3 day trip to Scotland-best itinerary?

Old May 12th, 2000, 04:13 AM
  #1  
Kiersten
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3 day trip to Scotland-best itinerary?

My husband and I are going to Scotland for three days in late July(all we have due to business). We will be flying in from London to either Edinburgh or Inverness. Two possible itineraries:
1) Fly to Edinburgh, drive to Blairgorwie, stay in nice B&B all 3 nights. Take day trips to golf @ Rosemount, drive the countryside to the north. Fly from Edinburgh to London.
2)Fly to Inverness from London, drive south through "Great Glen", stopping at 3 different B&B. Fly from Edinburgh to London.

We would like to play golf 1 day, see some of the great scenery, but not get worn out with driving!! Any suggestions for itineraries? (we are not sure of the driving times between places) Thanks!
 
Old May 12th, 2000, 06:10 AM
  #2  
frank
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Itinerary 1 misses out much of the Highlands(unless you drive west via Aberfeldy), 2 is a bit better.Why does everyone want to go to Inverness?

Not sure if you mean 3 days or 3 nights, think in terms of nights when planning itineraries.Assume 3 nights:
Day 1) Fly to Inverness, train to Kyle of Lochalsh(famous train journey),bus across bridge to Isle of Skye, stay at Skeabost Hotel if free (9-hole course in grounds)

Day 2)Skye, buy hand knitted sweaters,golf.Ferry to Mallaig.

Day 3)Train to Glasgow (see highlands, scenery,change at Fort William), fly to London OR change route at Fort William for Edinburgh (bus) & hence to London.

That's a good tourist route for seeing plenty in a short time.
Of course,I personally would never attempt such a thing, as I've been there.
Recently we have been criticised on this Forum for never giving off the beaten track routes.SO:

Fly to Isle of Barra -plane lands on the beach. (or to Benbecula)from Glasgow.Hang about South Uist(Pollachar Inn) & Barra(Castlebay Hotel), golf in S.Uist, pubs in Barra, possibly visit Eriskay,wild ponies, this is the "whisky Galore" area.Scenery heartbreaking.Not to be attempted in bad weather.Windy,bring a scarf.
Come back in tears.More of a holiday than a tour.Unforgettable.
Very few tourists here, Gaelic is spoken in the street,nobody goes there,neither I suspect will you.
Which is why its still beautiful.(nothing personal!)
Enjoy your trip!
Sheila, I emailed you, I deserve a biscuit.
 
Old May 12th, 2000, 06:47 AM
  #3  
Kiersten
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Thanks for the info..I will look into your suggestions.
We were told to fly to Invernes in order to do a one way drive down along Loch Ness etc to see the best of the scenery. Is this wrong? Your island sounds great-but too rigid in case of bad weather? Should I assume your not mentioning have a "home base" near Perthshire (with planned driving trips North)means that is not a good idea?
THNX again
 
Old May 12th, 2000, 01:25 PM
  #4  
Sheila
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Kiersten

this is a really interesting question. I actually like your first itinerary quite a lot. Apart from anything else, it isn't the usual stuff asked. I haven't played Rosemount but it gets a very good name. One thing you may not know about Scotland is that almost every village of any size has a golf course; and they are all good. the great courses are really GREAT.

Glen Shee and Glen Isla are readily accessible from Blair; as is Pitlochry and the area around; given an agenda which is not all scenery and which you do not want to be all driving I would encourage you on your first itinerary.

As far as the second goes, it is fine. like Frank I subscribe to the "why Inverness?" query, but since you need an airport there may be an obvious answer. Frank's plan is also a good one, altough Skeabost is not a patch on Rosemount for golf; but (and this is a question for Frank, because he's posted stuff like this before) if you follow your route, Frank, how the blazes do you get from Kyle of Lochalsh to Mallaig, never mind half way round Skye in the meantime? You can't hire a car in Kyle.

I also love his plan C. It does glide over the need for ferries from Barra to South Uist and S. Uist to Eriskay, but it's probably doable. the Pollachar Inn is certainly one of my "hotels to die for" in term of location, and it's one of the few pubs in Britain where English is the second language.

Don't worry too much about the weather, Kiersten. The whole point about the Western Isles is that the buildings are made to withstand it.

