The best Glasgow day trips

Day trips from Glasgow head north and west into the Highlands. The most booked tours go to Oban, Glencoe and the Highland lochs and castles, or make the long run up to Loch Ness, some with a cruise on the loch. Shorter itineraries combine Loch Lomond, the Trossachs and Stirling Castle. Others visit the Glenfinnan Viaduct and Loch Shiel, Outlander filming locations, or the standing stones and the castles of Inveraray and Kilchurn.

Tours last about eight and a half to twelve hours, with Loch Ness trips the longest. At the time of checking, group coach and minibus tours were listed from about £50 to £100, with most between £50 and £65. A private Highlands tour taking in Oban and Glencoe was listed from about £660.

Before you book

Check what the price includes, as some tours bundle castle entry or a loch cruise and others leave these as extras. Highland weather changes fast, so pack layers and a waterproof jacket. From November to February daylight is short, and much of a Loch Ness or Glenfinnan trip home is driven in the dark. Popular tours fill up in summer and over the Christmas holidays, so book a few days ahead.