Castles and visitor attractions start to re-open

 

Castles and visitor attractions start to re-open

Most castles and visitor attractions currently closed due to COVID 19 restrictions are due to open on 26 April .  Private Tours Edinburgh are committed to taking every step possible to ensure the safety of all of our customers .

 Private tour gift vouchers are available . 

Our new James Bond tour of the Highlands of Scotland features film locations Eilean Donan Castle and Glencoe in the Highlands plus a visit to a selection of Bond cars .Phone 07305-294773 for more details . Your guide will take you to the best spots for taking pictures of Eilean Donan Castle and the beautiful scenery of Glencoe and the Highlands . Phone +44 131 549 9785 / +44+7305-294773 for more details and bookings .

Check availability for tours – phone +44131-549-9785 or contact us online .

Our unique range of  Outlander face masks  , gifts and stickers are available online .

For more details about availability phone 0131 549 9785 / 07305-294773 . Other pickup points in Edinburgh are available , including Airbnb locations and Edinburgh Airport .

   Private Tours Edinburgh are Good to Go – The ‘We’re Good To Go’ industry standard and supporting mark means we adhere to the respective government and public health guidance, and have carried out a COVID-19 risk assessment to ensure the required processes and protocols are in place. Phone +44131-549-9785 for more details or contact us online .

Our unique range of Outlander face masks , gifts and stickers are available online . Private tour gift vouchers are also available .

Outlander series six has started filming in Scotland at Wardpark Studios in Cumbernauld .

A new report by Tripadvisor found that Kinloch Rannoch, a popular holiday village in Perth and Kinross, is the most popular destination for staycationers planning an escape for the early May Bank holiday, having seen the biggest month-on-month increase in searches. 

Kinloch Rannoch is also a popular destination for Outlander fans as  akey location in Outlander , Craigh na dun , is just a few miles away from the loch . Craigh na dun is the location for standing stones which Claire approaches after the druids dance . When she touches a stone she is mysteriously sent back 200 years to 1745 . 

Popular destinations in Scotland are primed for a booking surge, as Nicola Sturgeon confirms restrictions on cross-border travel between Scotland and other parts of the UK will be lifted on April 26, when self-catering accommodation will also be allowed to reopen. HES have also announced that most of their castles , including Edinburgh Castle , Linlithgow Palace and Doune Castle , will open on 26 April . However , visitors must buy tickets online in advance . 

Demand for UK holidays has skyrocketed this week, as England enters phase two of the roadmap to ease lockdown restrictions.

Following the reopening of self-catered accommodation, campsites and beer gardens on Monday April 12, parts of Britain are close to fully booked.

A report by the Rest Easy Group confirmed 98 per cent of properties in Cornwall across its platforms are booked this week – with Devon and Yorkshire also close to full capacity.

“Only 3 per cent of properties in Devon are now available to book, followed by 5 per cent in Yorkshire and 2 per cent in Cornwall,” said Matt Fox, CEO of Rest Easy Group, which is a marketplace for UK holiday rentals.

Calendars are also brimming with bookings in other popular destinations, as the future of international holidays remains uncertain.

“We are still seeing the staycation market boom, with both Silverlake, Dorset and Lower Mill Estate, Cotswolds, fully booked today and at 90 per cent capacity next weekend. We expect to see this increase in demand continue long into summer whilst international travel is still uncertain,” said Red Paxton, director at Habitat Escapes, which offers lakeside self-catering properties in The Cotswolds and Dorset.

Looking for things to do in Edinburgh ? How about a tour of Scotland's castles , landscapes or film locations from Edinburgh ?

private Outlander tour of six film locations

Private outlander tour

Our private group tours take up to four people to three Outlander filming locations. We also offer bespoke private tours. This tour visits Falkland ( Inverness ) , Doune Castle ( Castle Leoch ) and Blackness Castle ( Fort William ) .

Superb day trip to Falkirk to visit the world famous Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel

The Kelpies sculptures are the largest works of art in Scotland, and the largest equine sculptures in the world.

Sculptor Andy Scott was on hand for the opening, along with Duke, a Clydesdale horse which was one of the models for the 30m (100ft) works.

More than 1 million people have visited the Kelpies since they were completed in April 2014.

The Kelpies, the centrepiece of the 350-hectare, £43m Helix parkland project, have boosted the local economy by £1.5m per year. Kelpies gifts can be bought online . 

They have won a number of design awards, and were named "Scotland's national treasure" by the National Lottery.

A £1.8m visitor centre has opened at the attraction .

The pair of sculptures are made from 600 tonnes of steel and more than 10,000 special fixings, and tower over the nearby M9 motorway.

The Kelpies sculptures in Falkirk were open to the public in April last year. An exhibition of local schools kids artwork celebrating The Kelpies and The John Muir Way will also be unveiled by Kelpie artist Andy Scott. The artwork will be on display inside The Kelpies for three weeks afterwards for tour guests to admire.

