Dunblane Sightseeing

On arrival you will settle into your room and enjoy the hotels leisure facilities. When the entire tour party have arrived, we will arrange a gathering so that you can meet one and other. You will continue to learn about your fellow riders at dinner where you may have the opportunity to meet a group at the end of their tour. This provides an opportunity to familiarise yourselves whilst sharing stories and experiences.

If we have not done so in advance we also try to gather information of what you want to gain from the tour. Some have particular sights they wish to see, other scenic areas they want to pass through and some want to improve their riding. Whatever you want we shall try to accommodate during your stay. Some of the tours we operate from Dunblane are fixed base tour so non-riding family members who have accompanied riders shall also be advised of what there is to see that is easily reachable from the hotel.

After dinner the new group will be given a briefing as to the plan for riding especially because some have come from foreign lands where they ride on the opposite side of the road. They will be introduced to their machines although it is unlikely that any riding will take place at that time. Riders can have one to one sessions with our tour guides to explain what they hope to achieve from the tour and we shall do our utmost to incorporate any requests into the planned activity for week ahead. Riders who feel they are lacking in skill might find this session beneficial to identify areas of weakness that we shall strive to rectify before the tour ends. Our Tour Guides are all certified advanced riders willing to pass on knowledge and advice if requested.

Depending on the tour you have joined during your stay at Dunblane we might cover many different parts of Scotland from the Borders to the Highlands. Along the way we shall visit famous town and cities together with beauty spots. Although we try to avoid congested roads we accept that some of our visitors might want to visit places of interest in cities such as those with Royal connections in Edinburgh including the Palace of Holyrood, Edinburgh Castle and the Yacht Britannia we would suggest that venues such as Linlithgow Palace, Stirling Castle, Doune Castle and Scone Palace will be easier to access and provide an interesting short stop.

Some of our tours include short stops at places of industrial interest such as New Lanark, the Falkirk Wheel, Summerlee museum or steam railways at Bo'ness & Kinneal and used in Outlander, Strathspey and the Fort William to Mallaig line may be familiar as they have been used in Harry Potter films.

Buildings of architectural importance including country estates like Hopetoun House and Gosford House as used in Outlander and other TV and Film productions always make an interesting stop and where there is interest within a group we shall try to incorporate such stops in the planned tours.

If you really want to visit some of the landmarks above or others that are not part of the structured tour this is best done by adding extra days before or after the motorcycle tour.

Scotland's weather can be unpredictable and although we are happy to take riders on tour come rain hail or shine we accept that this is not for everyone and so we have a range of shorter day trips available which will stop off at main tourist attractions a number of which are indoors so that there is always something to do no matter what the weather throws at us!

Dunblane, Doune, Culross, Aberdour, Anstruther, Falkland, Tibbermore (165 miles)

We begin this tour with a fairly relaxing ride using some major roads to give foreign tourists the chance to familiarise themselves with the Scottish Roads.

Our first stop for this day is only 10 minutes away from the hotel at Doune Castle which in the Outlander TV series this is Castle Leoch. We shall explore the 14th century castle towering about 100 feet high with one of the best preserved great halls in Scotland that has carved oak screen, musicians' gallery etc. Not only was it a film set for Outlander but it also featured as "Winterfell" in Game of Thrones and earlier in Monty Python and the Holy Grail and the 60's TV series Ivanhoe.

Next, we pass the Deanston Distillery, a former cotton mill on the banks of the River Tieth. This location was used as Jamie's cousins wine warehouse at Le Harve, pity we won't stop because drinking and riding is not a good mix!

The picturesque conservation village of Culross was Cranesmuir in the series and is our next stop. The National Trust for Scotland have been working hard since the 1930’s to preserve the many unique and historic buildings in Culross. The exterior of town hall was the courthouse used when Claire was tried for witchcraft and the Palace Gardens contain the herbaceous borders that were the grounds at Castle Leoch.

We continue our journey towards the east of Fife passing a site of ancient standing stones at Tuilyies. There are just four stones the largest of which is about 8 feet high. Note you will see others standing stone sites on this tour. Our stop here is brief and we progress to make our next stop at Aberdour Castle which was the set for Sainte Anne de Beaupre Monastery in France which Jamie flees. The castle is a 13th century fortification that was extended in later centuries. We will visit the gardens and tearoom on the ground floor then the kitchen and gallery used in filming.

