Scottish Stories, Scottish Snacks, and a Scottish Love-Story: Meet the Expats Who Never Really Stopped Travelling

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Sara and Maciek started their family tour business in late 2018, offering bespoke tours for smaller groups wanting to experience Scotland. With Maciek having a background in heritage studies and having previously worked as a guide at Stirling castle, and Sara having studied cultural management and struggling to find a job in the cultural sector, Sara suggested the idea of starting a tour business of their own. 

“I was never hired for any job that I wanted, which always left me disappointed, so I kept waitressing to earn some money which became very frustrating. With Maciek meeting guides every day at his job at Stirling castle who offered private tours themselves, we decided that we wanted to try it out for ourselves,” says Sara.

Getting Back On The Road

The Brambling Bus had been taking happy adventurers around Scotland for just over a year when the pandemic hit but, finally, the future is starting to look brighter again for the touring couple. 

“I cannot wait to get back on the road and enjoy the fresh air again, to see the beautiful scenery and landscape. It will be amazing to be able to welcome people again to spend a day out somewhere. Since we operate a small eight seater bus, I believe that we offer an additional peace of mind for our guests as they will only be touring with their own private group. The minimal contact with other people is an important safety aspect that we offer, which I believe is an advantage compared to the bigger tour companies in times like these,” says Maciek. 

On Tour

On a Brambling Bus tour, you will find Sara behind the wheel operating as the driver, organiser and leader, whereas Maciek takes on the role of the story-telling tour guide.

“There are so many roles that you get to play when operating a tour business. From driving the actual tour bus, to building a website, to creating a brand. The best thing about running a tour business has been meeting the customers, listening to their stories, and becoming friends with people from all over the world after having spent a day travelling together,” says Sara.

Travelling is something that the couple emphasises as a great way to bring people together, which is not surprising considering the fact that it was travelling that made sparks fly between Sara and Maciek.

“I was working for accommodation at the Willy Wallace hostel in Stirling when, one day, I helped Sara check in. We ended up travelling together as friends, and falling in love during our trip. Since neither of us are natives to Scotland, we show Scotland off as the place we fell in love with on our tours. Scotland is the place which turned us into the travellers who never really stopped travelling,” says Maciek. 

The Outlander Tour

The private, Outlander themed one-day tour will take you on a journey through the centuries. With stops on the itinerary including Hopetoun House (starring as the Duke of Sandringham’s estate, Jamie’s and Claire’s Parisian apartment, as well as the streets of Paris in the TV series), Midhope Castle (figuring as Lallybroch on screen), and Doune Castle (Outlander’s Castle Leoch), you will have the chance to explore the grounds at your own pace, accompanied by the castle’s audio guide read in part by Sam Heughan himself. 

“We wanted to inspire our customers by planning itineraries and offering ready-made tours, and since Outlander has gotten so popular, we thought why not offer a tour based on the locations seen in the TV series? My mother read the books years and years ago and really saw herself in Claire as the story goes on, I think that is what makes the Outlander story so special, it allows for women of all ages to recognise themselves in a character,” says Sara.

Outlander, however, is not the first production which has generated a wave of tourists in Scotland. The blockbuster movie Braveheart, as well as the more recent Disney production Brave, have been known to influence Scotland’s tourism.

“There is a need in the market for a fandom such as Outlander’s. Going on an Outlander tour is something that a group of female friends can do, no matter what age, because Outlander reaches a demographic who see themselves in Claire. It was important to us to offer this experience to our customers as we want to give them exactly the adventure that they want and have been waiting for,” says Maciek.

Except for the locations visited on the tours, the Brambling Bus emphasises the importance of making memories between stops.

“We play Scottish music on the bus, make sure to pass around lots and lots of Scottish snacks, and make sure to tell as many stories about Scotland as possible,” says Sara.