Coast, sea Highlands & Islands –
Unicorn Tours throughout Scotland

Scenic & historic Lowland taster

This is a private & personalised tour for a group of up to 8 & AVAILABLE on any green* calendar day --- FREE SHORT DAY TOURS 15 MILES PICK UP ZONE within 15 miles of our Alloa home base in the heart of the Scottish Central belt between Stirling & its Uni, Falkirk, Dunfermline & Gleneagles --- EXCESS MILEAGE PAYABLE PICK UPS the additional pick up mileage supplement applies outwith & beyond the 15 miles free pick up zone more than 15 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

Short day

SD#2

Tour summary & highlights

Short day tour

Scenic & historic Lowland taster – Short day tour SD #2

Suggested featured route:

Ochil Hillfoots villages, Castle Campbell/Dollar, Rumbling Bridge, Kinross/Loch Leven or Loch Ore and the Lomond hills & Falkland & its palace & Culross (both having been featured in the “Outlander” series) and more



As there are so many places to choose from, the above route is is a flexible route & allows for additional stops,

subject to interests/hobbies/priorities of our private small group tour passengers & the weather

Alternative scenic/historic Lowland routes & stops could also include many other of our:

Short day tours

         plus

  • the Campsies & the Forth/Clyde/Union canal, incl. a stop at Auchinstarry
  • the Forth/Clyde/Union canal, incl. the Falkirk wheel, canal (incl. tunnel) walk, Antonine wall & the Kelpies
  • Linlithgow palace, loch walk, Beecraig’s, Muiravonside country park & Cairnpapple hill
  • South Queensferry old town, harbour & Forth bridges
  • Dunblane and many more places


for your private, flexible tailor-made small group

sample itinerary SD#2


 

The Hillfoots villages at the foothills of the Ochils – Yetts of Muckhart, Dollar, Tillicoultry, Alva, Menstrie, Blairlogie, Logiekirk – all offer great walks through the glens and along stunning waterfalls – and are literally only minutes away from Stirling & the Uni.

Discover Clackmannanshire

Clackmannanshire in the autumn

View of the Ochils from the Clackmannanshire bridge & Castle Campbell

Through beautiful Dollar we make our way up the glen.

There are great walks and river falls walks up with superb view at Castle Campbell

the lowland home of the Duke of Argyll, the chief of Clan Campbell, Scotland’s second most important Clans after their “arch-enemies” the MacDonalds.

We go for a nature walk into the Rumbling bridge 

gorge.

There is a lot to do and see and great nature walks around Loch Leven.

You may just want a photostop at the scenic Burleigh sands or wish to take the boat to the island and visit Loch Leven castle

and hear about Mary Queen of Scot.

If you are into nature, visit the Loch Leven RSBP nature reserve

which has great facilities and is not far from more great walks in the Lomond hills or Loch Ore or visit

Alternatively you may wish to take the scenic route through the Lomond hills to Falkland (which featured as Inverness during the Outlander series) and Falkland palace was from where the Stuart kings went onto hunting expeditions.

 

Along nice country roads with views over to the Forth bridges we can visit the Royal Burgh of Culross
(featured as Cranesmuir with the Witches trial in the Outlander series).

You can visit Culross palace, go for a scenic walk along the tidal Forth estuary with its beaches at low tide or walk up to  Culross Abbey.

The magnificent and ancient sanctuary has been a religious site for more than 1500 years and is one of the oldest Christian sites in Scotland, dating back to the 6th Century, when St Servanus – St. Serf established a Community of Monks here.

It is also known as the birth place of Saint Kentigern, A.D.612, who became St. Mungo, patron Saint of Glasgow.

From here it is only a short journey across the Kincardine bridge to the Kelpies and the Falkirk wheel or alternatively a scenic route through Clackmannanshire & a possible stop/walk in one of the Hillfoot glens/waterfalls, Gartmorn dam or at the Cambus pools nature reserve back to Stirling.


We pick up from (m)any locations, incl. Stirling University

 

Tour itinerary
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. For a short day private tour price = proportional percentage of the standard full 10 hour 1 day private tour price, i.e. the price of a 5 hour tour is 50% of the 10 hour tour price, a 3 hour tour price is 30% of a 10 hour tour price.

