About Us - Beyond St. Andrews

.page-id-3185

Why choose us?

Our core values

We are committed to delivering exceptional comfort, quality, and customer service from your very first interaction with us through to your safe return to your accommodation in St Andrews. Every aspect of your journey is carefully considered to ensure a seamless, enjoyable, and memorable experience.

Professionalism, reliability, and attention to detail are at the heart of everything we do. Whether you are exploring Scotland's historic landmarks, breathtaking scenery, or hidden gems, you can expect the highest standards of service throughout your tour.

Our Philosophy

We understand that our guests come from all walks of life. Some are passionate golfers, others are travelling with golfing partners, and many simply wish to explore the beauty and heritage of Scotland. We also recognise that plans can change, sometimes unexpectedly.

That is why flexibility is at the heart of our philosophy. We aim to accommodate your needs wherever possible, allowing you to adapt your itinerary with ease, even on the day of your tour. Our goal is to provide a relaxed, personalised experience that gives you the freedom to make the most of your time in Scotland.

What sets us apart

Our speciality is showcasing the very best of Scotland beyond St Andrews. While we occasionally provide transfers to golf courses and airports, our passion and expertise lie in creating memorable private tours to Scotland's historic landmarks, places of interest, picturesque villages, and breathtaking landscapes.

With a dedicated vehicle and driver exclusively at your service, you are free to explore at your own pace and enjoy a truly personalised Scottish experience, and without compromise.

Our Country

Step beyond St Andrews and uncover a Scotland shaped by centuries of history, legend, and breathtaking beauty. Wander through ancient castles, royal palaces, medieval abbeys, and historic battlefields, each with its own story to tell. Discover dramatic coastlines, charming villages, and some of the most awe-inspiring landscapes in the world.

With a dedicated vehicle and experienced local driver exclusively at your service, you are free to explore at your own pace, linger at the places that captivate you, and enjoy a truly personal Scottish experience

Old Course Ballot

For many golfers, playing the legendary Old Course is a once-in-a-lifetime ambition, and we understand the excitement of entering the 48-Hour Ballot.

To help you make the most of your visit, we offer flexible arrangements that allow you to combine your ballot entry with an unforgettable private tour of Scotland.

Please review our special ballot policies and arrangements

(Terms &Conditions, 3.1)

What we need from you

Your Accommodation

We will need your accommodation address at the time of booking, and at the very least 24 hrs prior to your tour, if there has been a change, just so we can ensure the correct pick up location.

Amendments

If are there any last minute amendments, please let us know as soon as practically possible, if its on the day change, let the driver know as soon as possible, so that they can rearrange the itinerary and reduce its effect on the tour.

Your Pick Up

We do ask to please be ready at the pick up time, especially important if we have some pre-booked set times, which may be in place at certain locations, the driver will be at your accommodation address at least 10 minutes prior to departure.

Your Contact Details

It is important for us to have at least one mobile/cell number at least 24 hrs prior to your tour departure time, as ours and the drivers means of contact with your group, will be via WhatsApp.

Your Clothing

Please come prepared, an extra layer of clothing, overcoat or rain jacket for our unpredictable Scottish weather.

Your Footwear

It is very important that you wear a pair of comfortable shoes or boots that are suitable for the differing terrains we will likely encounter.

Your Pre Booked entry tickets

Remember to bring with you any purchased entry tickets or the downloaded versions on your phone.

The tour itself

Contact Details

We will confirm your driver’s name and contact details, the day before your tour begins.

WhatsApp

We use WhatsApp messages as a means of contact throughout the tour, details are held until the days end in case something is accidentally left onboard.

Duration

The tours duration is controlled somewhat by yourself, there is a minimum chargeable duration of five hours.
Our minimum tour duration is 4 hours, making it ideal for a shorter excursion from St Andrews.A tour of 5 to 6 hours allows a more relaxed pace and the opportunity to explore several locations in greater depth. For those wishing to experience more of Scotland, 7 to 8 hours provides a fuller itinerary, allowing visits to multiple attractions and destinations. This is typical of our more comprehensive tours, such as Whisky Galore, where guests can enjoy the complete experience without feeling rushed.
Tours are influenced by the amount of stops that are chosen, and the personal interest and engagement you may have with each location, for example a visit to Stirling Castle itself would normally be at least 90 minutes or thereabouts, whilst an investigative visit could take up to 4 hours.

