Eastern Scotland in 8 Days

Scotland has been on my bucket list of destinations for far too long, and when I received a text message from my contact at GoPro, a few months back asking if I would be interested in traveling to Scotland on a job, I immediately said yes. I would be working with @visitscotland and @gopro, capturing my journey along the way on the brand new GoPro Hero12Black.

I was told I would be able to bring a plus one, so my friend Maddy Elrick was able to come along. She has Scottish roots, so it was cool for her to be able to visit a country where she could learn more about her heritage.

The tourism board curated a detailed itinerary for us, made possible with the help of partners all across Eastern Scotland. We walked a lot, hiked, canoed, explored castles, foraged, e-biked, learned more about Tartan, went on a whisky tour, and more. Below is a day-to-day write up of what we got up to, information about the amazing partners/guides that showed us around, along with hotel and restaurant recommendations. I will also include some other suggestions for things to do in the areas we drove through/stayed at, though may not have had time for. It was a busy 8 days, and in order to slow down a bit and take it all in I would recommend the below itinerary be stretched to 10-12 days.

Currency: British Pounds – 1.65 Canadian Dollar = 1 Pound Sterling

Packing list:

Clothing:

  • 1 technical water proof jacket/wind breaker
  • 1 rain coat – casual wear
  • 1 technical fleece
  • 1 puffy jacket
  • 1 casual fleece
  • 2 technical long sleeves – for hiking and running
  • 1 cozy pullover sweater for evenings/mornings at the accomodations
  • 2 plaids
  • 2 t-shirts
  • 2 tank tops
  • 2 casual long sleeves
  • 2 pairs of leggings – 1 for running and 1 for casual wear
  • 1 pair of joggers
  • 2 pairs of casual pants – 1 pair of jeans and 1 pair of cords
  • 1 jean jacket
  • Pyjamas
  • Enough underwear!
  • 5 pairs of socks – for running, hiking, and casual wear.
  • 1 pair of casual boots – mine also worked for our small hikes.
  • 1 pair of trail-running shoes
  • 1 pair of casual sneakers
  • 1 pair of sandals
  • 2 bathing suits
  • 2 toques
  • Small pair of gloves

Other gear:

  • 30L backpack
  • Laptop
  • GoPro + accessories
  • DSLR Camera + accessories
  • Travel adapter
  • Umbrella – You just never know with Scotland
  • Snacks – I brought a lot of snacks from home, but you can easily buy there too, it’s just more expensive
  • Toiletries

Day-to-day itinerary

Day 1: Calgary to Edinburgh

8:20pm – We took a direct red eye Westjet flight from Calgary to Edinburgh, which is a game changer with long travel days.

Day 2: Edinburgh

We arrived in Edinburgh at 11am local time, waited for our luggage and took a tram from the airport to St. Andrew Square which was a 32 minute tram ride. The tram is SO easy to use, and it beats having to navigate the roads with a rental car, when in the big city.

Our hotel, Market Street Hotel was a 5 minute walk from St. Andrew Square. ‘Old town character meets contemporary design at this Edinburgh urban escape, and Scotland’s first member of Design Hotels. The hotel is perfectly located in the heart of the city’. The staff were amazing, laundry service was great too, and done day of. I brought a pair of pants down in the morning and they were ready by 4pm. Breakfast was DELICIOUS, I recommend getting it included.

We couldn’t check into our hotel room until 3:30pm, but we were able to drop our luggage at the hotel, and they kept it for us while we wandered around. Here are a few things I recommend doing for a day in Edinburgh:

  • Royal Mile – the heart of Scotland’s historic capital
  • Edinburgh Castle – the city’s iconic castle. I recommend booking this early, so you are sure to get in. It was so busy, but for good reason.
  • Grassmarket/Victoria Street – former medieval marketplace. The gentle curve to Victoria Street, and colourful storefronts make it one of the most photographed locations in the city.
    • Hula’s restaurant – we went for coffee and food here at a corner restaurant at the end of the street.
  • Arthur’s seat – a hill walk in the heart of the city with panoramic views (we went here during our e-bike tour).
  • Calton Hill – Panoramic views, and great at sunset (we went here during our e-bike tour).

5-8pm: Evening City E-Bike Tour with EZ Bike Tours

  • Starting point: 7 Newhaven Main Street, Edinburgh, EH6 4LJ
  • We took the tram from St. Andrew Square to Newhaven – it was about 15 minutes. It was then a 5 minute walk to the meeting point, at the store.
  • It was a wonderful guided tour through the cities most scenic and historic neighbourhoods, and even better that it was on e-bikes. We walked so much that day, so it was great having this activity be a bit more effortless.
  • They offer a couple different tours, one being a coastal ride, and another more ‘sights’ of the city.
  • Carol, our guide, was FANTASTIC. So knowledgeable in sharing stories, and insights about the history here in the city, along with the culture and architecture. The sunset was perfect too, up. on Calton Hill.