We progress further east to Dysart Harbour which acted as the French Port of Le Havre then onwards along the Fife coast to Anstruther where the Reaper, a two masted sailing lugger, was used as one of the ships in Le Havre.

Next we make our way to Balgonie Castle, the scene where Claire retreats to "Eldridge Manor" after being rescued from the Wolves. From there we reach the town of Falkland. This was the scene on 1945 Inverness in Outlander and you will recognise many of the buildings. We stop for a stroll and a refreshment.

On the return journey we make our way to Tibbermore where the interior of the old church was used in Clair's witchcraft trial. From here we make our way back to the hotel via Glen Devon and passing the famous golf course at Gleneagles.

Dunblane, Bo'ness, Hopetoun House, (Edinburgh) Linlithgow, Falkirk (100-145 miles)

Depending upon the interests of the group we can visit some or all of the locations in West Lothian. They are close together so there will not be a lot of riding if all are visited.

Our first stop of the day is at the Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway which was used as the wartime London railway station where Claire and Frank parted company when they went off to war. It is a fascinating museum and has operational steam trains that run from Bo’ness to Kinneil, Birkhill and Manuel.

A few miles down the road we find Black Jack Randall's residence. Well it is actually Blackness Castle that dates from 1440 and in its past life the castle has served many functions. Blackness was the port for Linlithgow where Scottish Monarchs had their residence at Linlithgow Palace (which we visit on the return leg). The castle stands on the southern bank of the Firth of Forth and has on outer defensive curtain wall with towers, a courtyard within that has a central tower. Needless to say, with such fortification not only kept people out but also inmates in when it was used as a prison.

Our next stop is the property used as the home of the Duke of Sandringham, Hopetoun House, which is a magnificent stately home built in a Palladian style. The property was also used for Claire and Jamies apartments at the Hawkins Estate in Paris. Parts of the property were even digitally erased to provide other scenes from seasons 1-3.

Hopetoun House has been a family residence since the 17th century and remains the home of Lord Hopetoun. The property was initially designed by William Bruce and then altered and extended by William Adam making Hopetoun House one of the finest examples of 18th century architecture in Britain. We shall take a refreshment at the Stables Tearoom.

After lunch and while still within the Hopetoun Estate we visit Midhope Castle the exterior of which was the set of Jamie Frasers home Lallybroch. The property it is in a dangerous state and access to the interior is strictly by permission only; however, we will obtain a permit to visit the exterior.

Time permitting we shall travel into Edinburgh where we can visit Bakehouse Close used as the site of Jamies printers business, The Signet Library used as the Jamacan Governors Mansion and Craigmillar Castle as used Ardsmuir Prison where Jamie was held prisoner. This will add 45 miles to the journey and about 3 hours to travel and view.

Our next stop is Linlithgow Palace. This was the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots (14 December 1542) and the home of many Scottish monarchs during the Stuart (formerly Stewart) dynasty. The Stuart lineage is where Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Sylvester Severino Maria Stuart, commonly known in Britain during his lifetime as The Young Pretender or Bonny Prince Charlie who was at the centre of the Jacobite uprising around which Outlander is based. The palace was used as the prison corridors when Jamie was incarcerated.

We return to the hotel taking a brief stop at Callendar House dating from the 14th century, the Georgian kitchen of which was used in the Duke of Sandringham's Bellhurst Manor scene. From here we take an enjoyable circuitous route across part of the Campsie Hills partly across single track roads. This run will be about 90 minutes and the fresh country air will help build an appetite for dinner.

Dunblane, Loch Earn, Glencoe, Ft William, Glenfinnan, Mallaig (180 miles)

Today we move hotel so after packing our bags we depart Dunblane heading north Comrie then along the north shore of Lochearn to Lochearnhead, onwards to Crainlarich and through Glencoe which has been the backdrop for movies including Rob Roy, Braveheart, Highlander, The 39 Steps, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and James Bond to name just some. We deviate off the road along Glen Etive to highlight many scenes from popular films.

In Glencoe we come face to face with the real Jacobite cause such as at the monument to the MacDonalds in Glencoe village who were massacred by the Campbell's on 13 February 1692.

