Amongst the many walking tours of Edinburgh available to visitors there is one which stands out from the rest. Gareth Davies has an advantage no other walking tour guide of the city has – a four-legged assistant!
Edinburgh is a remarkably dog-friendly city and Monty the French bulldog is happy to accompany you on your private tour of Edinburgh. He is very people-friendly and, if you are planning to visit Edinburgh with your dog, Monty can provide you with advice and guidance on the best areas of the city to stay in, popular dog walking areas, and dog friendly bars and restaurants.
THE TOURS
Having lived and worked in Edinburgh for 18 years Gareth is well qualified to show you all the major sights of Scotland’s capital city as well as those hidden gems few tourists would ever find by themselves.
He offers a variety of walking tours of the city from small group tours of no more than 10 people to private tours (with or without Monty) which can be tailored to your specific requests. Want to know more about Mary Queen of Scots, Rabbie Burns, Arthur Conan Doyle or JK Rowling the creator of Harry Potter? Gareth’s your man!
He will lead you down the lanes and alleys along the High Street section of the Royal Mile telling tales of the city’s past or you could explore the Canongate and Holyrood areas – historic Edinburgh’s beer-brewing district. If you wish he can also include a craft beer or Scotch whisky tasting (over-18s only) as part of a private tour.
FURTHER AFIELD
Gareth and Monty can lead you through the Old Town, the New Town and any other of the historic parts of the city you wish or, if you’d rather go it alone, Gareth offers a limited number of self-guided tours through an app you can download to your smartphone. Just plug in your headphones and listen as Gareth’s narration guides you through your chosen tour at your own pace – ideal if you’re on your own or don’t have a lot of time.
Although he specialises in walking tours of Edinburgh Gareth also offers two tours outside of the capital. You can take a full day tour in a chauffeur-driven Mercedes – a truly memorable way to explore Scotland – visiting either the Scottish lowlands or the Isle of Arran known as (‘Scotland in Miniature’) with options to extend your tour to meet your expectations and enhance your experience of Scotland.
By the way, although Monty is very people-orientated he does understand that not all people appreciate canine company so he only accompanies Gareth’s private walking tours if you invite him to come along. Don’t be afraid to say ‘No’ – he won’t be offended. He’ll probably spend the day catching up on his sleep!
TAKE A LOOK AT EDINBURGH’S OLD TOWN
YOU CAN CONTACT GARETH AND FIND OUT MORE HERE
Below you will see Monty and Gareth and the famous statue of Greyfriars Bobby which can be found in Greyfriars Kirkyard. If you should visit Bobby please don’t rub his nose! You can ask Gareth to tell you the story of Greyfriars Bobby and why you shouldn’t rub his nose.
Bill Kasman
A Scotsman born and bred I love to roam Scotland’s hills and wild places taking photographs and writing about my travels around the country and all things to do with my homeland.