Knights Templar in Scotland
A Historical Tour

Please make sure you have provided us with your flight details if you require a transfer from Edinburgh airport to the hotel today.

Your Big Journey Company Tour Director will meet you in the hotel reception at 2pm. This afternoon, join us on our visit to the Royal Yacht Britannia, which served as Her Majesty The Queen’s home at sea for more than 40 years. Follow in the footsteps of generations of British royalty to explore this most special of Royal residences. Tour Britannia’s five decks with your included self-audio guide; the elegant State Apartments, the gleaming Engine Room. Discover where kings and queens, world leaders and celebrities were wined and dined; from Frank Sinatra and Liz Taylor to Nelson Mandela and Sir Winston Churchill.

With music performed by massed pipes & drums, military bands and cultural troupes, singers and the poignant refrain of the Lone Piper, tonight we enjoy a night of spectacular precision display at Edinburgh's Military tattoo. We also enjoy dinner together, to hear more about the upcoming tour from your Tour Director and to get to know the rest of your tour group.

Today we enjoy a guided tour of Edinburgh Castle. Perched on an extinct volcano, the castle overlooks the city and has spectacular views across the Old and New Towns' World Heritage Site. Edinburgh castle houses the Honours (Crown Jewels) of Scotland, the Stone of Destiny, the famous 15th century gun Mons Meg, the One O' Clock Gun and the National War Museum of Scotland. We also head down the Royal Mile for a tour of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence of the Monarchy in Scotland. We will explore the Palace's close associations with some of Scotland’s most well-known historic figures such as Mary, Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie.

There will be some free time this evening to follow your own interests and further sample the Scottish cuisine on offer in Scotland’s capital city.

This morning we head out of the city to the tranquil village of Roslin, to explore the 15th century Rosslyn Chapel.  Rosslyn Chapel is famous for its links with the Knights Templar, an order of knights most famous for being closely tid to medieval crusades to the Holy Land, The stone carvings here highlight the Templar’s symbols and connections and the chapel is known to have been connected to the Knights Templar even after their dissolution. Many historians now believe that the Templars continued well after their supposed demise here in Scotland, under the new identity of the Knights of St John. Rosslyn Chapel is also linked to several hidden biblical treasures, such as the Ark of the Covenant. Shawn Williamson will share his expertise here providing a fascinating insight into the chapel’s history, design and construction.

After lunch together, we travel a few miles to Temple Ballentrodoch, once the principal seat of the Knights Templar in Scotland. In 2009, two incredible Knight’s tombstones were discovered here by Shawn’s past colleague and Master stone mason Shug Douglas. After Shug’s discovery, Shawn was able to establish a type and form of the tombstones, which are now acknowledged to be in the style of the Knights Templar- Shawn and Andrew have found many other tombstones in this style across the Borders and Cumbria.

From Temple Ballentrodoch, we travel to Melrose Abbey, again associated with the Knights Templar. Melrose Abbey was built in 1136 and was home to Cistercian monks until it lost it’s roof during the Reformation. After also exploring the 12th Century Kelso Abbey we return to Edinburgh for the evening.

Today we bid a fond farewell to Edinburgh and travel northwards. We make our first stop of the day at Lindores Abbey Distillery. Built in the 12th century, whisky has been made at Lindores Abbey since at least 1494. There can be no more atmospheric setting than this to take part in a distillery tour, to learn more about the history and the making of Scotland’s most iconic tipple. Once you’ve learned the ins and outs of whisky distilling, you will be offered the opportunity to try two delicious drams for yourself.

After lunch together, we continue on to Arbroath Abbey. Robert the Bruce and over fifty Scottish Barons signed the Declaration of Arbroath here in 1320. The declaration included the famous quote “for, as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom – for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.” Much of the film Braveheart is set around this event. Experience the landscape and history of the area for which those men fought for yourself today.

Shawn regularly gives lectures at Newbattle Abbey College near Dalkeith. This evening, after dinner together at the hotel, we will enjoy a fascinating evening lecture on the subject of the Knights Templar in Scotland, with an opportunity for questions and further investigation.

First stop of the day today is at Dunkeld Cathedral. Built on the banks of the river Tay, there has been a place of worship here since the 6th century, and a cathedral here since 1260. The cathedral we see now took almost 300 years to complete, making the architecture here very interesting. Although now partly in ruins, the cathedral is open to explore with Shawn, who will talk to us about the cathedral in the context of its medieval history.

In and around Stirling exist some most historically intriguing places. After Lunch, we visit Stirling Castle, one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland. Stirling was hte site of many significant moments in Scottish History, including The Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1287, paramount in Scotland’s first war of independence against the English. Here William Wallace defeated the English on the banks of the River Forth. Once home to kings and queens, the castle and surrounding area is also the sight of imprisonment, murder and intrigue.

We finish the day in Glasgow, checking into our hotel where we will stay for the new two nights. There will be some free time this evening for you to explore Glasgow for dinner.

Today we begin the day with a guided city tour of Glasgow. Glasgow is the largest sea port in Scotland and it has one of the oldest metro systems in the world. Our city tour will include Kelvingrove Art Gallery, the Necropolis Cemetery, Tolbooth Steeple and Mackintosh Queens Cross Church amongst others. We will spend some time exploring Glasgow Cathedral with Shawn, who will tell us more about the history of ths area. Glasgow Cathedral has strong connections to the history of ancient Scottish independence. 

We will enjoy a farewell dinner together this evening at one of the most well-known restaurants in Scotland - prepare to experience a real Glaswegian institution!

After a hearty Scottish breakfast at the hotel, today we say goodbye to Scotland. You will be transferred to Glasgow Airport to meet flights for the onward travel you have arranged.

If you wish to extend your stay in Scotland, ask our Big Journey Company team for assistance booking post-tour nights at the hotel.