Scotland Highlands Day Trip: Blair Castle, Hermitage & Lochs

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Free cancellationExcellent quality

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Duration9h 30m

GroupUp to 16

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Edinburgh to Blair Castle and Hermitage with Highland cows and lochs

You’ll join a small group day trip from Edinburgh into Scotland’s Highlands—see Dunkeld Cathedral’s quiet beauty, explore Blair Castle with lunch inside its walls, walk beneath towering trees at The Hermitage waterfall, and meet Highland cows up close. Expect stories from your local guide and time to wander at your own pace—this isn’t just sightseeing; it’s breathing in Scotland for a day.

9h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Scotland's highlights from Edinburgh

View Forth Bridge from the bus
Photo stop with Highland cattle
Visit Blair Castle and have lunch
Walk riverside trail at The Hermitage
Stop at Queen’s View lookout
Stroll Dunkeld streets and visit cathedral

The Experience

“You can always tell if it’s going to rain by the way the coos stand,” our driver, Jamie, said as we rolled out of Edinburgh. I’m not sure if that’s true, but everyone in our little group craned their necks for a glimpse of those famous Highland cattle anyway. The Forth Bridge flashed by — red steel against grey sky — and someone behind me tried to snap a photo through the window. It was early, but there was already this low hum of excitement, like we all knew something good was coming.

Dunkeld felt like walking into a postcard. Old stone houses, narrow lanes, and the cathedral sitting quiet by the river. There was this smell — woodsmoke maybe? — drifting from somewhere unseen. Jamie pointed out carvings on the cathedral door and told us about Jacobite rebels hiding nearby once (I didn’t catch every detail; I was distracted by a dog wagging at us from across the street). We wandered at our own pace — no rush, just time to breathe in that chilly Highland air.

Lunch at Blair Castle came after winding through forests that looked straight out of some ancient storybook. The castle itself is bold and white against all that green. Inside, I lost track of rooms — antlers everywhere, old portraits staring back at you (one kid in our group said one looked like his gran). They serve proper Scottish fare in the restaurant; my soup was thick and earthy, perfect for a day that kept threatening rain but never quite delivered.

I think my favorite bit was The Hermitage walk — mossy stones underfoot, trees so tall you have to lean back to see their tops. There’s a waterfall there that drowns out everything else for a minute or two; you just stand there feeling small in the best way. On the way back to Edinburgh we stopped for photos with those “hairy coos” (they really do look like they’re wearing wigs), and Jamie teased us about our accents when we tried some Gaelic words. I still think about that waterfall sometimes when things get loud at home.

What’s included

Your day includes travel by comfortable Mercedes mini coach with live commentary from your local guide, plenty of time off the bus to explore places like Dunkeld Cathedral and The Hermitage waterfall walk, entry to Blair Castle (with lunch available inside), photo stops with Highland cows, and views of landmarks like Forth Bridge before returning to Edinburgh in the evening.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Heart of Scotland Tours Ltd