Swanston Farm, Tantallon Castle & Dunbar

Collection from Edinburgh

Your driver-guide will collect you from your accommodation in Edinburgh in the morning. After leaving the city, you’ll head south towards the Pentland Hills. You’ll notice the landscape quickly becomes quieter and more rural as your guide tells you about the day tour ahead.

Swanston Farm

Your first stop is Swanston Farm, a working farm set at the foot of the Pentland Hills, just outside Edinburgh. With your driver-guide, you’ll spend time around the farm buildings and surrounding fields, learning how the land is used today and how traditional Scottish produce is made. It’s a chance to see a quieter, rural side of the area and understand how farming has shaped the landscape here, while enjoying open views across the hills.

Flexible, Friendly, and Accommodating My daughter and I just returned from eight fabulous days in Scotland with Braw. John picked us up from our hotel in Edinburgh and off we went in his super clean Mercedes Sprinter to the Isle of Mull, the Isle of Skye, Lochiver, Handa Island, and Inverness. John made sure we hit our goals: to see puffins in the wild and to feed a Hairy Coo. He and every member of his staff that we dealt with were flexible, friendly, and accommodating. We received swift responses from the minute we first inquired about Braw to text messages once we were in the midst of the trip. When the weather affected some of our plans, John came up with good alternatives, and when we spent long periods driving, he always kept us alert with knowledgeable stories about what we were seeing and funny jokes. We’d recommend Braw to anyone who wants to see Scotland!

Lynn O ★★★★★

Tantallon Castle

From Swanston, you’ll head east to Tantallon Castle, set high on the cliffs above the North Sea. Walking through the entrance with your private driver-guide, you’ll explore the remains of the great curtain wall, towers, and inner courtyard, with the sea stretching out on three sides. As you move around the site, your driver-guide will point out defensive features, living quarters, and viewpoints along the cliff edge, helping you picture how the castle once functioned as a coastal stronghold. There’s also time to walk the clifftop paths, take in views across to Bass Rock, and appreciate the dramatic setting before continuing to Dunbar.

Dunbar

From Tantallon, you’ll continue along the East Lothian coast to the historic town of Dunbar. Your driver-guide will lead a guided walk through the harbor area, following the coastline and weaving through the old part of town. Along the way, you’ll hear about Dunbar’s maritime past, its role as a trading port, and its connection to John Muir. If you have built up an appetite after exploring the harbor, you can settle in for a late lunch before the return journey to Edinburgh.

A Priceless Family Experience!! More than I could ever ask for. My family chose to use Braw for a private tour of over a week making the journey from Glasgow to Edinburgh. Our guide, Martine, has become like family to us. She answered every question we had, stopped wherever we wanted to wander, and throughout our trip continued to customize our experience to show the beauty of Scotland. It was terrific to ride with Martine as our travels were enriched with numerous personal, historical, and comedic stories, facts, and tidbits. And to deal with a family of four consistently for that many days, a TROOPER! The van was more than spacious, the communication before and during our tour was efficient and pleasing, and in the end, it was hard to say goodbye. Martine went above and beyond for my parents who were celebrating their marriage, decorated the van, and had some fun music to go with the festivities. Braw Scottish Tours is an unforgettable experience, and coming from a young adult, it made this trip with my family so much more special without anyone having to worry about the details. A priceless experience. Thank you!!

Mason P ★★★★★

Drop Off

After leaving Dunbar, you’ll enjoy a scenic drive back along the East Lothian coast before returning to Edinburgh, where your driver-guide will drop you off at your accommodation in the early evening.