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 29th Oct 2022 until the beginning of April 2023. 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.
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.
17/07/22 – Meg
I absolutely loved the tour! It allowed me to get around and see all the sights and more without spending an absolute fortune. I loved that it was a smaller bus/group that meant we could stop for some extra photo spots and take in the beautiful scenery. Our tour guide was awesome, he has an absolute wealth of knowledge and was really easy to get along with, I loved that he knew the ‘better’ more local places to get coffee/food rather than just stopping at the tourist spots along the way and that he could recommend a bunch of places around Scotland. Absolutely loved the tour!
01/07/22 – Barry and Anne
We had a most enjoyable day on this trip to Glenfinnan Viaduct, Glencoe and Loch Shiel. Our Driver (Frank) was a fountain of knowledge, very accommodating and nothing was a problem for him. All in all I don’t think that anything could be done to improve the experience. Thank you once again.
19/06/22 – Cian & Jia Le
The tour leader, Marco, was brilliant. Really insightful and engaging with everyone on the tour. He gave us a lot of historical background to the places we visited, kept an excellent time frame for our stops and allowed us a few extra photo stops along the way. My wife and I had an amazing time and we will definitely be choosing Discover Scotland Tours for any future day trips we will take. The smaller tour group size worked very well in my opinion and allowed a more personal and unique experience compared to going with a large tour group. We really enjoyed the tour immensely and would like to thank Marco and the whole team for getting the tour organised and having it run so smoothly all day.
03/06/22 – Yasha
The tour was marvelous, I couldn’t expect more. This was my first time in Scotland and Thanks to John, I’m in love with Scotland. John is amazing and knows what he is doing. He is humble and generous. A true example to say Scottish people are the best in this world. For sure, I am coming back to Scotland very soon and will need your help to know it better. Thank you so much for being a part of my journey and making me fall in love with Scotland. Way to go.
FAQs
The Jacobite Steam Train is scheduled to operate from April 4th – 28th October 2022. 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.
