Tour of Scotland: Beyond the Tartan

Just utter the word “Scotland” and you’ll conjure up images of lush highlands and glens, enchanting castles, lyrical bagpipes, magical islands, placid lochs (lakes), Scotch whisky, and of course a quest to find the Loch Ness Monster. Our tour of Scotland from the lowlands to the highlands with Scotland Folk Tours introduced us to all of those and more.

It’s a place of stunning landscapes, fascinating historical cities, and rich culture that fuse perfectly to form a country as unique as it is lovely.

Nature enthusiasts can explore 709 islands; partiers can taste over 130 different types of whisky; foodies can indulge in national dishes such as haggis, neeps, and tatties, fish and chips, and bangers and mash.

National Geographic included Scotland in their Best of the World 2024 list, and far north Scotland has been named as one of Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel Destinations for 2024. If there’s ever been a time to visit Scotland, it’s now.

Scottish Folk Tours

Having recently returned from a 3-week self-guided road trip through central Mexico, we were more than ready to let someone else take care of the details, from setting the schedule and booking accommodations to driving around the country, and arranging meals and live entertainment. We opted for the “Beyond the Tartan” tour for people who love music, travel and meet the local folk. This tour of Scotland provided many opportunities for “up close and personal” experiences with locals.

We could not have been more delighted. Scotland Folk Tours isn’t just a tour company; it’s a celebration of culture, tradition, and the shared love for music.

Beyond the Tartan Tour

We chose the Beyond the Tartan tour because it hit all the bucket list highlights of Scotland (see Itinerary below). We started in Edinburgh, the capital city, world-renowned for its medieval beauty. Subsequently, we headed north into the beautiful highlands where we gawked at the exquisite landscape of mountains, lochs (lakes), and glens. We stopped to admire castles and explore tiny villages. Oh, and got some close-up introductions to sheep and hairy coo (famous Highland hairy cows). We also visited two magical islands.

We appreciated the perfect blend of guided tours along with free time to explore on our own.

There are also two other tours available from Scotland Folk Tours.

Beyond the Standing Stones explores the far north of Scotland to see pristine white sand beaches with turquoise water, majestic glens and mountains, and more.
Beyond the Borders goes south to follow in the footsteps of Scotland’s two great legendary warriors: William Wallace and Robert The Bruce, all the way past the English border.

Both of those sound wonderful and I’d love to try those in the future as well.

The Guides & Leader

Beyond the Tartan tour was led by passionate and knowledgeable Scottish guides who breathed life into every story, every castle, and every hidden gem.

Guide Fiona was with us for four days in Edinburgh. Even though we had some quite rainy weather, her sunny disposition chased the clouds away.

Guide Nory took over for the rest of the tour through the highlands and islands. What a precious man! His commentary and knowledge of history kept us on the edge of our seats, and his magnificent tall tales storytelling kept us in stitches. He made sure every guest whim was taken care of, and even made an extra stop at the Fairy Pools in Isle of Skye because he knew I wanted to go there (even though I did not request that it be added). I was thrilled! Also, I was the only Jaime Frazer Outlander fan in our group, and he made sure to point out any Outlander filming sites and even played the show’s theme song on the bus.

Jackson was our leader and music coordinator. He was really nice and it is because of his musical talent in singing, guitar, and fiddle that I’ve developed a deep appreciation and love of Scottish folk music.

I would be remiss if I did not mention Alexis, the Administrative Manager. She was so helpful in coordinating all the details, before, during, and after the trip.

Our Itinerary

Our 10-day itinerary was amazing and showcased the best of Scotland.

Edinburgh Highlights

Old Town/Grassmarket/Victoria Street
Royal Mile
Edinburgh Castle
Carlton Hill
Whisky Tasting
Edinburgh Highlights

Highland Highlights

Recreating the Outlander poster

Glenco
Callender Village
Eilean Donan Castle

Inverness Highlights

Lock Ness
Culloden Battlefield
Clava Cairns
Concert at Malt Room

Island Highlights

Isle of Skye
Isle of Raasay

Lowland Highlights

Pitlochry Village
Stirling
Kelpies
Allanwater Brewery

Live Music

I was not very familiar with Scottish Traditional Folk Music, but I love to find new ways to travel, so I saw this emphasis on this type of music as a way to expand my cultural knowledge.

I wasn’t wrong. Our group was treated to live music approximately every other night. Not only did we enjoy an extra opportunity to socialize with the others in the group without having to wait until 10 pm for clubs to open (we’re beyond that), but we were treated to a variety of very talented artists, from our own group leader Jackson, to a variety of local talent, in the most cozy and/or colorful venues. The music included:

Singing folk songs, telling stories of Scotland
Guitar
Fiddle
Small Bagpipes
Harp
Flute
Saxophone
Accordion
Whistles

Night-time concerts were not the only time we enjoyed music; we heard it on the bus. The other people in our group seemed to know the songs and sing them. The only one I knew was “500 Miles” which I belted out as loud as the best of them. Soon, I was able to sing some others.

By the end of the trip, I’d come to appreciate and love this genre of music. In fact, before leaving, I’d already downloaded “Calum’s Road” and “Loch Lomond” to my playlist.

Hotels

We were put up in charming boutique hotels, which is always our preference. They were conveniently located within walking distance to lots of restaurants, pubs, and historic sites, and they all provided a delicious full breakfast.

Frederick House Hotel, Edinburgh (4 nights)
Dornie Hotel, Dornie (3 nights)
Ardross B&B, Inverness (2 nights)
Golden Lion Hotel, Stirling (1 night)

Conclusion

In addition to exploring stunning Scotland, we were blown away by the personal touches provided by Scotland Folk Tours. Not to be cliché, but they left no (standing) stone unturned.

About the Author

Patti Morrow is a freelance travel writer and founder of the award-winning international blog Luggage and Lipstick and the southern travel blog Gone to Carolinas. TripAdvisor called her one of the “20 Baby Boomer Travel Bloggers Having More Fun Than Millennials” and she was named one of the “Top 35 Travel Blogs” in the world.

She is also the star of the upcoming TV series “Destination Takeover” which is scheduled to premiere in the next few months.

Patti is the author of the book “Girls Go Solo: Tips for Women Traveling Alone,” and has over 150 bylines in 40 print and online publications, including The Huffington Post, International Living Magazine, Washington Post Sunday Travel, Travel Girl, Travel Play Live Magazine, and Ladies Home Journal. She has traveled extensively through six continents looking for fabulous destinations, exotic beaches, and adventure activities for her Baby Boomer tribe.

Disclosure: The author was honored to be the guest of Scotland Folk Tours during her tour of Scotland, but as always, the opinions, reviews, and experiences are her own.