Coast, sea Highlands & Islands –
Unicorn Tours throughout Scotland

Loch Lomond & the Trossachs national park

1 day

This is a private & personalised tour for a group of up to 8 & AVAILABLE on any green* calendar day --- FREE 1 DAY TOURS 35 MILES PICK UP ZONE includes Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth, Aberfoyle, Balloch & much of the Scottish Central Belt within 35 miles of our Alloa home base in the heart of the Scottish Central Belt between Edinburgh, Glasgow, the Loch Lomond & Trossachs nationalpark & the Fife Coast --- FREE ALONG THE WAY PICK UP LOCATIONS free (excess mileage does not apply) pick ups from anywhere along the route from our Alloa homebase towards your tour destination we pass along = Free additional pick ups for this private tour also in the Callander, Aberfoyle, Drymen & Balloch railway station area --- EXCESS MILEAGE PAYABLE PICK UPS the additional pick up mileage supplement applies outwith & beyond the 35 miles free pick up zone more than 35 miles from our Alloa home base -- UNAVAILABLE on red & blue calendar days & during green* "Island based tour days", when our tours start from & finish at our temporary Scottish Islands & regions base further away instead

1D#6

Tour summary & highlights

Balmaha / Loch Lomond

Loch Lomond views from Conic hill

Balmaha / Loch Lomond


Milarrochy bay & Rowardennan / Loch Lomond

Milarrochy bay & Rowardennan / Loch Lomond


Each private tour group has their ownr priorities/preferences/likes, the weather, the seasons’ are always different, but here is one of our recent Loch Lomond & Trossachs 1 day tour itineraries – this one start/finish in Stirling:

After leaving Stirling we headed for Doune castle (filming location, incl. for Outlander as Castle Leoch – home of the MacKenzie Clan) – Flanders Moss – Kippen farmshop – Loch Lomond farm photostop – Loch Lomond shore walk towards the boat jetty & Cameron house – drive past the floatplane & Duck Bay. A scenic walk along the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond at Luss – beach, pier, historic church & cemetery, pilgrimage, fairy trail & through the picturesque village.

 

We headed east into the Trossachs for lunch in Aberfoyle.

 

We crossed Duke’s pass through the Queen Elizabeth forest park and had a wee walk along Loch Katrine, before heading via Loch Achray, Venachar, Lubnaig for a brief walk at Loch Earn in St. Filans.

 

At Comrie we had a waterfall & forest walk, before heading across the mountain route to the Gleneagles hotel & golf resort, from where we went past Highland Springs and the Tullibardine distillery back to Stirling.



Another recent tour itinerary, similar, but still some individualised, flexible group and weather dependent differences:

Loch Lomond & Trossachs nationalpark 1 day tour

Starting from Stirling  we drive through Bridge of Allan and past the David Stirling memorial we catch our first glimpse of the Trossachs.

At Doune Castle we have a photostop and as it has recently been the filming location of Outlander’s Castle Leoch, Home of the MacKenzie Clan.

We drive through Thornhill, spot the helicopter and pass through Flanders Moss with its Alpaca farm.

At the Kippen farmshop we take the turn through Kippen into the Campsies, we have a photostop and drive through Fintry and picturesque Killearn near the Glengoyne distillery.

The trees throughout the tour show off their finest golden autumn colours and at the southern shores of Loch Lomond we have our first photostop.

We go for a loch-side walk from Balloch’s Lomond Shores to the yacht-harbour at the Cameron House with its float-plane.

In Luss on Loch Lomond’s western shores, we walk along the beach to the pier and to the Colquhoun clan centre, Luss village church and cemetery and the Viking hogback stone, we go past the Beeschool to the animal enclosure and through the picturesque village.

We head east to the Trossachs side of the nationalpark and to Aberfoyle for our lunch.

We cross the Dukes’ pass and Queen Elizabeth forest park and stop for a photo at the Highland Coos.

At Loch Katrine we have a wee stop to hear about Rob Roy MacGregor and go for a stunning lochside walk.

We pass Loch Achray and Loch Venechar and along the Falls of Leny, we drive past Loch Lubnaig and have two stops at stunning Loch Earn with a wee walk at St. Filans.

After a drive through autumnal Strathearn we head to the stunning Deil’s cauldron downhill forest waterfall walk above Comrie.

Through Comrie, past Cultybragan WWII POW camp, the Auchingarrich wildlife park we cross the mountain pass to Braco and back to Stirling via the A9 and through Bridge of Allan.



