Day Tours

Glasgow has often been described as Britain's finest Victorian City and has inherited not just the boldness of its Victorian entrepreneurs but also a cultural and commercial legacy, which stretches back through generations. Located on the river Clyde, Glasgow was once one of the great shipbuilding cities of the world. Sadly, much of the shipbuilding has long since gone but Glasgow's culture and history lingers on. Charles Rennie Mackintosh one of the most celebrated of Scottish Art Noveau architects has stamped his own idiosyncratic mark on the city and his work can be seen everywhere you look. Other highlights of the city include Glasgow Cathedral, George Square, the Gallery of Modern Art, the Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, the People’s Palace & the Winter Gardens.

Guests will enjoy a short tour of Glasgow city highlights by coach.

Afterwards guests will enjoy a unique walking tour through Glasgow's Merchant City with a local "Invisible Cities" guide. This social enterprise has trained people who were in homeless in the city as local guides so they can tell their story alongside the history of Glasgow.

Starting at the People's Palace, your guide will share their experience of Glasgow, their time selling the Big Issue on the streets and their choices of stories of "Crimes & Punishment" in Glasgow's Merchant City. Guests will finish their journey by the Duke of Wellington's Statue- a Glaswegian legend & a perfect photo opportunity!

Pricing

Dates

Time

What to Bring

What is Included

Glasgow's stills are flowing again at the Clydeside Single Malt Scotch Whisky Distillery. Opened in 2017, it is the first dedicated Single Malt distillery in Glasgow for over 100 years. The Clydeside Distillery is located within the Pumphouse building which once controlled entry into the famous Glasgow Queen's Dock. The Pumphouse was originally designed to provide hydraulic power to operate the swing bridge, servicing the commercial dock which witnessed the export of whisky with ships destined for all continents of the world.

Wander around the Dockside Story in the self-guided part of the tour. Discover fascinating tales about Glasgow's history in the heyday of the Queen's Dock and the birth of the whisky industry. 

Next, an expert guide will show you around The Clydeside Distillery. Meet their lively craftsmen as they handcraft pure new make spirit using traditional methods and time-honoured skills. Enjoy the spectacular view over the River Clyde from the gleaming contemporary Still House.

Finally, come to the exclusive Blender’s Room with magnificent views for a mouth-watering, multi-sensory experience. Savour 5 carefully selected drams of Single Malt Whisky. Each dram is perfectly paired with artisan chocolate handcrafted by the renowned Scottish chocolatier, Sugarsnap. The Artisan Chocolate is made using superior cocoa beans and is combined with locally sourced Scottish ingredients to dramatic effect.

Pricing

Dates

Time

What to Bring

What is Included

Explore one of the National Trust for Scotland’s grandest properties, with luxurious rooms, an extraordinary art collection, vast servants’ quarters and scenic surroundings. Discover the sumptuous array of artefacts, enjoy a stroll through Pollok Country Park and sample the delicious delights in the Edwardian Kitchen café.

Pollok House was where it all began, back in 1931. The discussions for the founding of the National Trust for Scotland took place inside Pollok’s cedar-panelled smoking room. This elegant stately home, set in the scenic surroundings of Pollok Country Park on the outskirts of Glasgow, is an example of Georgian grandeur that would be at home in a Jane Austen novel.

On a private pre-opening tour, discover Pollok House’s upper floors for a fascinating insight into the upper-class Edwardian lifestyle. The opulent family rooms are packed full of period furniture and artefacts; the library was designed to hold 7,000 books. An impressive art collection was amassed by Sir William Stirling Maxwell, including an extraordinary number of Spanish paintings and portraits of the Habsburg rulers. You can also admire the unfinished portrait of Sir John Maxwell, started in 1822 and thought to be Raeburn’s last painting.

As the house opens to the public, guests will venture below stairs where a labyrinth of tiled passageways is an eye-opener to the scale of work it took to run this house. At its heyday, Pollok had 48 members of staff to look after just 3 residents. Guests will enjoy access to rooms not usually open to the public.

Afterwards they'll enjoy morning coffee in the cafe.

Pricing

Dates

Time

What to Bring

What is Included

This tour will travel to Scotland's Capital city, Edinburgh. As part of the tour we will visit Edinburgh Castle. During your visit you will be able to see the Scottish Crown Jewels, known officially as The Honours of Scotland (older by far than those of England!) as well as the Stone of Scone on which Kings and Queens have been crowned for over a thousand years, the present Queen included.

Guests will enjoy morning coffee while at the castle.