The completion of the £5 million venture marked a significant stage in the £43 million Helix project, which has transformed 865 acres of land between Falkirk and Grangemouth.

Game of thrones castle tour

visit the Game of Thrones castle - Doune Castle - on our unique tour. Visit Doune Castle on a unique private tour of the Game of Thrones Castle in Scotland – Winterfell .

Doune Castle is Winterfell in Game of Thrones and Monty Python’s Holy Grail. Visit Doune Castle on a unique private tour of the Game of Thrones Castle in Scotland – Winterfell .  Check availability by phoning us now on 07305-294773 or contact us online . Toll free number 1-866-233-2644

Doune is one of the best preserved medieval castles in Scotland.

Five Scottish castles tour

Our private group visits five castles used as Outlander film locations. This tour visits Midhope Castle ( Lallybroch ) , Doune Castle ( Castle Leoch ) , Linlithgow Palace (Wentworth Prison ) , Aberdour Castle and Blackness Castle.

The Outlander TV series was filmed in Scotland . One of Outlander’s first scenes was filmed in the picturesque town of Falkland, which stands in for Inverness in the 1940s . The show is based on American author Diana Gabaldon’s series of historical novels, which sees nurse Claire Beauchamp Randell mysteriously swept back from 1945 to 1743 Highland Scotland
 .  Falkland features some familiar sights from the TV series , including  Mrs Baird’s Guesthouses (actually the Covenanter Hotel), the Bruce Fountain where Claire comes across the ghost of Jamie, and the building that doubles as Farrell’s Hardware and Furniture Store.
Most of the filming will take place in Scotland,  according to the show's executive producer Ron Moore .
Scotland’s stunning landscape, with its rolling hills, rugged mountains, picturesque towns and villages, castles and sprawling beaches has provided the perfect backdrop for the world of cinema.
The show is based on American author Diana Gabaldon’s series of historical novels, which sees nurse Claire Beauchamp Randell mysteriously swept back from 1945 to 1743 Highland Scotland where rebellion and romance are afoot.  Executive Producer Ron Moore has commented on Scotland : “The landscape itself is a character in the show. There’s a particular quality to the light in Scotland, even to the grass and the trees.”
Outlander season 2 is expected to premiere sometime in the first half of 2016[/caption]

The Outlander TV series continues to be a smash hit in the UK and America .  Five Scottish castles in particular feature heavily in the story lines – Midhope Castle ( Lallybroch ) , Doune Castle ( Castle Leoch ) , Linlithgow Palace (Wentworth Prison ) , Aberdour Castle ( Sainte Anne de Beaupré’s monastery ) and Blackness Castle ( Fort William army headquarters ) .

1 Midhope Castle – Lallybroch

Those seeking a glimpse of the ancestral home of Jamie Fraser won’t find the real Lallybroch deep in the Highlands.

Scenes were shot at Midhope Castle on the fringes of the Hopetoun Estate near South Queensferry.

Midhope was built in the 15th Century and was built by John Martyne, laird of Medhope. It was rebuilt in the mid 1600s and remains much the same today.

Visitors are asked to admire Midhope from a distance as the interior remains largely derelict.

Unique four Scottish castles tour

Our private group visits four unique Scottish castles. This tour visits Drummond Castle and Gardens , Stirling Castle , Doune Castle and Linlithgow Palace

Four ancient Scottish castles feature in this tour – Drummond Castle and Gardens , Stirling Castle , Doune Castle and Linlithgow Palace

1 Drummond Castle and Gardens

Drummond Castle Gardens, near Crieff, Perthshire, doubles as the French royal Palace of Versailles in TV drama Outlander.The grounds, which date back to 1630, are considered “the best example of formal terraced gardens in Scotland”.

Drummond Castle Gardens, which are protected as a category A listed building — in contrast to the B listed castle — already attract thousands of visitors per year, and are included on the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland.The gardens — complete with peacocks — feature ancient yew hedges and the remaining beech tree planted by Queen Victoria in 1842.

2

Doune Castle

Originally dating to the 13th Century, Doune Castle near Stirling plays Castle Leoch, home to Colum MacKenzie and his clan in Outlander TV series .

It also features in the 20th century episode when Claire and Frank Randall visit the castle on a day trip.

Once a Royal residence, Doune Castle was rebuilt by Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany in the late 14th Century.

Doune has appeared several times on screen and was widely used in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It also represented the castle Winterfell in Game of Thrones.

photo tours of the Highlands of Scotland

Private tours of the Highlands including a visit to Glencoe, Black Mount and Buachaille Etive Mor . Your guide will take you to the best spots for taking pictures of the beautiful scenery of Glencoe and the Highlands .

This photo tour is ideal for beginners/ intermediate photographers . Your photo guide will offer assistance as required with taking pictures.

