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Private tour in Edinburgh Ian A
Rosslyn Chapel and Border Abbeys
5.0
(2) reviews
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8 hours
1
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8 hours
1
Ian A.
5.0
Guide rating
22
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12 hrs
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I have a passion for my native country and love to tell stories, especially ones that bring alive our amazing history and landscape. Putting your trip into context, linking the places we visit with those you are familiar with, and taking you back in time to experience the atmosphere in days of yore. I am a more than fully qualified Scottish Tourist Guide Association Blue Badge Guide - having grown up on a farm in the Scottish Borders tending livestock and driving tractors from a young age, I have a countryman's eye for detail and knowledge of the landscapes and an in-depth understanding of the seasonal farming processes across Scotland. As a former naval aviator in the Royal Navy, I have a professional understanding of military history and enthusiasm for explaining the historical impact and significance of key battles and political events in Scotland. As an international corporate executive and Freeman of the City of London, I have been fortunate to see much of the world and experience multiple cultures. I use my knowledge gained outside Scotland to interpret the sights, sounds and history of this ancient land to those coming to Scotland from overseas. Between professional roles, I led an international overland expedition from Perthshire to Persia in a classic Range Rover. These days I offer guests the chance to tour in the comfort of a fully air-conditioned Land Rover Discovery 5 which combines luxury with the capability to explore areas off-limits and go further than other tours, travelling closer to sights of interest and often hidden parts of Scotland. My personal philosophy is "for better understanding" and my tours are designed to ensure you leave Scotland with happy memories and a better understanding and love of this beautiful country! Scottish Tourist Guides Association - Blue Badge Tourist Guide qualified to guide throughout Scotland Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS) None
Have a question or want to customize this tour? Message Ian A.
Religious day trip from Edinburgh
Overview of your Edinburgh tour
Discover why the Scottish Borders is among 30 global destinations in Lonely Planet's Best in Travel Guide for 2023, and where England crashed into Scotland (and America) 400 million years ago. Uncover why King David made his capital between the Teviot and Tweed Rivers, and how his twelfth-century reforms creating burghs based on economics, politics and religion changed Scotland forever. From Augustinians, to Tironians, Cistercians and Premostratensians; marvel at the greatest concentration of abbeys in Scotland, once the nation's most powerful and greatest buildings, now in ruins, majestic reminders of skilled artisans after assault by English armies in the 1540s. Peace came to this battle-scarred land when the kingdoms united in 1603 and prosperity reigned. Feast on the landscape where arable agriculture producing world-record wheat yields and globally renowned livestock breeders is sustained in harmony with nature in the beautiful Tweed Valley. Lunch will be produced locally or caught wild.
Your Edinburgh tour itinerary
Leaving Edinburgh we head to Rosslyn Chapel to unravel its hidden codes. A magical monument to Christian worship and skilled masons made famous in the Da Vinci Code, perhaps recognised by the Knights Templar much earlier and where spiritual ley lines await your ecclesiastical awakening. Continuing south we head into the Tweed Valley and its medieval architectural masterpieces to the reformed Benedictine orders of Catholic priests. Passing Sir Walter Scott's View and the monument to Sir William Wallace, we arrive first at Dryburgh Abbey before heading into Melrose. Spiritually and physically nourished we continue south to Jedburgh Abbey before returning to Edinburgh via Kelso, once home to the grandest of the Border Abbeys. Descending into the Lothians we cross the same southern upland geological divide as the Romans did in the first century. A native farmer's son and global traveller, I interpret the undulating unfolding landscape giving context so you can appreciate and fully enjoy the day.
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Transport details
Type: Private Transportation / Category: Suv
A top-spec Land Rover Discovery 5 HSE Luxury complete with in-car wifi and full a/c. This vehicle can seat six passengers in comfort, although the middle seat in the second row has less legroom. As this tour is bespoke, having a 4x4 vehicle allows me to reach sites where others fear to tread.
What's included
What's not included
Meeting location
Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Airport: ,Cruise: ,Station: Waverley or Berwick-Upon-Tweed Railway Stations,ByGuide: As this tour is in my own vehicle, I can meet you almost anywhere - although there will be an extra charge for collection outside Edinburgh/Scottish Borders
- You can request a different meeting location (for example, your hotel) during the checkout process.
Other details
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2 reviews
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8 hours
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8 hours
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If your tour is valued over $200 USD and booked at least 45 days before the tour date, you can book with a deposit!
How it works
- Your credit card will be authorized only for the deposit amount.
- Funds will not be withdrawn until your tour booking is fully processed.
- 30 days before your tour date, the remaining balance is automatically charged.