Busy port with a shuttle round trip buses @ 6 lbs each. The #99 bus took passengers to St Andrew's…read moreSquare every :20. The double decker buses held a lot of passengers comfortably but more buses were needed to accommodate cruise ship passengers in because they were huge lines.

Hawes Pier in South Queensferry is the place to go if you want to experience a boat ride across the…read moreFirth of Forth. Boat tours leave from this pier and it is possibly to book them in advance. When I was passing by, the queue for the boat trip was long due to the large amount of tourists. From the pier, one can get remarkable views of the Rail Bridge, with the pier being almost being practically under the bridge. The Pier is not as dramatic as others and is quite bland, the only change it gets each year is the annual visit of the shows for the festival season.

This tour of Inchcolm Island and the Firth of Forth is a splendid day out. The boat boards at South…read moreQueensferry, has indoor and outdoor seating, a bar and bathroom facilities. On the way to and from the island the captain went out of his way to point out seals and puffins and get close enough so everyone could see. There is a pre-recorded audio tour playing over the loudspeakers that is informative, but not so loud as to be annoying. The island itself is beautiful with ruins of a 12th century abbey and World War II army structures, both of which you can fully explore, plus a spectacular view of Edinburgh. If you are willing to climb a very narrow, very steep spiral staircase you can go to the top of the abbey. When left on the island you have about 1.5 hours before the boat picks you up, which is a decent amount of time. There are bathrooms, a small gift shop and plenty of places to enjoy a picnic on the island. This is a great outing for families, but not for anyone who has difficulty with climbing or walking on rough surfaces. Many people had taken a bus to the pier and public transportation might be something to consider because parking is scarce. I was lucky to go on a spectacularly clear-skied, sunny day, but even so there were moments when the wind cut through to the bone;dressing in layers is a good idea. Also, there are lots of hotels, pubs and restaurants in picturesque South Queensferry if you want to extend your day out.

In early October, we headed out from Newhaven on the Maid of the Forth to see the abbey ruins at…read moreInchcolm island. The weather was lovely, and the boat ride exhilarating. We had about 1 hour to explore the island, and then we headed back for dry land. On the way, our friendly captain let the boat idle for about 2 minutes while he explained a bit of history associated with an impressive lighthouse, and we were lucky to spy some harbour seals basking in the sun. The Abbey itself was lovely and interesting. Someone has taken great care to place many informative plaques and signs, so the inquisitive mind is able to get a pretty complete history lesson about the location and the ruins. My only complaint about this outing was that it didn't last long enough, and the promotional photos would lead tourists to believe we were going to see a seal 'colony.' To me, this means los of seals, and possibly up close, but no such luck. You will be whisked to the island and backdon't expect much more than a lovely hour exploring an isolated and beautiful place. In sum, I would take this tour again if a friend was desperate to go, but I think cutting the price in half would make it an excursion more accurately priced. Out of 5, this outing gets 3 stars.

My wife and I have just completed the 3 day tour of the Highlands and Skye. What an incredible…read moreexperience, our tour guide Gary S. was brilliant, informative and helpful. The Highlands themselves are incredible, the scenery and the history is incredible. The trip on Loch Ness was great. I really cannot recommend this company and the tour enough. Thanks for an amazing time.

Our journey started very early 730 in the morning, and it seems they had enough bookings to fill 2…read morebuses. Starting was not so pleasant, these girls' gang (3 ladies in their 40s), they all took window seats and nowthe guide is asking politely to sit them together so that the other person can board the bus, but no one wanna leave their window, and 3 seats were vacant. Hey, aunties, what about some basic courtesy? Everyone paid the same bucks, so don't act like you own the company Coming to the topic, the guide was witty, knowledgeable, and cool. Yes, I had some difficulty understanding the Scottish accent, but it's okay. The tour started with a quick coffee break at Calendar. Then we stopped at Trossachs Woollen Mill- This is possibly the most easiest way to spot highland cows in Scotland. The second stop was somewhere in the Scottish Highlands: beautiful surroundings, so soothing. Then we stopped at Commando Memorial, Fort Augustus Locks, and Loch Ness View Point, Fort Augustus. Each stop was a 15-45 min stop, depending on how big that attraction was. Loch Ness (Fort Augustus) was 2 hrs+ stop, as a few folks had to go on a boat tour. The bus was comfortable, and the guide kept telling us about stories of the highlands, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, and stuff. Overall, it was a tiring but fun day, knowing many facts, stories, and visiting such a beautiful part of the world.

