Day trip

From Edinburgh: Alnwick Castle and Scottish Borders Tour

Day trip

From Edinburgh: Alnwick Castle and Scottish Borders Tour

Activity provider: Rabbie's Small Group Tours

From US$ 106.09 per person

Eco-certified

Venture into the borderlands between Scotland and England. Visit Alnwick Castle, featured in the Harry Potter movies with an included entry ticket and admire the wonderful Northumberland Coastline.

About this activity

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Duration 9.5 hours
Check availability to see starting times.
Live tour guide
English

Experience

Highlights
  • Visit the town of Kelso with a ruined abbey, cobbled town square, and beautiful boutique shops
  • Cross the Border into England along the route that was used by cattle thieves
  • Explore Alnwick Castle which is famed for its role in Harry Potter movies
  • Take in the views of the captivating Northumberland Coastline
  • Learn about the history of the wars between the Scots and the English
Full description

Explore the borderlands of Scotland and England during this full-day tour from Edinburgh. Stop at the charming town of Kelso, where you can explore this handsome town and what is thought to be Scotland’s largest market square. You also see the ruins of Kelso Abbey, a reminder of the many ancient conflicts between Scotland and England. Cross the border and travel to thousand-year-old Alnwick Castle (entry included), one of the great castles of Northumberland. Originally built to protect the north of England from Scottish Border Reivers and invaders, more recently Alnwick Castle and its perfectly manicured gardens have found fame as one of the settings for the fictional Hogwarts School in the Harry Potter movie series. After around 3 hours at Alnwick, travel north along the stunning Northumberland Coast. You stop on your way back to Edinburgh at one of the beautiful historic villages or castles that pepper the rolling landscapes of Southern Scotland.

Includes
  • Admission to Alnwick Castle
  • Transportation by deluxe, air-conditioned mini coach
  • Local driver/guide
  • Lunch and refreshments
  • Entrance fees unless specified
  • Personal expenses
  • Gratuities

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Participants

Date

Meeting point

Please check in 15 minutes before departure.

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Important information

Know before you go

  • Entrance to Alnwick Castle included in the tour price
  • Because this tour spends time off the bus and features opportunities to take nature walks, it is recommended that you bring suitable clothing and footwear
  • Minimum age to participate is 5 years
  • You're restricted to 14 kilograms (31lbs) of luggage per person on the tours. This should be one piece of luggage similar to an airline carry-on bag (approximately 55cm x 45cm x 25cm / 22in x 17in x 10in) plus a small bag for onboard personal items
Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.7 /5

based on 89 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.8/5
  • Transportation
    4.8/5
  • Service
    4.9/5
  • Organization
    4.9/5

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Bellissimo tour, incentrato sul castello di Alnwick (quindi perfetto per me ed il mio ragazzo fans di Harry Potter!), poi breve visita nella cittadina di Kelso ai confini della Scozia ed infine sosta anche nella splendida Bamburgh dove si puó fare anche una passeggiata sulla spiaggia (forse qui avrei dedicato più tempo visto che fortunatamente era una splendida giornata di ottobre). Inutile dire anche quanto era mozzafiato il paesaggio visto durante il viaggio dal mini bus. Viaggio tutto sommato tranquillo, guida/autista simpaticissimo e molto preparato. Spostamenti e tempi calcolati in maniera da non essere troppo stancante o stressante e tempi in fin dei conti giusti in ogni località. Infine più che ottimo rapporto qualità/prezzo dato il costo di un biglietto del treno per arrivare da Edimburgo nel Northumberland. Consigliato, soprattutto ai fans di Harry Potter.

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March 23, 2023

Our tour was with Ally and Stuart. Ally is amazing, his vast knowledge off history, being a great dj as well and his funny jokes made it an experience to never forget!! Stuart will be a great guide as well. Thanks so much for a wonderful day, definitely recommend to book.

March 23, 2023

Good but….. Andy is a wonderful tour guide, he was able to tell us a lot, modern as well as historical, it was interesting and exciting to listen to him. Kelso Abby would have been nice but closed for security reasons and not much to see from the outside. The drive to Alnwick Castles was entertaining and we were allowed to walk across the Scottish-English 'border'. Alnwick Castel is always worth a trip, in my opinion a 3 hour stay is a bit too long. On the way back to Edinburgh we stopped at Dunbar Castle. In my honest opinion, stopping there is almost a cheek, the cliff pile of stones, which used to be a castle, could definitely have been avoided, I'm just disappointed. Kelso Abby has certainly not been accessible for some time and Dunbar Castle is a complete disappointment as there are certainly alternatives with other attractions to visit as well. In summary, Andy was great, the trip was fun, Alnwick Castle was great, I am absolutely disappointed with the rest!

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March 23, 2023

Product ID: 30215