I’m Elspeth McLean, founder of Edinburgh Unwrapped, and I’m a qualified 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 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. My recent work as a qualified tour guide has also given me the opportunity to work with lovely private clients, international companies and cruise ship operators.
My family roots tap into Scotland’s rich traditional heritage. The whisky stills you see 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 brought up 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.
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.