We had a wonderful time on the 90 min cruise of the 3 Bridges! The crew was excellent giving the…read morehistory of the area and making sure we got to see the adorable seals sunbathing! We even saw a full rainbow! The weather was the typical raining then windy then beautiful so we were able to warm up and stay dry on the covered inside portion of the boat and then enjoy the open air deck when weather permitted. Make sure to grab a hot chocolate to warm up too! Definitely a highlight of our trip to Scotland!

This company helped our Princess cruise ship tender us to the pier in South Queensferry. They made…read morethe process getting to land very efficient. Crew is very nice. Boat is spacious and clean. There are separate men and women toilets on boat. We sat upstairs and enjoyed the view of the Forth Bridge.

I took one of the trips run by Calypso when Cunard's Queen Victoria was visiting the Firth of Forth…read morein July 2010. The boat and equipment were clean and well maintained. Life jackets were provided along with waterproofs if we required them. Stewart was very friendly and extremely knowledgeable about the area. We were taken at great speed from the jetty at North Queensferry to where the Queen Victoria was anchored, just east of the Forth Bridge. When we reached her, we slowed and were able to view (and photograph) her from the water. It's not every day you get the chance to see a cruise liner, both bridges and wildlife up close from such a unique viewpoint! I can't recommend a trip with Calypso highly enough it will definitely bring a smile to your face and is great value for money. Note: Dress warmly even on the warmest summer day, the Firth of Forth is cold.

We took the 4 day tour to Isle of Skye with Rabbie's Tours. It was amazing!! Our driver/tour guide,…read morePeter was knowledgeable and entertaining. I would highly recommend and use this company for other tours.

We went on 3 day Isle of Skye tour in July and it was fantastic. Our guide was Kaylie and she…read moregreat .. knowledgeable and helpful. She was always on time and very kind. I was taking a diabetic medicine that was causing some bathroom issues and she did an emergency stop for me and I am so grateful. I highly recommend tours to see Uk as driving on the other side of the road and a million turn about circles is terrifying so let the professionals take that stress from you. Plus they know where the cool stuff is and when to go. Our other tours in other countries the driver and guide were separate, so she gets bonus points for doing it all and to perfection. the roads are so narrow and scary but she did great. this was first time using this company but left willing to take other tours with Rabbies. She didn't say anything about tips which most do .. but bring tip money and reward exceptional service. We went on the trip with another couple and made some lovely memories. Loved going with friends even made it more special but in other trips we ended up making friends for life so either way is great. We did a stop near an ancient Village I think Vikings anyway there were some shops there where my friend bought a purse and I kicked myself for not going in there and getting one too. I thought the purse prices would be better in Edinburgh they were made with the local Fabric and real leather. When we got to Edinburgh the purses were not as well made and they were more expensive and a lot of them weren't even with real leather or made locally. The Edinburgh purse is a lot of them they use the fabric woven there but they made them out of the country probably China or India. Anyway I that is my biggest regret of the trip that I didn't buy an Islander purse. Now I'm going to have to see if I can buy one online and it'll be a lot more money. So if you go to the Isle of sky and you want a bag or a purse you might want to keep that in mind. My friend bought one that was more large than what I would have wanted but it was around a hundred and some dollars great price for the quality. It's well known that the UK is not known for its great weather. Lots of rain and can be very windy around the cliffs and water. I bought vessie shoes which are waterproof and comfortable but kind of expensive. I also took a raincoat with a hood and a hat with a brim and a chin strap because the wind around the cliffs is real. This hat is especially nice because it has a mesh netting that you can unclip in case you're getting in a buggy area which around the ferry pools we needed. If you don't need the netting you can just clip it back up and so it's really handy. The UK and pretty much most of Europe we find that they like twin beds in the hotels and especially the b&bs. I guess people don't like each other lol and want to sleep together. So we would call ahead and ask that they push the beds together before we get there if that was the case. They also don't seem to have air conditioning screens on the windows or sheets on the beds?? Sometimes places will have fans so it's worth asking or calling ahead to see if you can reserve a fan because they definitely don't have enough fans for every room. If you stay in a US-based hotel like a Hilton or Marriott Holiday Inn you don't have to deal with this as much but I guess it's just common in Europe. Traveling through the summer or heat wave months this can be a bit of a problem. The bed seemed all have these duvets which is great if it's cold out but when it's too warm it's a bit uncomfortable. Since we were roasting we had to open the window didn't love that there was no screen and a lot of the windows are made to where you can only open them about an inch so it doesn't provide much air. This was the case through all of the UK not just the Isle of Skye.