Dinner:

  • ‘The Booking Office‘ – Which was a 1 minute walk from our hotel.
  • Great vibe, burgers and drinks.

Day 3: Edinburgh

8:30am: Braids and Blackford Hills Trail Run with Edinburgh Run Tours

  • Before this trip I would never have thought to sign up for a running tour, as I didn’t even know they existed! Maddy and I both love to run, so it was a great way to see more of a place, but at a quicker pace. Nice to get a work out/sweat in too.
  • It was a 12km route starting at Starbucks Middle Meadow Walk, which was just over a km from our hotel, so we just jogged over. We met Scott there and headed across to Blackford Pond before following the trails around to the Hermitage of Braid where we crossed to take in the views from the top of the Braid Hills/stunning views of the city below, along with views of Pentland and the Firth of Forth. We also stopped a couple times for some blackberry snackin’.
  • The route then took us back down on paths before we climbed again to the top of Blackford Hill. The route took us through a golf course, which I thought was SO different than in Canada, but was a neat experience sharing recreational space with the golf enthusiasts.
  • I would consider it a moderately challenging route, and would recommend trail shoes!
  • They have a number of routes you can choose from and also cater to the individual booking the tour.

Lunch – We walked over to Edinburgh Street Food

  • ‘A bold and eclectic foodies paradise filled with the best independent traders in Scotland’.
  • They had so many types of food to choose from. The tacos were to DIE for!

2:00pm: Visit to the Scotland Shop – 10 Queensferry Street, Edinburgh, Eh2 FPG

  • A 20 minute walk from the hotel
  • The shop is a tartan goods retailer in the heart of Edinburgh who design, manufacture and sell their own unique collection, inspired by the colours of Scottish tartans, and blending history with fashion.
  • They had SO many different items, from clothing: kilts, jackets, scarves, shoes, etc. to blankets, stuffed animals and more.
  • Maddy has roots in Scotland so she was able to learn more about her Aberdeen tartan, and ordered a couple custom goods for her family back home.
  • We met with Anna White, who is the founder of the shop, back in 2002. She combined her love of fashion with fabric and richness of Scottish culture. She took us through the story of tartan, and how those with Scottish ancestry can go on a journey of discovery through tartan (like she did for Maddy, my friend).

6:00pm – Johnnie Walker Princes Street – Journey of Flavour Tour

  • This was located right beside the Scotland Shop, so we came back for 6pm.
  • It was an immersive whisky tour showcasing the story of Johnnie Walker.
  • Even if you aren’t a whisky drinker, this tour is still very fun and engaging. Interactive, and great performances. If you are a whisky drinker, you’re in luck, as you’ll receive 3 drinks throughout!

7:30pm – Dinner at 1820 Bar – top floor of the Johnnie Walker building. Beautiful views of Edinburgh. I recommend booking dinner reservations here for after your tour.

Day 4: Edinburgh to Lanrick Treehouses

8:00am: We left the hotel to head to St. Andrew Square to Edinburgh Airport to pick up our rental car.

  • A 30 minute tram ride to the airport. Enterprise was only a couple minutes walk away from where we got off the tram.
  • We rented an automatic, as its left side driving in Scotland, and that’s tough enough as is. It can be more expensive but I would say it’s worth it if you are worried about driving on the left hand side of the road.

From the airport we made our way to Ben A’an to experience Scotland’s iconic landscapes. It was so nice to get out of the city and into the countryside!

Ben A’an Hike – A 1:35 drive from Edinburgh – We parked at Loch Katrine Car Park

  • This took around 2 hours to complete, with time spent hiking and stops.
  • It is one of the most popular hikes amongst Scotlands smaller hills, so you can expect to see other people on the trail.
  • The trail’s position in the heart of the Trossachs makes its viewpoint truly spectacular.

2:00pm Lunch – Brig o’ Turk Tearoom

  • Just a few minutes down the street. Before heading to our accommodation for the evening.

3:30pm – Check-in to The Treehouses at Lanrick

  • Five eco-friendly luxury treehouses on the banks of the River Teith, Perthshire.
  • ‘The Treehouses at Lanrick offer true escapism in a stunning and private woodland setting, bordering the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, yet only an hour from both Glasgow and Edinburgh. A stay at The Treehouses at Lanrick allow our guests to switch off from the busy outside world and find peace and tranquility living amongst our beautiful trees and the wide variety of birds and wildlife they are home to’.
  • We absolutely LOVED our stay here and would highly recommend booking in with them if you are traveling in the area. From the treehouses themselves, to the wood burning fireplace inside, and woodland sauna and surrounding area, it is truly a wonderful escape from the hustle and bustle of the outside world.

