Who would have thought that a lockdown travel blog would one day lead us to start a full-blown tour company in the Scottish Highlands? Well, we certainly didn’t. What began as a way to pass the time during the pandemic, turned into something much bigger—our very own tour company, Tartan Trailblazer Tours. It’s been a wild ride, full of twists, turns, and a few faceplants (literally), but we’re finally here, running tours, sharing our love for Scotland, and having a blast while doing it. Here’s our story. 

From Blog to Business: A Lockdown Story 

Let’s rewind to 2020. Like most people, we found ourselves stuck at home, staring out the window, dreaming of all the places we couldn’t go. Travel had ground to a halt, but our passion for exploring Scotland never wavered. So, we started a travel blog. It was a simple idea: share our love of the Highlands with the world. Michelle’s knack for uncovering hidden gems and my growing interest in Scottish history and mythology meant we had plenty to write about. From the best hiking trails to lesser-known spots, our blog quickly grew a following. People seemed to enjoy reading our stories and tips for exploring the rugged beauty of the Highlands. 

Before long, readers started reaching out for advice on planning trips to Scotland. We became unofficial tour guides, answering questions, recommending itineraries, and sharing travel tips. It was amazing to see how many people were excited about visiting Scotland, and that’s when the idea of starting a tour company began to creep into our minds. 

The Birth of Tartan Trailblazers: Dreaming Big, Acting Fast 

Fast forward to 2022. By this point, the blog was still going strong, but the idea of starting a tour company had taken root. We thought, “Why not make this a real thing?” Michelle’s passion for discovering new spots and my love for sharing the stories and legends of Scotland seemed like a great combination. So, we made the decision to turn our dream into reality. 

We went ahead and bought a minibus and slapped a shiny new Tartan Trailblazers logo on it before we fully understood what we were getting ourselves into. You know the phrase “putting the cart before the horse”? Yeah, that was us—enthusiastically putting the bus before the business. 

The Roadblocks We Didn’t See Coming 

It turns out, starting a tour company is a bit more complicated than just buying a bus and printing some business cards. Who knew, right? First up, Michelle needed to get her D1 minibus license so she could actually drive the thing. No problem, we thought. A couple of tests, a bit of paperwork, and we’d be on the road in no time. But, of course, it wasn’t quite that simple. 

Michelle passed her initial theory and practical test, but then came the kicker: to drive the bus for profit, she needed something called a CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence). Cue more tests, both theory and practical, and a lot of time spent trying to remember obscure driving rules. After a few twists and turns, Michelle passed, and we naively thought we were in the clear. 

Enter the O Licence. This little gem of an application is the magic ticket you need to run a transport business in the UK. We thought it would be a straightforward process, but we were wrong. Very wrong. 

Becoming a Transport Manager

One of the key requirements for an O Licence is having a certified transport manager. So, it was my turn to step up. I figured, “How hard can it be? A few forms, a quick course—piece of cake.” Spoiler alert: it was not a piece of cake. The course wasn’t just a tick-box exercise. It was a 30-module deep dive into transport law, vehicle maintenance, and more regulation jargon than my brain knew what to do with. 

I spent many days poring over books, taking notes, and trying not to fall asleep mid-module. But after what felt like an eternity of studying, I passed the course and became our official transport manager. I now appreciate why the course is needed, as it has given us all the knowledge we need to keep everyone safe and our business compliant. The relief, however, was unreal—until we realized there was one more thing we needed: a tachograph. 

The Tachograph Saga 

Ah, the tachograph. For those of you who don’t know, this is a device that records driving time and ensures we’re staying within legal limits. You’d think getting one installed would be a simple task. Again, it wasn’t. After scouring Scotland for someone to retrofit our bus with this magical piece of equipment, we finally found a garage in Glasgow willing to do the job. It wasn’t cheap, but it was necessary. After all, we wanted to keep things legal and safe. 

With the tachograph finally fitted, the O Licence approved, and all the necessary paperwork in place, we thought we were ready to hit the road. 

The Waiting Game: Climbing the TripAdvisor Ladder 

We had the bus, we had the licences, and we had all the boxes ticked after 14 long months of preparation. Surely now it was time to start welcoming guests and hitting the Highlands, right? Well, sort of. You see, while we were technically ready to go, the bookings didn’t exactly roll in overnight. It took some time for us to climb the ranks on TripAdvisor and get noticed by potential customers. 

For a few weeks, we waited (and waited) as our algorithm slowly improved, and then, finally, the first bookings started to come in. We were officially in business! It was a surreal feeling knowing that people wanted to come on our tours and experience Scotland through our eyes. We were ready—or so we thought. 

The First Tour: A Comedy of Errors 

Our first tour was… eventful, to say the least. Excited and maybe a little too eager, we packed up the bus and set off with our first group of guests. Everything was going smoothly until—disaster struck. As we stopped at our first destination, I somehow managed to fall out of the bus (don’t ask how) and smash my microphone in the process. It was a less-than-graceful moment, but in Tartan Trailblazers style, we laughed it off, dusted ourselves down, and carried on with the tour. Despite the rocky start, the rest of the day went smoothly, and we even got a lovely review! 

Where We Are Now: Moving Forward and Looking Ahead 

Since then, things have gradually gotten better. With each tour, we’ve learned, adapted, and refined our approach. Michelle continues to scout out new destinations, always finding great hidden gems in the Highlands, while I’ve been diving even deeper into Scottish history and mythology, completing a Diploma in Scottish History this year. There’s always something new to learn, and every day feels like an adventure.

As for what’s next, we’re already planning some exciting new itineraries for 2025. Michelle has been hard at work designing fresh tours that’ll take our guests to new and interesting places.

Gratitude 

Looking back, it’s nice to think about how far we’ve come. What started as a simple blog in lockdown has turned into a full-fledged tour company.

It hasn’t been easy—there have been plenty of obstacles, late nights, and moments where we seriously considered giving up, but the hard work and sacrifice have been worth it. 

We’re incredibly grateful for every single person who books a tour with us. Each guest is part of our journey, and we hope to keep sharing the magic of Scotland for years to come. So, here’s to more adventures, more discoveries, and (hopefully) fewer microphone mishaps along the way! 

Thanks for coming along for the ride—Slàinte mhath! 

Fin & Michelle 

Tartan Trailblazers