The next leg of this route takes us to Ft William where you will see Ben Nevis, Scotland's highest mountain, then on to Glenfinnan where the exhibition tells the story of where Bonnie Prince Charlie returned to Scotland and the Jacobite Rising commenced.

The final stretch takes us to past Morrar one of Scotland's most beautiful beaches used in the movie Local Hero which was one of Burt Lancaster's last acting roles. We finish the day at Mallaig where we stop for the night in a three-star hotel.

Mallaig, Isle of Skye, Applecross, Inverness (160 miles)

Today is more about riding than visitor attractions because we take some fantastic biker roads that we are certain riders will have a blast.

We begin by taking the ferry from Mallaig to Skye the island where Charlie escaped to before making his retreat from Scotland after the failed Jacobite rebellion. We won't go to the cave where he hid but instead make our way back to the mainland crossing a bridge to Kyle of Lochalsh then onwards to Plockton before crossing the Bealach na ba to Applecross.

We depart Applecross heading north and hugging the coast all the way to Torridon. This landscape is undeveloped and the small clusters of houses along the route are virtually unchanged in hundreds of years and so this largely echoes what scotland looked like around the time on the Jacobite uprising.

From Torridon we head overland to Kinlochewe.and onwards to Garve to end the day in Inverness. This is the real Inverness unlike Falkland used as the scene of 1945 Inverness of the town seen from the distance by Claire as she stepped back in time.

Inverness, Culloden, Tulloch Ghru, Newtonmore, Kinloch Rannoch, Loch Tay, Dunblane (170 miles)

We depart Inverness and head to Culloden Moor which was the final confrontation of the Jacobite rising on 16 April 1746. The battle lasted under and hour during which time about 2000 Jacobite's were killed or injured. The British Troops suffered less with only 50 dead and around 250 injured. The British side comprised Hanoverian loyalist forces who were mostly Protestants. They were not only English, there was a significant number of Scottish Lowlanders and Highlanders, Ulstermen and even some Hessians from Germany and Austria. On the battlefield site, you will find memorial stones to the many clans who fought and lost their lives at the battle. Nearby we shall visit Leanach Farm a cottage where wounded were taken and Clava Cairns a bronze age burial site that inspired the Standing Stones.

We make our journey south stopping at Tulloch Ghru a heavily-wooded area near Boat of Garten that was host to many scenes from Outlander including the one where Claire makes her way to Castle Leoch with her group of Highlanders.

Our next stop on our journey south Highland Folk Museum. Here you will see turf roofed crofts used in many scenes including "MacKenzie Village". At this location, you will learn how Scots Highlanders lived. It was used in many scenes of Outlander such as when Claire joined the local women as they sang "waulking the cloth". The museum was first created in the 1930’s as a faithful recreation of an 18th century township named Baile Gean. It has relocated and improved since. The site is so popular among Outlander fans that every June they put on a special Outlander day.

In the next leg of our journey we reach Kinloch Rannoch where we visit the location of standing stones "Craigh Na Dun". It should be noted that the stones used in the film were made from polystyrene and although there is a standing stone here it will not resemble the film set other than the mountains in the background, which are of course real and will give you a sense of the scene. There are ancient stone circles in Scotland and we shall see some other days during this tour.

As we continue our journey you shall either stop in Fortingall or Castle Menzies. Both are popular wedding venues and so access to one or other may be limited. If we go to Fortingall you will see one of the oldest trees in Europe, The Fortingall Yew, which is estimated to be over 5000 years old and is debated to be the birthplace or residence of Pontius Pilate! At Castle Menzies you get the opportunity to take a light refreshment inside the tearoom and see the castle where Bonnie Prince Charlie rested on his way to Culloden in 1746. We pass through Aberfeldy turning back towards Loch Tay where we stop at the Scottish Crannog Visitor and Education Centre. This was nothing to do with Outlander but it will give visitors an insight into the real historic Scotland.

