Stirling Castle, Kelpies and Loch Lomond from Edinburgh
Recommended by 95% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Edinburgh, Scotland
- 10 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Experience the history and beauty of Scotland’s Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park on a full-day trip from Edinburgh. Traveling by coach, visit the Kelpies Monument and Stirling Castle, associated with Scottish historical heroes William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. Admire the Trossachs’ mountain-and-lake scenery as you meet Scotland’s famous Highland cows. Entrance fees at own expense.
- Discover top Scottish sights on a day trip from Edinburgh
- Visit the Kelpies Monument and Stirling Castle in one day
- Flexibility to customize your itinerary to your own preferences
What's Included
- All taxes, fees and handling charges
- Experienced 'Hairy Coo' Driver-Guide providing live commentary and story telling throughout
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Regular Comfort Breaks
- No Food or drinks
- No restrooms onboard
- Admission Fee - Optional Loch Lomond boat cruise not included (£18.50 Adult 16+, £14.50 Youth 13-15 yrs, £11.50 Child 7-12 yrs).£18.50 per person
- Admission Fee - Optional visit to Stirling Castle (£20.50 Adult, £12.50 Child, £16.50 Concession 65yrs+).£20.50 per person
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Burns Monument1759 Regent Rd, Edinburgh EH8 8DR, UK
We meet in front of Burns Monument, at 1759 Regent Road, Edinburgh. What3Words: ///allow.topped.joined CHECK-IN IS AT 8:15 AM, BUS DEPARTS AT 8:30 AM SHARP.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Start time.8:30 am
Itinerary
1
The Kelpies & The Helix
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Balloch
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Aberfoyle (Pass By)
Callander (Pass By)
3
Stirling Castle
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
4
South Queensferry
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Edinburgh
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- There are opportunities to take short nature walks, it is recommended to bring suitable clothing and footwear.
- Minimum age to travel is 7 years old. Photo ID, such as a passport, may be required. Children (8-17) must be accompanied by an adult.
- This tour in an air-conditioned coach, hosted by a local Scottish guide, rated 5-stars by the official Scottish Tourist Board
- There are regular stops on tour to purchase food and refreshments that cater for most dietary requirements
- There are regular stops on tour for comfort breaks
- No animals allowed on tour
- For insurance purposes, passengers must not be unaccompanied on our buses during tour stops. Drivers take legally required breaks and cannot stay with the vehicle.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Alina_G
Paul S provided wonderful heartfelt introduction to Scottish culture through storytelling and music between the destinations - not an easy task as both driver and guide. He is very knowledgeable, patient (non English chatty family) and resourceful - he went above and beyond to ensure our experience was exceptional. Special scenic drive plus got to see hairy coos!!
What a treat !! Highly recommend this tour with Paul S !!
Reviews
4.8
based on 322 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
WilliamP_B, Aug 2026
Must be in good shape to climb steps. Take money for admission to Sterling Castle.
Great driver (Howard) and guide.
AngeMarie_H, Aug 2026
This is a laid back, all-day tour that provided plenty of flexibility and responsiveness to guest’s preferences. Our driver/guide, Bob, was personable and flexible, even allowing us to take longer or shorter time at a particular stop based on the group’s preferences! We got to meet some actual Hairy Coos (the name of the company) on our way to Stirling Castle, and he showed us lots of locales that were inspirations or settings for movies (like Braveheart) tv shows (like Outlander). 10/10!
Besma_A, Aug 2026
Mike was great at narrating and guiding us through the trip. I didn't expect the 'Coo's feeding' to be my favourite but it was 😁. The highlands were magnificent. I haven't felt that kinda of awe in years! Well, worth the time and effort! Only, wish kids younger than 7 years old, could come as well. It's such a great family activity.
Darla_L, Jul 2026
This was a full day of touring with with Neil.. It was very overcast and misty so the group on the bus decided not to go on the boat ride. We went to lake, stopped at a place where 3 bridges were beside each other and went to a town where we had lunch. We saw the Kelpie’s,, which was my favorite and then to Sterling Castle. We also stopped by and visited the three famous Highland coo’s, Hamist, Honey and Baxtor.