Starting in Lochrin Basin at Fountainbridge (just behind Cargo Bar and Tesco express) and…read morestretching all the way to Falkirk and on to Glasgow, the Union Canal is a hive of activity. The canal itself is used by canal boats, rowers, kayakers and fishermen/women as well as ducks, swamp hens, geese, swans and seagulls of course! The tow path is a popular commuter route for cyclists, and is used by walkers, joggers, parents with strollers and dog-walkers alike. Solar powered lights have just been installed on the towpath from Lochrin Basin to south-western end of Harrison Park). For tourists, this makes a good stroll away from the city centre, with the opportunity to see plenty of wildlife (birds mostly, including ducklings, goslings and cygnets in spring) and flora. There are a number of good pubs and parks close to the canal, so it may be a nice way to combine a pub lunch or picnic with a scenic walk. YOu can connect from the meadows via Bruntsfield Links and Leamington Terrace or Viewforth. The canal and towpath are kept reasonably clean these days (except perhaps in one small area near Longstone where the rubbish bin seems to be rarely emptied). I've been a cycle commuter on this route for a couple of weeks now (through the summer) and have not had any real issues. There are stretches of cobbles (mainly under bridges where the path narrows and across the viaduct by the Water of Leith visitor centre), so the ride can be a bit bumpy, and there a few blind spots as you pass under bridges, so a bell is a necessity. Bridges make a good place to shelter if you're caught out in unexpected rain, and it often leads to some enjoyable social banter with other cyclists and pedestrians also waiting out the shower! You do not need a cycle permit to use the canal tow path in Scotland. I have used this route often as a runner and highly recommend it -- A good 10 km loop can be made by starting and finishing at Fountainbridge/Lochrin Basin, following the canal to where it meets the Water of Leith and the following the Water of Leith to Murrayfield/Roseburn, along the road to Haymarket and back to Foutnainbridge... though it is perhaps best to wait till the cycle commuter rush hour is over. The tow path surface is in various places asphalt/tarmac, concrete, cobbles and shingle/loose metal, but is generally smooth so suitable for sturdy strollers. Near Lochrin Basin the surface is very good, so would be fine for wheelchairs. Be prepared for a few midges, small green flies etc. Access to the canal is at a number of points, generally at most road bridges that cross the canal (except at Yeaman Place in Polwarth, there is no access from there).

