Esperanza77

Hello all,
So before I head to London in October, I'm thinking of visiting Edinburgh. I have 4 nights before I take the train to London.
I heard so many wonderful things about Edinburgh so I want to spend most of my time there with only 1 day trip. So which of these do you recommend:
1- Glasgow on my own, how walkable is it? I really prefer to walk and not take a taxi or bus unless necessary.
2- St. Andrews on my own, or St. Andrews and fishing villages with tour company.
3- Day trip with touring company to highland. I've heard good things of Rabbies, but which Highland tour. They have several.

If I have to choose just one which would it be. I'm not sure I will return to Scotland anytime soon so I'd like to see some of the quintessential Scotland.

Generally not looking to visit castles or cathedrals beyond Edinburgh.

Thanks a lot for your help

Morgana

Difficult decision, and I can only answer what I would do personally in your shoes, and that would be option 3.
Glasgow is a lively city - I spent several months working there from Monday to Thursday each week and grew to love the place. We have also enjoyed trips to St Andrews. But option 3 would be something very different.
Sorry, can't advise on a tour as we always travel independently with our own car, but I am sure others can assist.

lateinlifetraveler

We have been to Glasgow and enjoyed it. In Glasgow you can walk to St. Mungo's Cathderal. You can get a taste of a big city, you can take a bus to The Kelvingrove Museum and The Burrill Collection for art. We also took a day trip to the highlands with The Hairy Coo tour group. It was a great day tour. If I had to pick one, I would do the highlands tour again.

SeeDee

While Glasgow has it's attractions, it would appear more logical not to limit your time in Scotland to cities and not take in some of the great outdoors.
That's a vote for Option 3 then......

janisj

I wouldn't do Glasgow as a day trip. I enjoy Glasgow a LOT but I agree you'd probably want some countryside. You really don't have to decide now since you can book Rabbies or other tours while you are in Edinburgh. I'd let the weather lead me. For instance I wouldn't want want to be wandering around St. Andrews on my own if heavy rain is blowing sideways . . . But on a decent day it would be lovely.

Any of your three options would be wonderful. I'd maybe lean just a tad towards the small group tour to St. Andrews & the fishing villages. It would involve less 'bus time' and more 'on the ground time' than a highlands tour. Though the highlands tours are VERY good. Doing St. Andrews on your own is also very doable.

Esperanza77

Thank you all, as always the info is very helpful. Although I'd love to see Glasgow and do a bit of shopping since I hear it's great, I agree that the Highlands is the logical choice. Can someone please check rabbies.com and tell me which tour is best for highlands. I hope that's not a bother.

Thanks again.

dulciusexasperis

It appears that rabbies has NO one day tours of the Highlands. They only show 1 day tours to Rosslyn Chapel and or other border areas (Hadrian's Wall).

Really, the distances and driving times involved do not allow you to 'see the Highlands' in any meaningful way in one day. I am also not a fan of tours at all but if you must, then the Hairy Coo does seem to do a day tour that goes through some interesting scenery and places of interest. What's more it's 'free'. That is you pay what you feel it was worth! Of course they also tell you it is a 37GBP 'value' so that sets a standard for you to consider when you give them your 'tip'.
http://www.thehairycoo.com/tour/FREE...ghlands+Tour/2

It also has the added advantage that you can just show up and hop on board (assuming there is a seat available which is probably not that unlikely as you are travelling alone and so only need one seat to be empty). That would let you decide on any given morning (dependant on weather forecast) whether to go that day or not. With 4 days to choose from, that would be a better bet in my opinion than booking ahead.

In some ways, I might be tempted to do it on a rainy day and save a better day for walking in Edinburgh. LOL, that would in fact give you the 'quintissential' Scottish experience. The word is 'dreek'. http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=dreek

dulciusexasperis

Hmm, just noticed the Hairy Coo has another tour which does cover more of the highlands. I'll change my suggestion to that tour vs. the 'free' tour.
http://www.thehairycoo.com/tour/Loch...p%3B+Whisky/11

I would not suggest their St. Andrews and Whiskey tour as it wlll not be as scenic. St. Andrews and Anstruther are well worth a visit but the scenery simply will not be 'highlands' at all.

janisj

>>It appears that rabbies has NO one day tours of the Highlands. They only show 1 day tours to Rosslyn Chapel and or other border areas (Hadrian's Wall).<<

I'm not sure what you are looking at, but yes -- Rabbies definitely does do 1-day tours into the Highlands -- several in fact -- as does Timberbush.

dulciusexasperis

None shown here:
http://www.rabbies.com/edinburgh_tou...res.asp?lng=en

Further searching does turn up other 1 day tours.
http://www.rabbies.com/one_day_tours..._ed.asp?lng=en

Yet while some of them are on the schedule above, others are not.

Conclusion: Their website leaves something to be desired. If I were a potential customer I would have already written them off.

IMDonehere

The Falkirk Wheel. It is the most magnificent useless thing I have encountered.

http://www.thefalkirkwheel.co.uk/

Esperanza77

Hello all and thanks for your feedback,
If you go to Rabbie.com, on the main page hover over tours Scotland just on the top left of the page. It shows 1 day trips from Edinburgh. Thanks

If I decide to go to Glasgow, which area do I go to please once I get out of the station?

Thanks