Welcome to
North Hold Tours
Leave the road behind.
The perfect tours to truly get to know Scotland.
See below for tours that depart from Edinburgh and do more than stop for a photo, we explore.
These are list of pre-planned tours that visit places like the Lost Valley of Glencoe, the summits of your first Munro, hikes in the west highlands, beautiful lochs and forests of Scotland.
If you have a specific mountain in mind, a specific out of the way glen or loch you want to see, get in touch and lets talk about private tours.
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Want to visit the best of Scotland but only have one day available? This is the tour for you.
We depart Edinburgh at 7:15am and head to Callander for coffee and snacks for the day. Then it is off to Glencoe for our first hike.
The Lost Valley is one of the most stunning glens in Scotland and the 3 hour round trip hike there and back is truly one to remember.
After that we head off to Fort William for a quick lunch before hike number two! Steall Falls.
Steall Falls is nothing short of an epic waterfall in the heart of Glen Nevis. The 1.5 hour of wandering is relaxed and gorgeous.
From there we head back via Pitlochry for a comfort break before wandering through the giant Douglas Fir trees of The Hermitage for 30 minutes.
Finally it’s back to Edinburgh for around 8pm.
Check here for dates.
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Day One
A tour for those wanting to bag their first munro and spend a night in the highlands.
We leave Edinburgh at 7:15am and make our way to Callander for coffee and snacks.
Crossing the highland boundary we make our way to Glencoe where we start our hike (subject to weather). Typically the hike will encompass a 15-20km hike with around 1200m of elevation gain and views that will stay with you forever.
After making our way back to the van we head off to your accommodations in Fort William (booked separately).
It is day two!
Starting the day we make an early morning hike to Steall Falls for some views of one of the most picturesque waterfalls in Scotland. The hike there and back takes around 2 hours covering 4km.
You can’t come to the Scottish highlands without visiting a castle so after Steall Falls we make out way to Blair Castle. It is one of the most magnificent castles in the country.
On the way we will stop over at Dalwhinnie for a dram of whisky.
Finally we make out way down the road to Edinburgh stopping for a short walk through The Hermitage forest.
Check here for dates.
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We’re off to the Isle of Skye!
Day One
We leave Edinburgh at 7:30am and make our way to Callander for baked goods! Then it’s off to the highlands to Glencoe for the first hike of the trip. Out to the Lost Valley of Glencoe (3h hike).
After we are back it’s time for lunch then making our way to Steall Falls for hike number two! (2h hike)
Finally we head out to the Isle of Skye where you’ll be dropped off at your accommodation in Portree.
Day Two
We start the day with one of the most iconic views in Scotland… the Old Man of Storr!! The hike takes around 2h30m and we experience truly memorable sights.
Next the day continues with photo stops around the Trotternish Peninsula before stopping at The Quiraing for our second hike of the day.
After stopping in Uig for a comfort break we head to the Fairy Glen in the hopes of spotting the ever elusive fairies.
It’s back to Portree for a quick bite to eat before heading south to check out the Talisker Distillery and the Sligachan river.
Day 3
We start day 3 with the option of a wander through Eilean Donan Castle to discover the wild history of this famous place.
On the way to Loch Ness for lunch there is a short walk through a forest in Invermoriston that is one of the most quietly beautiful places in Scotland.
The drive to the Falls of Bruar are full of stories to be told and sights to watch glide by. At Bruar we stop for a comfort break and look at the waterfalls themselves.
Finally we stop for a short 30 minute walk in The Hermitage, a curated forest first created in the 1700s.
Then it’s back to Edinburgh where we sadly say farewell to eachother.
Check here for dates.
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Quite simply, if you want a private tour, a tour to a specific mountain or region then this is the answer for you.
Custom tours can range far and wide so get in touch and we can see about working on a plan for the perfect holiday.
Get in touch here!
Who I am. What I do.
More than just a tour guide.
My name is Mark and I’ve been working as a professional tour guide for years; driving cars up to coaches, telling stories and bringing history alive for my passengers. Throughout these years I’ve visited near enough every spot there is to visit in Scotland and brought people along for the ride.
I do love it, but I also love mountaineering, hiking, climbing and being outside in general so I went and got my Summer Mountain Leader qualification. It means I can now run tours that don’t JUST stop for a photo here and there. I can guide you up my favourite mountains, into the wild and truly see Scotland.
I’ve spoken to dozens and dozens of people on my tours over the last few tears that wished we could go hiking, explore that place in the distance, see a view from up high… leave the bus behind.
Now, we can.
Small tours,
it’s the only way.
I want to get to know my passengers, connect with them and provide an experience that you simply cannot get in a large group; not only that but I love seeing people make friends in the mountains through shared experiences.
All of this means that my tours will be limited to 7 seats per tour. You can book as a solo traveller or up to a group of 7, either way you’ll meet some incredible people along the journey.