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Glenfinnan Viaduct

Things to do in Scotland

Glenfinnan Viaduct
Scotland's wild, mountainous scenery, long history, and whisky distilleries provide ample opportunity for activities, and our carefully chosen things to do will bring you closer to this highland country and its people. Whether you choose to take a romantic steam train through the Highlands, a boat out to Shetland’s seabird colonies, a Champagne flight over the Trossachs or an after-dark ghosts and ghouls tour around Edinburgh’s Old Town, we'll help you uncover Scotland's hidden secrets.

You can learn to fly fish with a local ghillie, improve your photography on a wildlife tracking experience, explore historic estates and neolithic remains, cruise Loch Ness, or find out how to distil your own gin. There are a wealth of ways in which to explore Scotland and we'll help arrange the best ones for you.
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Audley Travel Specialist Lydia

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Ideas for experiencing Scotland

Experiences you have as you travel often hold the longest memories. As part of their research trips, our specialists seek out authentic ways to get to know Scotland, and the best local guides. These activities reflect some of their best-loved experiences.

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  • Islay wildlife cruise
    Islay coastline

    Islay wildlife cruise

    Isle of Islay

    Islay wildlife cruise

    Spot a wild variety of birdlife, seals, goats and possibly dolphins and basking sharks on this two-hour tour off the coast of Islay. Join a small group for a great introduction to the region, with expert commentary by one of the islanders.

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  • Private Loch Ness cruise with a piper
    Loch Ness

    Private Loch Ness cruise with a piper

    Loch Ness

    Private Loch Ness cruise with a piper

    Explore the legendary Loch Ness aboard a modern cruiser and allow your captain to regale you with stories of its mysterious monster as you glide past romantic castles and learn about its history to the tunes of a traditional piper.

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  • Kilmartin Glen Neolithic site
    Kilmartin Glen

    Kilmartin Glen Neolithic site

    Oban

    Kilmartin Glen Neolithic site

    Explore the prehistoric burial cairns, stone circles and standing stones in Kilmartin Glen south of Oban. The region was inhabited for more than 5,000 years and with 350 sites of interest has the richest concentration of Neolithic and Bronze Age remains in Scotland.

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  • Scotland's Jacobite past: Culloden Battlefield and Cawdor Castle
    Jacobite gravestone at Culloden

    Scotland's Jacobite past: Culloden Battlefield and Cawdor Castle

    The Highlands

    Scotland's Jacobite past: Culloden Battlefield and Cawdor Castle

    Explore Scotland's Jacobite history on a full-day tour of some of the country's most significant historical monuments. Visit the Culloden Battlefield, scene of the rebellion's final, bloody battle, the ancient Clava Cairns and stately Cawdor Castle.

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  • Steam train to the Isles
    Glenfinnan Viaduct

    Steam train to the Isles

    The Highlands

    Steam train to the Isles

    Hop on board a classic steam train for a two-hour journey from Fort William to Mallaig. Pass many scenes associated with the Jacobite Rebellion, traverse the viaduct made famous by the Harry Potter films and soak up the scenery.

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  • Walking tour of St Andrews
    St Andrews

    Walking tour of St Andrews

    St Andrews

    Walking tour of St Andrews

    Explore historic St Andrews on the Scottish coast in the company of an expert local guide who can lead you down the cobbled streets to ancient university buildings, a medieval castle and cathedral, and a world-famous golf course.

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  • Wildlife photography walk through Rothiemurchus Estate
    Reindeer in the Cairngorms

    Wildlife photography walk through Rothiemurchus Estate

    The Cairngorms

    Wildlife photography walk through Rothiemurchus Estate

    Improve your photographic skills on a three-hour guided walk through the ancient forests of the Rothiemurchus Estate, a regular filming location for wildlife documentaries. With the help of a professional photographer you'll get up close to many of its rare species.

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  • Dunvegan Castle after-hours tour
    Dunvegan Castle

    Dunvegan Castle after-hours tour

    Isle of Skye

    Dunvegan Castle after-hours tour

    Enjoy exclusive access to lakeside Dunvegan Castle, the oldest continually inhabited castle in Scotland. This guided tour takes in a short cruise to see the impressive structure from the water as well as a private meeting with the estate manager.

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  • Old and New Towns walking tour
    Edinburgh's Old Town

    Old and New Towns walking tour

    Edinburgh

    Old and New Towns walking tour

    Your expert guide leads a walking tour through Edinburgh’s historical districts. Stroll up the Royal Mile and down the narrow side streets, called closes or wynds. Then discover the stylish shopping and elegant architecture located on New Town’s Georgian boulevards.

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  • Fly-fishing with a local ghillie
    Salmon

    Fly-fishing with a local ghillie

    Isle of Skye

    Fly-fishing with a local ghillie

    Try your hand at fly-fishing in the renowned River Snizort on the Isle of Skye. A local ghillie (hunting and fishing guide) will help you perfect your casting technique and bag a catch of Atlantic salmon.

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  • Castles and palaces of Edinburgh's surrounds
    Linlithgow Palace

    Castles and palaces of Edinburgh's surrounds

    Edinburgh

    Castles and palaces of Edinburgh's surrounds

    Explore some of the numerous historic monuments that litter the countryside around Edinburgh on a full-day tour of the region's most interesting castles, stately homes and palaces. Visit elaborate chapels, country manors and strategic defense positions as you learn about the region's history.