 Another recent Loch Lomond & the Trossachs nationalpark 1 day private tour, incl. also areas of Highland Perthshire:

The famous grouse whisky, Loch Tay, the Trossachs & Loch Lomond www.unicorntours.co.uk Easter Saturday, 31st March 2018

Auchingarich wildlife park – Crieff & the famous grouse distillery – Aberfeldy – Crannog centre – Kenmore – Loch Tay holiday homes – Killin & the falls of Dochart – Glen Ogle – Loch Lubnaig – falls of Leny – Loch Venechar – Duke’s pass/Queen Elizabeth forest park – Aberfoyle – Balmaha & Milarrochy Bay @ Loch Lomond – Killearn, Fintry & the Campsies – return back to Stirling



Another 1 day Loch Lomond & the Trossachs nationalpark tour

Loch Lomond & the Trossachs tour from
Stirling

* Leave Stirling
* Drive below Stirling castle Rock & Flanders Moss up into the Campsie
hills and Fintry
* Stopping to take a photo of a flock of sheep
* Drive through Killearn with its churches to a farm on the southern
shores of Loch Lomond for a photostop & walk along the pier
* Balmaha coffee stop
* Balmaha pier Loch Lomond photostop with islands
* Drive to Aberfoyle where we have bridge walk across the flooded river
* Queen Elizabeth forest park and drive up to Duke’s pass with stunning
views of snowcovered mountains and lochs
* Highland cows photostop
* Loch Katrine walk and photos of the wigwams
* Drive along Loch Arklet, Loch Katrine, the falls of Leny, Loch Lubnaig

* Loch Earn southshore scenic drive with photostop
* Pictoresque rural Perthshire & Comrie
* Late lunch at the Auchingarrich wildlife park
* Drive across the mountain pass to the Gleneagles hotel and through
Glendevon to Castle Campbell
* Downhill waterfall walk through the forest
* Drive back to Stirling with views of the snowy hills of the Ochils



 

Tour itinerary

 

 



While each tour through the Loch Lomond & Trossachs nationalpark is different as there is just so many different routes, options, so much to see and each tour group is different with their own preferences/priorities and interests, also the weather and season on each tour is different, this was one of our recent tour itineraries:

From Stirling past the David Stirling statue, view of the hills of the Trossachs, Doune castle, filming location of Castle Leoch, home of the Mackenzie Clan in the Outlander series), Loch Lomond southside farm stop, scenic walk along  beach & pier of picturesque Luss.

Past Duck Bay & Cameron house marina eastbound to the Trossachs. Lunchbreak in Aberfoyle. Climbing the Dukes pass through the Queen Elizabeth forest park to Loch Katrine, where we went for a scenic walk from Trossachs pier to Brenachoile point & back, before heading via Loch Venachar, Kilmahog, Callander & Doune back to Stirling.

 

 

 

Private tour price for the 8 passenger seater mini-bus & driver/tourguide, i.e. the tour price for a private group of min. 1 and max 8 passengers

1 day tour price (private & small group tours of Scotland)


Personalised & private small group tours all over Scotland (100+ itineraries: ½ – 7 day tour options & discounted multi-day tours to choose from) – with a set daily tour price for our tour guide driver & 8 passenger seater mini-bus (due to the fixed same overall cost for up to 8 passengers, the cheapest per person price for a private small group tour is if 8, 7, 6 or 5 are travelling together to share the set fixed daily cost, which is the same total cost, no matter if there are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 passengers on a private mini-bus tour)

All of these private & personalised, small group tours of Scotland

are available on any available green calendar days for private tours

5, 6, 7 days 4 days 3 days
2 days Scottish destinations/Tour extensions & add ons 1 day
Activities, special interests & tour themes Walking tours ½ & short day tours

 

 

 

 

 

  • Choose any private & personalised tailormade 1/2 day tour on any available green calendar day.
  • Choose any private & personalised tailormade 1 day tour on any available green calendar day.
  • Choose any private & personalised tailormade 2 day tour on any 2 consecutive available green calendar days. Any private 2 day tours will already show a 2.5% discount.
  • Choose any private & personalised tailormade 3 day tour on any 3 consecutive available green calendar days. Any private 3 day tours will already show a 5% discount.
  • Choose any private & personalised tailormade 4 day tour on any 4 consecutive available green calendar days. Any private 4 day tours will already include a 7.5% discount.
  • Choose any private personalised & tailormade 5 day tour on any 5 consecutive available green calendar days. Any private 5 day tours will already include a 10% discount.
  • Choose any private personalised & tailormade 6 day tour on any 6 consecutive available green calendar days. Any private 6 day tours is discounted by 12.5%.
  • Choose any private personalised & tailormade 7 day tour on any 7 consecutive available green calendar days. Any private 7 day tour prices already show the 15% discount. 

