Glasgow: Stirling Castle, Loch Lomond & Kelpies Day Trip

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Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/14

Duration9h 30m

GroupUp to 16

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Three Scottish landmarks in one day, starting with the world's largest horse sculptures

You travel from Glasgow through three of Scotland's most recognizable sites: The Kelpies sculpture park, the Outlander filming location at Midhope Castle, and Stirling Castle with its own grounds to explore. The day includes an air-conditioned vehicle, an English-speaking guide, and an optional boat cruise on Loch Lomond before returning to Glasgow in the evening.

9h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Glasgow to Stirling and Loch Lomond

Depart from Glasgow
Visit The Kelpies sculptures
Explore Midhope Castle grounds
Tour Stirling Castle and lunch
Walk by Loch Lomond shore
Optional Loch Lomond boat cruise
Return to Glasgow

The Experience

You're on the bus out of Glasgow before nine, and within twenty minutes The Kelpies rise up in front of you — two 30-meter steel horses that catch the light in a way photographs don't quite capture. They're massive and strange and somehow work. Your guide points out the detail in the manes, the engineering, the reason they're here at all. Then you're moving again, heading toward the Highlands.

The next stop is Midhope Castle, which Outlander fans will recognize as Lallybroch, Jamie's home. The grounds are open to walk around and photograph, though the castle itself stays private — but standing at the gates with the hills behind it, you get why the show chose it. This part isn't guaranteed; sometimes the estate closes for filming or events, so it's worth confirming when you book. After that, Stirling Castle sits on volcanic rock overlooking the valley, and you get free time here to explore the battlements, gardens and the interior at your own pace, grab lunch in the courtyard café, or just stand on the ramparts and look out. It's one of Scotland's most historically significant castles, and the perch alone makes it worth the climb.

By afternoon you're at Balloch on Loch Lomond's southern shore. Most people take the optional one-hour boat cruise — you drift past Ben Lomond and the old estates along the water, and it's the kind of quiet that makes you stop checking your phone. If you'd rather walk the shoreline instead, that's fine too. The return to Glasgow happens in the late afternoon, though traffic and weather can shift the timing, so don't book anything tight for afterward.

What’s included

Your day includes pickup from Glasgow, transport in an air-conditioned vehicle with a local English-speaking guide, stops at The Kelpies and Midhope Castle (optional), free time at Stirling Castle with optional entry, and an optional one-hour boat cruise on Loch Lomond at Balloch before returning to Glasgow in the late afternoon.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Highland Explorer Tours Ltd

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Scotland's most famous landmarks without arranging transport, tickets and timing yourself — the fixed route and guide handle the logistics, and the optional stops let you skip what doesn't interest you.