Driving Tours - Scotland

With its snow-capped mountain ranges, heather clad valleys and warm welcome – Scotland is a spectacular place to visit.

The best way to capture the Scottish experience is by road and with Europcar’s simple hire service its easy and great fun to enjoy a touring holiday in Scotland!

We show you how to experience this for real with the third in our series of three touring itineraries specifically designed to take in the cream of Britain’s landscapes.

This itinerary takes in the very best of Scotland including 2 cities, outstanding coastline and the recently opened National Park at Loch Lomond. So hop in, and enjoy the drive across some of Britain’s most glorious countryside.

The Haunted City

After arriving at Edinburgh airport take the opportunity to explore this fascinating city. Famous for its Castle, Palace and Royal Mile, Edinburgh is packed with a diverse range of attractions.

Visit the newly opened Mary King’s Close – reputedly one of most haunted places in Scotland or the Royal Yacht Britannia. This stately ship once owned by the Queen now lives out its well-earned retirement welcoming visitors.

Enter the Kingdom of Fife

Leave Edinburgh’s Georgian architecture behind you as you take to the Forth Road Bridge sited beside its more famous counterpart, the Forth Rail Bridge. Enter the vivid landscape of the Kingdom of Fife, and its ancient capital, Dunfermline. This historic city has traditionally been connected with the Royal Scottish dynasties, - visit the cave where Queen Margaret used to pray and the remains of the Great Benedictine Abbey founded by her.

Royal connections can also be found at the Royal Palace of Falkland, near Cupar, the favourite country residence of the Stuart kings and queens who hunted boar and deer in the nearby forests. Other pursuits, like tennis, were also popular – the Royal Tennis Court at the Palace was originally built in 1539 and is still in use to this day!

Voyage of Discovery

Cross the Tay Road Bridge into Dundee. Renowned as the ‘City of Discovery’ Scotland’s fourth largest city is justifiably proud of its rich cultural, industrial and naval heritage. Just some of the attractions on offer include Captain Scott’s famous and ill-fated Antarctic expedition ship R.R.S Discovery and the textile heritage centre at Verdant Works.

Enjoy the sweeping views as you follow the rugged coastline northwards; wide beaches merge from sand, to pebble and rock, and blend with the occasional outcrop of awe-inspiring cliffs. For lovers of golf this place is heaven – in addition to the majestic Carnoustie championship course, ten other challenging courses lie along this coastal route.

Foodies shouldn’t miss the opportunity to stop off in Arbroath for a Scottish delicacy – the “smokie”, a haddock slowly cooked over burning woodchips. Head past pretty Stonehaven onto Aberdeen, ‘The Flower of Scotland’. Walk through Aberdeen’s many colourful gardens or if the weather is inclement, shelter in the Winter Gardens at Duthie Park, protected from the elements by two acres of glass. Like Dundee, Aberdeen is also proud of its naval heritage and you can learn more about its seafaring past at the Aberdeen Maritime Museum.

Whiskey in the Mountains

Leave Aberdeen on the A956 across the heartland of Scotland. Near Peterculter sits a monument to one of Scotland’s most famous sons – Rob Roy. Your route takes you past Drum Castle that boasts one of the oldest surviving tower houses, and superb Crathes Castle, before entering the mysterious Blackhall Forest.

Follow the example of Queen Victoria and visit the Royal Lochnagar Distillery. When John Begg, the then proprietor of the Distillery, sent an invitation to his new neighbours, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, he could not have imagined that they would drop round. On their first visit to nearby Balmoral Castle the Queen and her family decided to take Begg up on his offer and then awarded the Royal Warrant to his whiskey.

The Royal Family continue to use Balmoral Castle to this day however visitors are still able to glimpse its opulent interiors and wander around the expansive gardens. Discover the Garden Cottage – despite not being opened to the public you can take a peak through the windows to see how the Cottage would have looked when Queen Victoria used to eat breakfast there.

At Braemar turn southwards towards the Victorian town of Pitlochry. A popular holiday resort for over hundred years this pretty town is famed for its 1,000-foot-long fish ladder used by salmon on their journey upstream to spawn.

The Bonnie Prince

Near Aberfeldy sits Castle Menzies, former ancestral home of the Menzies of Weem and now restored to its former glory. Amongst its treasures is one of the few remaining reproductions of the death mask of the Young Pretender, Bonnie Prince Charlie.

This stunning region saw the last, desperate retreat of Bonnie Prince Charlie and his followers after defeat at the Battle of Culloden.

Journey past the stunning Loch Tay and onwards to Scotland’s first National Park, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. This hauntingly beautiful park covers over 720 square miles – from rolling lowlands, wide lochs, great mountains and captivating forests.

Named as European City of Culture in 1990, your journey ends at Glasgow. This fashion conscious city has shrugged off its industrial past and has embraced culture with a wonderful collection of museums, galleries, theatres and concert halls. See over 8,000 objects d’art from across the world at the renowned Burrell Collection, or get an amazing view of the city at the Glasgow Science Centre.

Alternative Route

Why not finish your journey at Stirling? The stirring landscape is the scene for some of Scotland’s most turbulent history. Nearby is the battlefield of Bannockburn; Scotland’s most important historic sites is commemorated by an impressive statue of Robert the Bruce astride his war horse and an informative visitor centre. Stirling itself held the military key to the kingdom and its Castle, one of the grandest in Scotland bears witness to many conflicts.