Sir William Burrell’s route takes him from London through the eastern counties of England to Durham, and by Carlisle into Galloway. After an excursion into County Antrim, he proceeds by the Ayrshire coast to Greenock, and thence to Glasgow and Stirling. Having explored Perthshire, he goes to Edinburgh, and visits many places in the neighbourhood. He then takes the route marked by Dumbarton, Inveraray, Fort William, Inverness, Banff, Aberdeen, St. Andrews, and Kinghorn. After further visiting the Lothians, he returns south by Lauder, Berwick, Richmond, and Doncaster.

He visits not only towns but castles and country houses and places off the main roads. Besides describing 'sights', ancient and modern, he gives much information, sometimes detailed, about crops, industries, trade, food, prices, and living conditions in general. At the end are a table of taxes, rates, prices, etc. (folio 43), copies of letters of Lochiel and others, 1746 (folio 45 verso), etc.