4:30-5:00pm – We enjoyed the woodland sauna and plunge pool. Available to all guests, they just ask that you respect other guests and be respectful of the amount of time you spend in it, to allow others to enjoy it too.

7pm – Dinner – You can pre-order meals for your stay. Maddy and I ordered build-your-own burger kits, which were in our fridge ready for us to cook when we got there. They have a bbq and full kitchen for your use.

Day 5: The Tree Houses at Lanrick

8:30am: We left The Treehouses at Lanrick and headed to Perthshire for a day of adventure.

10am: Beyond Adventure Half Day Canoeing Adventure

  • We met at their shop which was a 1:20 drive from the treehouses, and from there we followed behind Ross, who was our tour guide, to Loch Faskally.
  • We paddled through the beautiful Loch, enjoying the views, reflections, and waterfall.
  • It rained all morning, but was still peaceful and wonderful with it. A great way to a side of nature, that is often less witnessed.

1:00pm – Blair Castle

  • It was a ten minute drive down the road from Loch Faskally to Blair Castle.
  • Home of the Atholl family for over seven centuries.
  • ‘The castle has had a diverse history, witnessing both turbulent and peaceful times, enlarged and adapted over 750 years. Home to politicians, soldiers, agriculturalists and entrepreneurs, the family history is brought to life against a backdrop of fine 18th century interiors and Scots Baronial architecture, in 30 rooms’.

2:30pm – Taste of Perthshire

  • Since learning that we would be visiting Scotland we both had been dying to hangout with a highland coo, so we made sure to stop in at this place to feed the coo’s on site and have lunch.
  • A bucket list experience. Highly recommend taking the time to stop here.
  • ‘The Highland cow is a Scottish breed of rustic cattle. It originated in the Scottish Highlands and the Western Islands of Scotland and has long horns and a long shaggy coat. It is a hardy breed, able to withstand the intemperate conditions in the region’.

It rained for the entire day, and even harder into the evening so we headed back to the treehouses for a cozy evening in. We grabbed food at a market on route back and made dinner in the kitchen.

I did go for a rainy run from the treehouse, as they have lovely forested and paved trails from the site.

Day 6: Lanrick Treehouses to Glen Dye Cabins and Cottages

8:30am – Check out of the Treehouses at Lanrick

11:00am – House of Elrick – As I mentioned above my friend Maddy who joined me on the trip has Scottish roots, and with her last name being Elrick, we couldn’t not stop here.

  • We went on a 45 minute tour of. the gin factory, and toured the house and gardens.
  • ‘Constructed at the height of the Scottish Enlightenment period in 1720, the House of Elrick was the home of an entrepreneurial family of landowners, and has passed hands only 5 times in almost 300 years. Now home to the Ingram family the house has been returned to it’s former glory complete with a Gin distillery on the grounds’.
  • Maddy was able to purchase a few bottles of gin and other goods to bring back for family members.

2:00pm – Village of Elrick

  • We couldn’t not stop here for Maddy!
  • Elrick (Scottish Gaelic: An Eilreig) is a small village on the A944 road, 12.1 km west of the city of Aberdeen, Scotland.

1:00pm – Castle Fraser

  • A quick 15 minute drive from The House of Elrick.
  • ‘Once known as Muchall-in-Mar, Castle Fraser is an elaborate, five-storey Z-plan castle which was constructed in 1575 by the 6th Laird of Fraser, Michael Fraser, although there is archaeological evidence of an older square tower dating from around 1400 or 1500 within the current construction’.
  • ‘The castle is located near Kemnay in the Aberdeenshire region of Scotland, and stands in over 300 acres of impressive grounds’.

2:00 – Scolty Hill – Hill walk

  • A fantastic short walk with steep climb to the summit of Scolty Hill where you can climb the spiral staircase to the top of the tower, which offers an even better view of the countryside. You can extend the walk by adding on the red-way marked March Trail through the woods.

4:00pm – Check-in to Glen Dye Cabins and Cottages

  • Glen Dye is a private estate of around 15,000 acres and their design-led cabins and cottages sit right at its centre, surrounded by wilderness, forest and moorland on the banks of the River Dye.
  • They have a shop on site where you can purchase some food items, along with other goods.
  • We stayed in the Steading Cottage. 2. Photos below.
  • We pre-ordered dinner for the first night, and they had it ready for us when we arrived. Various casserole dishes prepared by a chef at Glen Dye.