Neil was very engaging with the crew on the bus. He told great stories and what I liked best is that he played Irish music along the way. One of the songs was about the Highland coo’s. I really enjoyed my day and our tour guide., Neil!
Holly_S, Jul 2026
Chris was an excellent driver and historian. He told us many facts and history along the way. He bought us vegetables to feed the highland cows, which he did for us to enjoy out of his own pocket for all of us to experience this.
Ed_M, Jun 2026
Dave was my driver and tour guide . He is very knowledgeable and I learned much of Scottish history. .I can’t believe how he navigates the large bus through the traffic and the roads .
It was an amazing tour
EdmaliIrizarrySuarez, Jun 2026
Great time exploring outside of Edinburgh. Our guide was fun and knowledgeable. Really a great experience if you want to venture out without driving yourself.
JEN_L, May 2026
This was an excellent day trip from Edinburgh and one of the highlights of our visit to Scotland. Stirling Castle was fascinating, with incredible history and stunning views, and seeing the Kelpies in person was truly impressive. Loch Lomond was absolutely beautiful, with plenty of time to enjoy the scenery and take photos.
Our guide was knowledgeable, engaging, and kept the day running smoothly while sharing interesting stories about Scotland along the way. The coach was comfortable, and the itinerary was well-paced without feeling rushed. Highly recommend this tour for anyone wanting to experience some of Scotland's most iconic sights in a single day.
Gayathri_B, May 2026
The tour was not organised properly. We missed on the lunch, at Stirling Castle the cafe was closed. And on the way back we felt the driver was quite rude, when he allowed two people to get down in between but when we asked if we can get down he ended up dropping at the last stop. In fact he and the other person from US they tried to mock at us which was quite rude and felt racist behaviour.
Coach was not make noises while driving, mic and Navigation didn’t work in between and driver was rude
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that parts of your day did not meet expectations.
We understand your frustration regarding the lunch stop. While time is scheduled at Stirling Castle, the café is independently operated, and unfortunately,their opening hours are out of our control.
On the return journey, the driver needed to adjust the route due to traffic and road conditions. This can impact drop-offs as they're always dependent on safety and routing. We’re sorry that this was not communicated clearly at the time.
We’re particularly sorry to hear that the interaction with your driver left you feeling uncomfortable. Creating a welcoming and respectful environment for all guests is extremely important to us, and your comments have been taken seriously and are being reviewed internally with the team, as are the technical issues you have described.
Again, we're sorry your trip did not meet your expectations, but we do again appreciate you taking the time to leave this feedback.
Jay_S, May 2026
Our guide, Coleman (I believe that was his name — sometimes the Scottish accent was a little difficult for us to catch), was very friendly and personable. The tour absolutely met our expectations. He shared interesting stories throughout the trip, played music that matched the atmosphere and history he was describing, and overall did a fantastic job making the experience enjoyable and memorable.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your tour with us. I'd love to pass your feedback on!
Thank you again for choosing The Hairy Coo to explore this beautiful country with us!
Chace_M, May 2026
A wonderful experience! Our driver, Ross, was brilliant, so funny and very knowledgeable, and he was perfect behind the wheel, even when it got a bit bumpy! Great taste in music, too.
Dawn_p, May 2026
Good trip. Our driver/guide was Ian. He was very informative and great fun. Very polite and helpful.
Annette_D, May 2026
Loved the hairy coo tour. Ian was a great tour guide 👍 filled with lots of history, stories and humor
Jane_S, May 2026
Neil was a,wonderful host and driver, we were thoroughly entertained during our trip. Loved his little history stories. He went the extra mile ( pun) to make sure we were all pleased.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your tour with Neil— he’ll be so pleased to hear you enjoyed your time with him!
Thank you again for choosing The Hairy Coo to explore our beautiful country with us!
Prema_J, May 2026
Its a great day out. John the tour guide was fun, full of stories about the places. Knows his history, and the best way to see the places. He was very flexible and helpful. A great scottish character. A really good day out.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your tour with John— he’ll be so pleased to hear your kind words!
Thank you again for choosing The Hairy Coo to explore our beautiful country with us!