Guides

At some of the stops, where there are no guides or guided tours, the driver may accompany you, offering assistance, and sharing their knowledge

Pre booked guides

Guides that are pre-booked in advance are paid individually on the day by the group, generally with cash.

Not Included

Pay at the venue, entry fees.
Pay at the venue, private guides (if available).
Meals & beverages.
Gratuities, at your discretion.

Driver and vehicles

Safety first

Safety is our top priority, our vehicles are regularly maintained and serviced to the highest industry standards,
Daily pre and post tour vehicle checks are routinely carried out.
Our vehicles have a comprehensive first aid kit onboard.

Road Awareness

Drivers will drive within the guidelines,
We try to limit our tours to 8hrs maximum
Drivers will not knowingly exceed any speed limits even if it results in missing a pre arranged booking/guide/or visit.
Drivers will respect any poor road conditions, traffic problems, roadworks and diversions all of which could result in the replanning of the tour
We try to limit our tours to 8hrs or thereabouts.
Drivers will take the opportunity to occasionally rest, whilst you are on a tour with an official guide.

What’s onboard

Bottled Water
WiFi
Information guide pertaining to you chosen tour
Rainwear in various sizes
Brolly’s

Our Drivers

Are mature and experienced, importantly they are smartly dressed, punctual, professional, and courteous.
All have excellent navigation skills, are knowledgeable about local areas.
Keep & maintain a pristine vehicle.

Meet our drivers

Hazel Crane (admin)

A key contributor to the success of the business is Hazel, who diligently manages operations while her husband, Laurie, handles driving responsibilities. Hazel efficiently oversees all administrative tasks, ensuring smooth day-to-day functionality. In addition to her professional capabilities, she is an avid golfer and a member of the St Regulus Golf Club.

Dave Edgar - driver

Dave, a former RAF technician, worked with Laurie at Kingsbarns Links where they formed a friendship. Dave has extensive experience as a driver and is known for his effective communication skills. A member of The St Andrews Golf, Dave is a former past captain, and a very competitive player.

Laurie Crane, owner, driver

Laurie spent 40 years as a deep-sea saturation diver, often confined in steel chambers for weeks at a time. He relocated to St Andrews with his wife Hazel, where they owned and operated a guest house and apartment. They soon realized that many non-golfers were interested in exploring areas beyond St Andrews. Consequently, Hazel hired chauffeurs to provide tours. Laurie decided to pursue this venture upon retiring from diving, thus beyond st andrews was established.

Susan Wood, driver

Susan is a relaxed and careful driver who is friendly and talkative. She is an experienced Scottish amateur golfer and has represented her country both as a player and in administrative roles. Susan is also a qualified optometrist working in St Andrews. On the occasions she drives for us, she brings enthusiasm to the experience. Additionally, she is currently assisting Laurie with social media activities such as Instagram

View the vehicles.

Comfort and luxury

At beyond st andrews, we have selected the new Mercedes V Class MPV Exclusive, as our mode of transport to provide our passengers with the highest level of comfort and convenience. We believe that numerous small details contribute to a smoother driving experience for both the driver and the passengers.

Space and visibility

The vehicle features two rows of leather captain seats, arranged in a facing configuration to facilitate conversation during travel. The panoramic sunroof provides ample natural light and enhances the views throughout the journey, while the tinted rear windows offer additional privacy. Additionally, a pop-up table is available for use as needed.

What’s onboard ?

To ensure a comfortable journey, we provide tour information, onboard Wi-Fi, bottled water, charging sockets for your phones with various power cables, some Scottish sweets, umbrellas, and rain jackets should you need them during any episodes of Scotch mist or rain.