4:30pm – Guided walk and forage – We enjoyed a leisurely walk around Glen Dye and learned to identify some common edible plants and their uses along the way. Pip was our guide, and she was so knowledgable. *Fun fact she was on UK’s ‘Alone’*. She is their resident Wild Wellness Specialist and Wild Swimming Instructor’.

  • They also offer Bushcraft, flower arranging, willow weaving, whisky tasting, and more.

7:00pm – Sauna

  • You can book your own 3 hour time slot ahead of time. It takes quite some time to heat up as it’s wood burning, so be sure to book in!
  • The best feeling after a long day of driving and exploring.

Day 7: Glendye Cabins and Cottages

7:30am – We departed Glen Dye and headed to Ballater, for a morning trail run.

  • Ballater was a 40 minute drive from the cottage, where we met Ben, a guide with ‘Trail Running Scotland‘. They offer courses to improve your confidence in off-road running, with running technique, navigation training and tips for dealing with rough terrain. Again, it was such a wonderful way to explore a new place, and as a big trail-runner myself I was in heaven! Perhaps the highlight of the trip for me. I would love to come back to Scotland one day and run every single day.
  • The drive to the trail head in the Cairngorms was 20 minutes from Ballater.
  • We did the Lochnagar loop – which was a 16.7 km running route.

12:30pm – Ballater

  • We spent an hour here after and went for lunch and did some tourist shopping!
  • We grabbed food at the Green Cafe, which I highly recommend.
  • We also made a quick stop at the market in town to grab groceries for dinner and breakfast the next day.

3:00pm – 4:30pm – Stonehaven – Dunnottar Castle

  • A 1 hour drive from Ballater to Dunnottar Castle where we spent time wandering around the outside of the castle, and then toured around inside as well. One of the most beautiful castles I have ever seen. I could have sat and just stared at it for hours!
    • Perched atop a 160 foot rock and surrounded on three sides by the North Sea, these dramatic and evocative cliff-top ruins were once an impregnable fortress of the Earls Marischal, once one of the most powerful families in Scotland. Steeped in history, this romantic and haunting ruin is a photographer’s paradise, a history lover’s dream and an iconic tourist destination for visitors the world over’.

We headed back to Glen Dye Cabins and Cottages for a relaxing evening afterwards.

Day 8: Glen Dye Cabins and Cottages to Edinburgh

9:00am – Check out of Glen Dye and drive to Dundee

  • We took the scenic route down the coast, which added on an extra half hour, but I would recommend it, as if you take the google maps route direct you are driving inland highway.
  • There are a number of small towns and viewpoints you can stop at along the way.

11:30am – We arrived in Dundee.

  • We walked around for a bit, and went into a few shops before meeting for a tour at V&A Dundee.
  • Before the tartan tour we wandered around the outside of the museum and inside, to some ‘free’ exhibits.

12:30pm – V&A Dundee

  • ‘They are Scotland’s design museum, on a mission to inspire and empower through design. They advocate for the power of design – as both extraordinary and brilliantly ordinary, shaping our daily lives. The museum brings design from all over the world to Scotland and gives a new platform to Scottish designer’.
  • We had an arranged informal tour of the Tartan Exhibition, which will be at V&A Dundee until January 2024.
    • ‘Tartan celebrates the global story of a unique pattern – how the rules of the grid have inspired creativity from the everyday to the sublime. The instantly recognisable symbol of Scotland, a global textile of tradition, rebellion, oppression and fashion, tartan has connected and divided communities worldwide, inspiring great works of art as well as playful and provocative designs. Experience dazzling objects from around the world from the high fashion of Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen to Jackie Stewart’s racing helmet, from the portrait of rugby legend Doddie Weir to the MacBean tartan which rocketed to the moon. See tartan worn by Bonnie Prince Charlie and Bay City Rollers trousers handmade by a lifelong fan, together with the indigenous textiles of Indian Madras and the humble Scottish shortbread tin’.

Lunch – We grabbed food at the cafe at the museum then headed 15 minutes South for a trail run.

2:30 – 4pm – Tentsmuir National Forest – 15km loop

  • Through the forest and along the coast. Starting and ending at Scotscraig Golfclub.
  • From there we drove to return our rental car at Enterprise, at the airport.

5:00pm – Rental car return

Day 9: Edinburgh to Calgary

  • All good things must come to an end.
    • Maddy and I woke up early to go for a run from the hotel.
    • Breakfast at the hotel – buffet style.
  • 10am – check-out of the hotel. We walked 15 minutes to the airport check-in.
  • 1pm flight back to Calgary, Alberta.

Huge thanks to @VisitScotland and @GoPro for making this trip possible, along with Maddy (@mddyelrck) for all the help in capturing the trip along the way.

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