As we made anchor near Queensbury, it is clear that we’ve been met with another beautiful day to tour Scotland. I’ll start with a small story about our experience with Tours by Locals. Yesterday while cruising Loch Ness, I received a phone call from a Canadian number I did not recognize. Shortly thereafter, I received a message via What’s App, from Thomas at Tours by Locals, saying the guide that we had hired for Edinburgh was not available due to illness. They had already lined up another guide for us and wanted to know whether this would work? After a couple of questions, we said yes and with a few clicks on their side, our tour had been taken over by Andrew McIntyre. Easy, peasy – fantastic customer service.

Andrew turned out to be delightful! He met us promptly at the Queensferry port after we tendered in from the ship. He drove a very nice mini-van and was dressed in kilt and leather. We started by driving through New Town of Edinburgh, then transitioning into the Old Town and the Royal Mile. The Royal Mile connects the historic Edinburgh castle with the Holyrood Castle, the latter of which is still used by the royal family when they are in town for official events.

Next, we drove to a vantage point over the city, Calton Hill, with 360-degree views of the city and surrounding areas. We could even see the ship from there! There are several monuments to see as well as the National Monument of Scotland, a memorial for fallen soldiers. We made our way back to Edinburgh Castle, but from the vantage point of behind and below. This view really gives off fortress vibes, as it looms over the city.

We enjoyed the drive back to Queensbury, via the suburbs, and drove past JK Rowling’s estate. Our final stop was Cramond Beach and a lovely view of the Firth of Forth bay. Andrew opened his boot (trunk) to display an old wooden toolbox that he has modified into a mini-bar stocked with scotch. We each picked one to taste and enjoyed looking at the scenery.

Back in Queensbury, we had a hearty lunch at Thirty Knots and took the city-provided ferry back to the ship.

Tomorrow: Sea Day

Recommend: Andrew McIntyre, Tours by Locals, https://www.toursbylocals.com/tour-guides/united-kingdom/edinburgh/guide-profile/andrew-m-664d222296689af34336965b

Or direct at getoffthebeatenpath.co.uk