Scotland Past & Present: Day Trip Back in Time in Edinburgh - 5fa1879193548d3d3963a82786e8deff
5.0

Scotland Past & Present: Day Trip Back in Time

  • 8 hours
  • Day Trips
  • Edinburgh
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Your local for this experience

Experience hosted by David

  • Private Tour
  • Carbon Neutral

On this tour we will travel 5000 years in a single day. Scotland has a history dating back to 3500 BC on this trip of discovery we will travel back to the neolithic age and slowly make our way forward to the present day.

Destination
Edinburgh, Scotland
Category
Day Trips
Duration
8 hours
Transport mode
Car
Available languages
English
Included
  • Private guide
  • Driver
  • Equipment
  • A/C Car
  • Pick-up Included
Excluded
  • Attraction entrance fees
  • Meals

6 reasons to book this tour

  • Vistit Stone-age Ceremonial Ground
  • Explore the Roman Wall, Castles and Palaces
  • Secret locations not accessible to most tourists
  • Luxury Transport with all the mod cons
  • Friendly and knowledgeable local guide
  • 100% Private and customizable

What you can expect

Scotland Past & Present: Day Trip Back in Time in Edinburgh - 5fa1879193548d3d3963a82786e8deff

In Scotland our history and culture is so diverse and interesting. How good would it be if we could jump into a tardis and travel right back to where it all began, to unravel the story of Scotland's colourful history. That is really what this tour is all about.

Many of our stops are remote and off the beaten track but that only adds to the mystery of the tour. I love the history of our small nation and over the years I have discovered some of the little hidden gems that add colour to the full story. Let me take you on a time travel tour of discovery and adventure as we pass from the stone-age into the Roman invasion of Scotland, on to the battles of Independence and slowly make our way forward to the modern art of the magnificent Kelpies. We will discuss myths and legends and try to discover the real story behind some of Scotland's most famous heroes.

Time travel can be stressful but don't worry, that's what I'm here for. I already know where to go so all you have to do is explore. And the best thing is this can all be done from the comfort and luxury of our well equipped tour van. Life's little comforts are important, even to time travelers. Our tour van is a 9 seater Mercedes Vito with lots of little comfort add ons like seat organisers, hot drink dispenser, table and chairs to allow us to stop where ever we want and individual umbrellas just in case it rains as much back then as it does now in this luscious green country. Enjoy our taste of Scotland treat and possibly a wee dram.

This is your tour so it can be modified to suit your requirements. Some of the locations on this tour are not suitable for limited mobility guests due to remote access.

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with David.

  1. Meeting point

    You will be picked up anywhere in Edinburgh. Your local host will contact you regarding the exact pickup point.

  2. Itinerary

    This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

  3. Cairnpapple Hill

    Explore this ancient ceremonial ground with it standing stine and burial grounds

  4. Antonine Wall

    Discover the site of a Roman wall and fortlet

  5. Linlithgow Palace

    Visit this magnificent palace dating back to the times of King David in the early 1100's but also the birth place of Mary Queen of Scots.

  6. Stirling Castle & surrounding area

    The entire Stirling area is steeped in history of battles and castles from the late 1200's to the Jacobite Rebellions of 1746. We will visit these sites and walk in the footsteps of William Wallace, Robert The Bruce, Mary Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie as Scotland's turbulent history plays out before us.

  7. The Kelpies

    Our final stop will take us to the magnificent Kelpies a modern day interpretation of an old Scottish legend. We will get up close and personal with these incredible beasts.

  8. Drop off

    Drop off will be at a location of your choice within the central belt area of Sotland

  9. Make it yours

    Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

    Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

    Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

I can personalize this tour for you

I can personalize this tour for you

  • Tell me your preferred date and group size
  • Tell me your preferences and wishes so I can customize the tour for you
  • Wait for my personal offer in your inbox!

Flexible cancellation policy

  • Feel confident booking

    Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

  • Change of plans?

    Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

  • Loved by travelers worldwide

    Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

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Steven🇺🇸 United States
25 April 2024
David ran an amazing tour for our group, customizing to ensure we had a great experience. History, stories, and fun along the way, with the best place we had in Scotland at the stop for lunch. Hairy coos and castles, local tastes and sights, what more could you want from a beautiful day!Awesome Tour of Scotland Highlights
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KATHRYN🇺🇸 United States
31 August 2022
Seriously, our much anticipated trip to St. Andrews and the surrounding area was made better, much better, by having an experienced and flexible guide. From our surprise stop at a village where Outlander scenes were filmed, a smooth and informative ride to the golf mecca that the guys will never stop talking about, a terrific pub lunch, and then out to see the Royal Yacht Britannia. I know we wouldn't have been able to see half as much if we didn't have a guide who 'knows the ropes' and David was that guy. Being able to work around traffic issues and keep us all entertained was appreciated - almost as much as providing the best Scottish shortbread cookies I've ever tasted. Don't even think about taking one of these 'once in a lifetime' trips on your own. Can't Imagine A Better Experience
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Mark🇨🇦 Canada
7 May 2022
David was a very well prepared obliging warm friendly host and guide. He took us wherever we asked and knew lots about the areas. A very good sense of humour and intelligent conversationalist. I would definitely recommend him and I would book with him again. Our own personalized tour
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Christa🇺🇸 United States
17 October 2024
We were most looking forward to this activity during our stay and David did not disappoint. He went above and beyond to accommodate/personalize our tour. Would highly recommend. David was the perfect guide.
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Melissa🇸🇪 Sweden
11 August 2024
My family of three enjoyed our time with David. We booked two tours with him during our time in Scotland. I wish we had known how fabulous his tour was going to be. I would have planned the rest of our time differently. David is extremely kind and went out of his way to provide us with a comfortable, flexible trip. I enjoy learning as much as I can when traveling to another country. David is extremely knowledgeable and eager to share his wisdom. An addition to the trip, he provided us with opportunities to try Scottish cuisine and yummy snacks during our drive. An example, we had heard that we needed to try million dollar shortbread. As a kind gesture, while we were on a tour, he went to a cafe and purchased it for us to try. Really a genuine person with a passion to share his knowledge of his homeland. Like traveling with a friend
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Josie🇺🇸 United States
3 September 2023
He tailored our tour to our specific requests. He was very informative, friendly and personable. We had such an amazing day with Dave! Highly recommend!! Great Day with Dave!
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Shanthi 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
28 June 2023
I had a wonderful time on this tour. David designed it perfectly, around my interests and priorities. I got to do exactly what I wanted and wasn't stuck wasting time on things that weren't on my list just because someone else decided that's what a visitor needs to do. David was friendly, professional and so knowledgeable, with fascinating stories about the history and landscape. He's also an excellent driver, clearly very experienced and safe. I can't rate this tour highly enough!Amazing tour!
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Christina🇺🇸 United States
31 May 2023
We had a wonderful day with David, he was such an outstanding host and guide. David had treats and tea on hand for us, and gave us an awesome overview of some historical highlights. David made sure we had time to enjoy the park and was flexible to our needs and interests. We had a great day with David, definitely a highlight of our trip.Lovely day outside the city
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Michele🇺🇸 United States
15 July 2022
We spent 8 hours with David on a tour. He took us to several small villages and let us wander around on our own. David’s knowledge of the local history and wonderful storytelling skills made our learning experience most enjoyable. His lunch suggestion, a local restaurant of Scottish food was spot on delicious. At the end of our day he was happy to alter our drop off point to accommodate our change of plans. Just before he dropped us off, we found out that our group shuttle from Edinburgh to The Open Championship had cancelled our trip. David was available and shuttled two group of 6 to St. Andrews. He is a genuinely nice man, and if we’re ever back in this area, he’s our guide!Great Storyteller and Knowledgeable Guide
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Williamm🇺🇸 United States
24 October 2019
We could not have asked for a better person to guide us around Scotland. David is knowledgeable and worked with our interests to make our tour personalized. I would highly recommend if you are going to Scotland choose David to share your day with. He is an amazing person and a brilliant guide. Best Day Ever!
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Drew🇺🇸 United States
12 October 2019
My family had a grand time with Dave! We would definitely do more tours with him. He was so good to us on our tour, which included my aging mother and my disabled wife. Dave customized the tour to fit our needs, and we had so much fun. He has a very comfortable, spacious van loaded with coffee, tea, and snacks. We laughed and learned a lot as we went from Glasgow to Luss to Inveraray to Oban to Stirling. It was such a fantastic day....Cheers, Dave!Excellent trip! Fantastic guide!
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James🇦🇺 Australia
17 September 2019
David is friendly, knowledgeable and a well organised tour guide. My wife, 13yo son and I went on a day tour from Edinburgh with David. We thoroughly enjoyed the entire day thanks to David. He allowed us to set the pace of the day and gladly added in a couple of additional stops at our request. His history and general knowledge of Scotland is great and he provided us with good information about the places we visited. David is easy going and made a point to include our 13yo in conversations - I would highly recommend him if you are looking for a family focused tour guide. Thanks for a great day out DavidHighly Recommend David
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Angela
8 July 2019
Fantastic tour. David is very knowledgeable & informative. The six of us had a great day seeing the beautiful & historic sites of Scotland in the luxury & comfort of the tour bus. Highly recommended. Fantastic
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Cheryl
3 July 2019
David took us on a wonderful tour of the Highlands and the distillery. He was very entertaining and accommodating to our family tour. He had a lovely snack/picnic for us before we started back. We would absolutely recommend him to anyone who wants to see Scotland entertaining
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Tim
24 June 2019
Great tour guide. Took a full day tour through the beautiful Scottish scenery. Visited towns including luss and inverary. Great guide. Van very comfortable. Love the supplies of tea and coffee. Would recommendgreat tour

Withlocals experiences
are always

Private & personalizedNo strangers, just you. Fully customize your trip to your needs.
With a local expertFrom historical facts to the most up-to-date health regulations.
Without the crowdsExperiences designed to take you away from the crowds towards authentic local spots.

More about me

Hi my name is Dave and like yourself I have a passion for travel. I love to explore and discover the hidden gems that you can find anywhere in the world but sometimes it can take time to find them. That is where a private tour with a knowledgeable local guide stands out. Come with me and I will take you on a voyage of adventure and discovery as we explore the hidden secrets of my beautiful country and its remarkable history.

My adventures are suitable for all and can be modified to meet the needs of any group from high activity thrill seekers to the more sedate scenic explorers. Don’t worry, even our low activity tours will allow you to explore and discover some hidden gems.

As an avid traveller I have experienced many tours and adventures and as such I have a good understanding of what makes a tour stand out. I have used this knowledge and experience in the design all of my tours to provide a fantastic experience for my guests. It is true that adventure and discovery can still be carried out in luxury and comfort and that is my main focus.

I look forward to meeting you and your group as we embark on another adventure which has been modified to provide the unique experience you are looking for during your short visit to my incredible country.

Due to the COVID outbreak I have added some features to all of my tours including the provision of personal hand santiser bottles. Guests will also be asked to spray every time they enter the bus. To help maintain social distancing as much as possible we can also provide fully catered tours including hot drinks, snacks and lunch (where requested) with our own portable tables. Your safety is our priority. Keep safe and keep travelling.

Now it is time to see Scotland your way.

Dave C

Other experiences with David

€220.59per person