loch Shiel (Hogwarts Lake aka the Black Lake), we are certain that you’ll be safe from any lurking Grindylows.
Our return to Edinburgh will take us through Fort William and if we are lucky enough, we might see the top of Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain.
Our final stop is at Pitlochry where we’ll have a short break before we return you to Edinburgh where your Glenfinnan Viaduct, Glencoe & Loch Shiel tour will end.
Please Note:
* The Jacobite Steam Train doesn’t operate from 28th Oct 2023 until the beginning of April 2024. You will still be able see the Glenfinnan Viaduct & visit Glenfinnan Monument.
1 Day Glenfinnan Viaduct Tour from Edinburgh
Departure & Return
Departs Bus Stand opposite Howie’s, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh
Check-in 07:45
Departs 08:00
Ends 20:00 (approx).
Returns to Bus Stand opposite Howie’s, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh
Late Arrivals
In the event you are late for any reason in arriving at your departure point and as result miss your tour, you will not be entitled to a refund.
Children
We regret that we do not carry children under the age of 5 on our scheduled tours.
What’s Included
Transport in a 16-seat mini coach
Coach Air Filtration System as standard
Air Conditioning as standard
Services of an English-speaking driver-guide
Glenfinnan Monument
Meals & Refreshments
What to Bring
In Scotland we can get 4 seasons in 1 day, so we suggest bringing suitable clothing for all conditions, including a waterproof jacket and layers of clothing.
Shoes that are suitable for short walks on uneven paths and rough terrain. Don’t forget to bring sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, and your camera to capture fantastic memories you’ll make on tour with us!
Most attractions & eating establishments we visit accept card payments, however we recommend bringing some cash with you.
Luggage
This is limited to one piece of luggage (like an airline cabin bag) with a maximum weight of 15kg per person. For guidance, measurements should be no more than 65cm x 45cm x 30cm / 25in x 18in x 12in. You are allowed one small carry-on bag for onboard personal items.
Cancellation Policy
If you cancel this tour 48 hours or more prior to departure – you will be refunded 90% of the tour price.
Cancellations made less than 48 hours prior to departure – no refund will be due.
Cancellations must be made in writing. For further information please refer to our terms and conditions.
Tour Highlights
Callander, Rannoch Moor, Glencoe, see the Jacobite Steam train cross the Glenfinnan Viaduct, Glenfinnan Monument, Loch Shiel (the Black Lake) Fort William, Ben Nevis, and Pitlochry.
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Please have a look at some customer experiences with Discover Scotland Tours.
28/03/23 – Arina & Basil
We passed by the Kelpies and got to take a picture with them, we passed a little by Stirling Castle (this is probably the only extra thing we would’ve wanted to check out on the same day, but I realize that it isn’t possible in such a short timeframe.). Glencoe, Fort Williams, all the landscapes we saw on our way to the Glenfinnan Viaduct were all amazing and we took some great photos. And of course, the Glenfinnan Viaduct was also great and it satisfied the inner Harry Potter geek. Frank was an amazing tour leader and everytime we passed something, he was always on point with historical information and fun facts. We absolutely loved to listen to him and engage with different conversations. A very careful driver as well, I might say, never rushed. We felt very safe on our travel route with him. He paid attention to details, offered to help us with the photos as well, just absolutely lovely. 10/10 would recommend the tour itself and Frank as the tour leader 🙂
16/03/23 – Laurence
I had a really good time on the tour! Marco our guide was very friendly and was very accommodating and informative. I learned a lot of Scottish history from him. The tour was also perfect and not too tiring and allowed me to see more of Scotland.
20/02/23 – Ireneo
Thank you Discover Scotland Tours for an amazing experience! It was comfortable, fun and memorable. Thanks to Kuya James for the warmth and for handling the whole tour safe and fun! 6 out of 5 stars!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
13/01/23 – Amy
We had a great day and our tour guide was great. Very knowledgeable about the area and the history. I would like to thank you for still going ahead with the tour even though we were the only two people on the tour. It felt like our very own private tour and it was an amazing day.