After visiting the castle guests can walk down through the Old Town of Edinburgh, along the “Royal Mile”. This historic street runs from the Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse & has for many centuries been the hub of the city’s life. Guests will have time to shop and have lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon they will visit the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official Scottish residence of Her Majesty the Queen. Forever associated with that unhappy lady Mary, Queen of Scots who spent six years of her uneasy reign here and the setting for one of the best documented murders in history, the Palace nestles beneath the towering crags of Arthur’s Seat.

A short Panoramic tour of the city will also be included.

Pricing

Dates

Time

What to Bring

What is Included

Located in the Kingdom of Fife on the East Coast of Scotland, this sea-coast town has come to be acknowledged as the world capital of golf and is also the seat of Scotland’s oldest university, founded in 1410. The imposing cliff top ruin of a 12th century cathedral is a testament to its additional importance as the ecclesiastical centre of Scotland throughout the Middle Ages, when countless pilgrims came to worship at a shrine believed to hold the bones of Scotland’s patron – Saint Andrew.

Present day pilgrims come principally to play a round or two on one of the world famous courses, particularly the Old Course which is indeed the oldest in the world, dating back to the 15th century. 

It is overlooked by the sea-coastal Club House in which the rules for the game are still determined by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club which was founded in 1754.

It is possible to walk over the links but pay attention to the wayward golf balls.

On arrival there will be a short Panoramic Tour of the town so guests can orientate themselves. Guests will then visit the castle & the cathedral and then enjoy lunch in a local restaurant. Afterwards they will have free time so they can explore the boutique shops, the quadrangles of the University or walk along the beaches where “Chariots of Fire” was filmed.

Pricing

Dates

Time

What to Bring

What is Included

Restored internally by the National Trust for Scotland to look almost exactly as it did in 1904, the Hill House is an architectural gem, with many fascinating family stories waiting to be told. Working to a commission from Glasgow publisher Walter Blackie, celebrated architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife, artist Margaret Macdonald, designed almost everything you can see here, from the building itself to the furniture and textiles. 

Visit Hill House and discover the visually arresting mix of Arts & Crafts, Art Nouveau, Scottish Baronial and Japonisme architecture and design.

Mackintosh was a revolutionary designer, but the materials and techniques at the cutting edge of architectural design in 1900 haven’t withstood a century of the west of Scotland’s harsh, wet weather conditions. The external render of the property has not proved watertight and the walls have gradually become saturated and are crumbling, with water now threatening the interiors.

To protect the Hill House, NTS embarked on a pioneering 10 year conservation programme in 2019. The first stage has seen the construction of the Hill House Box, a protective steel frame structure covered in a chainmail mesh designed to protect the house from the rain. This will allow the walls to dry and prevent further damage.

Arguably as pioneering as the Hill House in 1904, the Box, along with a new visitor centre, will deliver a unique visitor experience.

Guests will discover parts of the Hill House usually hidden from view on the walkways around the house and for those with a head for heights, they can venture onto the walkway over the roof to see the house in a way that even Mackintosh himself could not experience! While on the walkways, enjoy the spectacular views of Helensburgh and the surrounding area.

Today guests will be able to explore Hill House in peace without the usual crowds an hour before it opens to the public.

Located just 30 minutes north of Glasgow, and described by many as Queen of Scottish Lochs and 'Gateway to the Highlands', Loch Lomond measures 23 miles long and five miles wide, making it the single largest expanse of fresh water in Great Britain. Over 200 metres in depth, it's also Scotland’s third deepest Loch. But it's what happens on and around the water that perhaps makes the Loch most special. Wildlife, a mysterious floating island, stately homes, ruins - Loch Lomond has them all in abundance, all just waiting to be explored.

Sit back and relax on this one-hour round trip with live commentary. You'll venture out beyond stately homes and the magnificent Ben Lomond – Scotland's most southerly Munro. Then it's onwards past Inchmurrin Island, the largest of Loch Lomond's 33 islands and home to the ruins of the 12th Century Lennox Castle where Mary Queen of Scots once stayed, before returning along the east shoreline passing Balloch Castle & Country Park.

Afterwards, guests will visit the conservation village of Luss. This picturesque spot was the film location for many years of a popular Scottish soap opera and is still a haven for pedestrians as only locals are allowed their cars in the main part of the village. Guests have a chance to explore on foot; experience the local craft shops and the lovely views across the Loch.

After lunch by the loch, guests continue into the Trossachs to explore this beautiful countryside & stop off for a visit to one of the local towns before returning to Glasgow.

Pricing

Dates

Time

What to Bring

What is Included