Most of my exploring for Scotland Off the Beaten Track is done using the car, and occasionally public transport. However, both shared and private tours are another popular way to see Scotland. In May 2017 I joined Rabbie’s Tours for a day trip to see what the fuss was about. Spoiler alert: I really enjoyed it!
All the photos on this page were taken on the day of the tour.
Trip report
George Square was bathed in morning sunshine as I arrived bright and early in Glasgow city centre. It was already over 20°C (68°F) at 8 am – highly unusual for Scotland in May! Perfect conditions, however, for the Oban, Glencoe, Highland Lochs & Castles trip I’d be joining today.
Finding the departure point was easy. I got into conversation with a fellow Glasgow local, who explained that despite living locally he’d been going on guided day tours for years!
Everyone was early for the tour, so we were on board and weaving in and out of city traffic well before the scheduled 8.30 am departure time. The vehicle – a 16-seat minibus which Rabbie’s uses for all its group tours – was clean, comfortable and full. My fellow passengers were a diverse group of nationalities and ages, united by a desire to explore Scotland’s West Highlands.
Our tour guide and driver for the day was Peter, a friendly Scot with a passion for cycling and a wry sense of humour. As we trundled out of Glasgow he launched into a detailed and very interesting account of the city, describing centuries of fate and fortune from the tobacco trade, through periods of recession and decline, to its recent reinvention as a thriving service hub and tourist centre, with recommendations for specific visitor attractions to seek out.
By the end of the history lesson we were crossing the Erskine Bridge, with the city laid out to the east and the glittering Firth of Clyde to the west. Peter played some Scottish folk music (on a CD, otherwise that would be some seriously impressive multitasking) for the short remaining distance to Loch Lomond. He explained that this was Scotland’s largest freshwater loch, part of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park – and yes, we did get to listen to the famous song: The Bonnie Banks o’ Loch Lomond.
Our first stop was the picturesque lochside village of Luss, with sandy beach, 19th century church and many well kept cottages. Luss can get very busy, but it was pleasantly quiet at 9.30 am, with just a few midges to contend with.
Half an hour was ample time to wander around Luss, before piling back onto the minibus for the journey further into the Highlands. Traffic often seemed to magically disappear whenever we approached a photo opportunity, allowing Peter to safely slow the bus to a crawl. The big windows made it possible to snap decent pics even through the glass.
Escaping the rocky confines of northern Loch Lomond, the road opened out and so did the views: welcome to the proper Highlands! There were wonderful vistas of the Crianlarich Hills, fittingly accompanied by the theme tune from the 1995 film Rob Roy, about a clan chief who once called this area home. Beinn Dorain looked amazing, cloud just kissing its summit. The distant Munro of Ben Lui still had some snow on it despite the mild weather. Peter remarked that more lives have been lost here than on any other Scottish hill – especially sobering given I’d climbed it the previous week.
Just before 11 am we stopped at the busy Black Mount viewpoint, with a stunning panorama over Loch Tulla and the Great Wall of Rannoch hill range.
Back on the road we traversed the great expanse of Rannoch Moor: a vast and desolate bogland The Pass of Glencoe soon followed, guarded by that fearsome fortress: Buachaille Etive Mòr. I’d liked to have stopped for a proper photo here, but we had to settle for a shot through the window. Further down the pass, a larger layby allowed a genuine photo stop taking in the trio of dramatic ridges called the Three Sisters. Add in a bagpiper and… well, can you think of a more iconic Scottish scene?
The west coast was reached at the foot of the glen, with a quieter, pleasant drive south along Loch Linnhe. The next stop was at Castle Stalker viewpoint: this romantic 15th century tower house is perched on a rocky island and featured in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. 15 minutes here to wander down to the viewpoint, with gift shop and toilets.
Oban wasn’t far from here, with the road crossing bridges over majestic sea lochs. The Falls of Lora tidal rapids were in full flow under a strong ebb tide. On the way into town, Peter gave us tips on where to get the freshest seafood, and a couple of suggestions for attractions to visit. My squashed sandwich packed lunch was beginning to feel like a mistake; it’s just not the same as picking your own crab from the creels outside the Green Shack on the pier…
Oban is probably my favourite town in the West Highlands. You could easily spend several days here, but 90 minutes was just enough to get a (literal) taste of the place.
At 2.15 pm we were back on the minibus, and the commentary resumed, covering some FAQ’s of tourists visiting the Highlands for the first time. Just as I was starting to get a bit bored of the history of Scottish tree planting, we were saved by a herd of Highland cows bathing in the shallows of Loch Etive, well spotted by our guide. Cue an unscheduled photo stop, and another box ticked from the list of Scottish icons.
The road took us back into more mountainous terrain, passing under the rocky walls of Ben Cruachan with Loch Awe on the right. There was less commentary now, with Peter letting the scenery do the talking. At the far end of the loch we stopped for a fleeting encounter with Kilchurn Castle. 10 minutes was (just) enough time to navigate a soggy path down to the shore of Loch Awe for a superb, close-up view of this photogenic gem.
The twisty road through Glen Aray brought us to the whitewashed town of Inveraray, next to oyster-rich Loch Fyne. A single hour gave us the choice of either touring Inveraray Castle (admission charge), or just taking a photo and exploring the town. Everyone opted for the latter; it was definitely a day for being outdoors!
60 minutes and a full camera memory card later, most of us were back in the minibus. A brief driving tour of the town was needed to round up a wayward couple. On the way back to Glasgow, Peter explained how Rabbie’s came about, with a pre-recorded segment about Robert Burns – Scotland’s National Bard (story-teller / poet) – which was the only “non-live” part of today’s commentary. Then a recording of Auld Lang Syne (a bit corny). There was one more stop at Rest and Be Thankful: the top of a road pass in the heart of the craggy Arrochar Alps.
Traffic was unusually light on the way back to Glasgow, and we got back half an hour before the scheduled 7 pm arrival time. There was no question of feeling short changed; it felt like we’d been to a different world and back in a single day.
I loved…
💚 Well-crafted itinerary, excellent commentary.
💚 An excellent way to see the highlights of the West Highlands without the stress of itinerary planning or hiring a car.
💚 Sensible amount of time at each stop – generally didn’t feel rushed. Total trip time was 10 hours (6 hr 20 on the bus; 3 hr 40 outside). That sounds like a lot of driving, but “window sightseeing” is no hardship when the scenery is spectacular! The longest gap between stops was about an hour.
💚 Group size (16) – smaller than the full coaches offered by some other companies.
💚 Our wonderful, knowledgeable tour guide and driver, Peter. I was amazed to learn he’d only been working for Rabbie’s for two months at the time of the trip!
I liked less…
💔 Inflexibility of a fixed itinerary.
💔 You can’t please everyone -some passengers too hot, others too cold.
💔 Very few breaks in commentary / music – if you prefer peace & quiet, this isn’t the tour for you!
Route map & info
💬 Rabbie’s Tours kindly provided a complimentary seat on their 🔗 “Oban, Glencoe, Highland Lochs & Castles” day tour, departing from Glasgow city centre. 2023 prices for this tour start from £50 adult / £47 concession.
Rabbie’s offer a wide range of shared tours around Scotland (plus the rest of the UK, Ireland and beyond), ranging from single-day trips to multi-day epics. Scotland tours depart from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen & Inverness. Private tours are also available.
Please can you tell me what a concession is?
Hi Mary, you’d be best getting in touch with Rabbie’s Tours directly to find the answer to your question.