Private tour in Edinburgh Barney N
5.0
(8) reviews
8 hours
1
8 hours
1
Barney N.
5.0
Guide rating
62
Reviews
Tours delivered
4 hrs
Avg. response time
I've been a tour guide and driver now for 15 years, and every time I take guests to the Highlands, or castle spotting, or whisky sampling, I'm reminded that I really do have the best job in the world, in the best place in the world to visit. And I'd like to share that with you. I graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2008 with a degree in history. While a student there, I worked as a walking tour guide of Edinburgh, and also co-founded the university's first ever comedy writing and performing society, known today as the Edinburgh Revue. These experiences helped me hone the art of storytelling in an entertaining and interesting way. If you tour with me, you'll certainly learn plenty about Scottish history (and a fair amount about geography, nature, whisky, architecture or almost anything else that interests you) but most importantly, you'll hopefully be entertained. You don't have to remember a single piece of information I give you on my tours, as long as you enjoy the stories along the way. Also, as I have 15 years experience of guiding around Scotland, please don't feel limited to the tours listed here. I can take you almost anywhere you want to go in Scotland and northern England, as long as we begin and end in Edinburgh. Feel free to drop me an email and ask about a personalised tour for you. So sit back in my luxury Mercedes minivan, relax, and let me show you some of what this amazing country has to offer. - Member of SITOA (Scottish Independent Tour Operators Association) - MA (Hons) in History from the University of Edinburgh - PGDE(S) in History from the University of Strathclyde (high school teaching diploma) - 15 years of professional guiding and driving around Scotland Maximum 6 passengers for 1 day tours, 4 for multiday tours As a member of SITOA, I can accompany you into most castles, but I can't actively guide inside any room where the castle has its own guides or actors.
Have a question or want to customize this tour? Message Barney N.
On this tour, I'll take you to St Andrews, famous the world over for being the home of golf. If you're golf mad, you'll get a chance to see the hallowed turf of the Old Course. If you don't like golf, don't worry - St Andrews is also home to some fabulous history and architecture. On our way north, we'll first of all stop in the village of Culross. In my opinion, this is the prettiest village in Scotland, and famous nowadays as being a filming location of the television series Outlander. I'll take you on a brief walk around the village, pointing out filming locations and telling you about the real world history of the place too. When we get to St Andrews, you'll have at least 3 hours in the town to explore it however you want. I'm happy to take you on a walking tour of the town, and take you inside the ruins of St Andrews Castle (for an additional cost) to see the medieval tunnels hidden underneath. Or, you can visit the golf course, golf museum, the famous university campus or an aquarium. It's your tour.
We would recommend this trip. We are not golfers but loved visiting St. Andrews - the university, the cathedral, shopping in their little downtown, and the golf course for the famous Swilcan Bridge photo. Barney was very informative. His knowledge of history and the stories were wonderful and provided great context to what we say. We also visited the little town of Culross to walk around. It was just nice to get out of Edinburgh for a day and see new parts of the country.
Enjoyable tour. Very accommodating with regards to our customization requests. Would tour with again if I'm back in the area.
After picking us up at port, Barney drove us through the countryside to the town of St. Andrews, all the while providing us with a rich history of the region and the course. He took us to the world famous Swilcan bridge for family photos, then to a great golf store for shopping and arranged lunch at the St. Andrews Links Clubhouse - Tom Morris Bar & Grill which overlooked the course. Prior to the trip, he suggested we play the Himalaya’s putting course, which I’m so glad he did because we all had a fantastic time! It’s definitely not your standard “putt-putt”. We played 9 holes, to allow time for some of us a to go to the Golf Museum and others to go into the town of St. Andrews. Barney safely returned us to port in time to take the tender back, without any stress. Overall it was a fantastic day that I’m happy to say fulfilled a bucket list item for my 78YO father.
Awonderfullu knowledgable guide with a warm pearsonality and love of Scotland. We told him our interes and he put together a perfect. We. Really loved Barney by the end of th the tour. Not a strong accent. Perfect guidefir Americans. Really thoughtful and flexible.
Do you want a fantastic tour of St Andrew’s? Do you want or learn about Scotland’s history? Do you want to laugh and have fun? Join Barney and experience all that and more. We’ve travelled the world and toured with many guides. Barney is one of the best!
We had an excellent tour out of Edinburgh yesterday. 2 couples had plenty of room in Barney's first class vehicle and he anticipated all our needs. Barney helped us customize a tour that was interesting for all. We visited the Forth Bridges, Culross, Anstruther (had an excellent lunch in this picturesque fishing village), St. Andrews, and Falkland. We saw several filming sites for Outlander & thoroughly enjoyed our tour of St. Andrews, including a walk around & on The Old Course. Choose Barney every time!
- 9am pickup from your Edinburgh accommodation - photo stop with a view of the iconic Forth railway bridge - 45 minutes in Culross, with an optional walking tour of the village conducted by me - 3 hours in St Andrews to see the sights of the town, and an optional tour of the castle, conducted by me - 5pm return to your Edinburgh accommodation
Tell your guide which places matter to you, skip what doesn't, and tailor the experience for your group's needs. Not finding what you want? Message your guide to build something unique.
I can drive up to 6 guests in my luxury Mercedes V Class minivan. A/C is included, as is complementary Wi-Fi and chilled bottles of still and sparkling water.
Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Airport: ,Cruise: ,ByGuide:
EnglishWho is this private tour in Edinburgh best suited for?
What should I bring or wear?
Can this private tour in Edinburgh be customized to focus on what I want to see and skip places I've already visited?
How long is the tour, and can the start time or duration be adjusted?
Where does the tour start and end?
Is transportation included?
What happens if a site is closed, crowded, or the weather changes?
What languages is this tour offered in?
AI-generated. Please confirm details with your guide
8 hours
1
8 hours
1
If your tour is valued over $200 USD and booked at least 45 days before the tour date, you can book with a 20% deposit!
How it works