Additionally from September to May there is a 12.5% student discount, which also applies to seniors over 65 and to children up to 17 travelling as part of a family group.

 

 

Extra costs & ferry info (if applicable)
Tour options

 


Information about private tours in general


Private & personalised tailormade tours to suit your group’s preferences

This is your very own private tour for you and your friends and family members of up to 8 people travelling on this tour together.

Before any private tour, we always check for your must-see stops, interests, hobbies, activities, preferences, priorities and any special requests you might have and we ask you about your preferred pace of travel so to tailor make and personalise the tour to suit your needs.

The route, the stops and the itinerary we give on our website for any private tour are for information and guidance only, as in the end it is you, who decides, what you wish to do, where you wish to stop and what you wish to do and see.

Any private tour itinerary can be shortened, extended or amended, if you wish to do so.


Flexibility on private tours

We also like to keep things flexible as our experience is that there are places, once you arrive and see them, you just fall in love with and wish to spend more time and longer.

whereas some other times we arrive at a place and they are different from what you had expected and you are ok to have a shorter stop and to move on quicker.

Flexibility is also good as on a beautiful gorgeous blue sunny day when all colours in nature and the landscapes are sparkling and you have clear and amazing far distant visibility and the scenery and places are at their best, you probably prefer to spend more time outdoors, while on a stormy, wet, dark, grey and cold day, you are likely to prefer more indoor venues during your stops.


Travelling at your own pace on private tours

Some guests are on a whirlwind tour with little time and wish to pack as much into a short time as possible and are ok with just short photo stops,

whereas other tour guests prefer to travel at a more leisurely pace to be able to explore and discover and soak it all in and leaving the tour with a memorable and lasting experience.

All of this is possible within the constraints of your chosen route, the distances involved

and during the winter season the shorter daylight hours we have.


Lunch breaks on private tours

Some guests put a lot of emphasis on a good quality lunch in a good atmospheric restaurant and we can prebook lunch venues,

whereas other guests are ok to just stop at a supermarket for a sandwich to eat on the go

or just need a short lunch stop for some light snack to eat.


Your tour options on any private tour are unlimited and endless

Same place, same route – but one one private tour, the private tour guests would want to visit the castle, while on another tour at the same place, they want a whisky tour instead and yet again same place on the next tour the private tour guests, want to just go for a walk on the beach there, while another time at the same place, they just want to go shopping, visit the museum or stop at the golf course – so same place, but on each private tour at this very same place, we visit different places and the itinerary, stops and experience is different. 

As this is a private & personalised tour to suit your interests, preferences, hobbies and activities, it is up to you and we can either offer our normal tour itinerary for the location with all the many local highlights and sights and be flexible depending on the season, the weather, the time we have and also be fully flexible during the tour (as some places, you will love and stay longer and at other places you come to, you might wish to just take a photo and then leave, so in the end you might on the day of the tour decide to stay longer or shorter at some of the places we visit or you might still decide to add in some additional stops and places you had not thought about before)  and also partially or fully adjust it to suit your interests and preferences or entirely turn it into a specialist interest tour “a whisky tour”, “a castle, cathedral, historic sights tours”, a “walking tour”, a “nature & wildlife tour”, a “golf tour”, an “activity tour”, etc. depending on what you request (also see our full range of  Activities, special interests & tour themes.)

If it says on the tour itinerary, the tour starts in A and ends in Z and on our journey from A to Z we are travelling and can be stopping at B, C, D, E, F…… X & Y,

it might be the same route on every such private tour, but with every private tour group and individuals, it could still be an entirely & very different tour after all,

as there are so many different special interests & tour themes

so that the main focus of some private tour groups could be

  • architecture & charming towns & villages
  • castles, history
  • child-friendly stops
  • churches, abbeys & religious sites
  • dining & and having a great lunch eating out
  • events based, such as visiting the Highland games while on the tour with us
  • family history & genealogy
  • gardens, flowers & parks
  • golf, football or other sports’ venues
  • literature, film or movie fictional based tour, i.e. visiting filming locations of Outlander, Harry Potter, Shetland crime series, Downtown Abbey. etc.
  • nature & wildlife, seabirds, puffins or whale
  • watching
  • the scenery, the coast & beaches
  • snow and wintry landscapes
  • tourist steam train in conjunction with our tour
  • walking
  • waterfalls
  • whisky distilleries, gin and breweries
  • etc.