Short day private tour price = proportional percentage of the standard full 10 hour 1 day private tour price


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 children up to 17 and for seniors from the age of 65.

 

Extra costs & ferry info (if applicable)
Tour links
Tour options

 


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. 

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 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 short & half day tour the free pick up zone is within 15 miles of our Alloa home base (which includes 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.)

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

Pick up & drop off from anywhere in the Stirling, Forth Valley & adjacent heart of the Central belt areas


Pick up / drop off points for Short Day Tours:

  • from anywhere in the Stirling/Uni/Forth Valley area, as it is your own private tour
  • from anywhere & nearby the places listed on this particular Short Day Tour route

+

  • if the Short Day Tour is at least 5 hours or longer, from most places within the Scottish Central belt, Edinburgh & Glasgow included

SD#2 – Scenic & historic Lowland taster – Short day tour

Short day tour

Scenic & historic Lowland taster – Short day tour SD #2

Suggested featured route:

Ochil Hillfoots villages, Castle Campbell/Dollar, Rumbling Bridge, Kinross/Loch Leven or Loch Ore and the Lomond hills & Falkland & its palace & Culross (both having been featured in the “Outlander” series) and more



As there are so many places to choose from, the above route is is a flexible route & allows for additional stops,

subject to interests/hobbies/priorities of our private small group tour passengers & the weather

Alternative scenic/historic Lowland routes & stops could also include many other of our:

Short day tours

         plus

  • the Campsies & the Forth/Clyde/Union canal, incl. a stop at Auchinstarry
  • the Forth/Clyde/Union canal, incl. the Falkirk wheel, canal (incl. tunnel) walk, Antonine wall & the Kelpies
  • Linlithgow palace, loch walk, Beecraig’s, Muiravonside country park & Cairnpapple hill
  • South Queensferry old town, harbour & Forth bridges
  • Dunblane and many more places


for your private, flexible tailor-made small group

sample itinerary SD#2


 

The Hillfoots villages at the foothills of the Ochils – Yetts of Muckhart, Dollar, Tillicoultry, Alva, Menstrie, Blairlogie, Logiekirk – all offer great walks through the glens and along stunning waterfalls – and are literally only minutes away from Stirling & the Uni.

Discover Clackmannanshire

Clackmannanshire in the autumn

View of the Ochils from the Clackmannanshire bridge & Castle Campbell

Through beautiful Dollar we make our way up the glen.

There are great walks and river falls walks up with superb view at Castle Campbell

the lowland home of the Duke of Argyll, the chief of Clan Campbell, Scotland’s second most important Clans after their “arch-enemies” the MacDonalds.

We go for a nature walk into the Rumbling bridge 

gorge.

There is a lot to do and see and great nature walks around Loch Leven.

You may just want a photostop at the scenic Burleigh sands or wish to take the boat to the island and visit Loch Leven castle

and hear about Mary Queen of Scot.

If you are into nature, visit the Loch Leven RSBP nature reserve

which has great facilities and is not far from more great walks in the Lomond hills or Loch Ore or visit

Alternatively you may wish to take the scenic route through the Lomond hills to Falkland (which featured as Inverness during the Outlander series) and Falkland palace was from where the Stuart kings went onto hunting expeditions.

 

Along nice country roads with views over to the Forth bridges we can visit the Royal Burgh of Culross
(featured as Cranesmuir with the Witches trial in the Outlander series).

You can visit Culross palace, go for a scenic walk along the tidal Forth estuary with its beaches at low tide or walk up to  Culross Abbey.

The magnificent and ancient sanctuary has been a religious site for more than 1500 years and is one of the oldest Christian sites in Scotland, dating back to the 6th Century, when St Servanus – St. Serf established a Community of Monks here.

It is also known as the birth place of Saint Kentigern, A.D.612, who became St. Mungo, patron Saint of Glasgow.

From here it is only a short journey across the Kincardine bridge to the Kelpies and the Falkirk wheel or alternatively a scenic route through Clackmannanshire & a possible stop/walk in one of the Hillfoot glens/waterfalls, Gartmorn dam or at the Cambus pools nature reserve back to Stirling.


We pick up from (m)any locations, incl. Stirling University