I’m Elspeth McLean, founder of Edinburgh Unwrapped, and I’m an experienced, professional tour guide and member of the Highlands of Scotland Tour Guide Association. For me it’s a real pleasure meeting visitors and sharing with them my enthusiasm and knowledge of Edinburgh and Scotland’s history, culture, legends and secrets in a fun and informative way.
My family roots tap into Scotland’s rich traditional heritage. The whisky stills in many famous Scottish distilleries were once made by my grandfather, whose company name still appears on them all. Scotland is the home of golf and my Highland paternal grandfather was a golf professional, whose love of the game I shared, but whose skill I definitely didn’t! I have always enjoyed traditional Scottish music, well we Scots do love a ceilidh (a social gathering with music, dancing and singing) and I learnt to play the fiddle and clarsach (Scottish harp).
I was born in the Highlands and my upbringing was both there and in Edinburgh. The majority of my schooling and further education was also in Edinburgh, but I returned to the Highlands where I spent much of my working and later family life, before making Edinburgh my base once more.
My professional working background has given me many years of experience working as a tour designer in the travel industry, creating and organising unique, tailored and special interest self-drive and chauffeured tours of Scotland, Ireland and France, including Outlander tours.
Now, as a qualified tour guide, I welcome guests from all over the world in person on guided tours of Edinburgh. What a great opportunity to meet face-to-face with private tour guests and share time in their company, as we explore the stories and history of Edinburgh. They may arrive as strangers, but quickly they leave as friends. I am also lucky to work with international companies and cruise ship operators.
I aim to make my tours an enjoyable, memorable and authentic experience for everyone, whether they are face-to-face walking tours or online virtual tours. There is nothing I like more in my spare time than to explore hidden corners of Edinburgh and other parts of Scotland, as well as researching and digging out little-known facts to entertain my tour guests.
I’ll be delighted to welcome you to Edinburgh on a personal walking tour or to arrange a customised self-drive tour of Scotland for you.