Scott_E, May 2026
This whole experience was fantastic, especially our driver/guide John. Very knowledgable, very funny, and an excellent driver. 10/10
Annan_C, May 2026
A tour that proved to show how hospitable the Scots are.
Paul S was our tour guide who wa lovely with the chit chat. He had a lot of historical facts of the tour sites plus he added a bit a local flavor with his tales of historical characters.
Along the way Paul S suggested that we get on line to order our tickets for the visit to Stirling Castle and we were unsuccessful in obtaining tickets. When we arrived at the castle they could only take cash. We weren’t prepared as we used our credit cards for our purchases. Paul S was kind to offer to pay (which we reimbursed him later) To top this off he arranged to have my sister and I transported to the courtyard of the Stirling Castle(I have limited mobility) After touring the rooms of the castle, we weren’t prepared to driven back down to our tour bus! Felt truly royal!
The tour did have a slight detour which added to the length of the tour but Paul S did not hurry us through the promised sites to see.
And as the tour company is aptly named, we stop to feed Hamis and Honey, the Hairy Coos!
Along with his narrative. Paul S provided us with local artist along the way.
Karol_I, May 2026
The trip was very relaxed as well as enjoyable. Paul Ballock was the best driver. We were fortunate to have him 2 days straight. We got there early both days so we could ask questions as well as take in the beautiful scenery.
Betsy_V, Apr 2026
Scottish countryside/highlands and Stirling Castle...all the best in one tour. Group was small so it was easier
PatriciaG, Apr 2026
This was a great tour with an exceptional tour guide. Paul entertained us with his historical knowledge, humour, story telling and music during our day of adventures seeing Kelpies, the castle, the loch and a few other gems. We had a fabulous day packed filled with great sightseeing and stories. Highly recommend!
Jane_R, Apr 2026
If I could give this tour six stars I would. Paul was a delight and we had an amazing time. This is a wonderful tour that goes through a lot of Scotish history and shows you some wonderful places. Loved the playlis on the bus and all the fun stories.
If you are considering this tour do yourself a favor and go ahead and book it!
Eileen_D, Apr 2026
This was the perfect tour for a day trip from Edinburgh. You never felt like you were on the coach for too long in between stops. A lot of variety and stopped at an amazing bakery for lunch
DAVID_M, Mar 2026
This tour was cancelled and we didn't actually go on it. We were offered a different, shorter tour, in its place, but we really wanted to go to Stirling Castle. The replacement tour was fine, but not what we were looking for. We were offered a full refund, but based on the tour occuring the next day we weren't sure we'd find a replacement. No partial refund was offered.
Justin_M, Mar 2026
Very small group and personal. We were taken to see and feed and pet the Heiland Coos and it was excellent. Colin gave us wonderful stories about Scottish history.
Alina_G, Mar 2026
Paul S provided wonderful heartfelt introduction to Scottish culture through storytelling and music between the destinations - not an easy task as both driver and guide. He is very knowledgeable, patient (non English chatty family) and resourceful - he went above and beyond to ensure our experience was exceptional. Special scenic drive plus got to see hairy coos!!
What a treat !! Highly recommend this tour with Paul S !!
Sheila_B, Mar 2026
This tour is great. So much packed into one day. Tour guide Pete makes for a really great day. Definitely add to your to do list
Carmen_M, Feb 2026
That was a wonderful experience. Paul S was a fantastic guide, drove so well, we felt safe on his hand. He was professional, knowledgeable and friendly. We definitely would recommend this trip to anyone who feels like visiting some amazing place and knowing a bit of the Scottish culture.
Heather_S, Nov 2025
John S or Paul S, I’m terrible at remembering names, but he was great!! We had such a lovely day! He was fun and made some great stops!
amelia_b, Nov 2025
A full day driving through the countryside with David. He was a storyteller, providing us the history of the areas. A most personable gentleman . Seeing each area was well worth the trip vs renting a car from Edinburgh . David was a most experienced driver and it was a comfortable small bus. We would highly recommend the trip with Hairy Coos.
Melissa_B, Oct 2025
Our guide, Rod, was very friendly and informative. He was in a very good mood and made the full day tour fun!
From $71.82
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Stirling Castle, Kelpies and Loch Lomond from Edinburgh
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