A variation on plan B, would be to fly to glasgow and catch the onward flight to the Inner Hebridean island of Islay. Hire a car there and play golf at Machrie, one of the most charming and challenging courses in the country. Take a day trip to Jura and climb the Paps. Visit a distillery (or 8) then try all the whiskies on the island in the Lochside Hotel at Bowmore, which boasts that it has over 400 malts in stock. See standing stones, rare birds, beautiful villages, nice restaurants, good walks, tremendous beaches; and then fly back again.


Or if none of that appeals we can suggest three days based on any one of 400 golf courses. And don't listen to Frank about Blair; he's from the wet (sic) coast and doesn't understand the east at all

Please don't hesitate to ask further. What would you like to see in Scotland?
 
Old May 12th, 2000, 05:20 PM
  #5  
Kiersten
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WOW so much good info!!
I have taken a blend of all of the input received and I think we are
1) flying from heathrow to Edinburgh.
2)Staying @ Gleneagles first night, golf next day.
3) drive to Blairgowie and stay 3 nghts @ kinloch house doing day long excursions(incl 1 day @ Rosemount).

Next trip we will have to visit Islay(too little time for so much to drink , distilleries, & Barra. we added on 1 night to see some more of the countryside we have heard great things of the scenery, lochs, castles...Thanks for all the help...I will poke my nose into a few books too. Not to push my luck...but-Any "must see" in 1 day radius of Blairgowrie/Perth?
 
Old May 14th, 2000, 12:36 AM
  #6  
Sheila
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Kiersten

You guys are sure not travelling on a budget! It's incredible the differences cultural use of language leads to. B&B here conjures up visions of little cottages adn bungalows and Mrs McGinty's spare room.

And here you are "B&B" ing in 2 of Scotland's top hotels. You will have a wonderful time.

Golf tip. If you get a choice of courses at Gleneagles (and you may not because the King's is so oversubscribed)chooses the King's Course. It is scary but brilliant.

Blairgowrie and round- golf at Rosemount? Carnoustie? Monifieth? Braemar?

Take a trip over the mountains to Deeside. You stop at the ski centre, which sometimes runs the chairlift in the summer if you want to walk onto the plateau. Or you can actually walk up to the summit within a coupe of hours, because the car park is so high up.
Braemar, on the other side is a pretty village and you should take a turn up to the Linn of Dee, which is stunningly beautiful- good place for a picnic. Go down Deeside past Braemar Castle which is worth visit, Balmoral, where the Queen stays to Crathie. there's Tourist Information point there, and that's where the turnoff to Lochnagar distillery is. It's open to the public. Come down the valley as far as Ballater and take a turn round the village and the shops. If you are still looking for scenery take the run up Loch Muick. There are usually deer in large numbers around (although less in the summer). Then go back.

At Kinloch, you are on the 5 lochs road between Blairgowrie and Dunkeld. One day you should go through to Dunkeld, maybe stopping at the Loch of the Lowes to see the ospreys. The village is pretty with its listed artisans' houses and the Ell Shop ( go and see what it is) There is the Cathedral and walks along the river. You can cross the main A9( not on foot) and visit the Hermitage for a gorgeous woodland walk.

If you drive north a bit you come to Pitlochry, which is bit of a tourist trap (the Moulin Hotel, up the hill is a nice place to stop for a meal and some of its own brewed beer) then come off the main road and keep going north towards Blair Atholl. Stop at the Soldier's Leap at Killiecrankie, then go on into the village and go to visit the Castle. Then keep going north to Bruar and its "Harrods of the North" and shop till you drop. When you come back south take the Kirkmichael road out of Pitlochry (past Moulin again) if you didn't do Lochnagar distillery, Edradour here is open to the public and is Scotland's smallest. Drive on over to the Blairgowrie/Braemar road and go south there for a round trip.

Now I could give you a couple more of these sorts of days out; but tell us what you like and I'll see if I can tailor something to your needs.
 
Old May 15th, 2000, 01:08 AM
  #7  
frank
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Sheila, Kyle /Skye/Armadale /Mallaig by frequent bus.
Barra /South Uist,avoid the Calmac, get the non-vehicle ferry from Eoligarry to Ludag(port for Eriska), 30mins every day around 4 depending on tide.Bus meets ferry.
 
Old May 17th, 2000, 05:02 PM
  #8  
kiersten
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THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE INFO!!
Your day trips sound great. We have decided to follow your route up to Loch Muick, and then spend the night up in the area- it sounds beautiful. How far do you think we can plan to go if we leave Gleneagles @ 1-2PM and stop to see some of the castles? Someone recommended only going as far as Loch Muick and then drive down to Blairgowrie the next day.
THNX AGAIN
 

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