Michael Hamby

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An Absolutely Outstanding Day with David! We had an absolutely fantastic day with David and Beyond St Andrews. From beginning to end, he was far more than simply our driver — he genuinely became part of what made the day so memorable. David was personable, knowledgeable, funny and incredibly easy to spend the day with. His knowledge of the area was outstanding, and as an avid golfer, he seemed to know virtually every golf course we passed — along with some wonderful stories and local insight that you simply wouldn’t get touring on your own. The black Mercedes V-Class was beautiful and extremely comfortable, but the real highlight was David himself. Nothing felt rushed or scripted. The entire day was relaxed, interesting and fun, and his personality turned what could have simply been transportation and sightseeing into one of the highlights of our time in Scotland. We’ve traveled extensively and have used many private drivers and guides over the years, and David is exactly what you hope for when booking this type of experience. If you’re considering Beyond St Andrews, ask for David. We would book with him again without hesitation. Five stars aren’t enough!

Mary Topian

Laurie and David were very knowledgeable, warm and lovely to be around. They were also flexible as to where we wanted to go and what we wanted to see. We would highly recommend Beyond St. Andrews and will definitely use them again on our next trip to Scotland!

Clare Woodward

Whilst on holiday with my father, I used this company to help me explore the surrounding areas. I found Laurie to be very helpful, knowledgeable and friendly and would definitely recommend his services and would definitely use him again.

Nicola Beaumont

I wanted to step outside of St Andrews and opted for the City of Discovery tour to include all 'Recommended Stops', it did not disappoint. We were pleasantly surprised by the history and museums of Dundee, and were pleased with the advice and knowledge that Laurie offered, and of course, the luxury mode of travel!

Robert Geddes

We chose the “Heart of Scotland” tour and enjoyed an exceptional day exploring its many memorable sights. Our first stop was the Wallace Monument, where a shuttle bus took us from the car park to the base. We then climbed the 246 steps—phew—up the narrow spiral staircase, with three welcome levels along the way to catch our breath and learn more about William Wallace. From the summit, the countryside views were spectacular; on a clear day like ours, you could see for miles. Just three miles further on, we reached Stirling Castle and the Church of the Holy Rude. The castle’s rich history was captivating, and the excellent free local guide was both knowledgeable and friendly, as were all the staff. On our way back to St Andrews, we ended the tour at dusk beneath the Forth Road Bridge, which was stunning. Scotland is a truly beautiful and striking country. Our host Laurie answered all our questions thoughtfully and gave us time to chat among ourselves, without the constant commentary often found on guided tours. We highly recommend this excursion and will definitely book another tour with the Company the next time we return to St. Andrews. Many thanks to the Beyond St Andrews team for making both the booking and the tour such a pleasure. Bobby and friends.

alan clason

We arranged a trip with Beyond St Andrews to Glamis Castle in Sept, 2025 and had a truly wonderful experience. The Mercedes van used by Beyond St Andrews provided a very pleasant travel experience on some narrow and windy roads. Our driver Laurie provided excellent coverage of local places and events on the journey. On arrival we were dropped off at the entrance to Glamis Castle with detailed advice provided by Laurie on how to make the best of the visit. We spent a very nice afternoon on the guided tour of the castle, visiting the various sites around the grounds. The Castle Kitchen Restaurant was highly recommended by Laurie and the food there was excellent, we had the Glamis Bridie a tasty pastry parcel of venison. The reference to the “Thanes of Glamis” in Shakespeare's play MacBeth was highlighted by some amazing wood sculptures, in the MacBeth Loop, depicting scenes from the play. We were picked up promptly at the arranged time and the journey back to St Andrews was very pleasant with Laurie providing an entertaining guide to points of interest in the area. Dundee was navigated with ease, and we were very pleased with our outing to Glamis Castle and would highly recommend Beyond St Andrews. Alan and Alison Ottawa, Canada

Jared Marinelli

Five stars all the way. Our trip from St Andrews to The Macallan Distillery was fantastic, and Beyond St Andrews made the whole experience feel special. The vehicle was incredibly comfortable, clean, and relaxing, which made the drive just as enjoyable as the destination itself. The service was amazing from beginning to end. Everything was handled so professionally, and we felt completely taken care of throughout the trip. It was smooth, stress-free, and felt like a truly premium experience. Visiting Macallan was already a highlight of our time in Scotland, and Beyond St Andrews made getting there and back a real pleasure. I would highly recommend them to anyone wanting a comfortable, first-class experience.