Please note: This tour can be done in reverse, and you can visit Stirling Castle in the morning. Leaving the Port, we will drive for just under 1 hour driving out of Greenock and crossing over the Erskine bridge passing through the historic town of Dumbarton where your guide will point out Dumbarton Castle. William Wallace was betrayed in 1305 by Sir John Menteith who imprisoned Wallace at Dumbarton Castle before handing him over to the English. Our first stop on the tour will be the delightful village of Balmaha which sits just on the Eastern shore of Loch Lomond within the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park. You will learn about Scotland’s Munro mountains plus your guide will also talk about what makes Loch Lomond the jewel in the crown of the park. Here you will have some free time to wonder down to Loch to absorb the beauty of the scenery and take a moment to take it all in. You also will have an opportunity to grab a coffee or tea in the St Mocha coffee shop and possibly a cake or two! If you wanted to add an extra stop, we can take you to the Devils Pulpit which is a magical gorge made even more famous by the television show Outlander (This is steep and can be slippery so please only do this if you feel capable) This will reduce time at Stirling Castle and Balmaha and only possible time dependant. From here we will now to the small village of Aberfoyle passing through towards the Dukes Pass which takes its name from the Duke of Montrose who built the road in 1885. It has been dubbed the Highlands in miniature with its dramatic scenery and beautiful lochs its often referred to as the birthplace of Scottish tourism where poets and writers would go for inspiration. As we approach the town of Callander we will make a stop just before taking a break for lunch at the Kilmahog Woollen Mill where you will get the chance to meet the famous Highland cows which is often a highlight for some! Callander will be our lunch stop for the day where you can go band pick something light up at the famous bakery mhor bread or take it a bit slower and ask your guide about restaurant recommendations. You may wish to grab something lighter and ensure you have plenty of time at Stirling Castle and being a private tour, this is entirely your decision as you get to take it at exactly the pace you prefer. After lunch we will drive through the village of Doune and onto Stirling Castle (Time permitting you make ask your guide to make a quick stop for a photo at Doune Castle) We will arrive at Stirling Castle for our main stop of the day and depending on our time we can have anything from 1 hour here to 2 hours. (We recommend no less than 1.5 hours) You will also see the Wallace monument from the Castle where your guide will tell you stories of a turbulent time in Scotland’s history and how the area played a key role on what is now called the wars of Scottish independence. Please note your guide won’t enter the Castle and this is a self-guided visit. The Castle usually has guides doing free tours that start every 3o minutes and you can jump in and out of these as you please. *Castle entrance fees are not included. Please see our FAQs for more information. Once we have been to the Castle it’s a 1H 15 drive back to Greenock passing Bannockburn, Falkirk and Glasgow.