Landscapes featuring water are always tranquil. So imagine the degree of tranquillity when the…read morewater stretches for nearly 32 miles? The Union Canal, one of Scotland's two Lowland canals, took 4 years to construct, and is now popular with everyone from walkers, joggers, cyclists and canoeists, to diners on floating restaurants! It meanders from central Edinburgh all the way to the Falkirk Wheel. 240 feet above sea-level it follows the natural lie of the land there are no locks. This flatness makes for an excellent cycle run and is easy on anyone pushing younger sightseers in a buggy. Along the way there are Scotland's only canal tunnels, all manner of backdrops from woods to railways lines to bridges, and furtive wildlife ducks, herons, water voles. The canal begins at Lochrin Basin, a stone's throw from the Grove Street tenements where a certain Sean Connery was brought up. This whole area is undergoing complete re-development as property once owned by Scottish and Newcastle Brewers and the North British Rubber Company make way for the housing and commercial premises of Edinburgh Quay. Strolling along you'll pass the waterfront that will make a wonderful location for dining by Spring 2008. Further along there is the Zazou a unique restaurant hosted on a barge. Quarter of an hour's walk from here you'll come across 2 aqueducts, the Prince Charlie, and the larger Slateford Aqueduct rising 600 feet above the Water of Leith. Here you can step down to the Water of Leith heritage centre, or cross over Slateford Road to the Tickled Trout for great pub grub. Back up on the canal there are many other landmarks to encounter, including a 12-foot sculpture of Burke and Hare. These were the Irish navvies who helped build the canal, but became more widely known for providing fresh corpses for dissection to unscrupulous 19th century anatomists. The canal runs past Wester Hailes to the city boundary, and eventually to Ratho, site of an impressive climbing centre. This walkway provides a gentle stroll through the heart of Scotland's capital. Whether you're walking, biking , canoing or dining, the drifting currents will soon put you at ease.

My husband and I had a great time here recently on a lovely sunny day and can heartily recommend…read moreit. Everyone is so friendly as soon as we got out of the car people started chatting to us and answering questions. Colin took us, along with others, for one of the half-hour boat trips and pointed out all the interesting sights along the way. He had a great sense of humour and made us all laugh a lot! The small museum is fascinating and you can buy some small souvenirs and postcards there. We also had some homemade cakes and tea in the adjoining cafe which was really neat and clean the lady serving and the teenage girl who was helping were both welcoming and friendly. The tow path runs in both directions for miles through beautiful lush countryside, following the Union Canal, and we enjoyed a great walk after the boat trip. There are a couple of disabled parking bays right at the end of the cul-de-sac, otherwise you can try to find a gap along the side on your way in, from the entrance beside the bridge. From here you can easily walk into the town via the station subway (just down the hill). There are often special events and 'fun days' here. We shall definitely return for another boat trip the one in the opposite direction which goes over the aqueduct and only runs at the weekend.

A lovely little tearoom located on the banks of the union Canal. Prices are very reasonable and…read moreboats trips are also here.

We decided to book a tour from Glasgow to Loch Ness. We knew from the description it was going to…read morebe a long day. The bus was comfortable and our driver and tour guide, James M, was absolutely wonderful. He was informative and entertaining. We made several stops on the way there and on the way back which helped with the long journey. James M even made sure we got to see some Highland Cows which delighted everyone on our tour. I would definitely use Rabbie's again!

Rabbies was the best bus tour that I have taken thus far. It may have been because of our…read moredriver/guide Graeme, he was fabulous. We took the Oban, Highlands, Lochs & Castles tour. It was a glorious day, with the sun splitting the trees. Graeme got us settled in and started telling us about our day. He knew more about Scottish history than my entire family combined I think (we're all Scottish) He intertwined the history with songs that were sung by native artists that were relevant to the story & added in some jokes. We all had a wonderful day making our way up to Oban, taking stops for tea, sights, & finally lunch there. As we made our way back down to Glasgow the scenery just so impressive. You could hardly believe that it was real. The hills all had names and he explained why, this went the same about the lochs. Graeme also knew the Castles history and who had owned it through years . I'd absolutely go on another tour with Rabbies, especially if I can request the driver