Pick ups & drop offs anywhere on private tours

As mentioned in the pick up section, on a private tour we can pick up from anywhere and drop off anywhere and offer staggered free pick ups and drop offs, which are dependent on the distance from our Alloa home base near Stirling. Our home base is 30 miles from Edinburgh, Glasgow & Perth in the heart of the Scottish Central belt:

  •  for short & half day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 15 miles of our Alloa home base (which includes Stirling, Falkirk, Dunfermline & Gleneagles)
  •  for 1 day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 35 miles of our Alloa home base (which additionally includes Edinburgh, Glasgow & Perth)
  •  for 2, 3 & 4 day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 50 miles of our Alloa home base (which additionally includes Dundee, St. Andrews & the entire Scottish Central belt)
  • for 5, 6 & 7 day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 75 miles of our Alloa home base

Additionally as stated we sometimes offer free pick ups for places on the route to our destination, even though they might exceed the free mileage zone, so for example for a West Coast tour and we need to head westbound anyway for the tour, we could be pick up at locations west free of charge, depending on the exact route and distances involved.

(During a few weeks every year we are also Shetland, Orkney, Hebridean Isles or regionally based

and the free pick ups will then be based from that local area, such as on the Shetland, Orkney or on some of the Hebridean Isles for example.)


Accommodation on multi-day tours is your choice

Some of our guests are budget travellers, whereas others are luxurious travellers, while others chose a mid-range 3* hotel.

We are happy to give you tips, links and info about your accommodation options for the towns and villages we are staying overnight, but in the end it is up to you, where you would like to stay, at which hotel or guesthouse and for which price.

However much or however little you wish to spend for your overnight accommodation is your choice.

On a private tour we will pick you up from any accommodation in the morning and in the evening drop you off at any accommodation of your choice for your overnight tour accommodation and and chosen location.

 

Free time & activities
Tour pick up/start, drop off/end & joining options near to & along our tour route

Pick up & drop off from anywhere in the Scottish Central belt (between Stirling/Perth/St. Andrews/Dundee & the Edinburgh, Greater Glasgow & Loch Lomond & Trossachs area)


Pick up / drop off points for private small group 1 Day Tours, from anywhere as it is your own private tour:

  • within the Stirling/Uni area
  • within the Forth Valley area
  • from within the Scottish Central belt, Edinburgh & Glasgow included

+

  • from places listed along or nearby the route and the stops of this particular 1 Day Tour
Tour booking

To enquire about this tour or book, please email contact@unicorntours.co.uk


This tour is for a private small group of up to 8 people.

We will personalise & tailor make this flexible tour itinerary to suit your preferences, interests & requirements.

This tour is available on any green calendar day

except during our Scottish Islands based tour days

for a few weeks each year.


Once you wish to book, we send you an invoice with a payment link and also allowing for a UK & international bank transfer.

Once you have paid, we send you your tour confirmation and will mark this day as “red” unavailable/booked out in our tours availability calendar


We can pick up from anywhere, but for a 1 day tour the free pick up zone is within 35 miles of our Alloa home base (which includes does Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth and anywhere in between, such Stirling, Falkirk, Dunfermline & Gleneagles)

Pick ups & drop offs anywhere on private tours

As mentioned in the pick up section, on a private tour we can pick up from anywhere and drop off anywhere and offer staggered free pick ups and drop offs, which are dependent on the distance from our Alloa home base near Stirling. Our home base is 30 miles from Edinburgh, Glasgow & Perth in the heart of the Scottish Central belt:

  •  for short & half day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 15 miles of our Alloa home base (which includes Stirling, Falkirk, Dunfermline & Gleneagles)
  •  for 1 day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 35 miles of our Alloa home base (which additionally includes Edinburgh, Glasgow & Perth)
  •  for 2, 3 & 4 day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 50 miles of our Alloa home base (which additionally includes Dundee, St. Andrews & the entire Scottish Central belt)
  • for 5, 6 & 7 day tours the free pick up/drop off zone is within 75 miles of our Alloa home base

Additionally as stated we sometimes offer free pick ups for places on the route to our destination, even though they might exceed the free mileage zone, so for example for a West Coast tour and we need to head westbound anyway for the tour, we could be pick up at locations west free of charge, depending on the exact route and distances involved.

(During a few weeks every year we are also Shetland, Orkney, Hebridean Isles or regionally based

and the free pick ups will then be based from that local area, such as on the Shetland, Orkney or on some of the Hebridean Isles for example.)

