1 Day Tour - Loch Ness, Glen Coe & Highlands (Edinburgh)

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Depart Edinburgh 08:00 and travel past Linlithgow palace and Stirling Castle. To the north is the National Wallace Monument, which commemorates Scotland's great hero William Wallace. You pass close to the location where William Wallace defeated the English army in 1297, and after this take a short stop for coffee at Callander. The scenery changes dramatically as you venture further into the Highlands. The flat plains of the lowlands transform into shimmering lochs, rugged mountains and forest-filled glens. The alluring beauty makes it easy to forget this was once a battleground of the fiercely territorial Highland clans. You then head down to Scotland's most famous valley, Glencoe, where you’ll be mesmerised by the beautiful cliff faces and steep slopes. After Glencoe, you enter a deep glacial valley, known as the Great Glen. Passing through the town of Fort William you travel in the shadow of Britain's highest mountain, Ben Nevis, before arriving at Fort Augustus on the shore of Loch Ness. At 23 miles long and over 700ft deep, Loch Ness is the largest loch by volume in Scotland. The loch is best known for the legendary Loch Ness Monster ("Nessie") and you can take the opportunity to go in search of the monster on a fantastic boat cruise. Or you can simply enjoy the beautiful scenery on the banks. Fort Augustus boasts the Caledonian Canal, which is a great spot to relax and watch the boats sail by. You stop here for nearly 1hour 30min to give you time for lunch and time to take in the scenery around Scotland's most famous loch. From Loch Ness, you head south through the mountains of the Cairngorms National Park. Your route travels alongside Loch Laggan (the setting for the BBC series 'Monarch of the Glen'), over the Drumochter Pass and past 13th century Blair Castle. You continue south through the forests of Perthshire and make a short refreshment stop on the way. South of Perth you drive past Loch Leven. Then it’s over the famous Forth Bridge before returning to Edinburgh.