St Andrews Day Trip from Edinburgh: Guide

St Andrews is one of the easiest and most rewarding day trips from Edinburgh — around 75–90 minutes' drive across the Forth into the Kingdom of Fife. In one relaxed day you can stand by Loch Leven where Mary, Queen of Scots was imprisoned, take the classic photo on the Old Course's Swilcan Bridge, explore the cliff-top castle and cathedral ruins, and still be back in Edinburgh by mid-afternoon.

By Waseem Abuaglain, Founder & Driver-Guide

The Route, Stop by Stop

Over the Forth to Loch Leven

We leave Edinburgh at 8:00 AM and cross the Forth into Fife. The first stop is the Loch Leven visitor centre, with flat waterside trails and views out to Castle Island, where Mary, Queen of Scots was imprisoned before her daring escape — a gentle start for all ages.

St Andrews: the Old Course and Swilcan Bridge

The Home of Golf and Scotland's oldest university town. Stroll by the Old Course and take the photo every golfer wants, on the little stone Swilcan Bridge — even non-golfers love it. Visiting on a Sunday? There's no golf on the Old Course, which opens as public land — the perfect day to walk the famous fairways yourself.

The castle, the cathedral and the old town

Explore the dramatic cliff-side ruins of St Andrews Castle and Cathedral, or wander the cobbled lanes lined with artisan bakeries and bookshops. Because the tour is private, you decide how long to spend where.

Choosing Your Afternoon

After St Andrews, the day splits into two options. Pick the one that suits your group — and the day of the week you travel.

	Option A: Cairnie Fruit Farm	Option B: Perth & the Stone of Destiny
Days	Wednesday–Sunday (seasonal)	Any day — the option for Monday and Tuesday departures
Best for	Families with children	History and heritage lovers
Highlights	Country café lunch, outdoor Funyard (March–October), 6-acre Maize Maze (mid-July–October), seasonal fruit and pumpkin picking	The Stone of Destiny at Perth Museum, the riverside city centre, optional Scone Palace

Either way, we head home across the Queensferry Crossing and have you back at your Edinburgh door by around 3:00 PM — with the whole evening free.

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Frequently Asked Questions

St Andrews is around 75–90 minutes' drive from Edinburgh, across the Forth via the Queensferry Crossing. That makes it an easy, relaxed day trip — our private tour runs from 8:00 AM to around 3:00 PM, leaving your evening free.

Yes — you can stroll by the Old Course and take the classic photo on the Swilcan Bridge. On other days golfers have priority, so we keep to the paths and take care around play. On Sundays the Old Course is traditionally closed to golf — a centuries-old day-of-rest tradition — and opens as public land, so you can walk the fairways freely and relax around the Swilcan Bridge.

Cairnie Fruit Farm (Wednesday to Sunday, seasonal) is the family favourite, with its Funyard, Maize Maze and fruit picking. Perth and the Stone of Destiny suits heritage lovers and is the option for Monday and Tuesday departures.

Very. It's a short day with flat waterside trails at Loch Leven and the Cairnie Fruit Farm option in the afternoon. We provide a free baby seat, child seat and booster seat (one of each) if you reserve them in advance.

Entry to St Andrews Castle & Cathedral, Cairnie Fruit Farm's Funyard and Maize Maze, and the optional Scone Palace visit are paid separately, so you only pay for what your group chooses. Lunch isn't included either.

You can cancel up to 24 hours before your booking's start time (UK time) for a full refund. No refunds are given after that. If we ever have to cancel your booking ourselves because of bad weather, road closures or other circumstances beyond our control, you'll receive a full refund.

St Andrews Day Trip from Edinburgh: Loch Leven, the Old Course & Fife