1D#6 – Loch Lomond & the Trossachs national park – 1 day tour

Loch Lomond & the Trossachs nationalpark

 

 

 

 

1 day tour

for your private, flexible tailor-made small group

sample itinerary 1D#6

  • Similar to, but extension of the short day tour SD#7
  • but this is a full Loch Lomond and the Trossachs day out

As the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs nationalpark is just one hour outside Stirling, this tour unlike the Loch Ness tour offers you many stops and a lot of quality time outside our mini-bus.

As per your small group preferences, we offer:

  • Potential boat trip and visit of one of the many islands of Loch Lomond
  • Loch Lomond walk, including a short scenic lochside section of the West Highland way
  • Loch and mountainside walks throughout the Trossachs
  • Trossachs lochs, incl. Loch Katrine, Loch Lubnaig, Lochearn
  • Whisky distillery visit at either Glengoyne, Deanston or Glenturret
  • Rob Roy’s grave, Balquhidder & Loch Voil
  • Killin, the Falls of Dochart, Ben Lawers, the Fortingall Yew & Kenmore Crannog centre
  • Scenic highland towns and villages, such as Aberfoyle, Callander, Crieff & Comrie
  • Optional organic farm tour
  • Drop off option for anyone who wishes to leave towards the end of the tour for own personal time, for example at the “Go Ape” on the forest zipwire above the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park in Aberfoyle – you need 2-3 hours to properly do this – and to take the bus back from down in Aberfoyle to Stirling, on request, we can give you all the information for this – we will discuss and maximise your route before your “Go Ape” drop off http://goape.co.uk/days-out/aberfoyle, so your not losing out on the tour, apart from the very end

& many stunning off the beaten track wild nature routes


Glengoyne whisky distillery

Loch Lomond & the Trossachs national park

The picturesque village of Luss with its beach, Ben Lomond & islands views, the pier, the picturesque village, the Colquhoun Clan centre, the historic church, the Viking hogback stone & the pilgrim’s trail.

Balmaha / Loch Lomond

Milarrochy bay

Rowardennan

Loch Katrine
Loch Katrine loch cruises

Queen Elizabeth Forest Park

Duke’s pass

Go Ape – Aberfoyle

Aberfoyle

Loch Venechar

Loch Lubnaig and Callander

Loch Lubnaig

Falls of Leny

Kilmahog – Woolen Mill

Callander

A photostop outside Doune castle

(or a castle visit on request, but there will be less time for the other sites on route).

Deanston whisky distillery


The quickest way from Stirling to Loch Lomond on the main roads are 50 minutes to Balmaha and 1 hour 20 minutes to Luss, as the 2 most scenic places (Balloch is a lot busier and it takes just over an hour to get there).

Instead of taking you on the busy & less interesting main road, we love to take you on the scenic road to Loch Lomond (about 20 minutes longer) and then on the scenic route through the Trossachs back (about 1.5 hours longer or more depending on the number of stops and exact route).

For anyone interested, we also recommend the boat trip between the 2 most nicest places Luss and Balmaha through the islands.

Unicorn Tours would be happy to drop you off at Luss (west side of Loch Lomond) and pick you up at Balmaha (east side of Loch Lomond) or vice versa, if you so wish.

If you are into walking we can drop you off at Balmaha and pick you up at Milarrochy bay, so you can wander along beaches opposite some stunning islands.

Sample route out to Loch Lomond (instead of driving on the busy and less interesting main road) – this is Unicorn Tours’ preferred fast route out to Loch Lomond

• Pick up from anywhere, including Stirling University
• SAS viewpoint of the nationalpark between Bridge of Allan and Doune
• past Doune Castle
• through Thornhill
• up through the Campsies with some spectacular views, wild scenery
• Balmaha, east side of Loch Lomond,
• Drive/walk some of the Balmaha/Rowardennan route
• Depending on timings chose a ferry

Possible route coming back, if you wish to have a real thorough spectacular journey and see the best that the Trossachs and Loch Lomond national park has to offer, we very much recommend this route to you – this is our preferred stunning route to bring you back to Stirling

• through Aberfoyle/Woolen Mill
• Great Queen Elizabeth Forest Park Duke’s Pass, incl. 3 lochs drive
• Loch Katrine stop and walk
• via Loch Venechar and Kilmahog (Hairy Coos)
• Falls of Leny / Loch Lubnaig, possible stop
• south side of Lochearn, really off the beaten track, spectacular
• Comrie, rural Perthshire
• The scenic high road to Braco (stunning wild romantic road, great views, crossing the Roman Fort)
• Option to drive back to Uni via Sheriffmuir Ochils route or Gleneagles hotel/Glendevon/Hillfoots villages/Castle Campbell