The final leg of the route takes us through Glen Quaich and onwards to Crieff ending the day back in Dunblane

Prestonpans, Gosford, Pencraig, Preston Mill, Lammermuir and Pentland Hills, Glencourse Old Kirk (180 miles)

It is rare for a McTours route to take a motorway or even a major road but today we use the M9 and A720 to bypass Edinburgh and make our way to East Lothian where we stop at Newhails House (Governor Tryon’s residence in North Carolina). Later we pass the site of the battle of Prestonpans on our way to Gosford House. Parts of the property and grounds doubled for the Palace of Versailles in Season 2 and as Helwater in Series 3. The property is only open to the public at limited times and remains the seat of the Earls of Wemyss and March. At the time of writing open days for 2017 have not been published.

As we continue meandering along the coast to see Dirleton Castle. This castle was already a ruin long before the Jacobite uprising having been severely damaged by Cromwell in 1650. Parts of the castle are over 1000 years old and much of what remains dates from 1240. We don't plan to go in unless riders specifically wish to do so but it makes an interesting backdrop for a photoshoot. It was used in films including the Bollywood movie Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.

We continue through the back roads of East Lothian it should be noted that the St Andrews cross as used on the Scottish Saltire first appeared over East Lothian at Athelstaneford on the eve of a battle between the Picts and the invading Angles from Northumbria in 832AD. Our route brings us to Pencraig Hill where six bronze age standing stones survive the highest of which is about 10 feet high. Two more stones stand not far to the south of Traprain Law the large volcanic plug to the south on Pencraig and the location of the ancient camp of King Loth of the Picts.

We continue to East Linton and the Preston Mill used in many of the Outlander scenes including the one where Jamie lost his shirt on the mill wheel when the red coats arrived. The mill was one of the last water driven mills to remain in use. It ceased commercial activity in 1959 but remains a working example of the techniques used.

Next, we take the route around the south of Traprain Law past another ruin, Hailes Castle, and onwards to Garvald. As we reach the junction of Cockles Brae pay attention to the row of cottages and consider that these date from the early 1700's. These are in stark contrast to the Blackhouses you say at Newtonmore. It emphasises how different life was in the lowlands from the highlands. We turn south to Gifford and on to Humbie skirting our way through the Lammermmuir and later Pentland hills to reach Rosslyn Chaple as featured in The DaVinci Code. We take a brief stop here before continuing to Glencourse Old Kirk. Please note that the kirk is situated in the private grounds of Glencorse House and is not open to the public however we hope to arrange a private visit if there is sufficient demand. This is the church used when Jamie and Claire took their wedding vows.

From here we take a circuitous route back to Dunblane heading south to Dolphington then west to Carnwath before turning north through Forth and Whitburn before intersecting the M9 near Polworth to return to our hotel.

Dunblane, Glasgow, Troon, Loch Lomond (200 miles)

Today we give you a final flavour of Scotland by riding in both Lowlands and Highlands. We begin our day by heading over the Campsie Hills towards Glasgow stopping at Glasgow Cathedral where the crypts doubles as L'Hopital Des Anges in Paris where Claire volunteers to work, then we move on to George Square. The rear of the City Chambers was the location where Frank Proposed to Claire. City traffic and parking can be a nightmare but we hope to make reasonable progress from away from here to the west end where Glasgow University and Dowanhill were used as set for Boston in Series 3. From there we head to the Old Victoria Infirmary used to film scenes where Claire works as a surgeon and nearby Pollok Park many parts of which were used as the gardens of Castle Leoch. Pollok Park was voted best in Europe and although a charming place to spend time we shall continue our route south into Ayrshire.

We shall pass Deane Castle which stands in as Beaufort Castle near Beauly where Claire and Jamie visit Lord Lovatt. A little further on we reach Troon the location used when Jamie, Claire and Murtach set sail for France. Further down the Ayrshire Coast we find Dunure Harbour where Jamie and Claire boarded the Artemis as they set sail for Jamaica.

For the return trip we head north through Ayrshire and on to Inverclyde before crossing the Clyde to reach Loch Lomond. Many will be familiar with the song Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond written as a Jacobean lament after the battle at Culloden. The Hanoverian British victors were known to play cruel games on the captured Jacobite’s finding a pair of brothers or friends and tell them one could live and the other would be executed, and it was up to the pair to decide hence "You take the high road and I'll take the low road" in the song. We are now officially back in the Scottish Highlands and we continue through the hills passing the Devils Pulpit Finnich Glen where Claire took the water of truth before we complete the journey back to our hotel.