This trip got planned at the very last minute as my husband will be in London from mid to end August for work. I join him in London in the last week of August and we would like to visit Scotland after he gets done with work. I have read up a lot of the Scotland posts (as many as I could- you guys are amazing!!!). I have put together 2 itineraries (we are a bit confused as to which one would be best for us). Would really appreciate if all you lovely people could give your opinion on whether these plans are doable and would give us a good sense of Scotland else how do we rework them.
We both are in our early 30s. Like sceneries, castles, museums (ok thats just me) and we both are photography junkies. We are moderately fit so I guess very long distance/aggressive walks and hikes are out. Both of us would have been in London for a few days at the very least so hopefully Jetlag wont be a problem.
Plan A
Day 1: First train from London to Edinburgh->Drive to Stirling. Stay in Stirling
Day 2: Stirling->Loch Lomond->Oban. Stay in Oban
Day 3: Oban ->Glencoe. Stay in Glencoe
Day 4: Glencoe-> Fort William -> Mallaig-> Portree. Stay in Portree
Day 5: In Portree
Day 6: Portree->Pitlochry->Perth. Stay in Perth (Would it be possible to take a detour to Applecross, Torridon etc on this day?). We plan to start early today as it is a long drive.
Day 7: Perth->Edinburgh
Day 8: Last train to London.
Plan B
Day 1: First train from London to Edinburgh->Drive to Stirling. Stay in Stirling
Day 2: Stirling->Loch Lomond->Glencoe. Stay in Glencoe
Day 3: Glencoe-> Fort William -> Mallaig-> Portree. Stay in Portree
Day 4: In Portree
Day 5: Portree->Applecross->Torridon->Ullapool. Stay in Ullapool
Day 6: Ullapool->Inverness->Loch Ness->Perth. Stay in Perth. Plan to stop in Inverness for a beer/snack. Lochness for the Boat ride 
.
Day 7: Perth->Edinburgh. Stay in Edinburgh
Day 8: Last train to London.
I guess the choice is between doing the highlands (the Romantic in me) or Oban (Amazing photographs).
Would really appreciate your inputs and also, whether you think we are packing in too much.
Help: 7-8 days in Scotland
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August is the Edinburgh Festival so you may either want more time there to soak up the atmosphere which is either love/hate - I love it but the chaos doesn't appeal to everyone - or you may want to avoid it completely. Hotels usually fill up in August or significantly raise their prices.
Glasgow is just as close to Stirling so that could be your start/finish point. Have you found city centre car hire? More are at the airports. I've also found that its cheaper to fly from London to Scotland than to take a train - unless you get your train tickets well in advance. Check out Easyjet - its a budget airline but better than most - you will pay extra for checked bags, admin fees, paying by credit card - but usually still cheaper than the train. If you fly by easyjet I think Luton is the easiest airport to get to. Heathrow is easiest but no budget airline option.
Thanks, Suzie. Right now the train and flights are equally priced. So thats why we are leaning towards the train option as it would be more Scenic. Though the flights would give us one whole day.
We are avoiding Edinburgh (Drive straight to Stirling) when we come in because both of us dont like crowds and too much chaos. We will visit (around) Edinburgh in the last 2 days.
Are there any must dos/sees that you think we have left out?
Flights won't really net you any extra time since you have to travel out to the airport and check in early. Whereas w/ the train - you just take the tube to Kings Cross and get on teh train. So basically city centre to city centre are almost exactly the same.
Don't expect amazing scenery on the train though, it is pretty ordinary (or worse) until the last bit in far NE England/the Borders.
So - I'd probably just go w/ whichever gets you the best fare. Another option is to take the sleeper train from Euston Station and arrive in Edinburgh at 8AM.
Either of your itineraries would be fine - I personally would lean to the second on. Not quite sure that Oban would offer any better photo ops than the other places.
Both plans have one VERY long (almost impossible) day 6.
Plan A >>Portree -->Applecross-> Torridon -> Pitlochry ->Perth is easily a 9 hour drive w/o a single stop. This is really a 2, or better 3, day tour.
Plan B Ullapool->Inverness->Loch Ness->Perth is easier-only about 5 hours 'car time' -- but the cruise and other stops really makeit a 2-day drive is you want to see anything.
On either day 6 I'd forget about staying in Perth and stop near Inverness instead. Inverness to EDI (to drop the car so you don't need to drive in the city) only takes about 3.5 hours.
Oh -meant to add - I personally would not stay IN Stirling. I'd stay just west of there -- Callander or nearby.
If you're not going TO Edinburgh, then take the train to Glasgow from London. All the tourists in Edinburgh mean (1) more people to contend with generally, (2) dearth of cars for hire, (3) both.
Janisj and BigRuss, Thanks a ton for your inputs.
qq: If I were to drop Inverness and Loch Ness from Day 6 in Plan B- what would you recommend as an alternative to do on Day 6 while we are driving back to Perth/Edinburgh from Ullapool?
Also on Day 1, would you suggest that we come back to Edinburgh? This would be around Aug 26 so I think the festival will be on- thats one of the reasons why we have kept 1.5 days for Edinburgh at the end of the trip. Should we go into Glasgow instead and start the trip from there? Also, do UK car rentals allow you to pick up a car in Glasgow and drop it in Edinburgh?
Will look up Callandar and the stay options there. This would also give us almost 2 days in the Trossachs (One day in Callandar and one day traveling along Loch Lomond onwards to Glencoe.
Trip report and blog if that helps with any of your decisions (though you are touching some areas we didn't see). Enjoy.
http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/scotland-trossachs-skye-and-loch-ness-an-indydad-trip-report.cfm
Just a quick note right now - there are seldom drop off fees for one way rentals so don't let that determine your route (check autoeurope.com for often the best rates and no dropoff fees)
On plan A why get the train to Edinburgh, when you can get it direct to Stirling? Leaves King's Cross at 9. In Stirling at 2.30pm (there are earlier trains on some days)
There's nothing wrong with Stirling for a stay. Like Janis, I'd stay elsewhere, but we both prefer the country. Stirling is fine if you want to sty in a town.
I wouldn't shift my bags from Oban to Glencoe. Not worth it. But a fine daytrip
I think you'd struggle to take in Applecross en route to Perth. Doable, but wrong direction and a long, long day.
I think that's pretty well paced.
Plan B is fine except for the Perth day. If you MUST do Loch Ness- and there's no reason not to- then skip Perth, and go back to Edinburgh. Don't stay in Inverness.