Scotland Highlands Day Trip: Kelpies, Whisky & Hermitage Walk

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Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/13

Duration9h

GroupUp to 16

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Whisky tasting, giant Kelpies statues and Highland forests in one day

You’ll stand beneath towering Kelpies near Falkirk, taste single malt whisky at Glenturret Distillery with a local guide, stroll through Dunkeld village beside the River Tay, and wander deep into Hermitage forest to feel the spray of Black Linn Falls on your face. It’s a day for stories and small surprises—the kind that linger long after you’re home.

Step-by-step itinerary

Whisky, waterfalls, and Scottish scenery

Leave Edinburgh for the Kelpies
Drive through scenic Highlands
Visit Glenturret whisky distillery
Sample whisky dram
Walk in the Hermitage woodland
Visit Dunkeld village and cathedral

The Experience

The first thing that hit me was the size of those horses — the Kelpies just outside Falkirk. They’re massive, all silvery muscle and strange energy, kind of looming out of the morning mist. Our guide, Jamie, told us about their myth (shape-shifting water spirits, apparently), but honestly I was too busy craning my neck to take it all in. There was this damp chill in the air that clung to my sleeves — classic Scottish welcome.

We wound our way north after that, windows fogged up from our laughter and the heater. The landscape started changing — more pines, sudden bursts of yellow gorse along the road. Jamie pointed out a half-hidden glen where his gran used to picnic. I pressed my forehead to the glass trying to spot red deer (no luck). By midday we’d reached Glenturret Distillery for lunch and a whisky tour. The smell inside — sweet malt and something peaty — stuck to my clothes for hours. Tried my first proper dram; burned a little going down but left this warm glow in my chest. I tried saying “slàinte mhath” like Jamie did; he grinned at my accent.

I didn’t expect to like Dunkeld as much as I did. It’s small but there’s this quiet hum — kids skipping stones by the river Tay, someone playing pipes faintly from somewhere behind the cathedral. We wandered until our legs got stiff again, then piled back into the van for one last stop: The Hermitage. The walk through those woods felt almost enchanted (I know how that sounds). Sunlight flickered through old trees and you could hear Black Linn Falls before you saw them — all roar and spray. I leaned over the railing just breathing it in for a minute longer than everyone else.

What’s included

Your day includes travel by air-conditioned vehicle from Edinburgh with an English-speaking local guide leading every step—from stories by the Kelpies to woodland walks at The Hermitage—with plenty of time for photos, laughter, and sampling whisky at Glenturret Distillery (tour and lunch payable separately) before returning together in the evening.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Highland Explorer Tours Ltd