04/11/22 – Pauline, Liane, Andreas
As I did the tour with my parents, which were visiting me here in Edinburgh and never have been to Scotland before, I wanted to take them on a versatile tour that shows them all of the beauty Scotland has to offer. The Glenfinnan & Highlands Tour was the best choice I could’ve made, as it captured a broad extent of what Scotland has to offer. Especially our tour guide, James, was the best person we could’ve wished for. My parents don’t speak English very well and he tried to talk slowly and understandable while being extremely polite and attentive to all the needs of the people on the coach. I’ve been to a few Scotland tours before, but this one was the absolute best. Especially because it was only a group of ca. 14 people attending the trip, which made the whole experience way more familiar. The stories and information James had to offer were impressive and he was able to find a perfect combination of speaking and letting us admire the views at all times. Even though the Jacobite steam train wasn’t operating at that time, the experience was impressive nonetheless. Especially because our tour guide made a few extra stops to show us as much as possible. I will definitely book another tour at Discover Scotland Tours and can’t stress enough what an amazing day this has been. I’m very glad I found the website randomly while searching for Scotland tours from Edinburgh.
05/10/22 – Laura and Alex
We had the best day ever! The time of my life really! Thanks to James our tour guide who was the best we could ever ask for! We loved the amazing stories he told us making the tour even more magical! James is a great storyteller, and a great person too! Funny, helpful and made us feel like home! It was our first time in Scotland, so we were very excited for this trip, because we waited 2 years due to the pandemic to travel, and the tour day was my favourite day of the hole week in Scotland, it was beyond anything I ever dreamed! Mindblowing! We will come back to Scotland to take another tour next time for sure, because we fell in love with the Highlands! The Glenfinnan viaduct was the best! I was tearful all the time, a true Potterhead drunk with happiness! 🙂 Very magical seeing the viaduct and the train (again crying the hole time)! I dreamed with that day for more than 20 years..so it was really special and the memories will stay close to my heart for the rest of my life! From my heart, thanks especially to James, I know driving the hole day can be hard in those conditions raining all day, but he kept his light spirit and humor all the way, just great, providing us with the best day ever!
15/09/22 – Vanessa
We had long dreamed of Glenfinnan and Glencoe, little did we know the spectacular fascination that would await us. James brought every destination to life far beyond even our most hopeful expectation. From the very beginning he made us feel right at home. The journey to each place was filled with folklore and history to rival even the most studied expert. Captivating Scottish music played thoughtfully to accompany the places of most significance. We truly felt like we were walking in the footsteps of these historical characters. James careful driving and kind safety reminders ensured we reached our destination soundly. He knew to plan ahead as well since we arrived the first tour bus in each location-affording plenty of time to get ourselves comfortable and scope out the best view. We enjoyed splendid conversation along the way as James related tidbits of the culture, local suggestions and personal anecdotes. It was evident James truly loves his job, making this a tour unlike any other. 100% RECOMMEND WHOLEHEARTEDLY!
16/08/22 – Fabio
I took part of Glenfinnan Viaduct & the Highlands Tour on Tuesday 16th and I wanna use just one word to review it: INCREDIBLE. Amazing places, well planned route and, most important of all, Frank, our incredible tour leader. He was so polite and kind with everyone. He told us several curiosities about Scotland and the Highlands, always smiling and with a good mood. He knows everything about these lands and it was a pleasure listening to his anecdotes and curious facts. Luckily I found this tour surfing on the web, my holidays in Scotland wouldn’t be so special so far. Thank you for the amazing experience – unmissable not only for fans of Harry Potter.
04/08/22 – Tori
We were 4 people with different expectations to the trip. They were all met. Beautiful nature, storytelling from Scotland and wonderful Harry Potter memories put into life. The bus was very comfortable and the driver very kind and helpful. The driver was also the guide and provided us with useful information and he was a wonderful storyteller. The trip is warmly recommended.
25/07/22 – Caroline
Our tour date was 25th July and our driver, John, was a delight. Very informative, easy going and friendly but not too chatty as some guides can be. The tour itinerary was perfect, with just enough breaks to make it relaxing and the highlight of our holiday in Scotland. Will most definitely book again if we are ever in your area again.
FAQs
The Jacobite Steam Train is scheduled to operate from April 3rd 2023 – 27th October 2023. We aim to reach Glenfinnan in time to see the train crossing (subject to the train operating per their timetable). There is a great viewpoint to get photos of the train as it travels across the viaduct.
Seats are chosen on a first come first serve basis, we are unable to take requests for specific seats. Our mini coaches all have panoramic windows so the beautiful Scottish landscape can always be enjoyed, no matter where you sit.
If you suffer from motion sickness, then you may be affected by the roads in Scotland. They can be twisty and narrow. It’s best to come prepared with a travel sickness preventative, whether that be medicinal, wristbands or another option, to ensure it doesn’t impact your overall enjoyment of the tour.