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  • Argyll Safari castles tour
    Kilchurn Castle

    Argyll Safari castles tour

    Oban

    Argyll Safari castles tour

    Explore the castles and fortifications of Scotland’s west coast on this full-day, private guided tour which takes in an Iron Age fortification, a ruined medieval castle and an extravagant 18th-century mansion set on the shore of the country’s longest sea loch.

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  • Loch Lomond cycle and cruise
    Loch Lomond

    Loch Lomond cycle and cruise

    The Highlands

    Loch Lomond cycle and cruise

    Cycle along the west coast of Loch Lomond on a lakeshore cycle path enjoying the spectacular scenery and small, attractive villages along the way before returning to your start point by boat and getting a different perspective from the water.

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  • Northern Skye explorer
    Kilt Rock, Isle of Skye

    Northern Skye explorer

    Isle of Skye

    Northern Skye explorer

    Explore the wilds of northern Skye on this flexible full-day tour that takes you to the most dramatic of the island's landscapes. You'll see towering rock pinnacles, powerful waterfalls and windswept beaches alongside verdant hillsides and fast-flowing rivers.

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  • Dalwhinnie Distillery tour with whisky and chocolate tasting
    Glass of whisky

    Dalwhinnie Distillery tour with whisky and chocolate tasting

    The Cairngorms

    Dalwhinnie Distillery tour with whisky and chocolate tasting

    Learn how Scotland's smooth but complex single malts are produced on a tour of a historic whisky distillery set high in the Cairngorms National Park, and discover what gives each whisky its distinctive characteristics as you linger over several samples.

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  • Champagne seaplane tour over the Trossachs
    Seaplane

    Champagne seaplane tour over the Trossachs

    Loch Lomond

    Champagne seaplane tour over the Trossachs

    Get an aerial view of the Highland scenery around Loch Lomond on a 40-minute seaplane tour of the region. Take in the Trossachs National Park, Loch Lomond and parts of the west Highlands.

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  • Islay's whisky & history
    Laphroaig Distillery

    Islay's whisky & history

    Isle of Islay

    Islay's whisky & history

    Explore the Isle of Islay in southwest Scotland on a full-day tour that looks into its early-Christian settlements, traditional way of life and long history of whisky making with visits to local sights, museums and distilleries.

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  • Corryvreckan wildlife boat trip
    Corryvreckan wildlife tour

    Corryvreckan wildlife boat trip

    Oban

    Corryvreckan wildlife boat trip

    Explore the coastline of western Scotland where narrow channels of water produce rushing tidal races and the Corryvreckan whirlpool, the world’s third largest, which is a magnet for marine life including whales, sharks and porpoises.

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  • Jura island tour
    Jura

    Jura island tour

    Isle of Jura

    Jura island tour

    Explore the Isle of Jura off Scotland’s southwest coast, learn about its traditional way of life and crofting history, enjoy the sweeping views, and observe a range of wildlife on this full-day guided tour of the wild and scenic island.

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  • Street art walking tour
    Glasgow street art

    Street art walking tour

    Glasgow

    Street art walking tour

    Discover Glasgow’s thriving creative scene on this half-day walking tour of the city’s street-art sites. With numerous murals created by a variety of international artists, the works offer social commentary as well as an insight into the city’s history and development.

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  • Ghosts and ghouls of Edinburgh's Old Town tour
    Edinburgh Castle

    Ghosts and ghouls of Edinburgh's Old Town tour

    Edinburgh

    Ghosts and ghouls of Edinburgh's Old Town tour

    Brave Edinburgh's darkest corners on a two-hour walking tour that leads you down narrow laneways and into underground vaults to hear stories of murder, mystery and intrigue and get an insight into the illicit goings-on in the medieval city.

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  • Eat Walk Edinburgh tasting trail
    Glass of whisky

    Eat Walk Edinburgh tasting trail

    Edinburgh

    Eat Walk Edinburgh tasting trail

    Discover Edinburgh's thriving food scene on a half-day walk around the city streets, stopping off to sample local, national and international food and drink along the way in the company of a passionate guide and a host of engaging restaurateurs.

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  • Glasgow musical heritage walking tour
    Glasgow

    Glasgow musical heritage walking tour

    Glasgow

    Glasgow musical heritage walking tour

    Discover musical Glasgow on this two-hour walking tour. It explores the city’s legendary musical heritage, throws light on the bands, venues and artistic collaborations that were pivotal to its success, and looks at the current state of the city’s music scene.

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  • Explore Rothiemurchus Estate by Land Rover
    Land Rover

    Explore Rothiemurchus Estate by Land Rover

    The Cairngorms

    Explore Rothiemurchus Estate by Land Rover

    Explore the vast Rothiemurchus Estate on a guided tour around ancient Caledonian forest well-known for its wide variety of wildlife. You'll also learn about the history of the estate and the Grant family who have lived here for 450 years.

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  • West Highlands explorer day
    Glencoe

    West Highlands explorer day

    The Highlands

    West Highlands explorer day

    Explore the rugged scenery of the West Highlands on this full-day tour of Glen Etive, Glencoe and the Nevis range which offers a chance to discover film locations, folk museums and hidden lookouts offering sweeping panoramas.

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