Alnwick Castle & Bamburgh Castle – Private Day Tour

Collection at Your Accommodation

Your day begins with your driver-guide collecting from your accommodation in Edinburgh in a spacious Mercedes vehicle.

Journey South: Edinburgh to Northumberland

The drive itself is a key part of this tour. Traveling through the rolling landscapes of the Scottish Borders, your driver-guide brings the route to life with stories of ancient border conflicts, historic market towns, and the changing identity.

Comfort breaks and photo stops can be added along the way, and the pace is always adapted to suit you. With panoramic windows and soft leather seating,  the journey feels relaxed rather than long.

Alnwick Castle

Your first major stop is Alnwick Castle, a vast and beautifully preserved castle that has been home to the Duke of Northumberland’s family for over 700 years. The castle is known for its role as a significant filming location. You may recognize it as Hogwarts in Harry Potter, or as Brancaster Castle in Downton Abbey. 

However, there is much more to this castle than just being a prominent filming location. On a private tour, you’ll get to explore its lavish state rooms, learn about its powerful medieval history, and wander through the grounds and gardens at your own pace.

We were in Scotland for 21 days which included a Vacations by Rail tour, 4 days in Edinburgh and Glasgow with Braw, then 9 days at Aigas Field Center at Beauly. We have seen amazing glens, mountains, castles, lochs, cathedrals, historical sites, the Jacobite train, and a good deal of the Highlands and Islands. The entire 21 days were perfect, we could not have asked for a better experience. The most memorable part of our trip has to be our 4 days with Braw Tours thanks to our guide, Callum Couston. Able to turn in a moment's notice to meet our needs, Callum was personable, knowledgeable, funny, accommodating, a master storyteller, and an amazing driver. I think it speaks highly of their capabilities that in the trip of a lifetime, that they were the pinnacle of the experience. We will be highly recommending Braw to our friends, and if you are lucky enough to get Callum, you will be pleased. Neither of the other tours offered any time in Edinburgh and Glasgow other than to arrive and leave, and I contacted several other agencies before I found Braw on Trip Advisor to fill that gap. About a month before the start of our trip, my knee went wonky and I was having difficulty walking. There was no way I could make it up the steps to Edinburgh Castle, so Callum immediately took us to the Botanical Gardens, which we absolutely loved.

Cindy Tochterman ★★★★★

Journey to the Coast

Leaving Alnwick behind, the landscape opens up as you head east towards the Northumberland coast. Your driver-guide continues to entertain and inform, pointing out landmarks, sharing local legends, and highlighting the dramatic shift from inland countryside to coastal scenery.

Bamburgh Castle

Rising dramatically from a rocky outcrop above the North Sea, Bamburgh Castle is one of the most striking castles in the UK. Once the seat of the ancient Kings of Northumbria, Bamburgh’s location alone is unforgettable. 

Inside the castle, you’ll explore the main halls, state rooms, and exhibitions at a relaxed pace. Your private driver-guide brings the visit to life by explaining the castle’s role as a former royal seat, pointing out standout rooms and features, and sharing practical insights as you move through the castle, while allowing time to explore independently

We took a glorious five-day tour in May with Braw Tours from Edinburgh to Oban, to Isle of Skye, to Inverness and back. We were a group of three generations with different interests. Firstly, as being the person in the family who plans all the trips I was very happy to have Deborah at Braw Tours put together the itinerary based on my input and coordinate the details. She was always very helpful and prompt to respond. Secondly, our guide Dougie took excellent care of us during our trip and he became part of our family. We loved his enthusiasm and how invested he was in making sure we all had a great time. Dougie was very flexible and accommodated our needs and schedule, like an emergency trip to the market for knappies, finding us pizza take-out for dinner on the Isle of Skye when all restaurants were overflowing, rearranging our tour activities for an unplanned business meeting, and buying carrots and finding a hungry Shetland cow for our 3-year-old granddaughter to feed. Everyone was very happy with the trip. I was especially pleased because all of the planning was taken out of my hands and I could relax and enjoy it too. It was also very valuable to have Dougie do all the driving for us so we did not have the stress of following directions and driving on narrow Scottish roads. This way everyone could sit back, relax, and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Lisa Passos ★★★★★

Return to Edinburgh

In the late afternoon, you’ll begin the relaxed journey back to Edinburgh. As the day winds down, the return drive offers time to reflect, ask questions, or simply enjoy the comfort of the vehicle as the landscape rolls past.

You’ll be dropped off at your accommodation in Edinburgh in the early evening, having experienced not just two iconic castles, but a truly enjoyable day on the road.