Our promise – your guide will always be friendly , helpful and informative .

Glencoe - see the stunning scenery of the paps of Glencoe , one of the most impressive peaks in Scotland. Glencoe is a beautiful rocky landscape featuring the Paps of Glencoe – giant mountains of solid rock. In the summer you might hear the piper in the car park playing a lament . When it goes quiet the silence is quite eery . Listen carefully and you might hear the wailing of ghosts from the Massacre of Glencoe. Your guide will take to the two best viewing points in Glencoe . One of the viewing points involves a short walk up the hillside facing the paps of Glencoe .

Kelpies tours, visit the amazing 30 metre high Kelpies in Falkirk

Falkirk tours and transfers, visit the Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel, two unique attractions connected by the Union Canal

Private tours Edinburgh offer a wide range of tours of Scotland’s castles , film locations and landscapes , visit Outlander , Monty Python and Outlander film locations

Lallybroch castle is the ancestral home of Outlander star Jamie fraser , real life Midhope Castle is just 25 minutes from Edinburgh. Our private group tours take up to four people to three Outlander filming locations. This tour visits Lallybroch - Midhope Castle, Blackness Castle ( Fort William ) and Linlithgow Palace ( Wentworth Prison )

Tours start at 10 am . We also offer bespoke private tours in small groups of up to 4 people with the option of choosing your own itinerary .

Tours start from locations in Edinburgh or Glasgow .

Normal pickup point is Edinburgh/ Glasgow city centre , your hotel or the airport .

Other pickup points can be arranged .

• Lallybroch - Midhope Castle, ancestral home of Jamie Fraser
• Linlithgow Palace - Wentworth Prison
• Blackness Castle
• half day Outlander tour
• Take in unique views of three historic castles featured in Outlander
• Small private group tour with up to of four people

Doune Castle pictures , Doune featured in Monty Python , Game of Thrones and Outlander

Glentana - airport transfers from Edinburgh to Glasgow Airport

Outlander tours , tour the real film locations used in Outlander, including Lallybroch and Castle Leoch

Castle tours , tour the ancient castles of Scotland and their history in films

there is lots of construction work

 going on at Edinburgh Airport . A new walkway is being built from the terminal to the trams terminus . It won't be very long but there's big plans to use it for entertainment and information for new visitors .

It is part of the £25 million expansion of the main terminal.

A brand new security hall, more shops and 15 per cent extra terminal space will be created under the major overhaul.

However, the revamp means the outer shell of the airport extension will not be finished until the end of next year, leaving those using the city’s new tram service needing to walk further around construction works before entering the terminal.

The coach parking area has also been moved close to the tram stop, creating a “public transport interchange” that allows passengers to switch easily between bus services such as Citylink express coaches,the trams and car hire facilities.

Airport head of project delivery Ian Lang said a covered walkway would be set up to shelter passengers as they moved between the trams and the terminal.

Digging will start this week in the old bus zone next to the airport terminal. Mr Lang said equipment including scanners and facial recognition technology would be moved from the 
existing security zone to the new one midway through next year.

The changeover will coincide with the summer months – a period where the airport clocked up a million passenger a month this year – and two massive sporting events in the Ryder Cup and Commonwealth Games.

Edinburgh Airport has another record month

Edinburgh Airport is the most convenient airport for Falkirk holiday makers and it continues to grow in popularity across the board.
March, April and May were the busiest in Heathrow and Edinburgh airports’ history, according to BAA’s latest figures.
Heathrow Airport handled 5.9 million passengers last month, while Edinburgh Airport handled 826,000.
Traffic at BAA’s six airports increased by 9.2% on last May to 9.3 million passengers, although the airport operator said the figures were skewed by last year’s figures that were affected by volcanic ash and industrial action.

Edinburgh trams project in turmoil

The new Edinburgh trams project continues to be in serious danger of folding with a series of disputes between the contractor and TIE , the council funded company which manages the project. Edinburgh is a world class city and the trams were intended to bring the transport system into the 21st century. However the whole project might end in a number of costly legal disputes about the ongoing costs and repeated demands by the contractor for more money. The tram system was intended to run from the city centre out to the airport. the whole project hangs in the balance . The picture will slowly emerge in the next few months as key decisions about funding are taken

Edinburgh city

Edinburgh is one of the great cities of the world , as countless visitors each year will undoubtedly confirm. the city has everything from shops, restaurants, business conference centres , an airport  and the castle which dominates the city skyline. Edinburgh Castle is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the UK with thousands of vistors every month. The Scottish crown jewels are on display in the Royal palace. The Great Hall features a fearsome display of armoury and spears. The Castle is available as a wedding venue. Members of the armed forces are entitles to get married inside the castle. Edinburgh is one of the easiest cities to travel to with excellent air and road links. The airport is on the edge of the city and a 20 minute taxi ride from the city centre.