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Scottish Lowlands Tour: History and Legends
4.7
175 Ratings
Edinburgh
Embark on an enchanting one-day tour from Edinburgh to uncover the rich history, fascinating legends, and breathtaking landscapes of the Scottish Lowlands. This journey delves into Scotland’s heritage with visits to the iconic Rosslyn Chapel, the picturesque town of Melrose, and the historic Glenkinchie Distillery, the Lowland base of Johnnie Walker.
Embark on an enchanting one-day tour from Edinburgh to uncover the rich history, fascinating legends, and breathtaking landscapes of the Scottish Lowlands. This journey delves into Scotland’s heritage with visits to the iconic Rosslyn Chapel, the picturesque town of Melrose, and the historic Glenkinchie Distillery, the Lowland base of Johnnie Walker.
Duration:
8 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Rosslyn Chapel - Starting from Edinburgh Castle, the journey leads to the village of Roslin, with the first stop at Rosslyn Chapel. Known as the “Library in Stone,” the chapel’s interior walls are adorned with thousands of ancient carvings, each telling its own story. Visitors can also explore the myths and legends associated with the chapel,…
- Rosslyn Chapel - Starting from Edinburgh Castle, the journey leads to the village of Roslin, with the first stop at Rosslyn Chapel. Known as the “Library in Stone,” the chapel’s interior walls are adorned with thousands of ancient carvings, each telling its own story. Visitors can also explore the myths and legends associated with the chapel, including those of the Knights Templar. Rosslyn Chapel gained international fame through Dan Brown’s bestselling novel, “The Da Vinci Code.”
- Melrose Abbey - The tour continues to the historic town of Melrose, the birthplace of Rugby Sevens and home to Melrose Abbey, established in 660. It is reputed to be the resting place of the casket containing Robert the Bruce’s heart. Lunch is enjoyed here, with free time to explore Melrose and its Abbey.
Please note that due to masonry inspections, the abbey church is currently not accessible to visitors.
- Glenkinchie Distillery - On the return to Edinburgh, the breathtaking scenery of the Borders is enjoyed before reaching the final stop: Glenkinchie Distillery. This is one of the last remaining distilleries in the Lowlands and the Lowland home of Johnnie Walker. Visitors can enjoy a leisurely tour to learn about the traditional craft of whisky-making, followed by an optional tasting session of some of Glenkinchie’s finest single malts.
What's Included
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Live commentary on board
- Knowledgeable driver-guide
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Live commentary on board
- Knowledgeable driver-guide
What's Not Included
- Food and drinks
- Attraction Tickets
- Gratuities
- On-board restrooms
- On-board WiFi
- Food and drinks
- Attraction Tickets
- Gratuities
- On-board restrooms
- On-board WiFi
Additional Information
- Minimum age is 4 years old.
- Collapsible wheelchairs with removable wheels can be accommodated providing the passenger is accompanied by someone who can assist them board and disembark.
- Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this…
- Minimum age is 4 years old.
- Collapsible wheelchairs with removable wheels can be accommodated providing the passenger is accompanied by someone who can assist them board and disembark.
- Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or a full refund.
- Digital translations in English, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian & Mandarin available on request.
- Please arrive a minimum of 15 minutes before your tour’s departure time.
- Whisky at Glenkinchie Distillery can only be sold to passengers over 18 years old. You might need to show valid ID as proof of age.
- Children under the age of 8 are not permitted to join the distillery tour.
- Please note: from 3rd December 2024 our Edinburgh tours will depart from NCP Castle Terrace, EH1 2EW.
Location
Timberbush Tours
Our Edinburgh tours depart from Castle Terrace, Edinburgh EH1 2EW, outside the NCP Car Park.
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Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.7
(175 Ratings)
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Yolandacatalina
Feb 3, 2026
Alístair was a wonderful... - Alístair was a wonderful guide. His cheery disposition and awesome playlist made this journey through the lowlands very enjoyable. You can tell he really appreciates the history of Scotland as he retells history on your way from site to site. Rosslyn Chapel is uniquely beautifully and in itself with the journey. Melrose Abbey is a wonder and the staff at Glenkinchie is the meaning of good hospitality.
Review provided by Viator
Chad_c
Jan 11, 2026
Rosslyn, Glenkinchie, and Countryside - Excellent tours. Great guide. Outstanding opportunity to get out of Edinburgh and see the borders. Only issue we had was feeling rushed in some of the areas - trying to stay on a tight schedule. Lorna from Timberbush was a delight.
Review provided by Viator
Heather_p
Nov 28, 2025
Great way to spend a day - Adam was our driver, guide, historian, and comedian for the day. Each of your stops are managed on your own or under the guidance of Roslyn Chapel, Melrose Abbey, and the distillery, with a view of the country along the day, which were all wonderful experiences. Two thumbs way up for Adam’s driving, music playlist, and dad jokes keeping us entertained and educated through the day.
Review provided by Viator
Felicia_m
Nov 10, 2025
The tour was fantastic.... - The tour was fantastic. Jillian was a wonderful, friendly, and knowledgeable guide and made every effort to make sure everyone was having fun. The tour locations were close enough to Edinburgh that we never spent too much time driving and had plenty of time at each location. The tour van was also nice and clean and had usb ports for phones (a big plus for me!) Highly recommend- I’ll definitely book through the same company next time I’m visiting!
Review provided by Viator
James_g
Oct 9, 2025
The tour was excellent.... - The tour was excellent. Rosslyn Chapel was amazing. The Glenkinchie Distillery tour was very informative. We could not have asked for a better tour guide.
Review provided by Viator
Climber783785
Oct 2, 2025
Amazing experience! Loved every moment. - Thank you Paul Santa! You Sr. were an amazing tour guide. We had a great tour thanks to you and your knowledge of Scotland.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Trinath_g
Oct 2, 2025
Awesome tour - The entire Scotland is extremely beautiful. In any tour the guide plays the most pivotal role to make the tour more successful, more pleasant. Our Chauffeur/guide Paul Santa was a magnificent person. His energy, his knowledge, his behaviour and most importantly his attitude to show us the best of this tour makes the tour most awesome. He stopped the bus in some of those places, which are just awesome. Apart from the same, the places to visit are also worth paying. I loved the whole tour. The people of different culture from different places of the world gel so beautifully that makes the tour more memorable. I would recommend my friends to select this tour.
Review provided by Viator
Valerie_f
Sep 20, 2025
Wonderful day. - Wonderful day spent touring the Chapel and the distillery. The Chapel especially was beautiful. Our driver/guide was knowledgeable and very pleasant to travel with.
Review provided by Viator
66johnr66
Sep 13, 2025
Very enjoyable professional experience. - Pick up point was very easy to find. Timberbush representatives well organized and quickly lined up customers in proper sequence and trips. Gary, our tour professional was a charming fellow who met us and after aquainting us with the where and what's of our trip got underway. Very informative and eager to answer any questions. Had very appropriate background music very relative to our trip. When we arrived at Rosslyn Chapel he didn't just park and told us where the door was. Made sure we saw all that the site had to offer. Trip to Melrose was very nice. Drove around the central area and pointed out places to eat and drink before parking. Glenkinchie tour was very much worth the trip and small admission price. Gary was a very attentive driver and practiced very good driving skills. He is a great representative of this company.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Anonymous
Sep 10, 2025
Definitely recommend - Excellent experience. The driver was friendly, easy to talk to, knowledgeable, and fun. All the stops were great, especially the distillery.
Review provided by Viator
