dwdvagamundo

After kibitzing on a number of the threads here, reading travel guides, looking at maps and consulting my interests (but not those of my designated travelling companion who has not yet finished the guides), I've come up with a Scotland itinerary for your review and comment. So anything in this plan can be changed.

This will be out of a month in the UK, starting in Glasgow and ending in London: These are the places I am thinking of staying, and we'll see what we can of the country from these places. We plan to pick up a car on departing Glasgow.

Glasgow- 3 nites
Killin or other spot on Loch Tay-- 3 nites
Banchory or other Deeside location--4 nites
Fife 1 nite (en route)
East Lothian 1 nite (en route)

This will be our second time to Scotland; the first we stayed in Edinburgh and took a Rabbie's day trip to Loch Lomond, and then drove through the Borders on the way south. We may add one day to Glasgow and do a Rabbie's tour of Robert Burns country.

Any input welcomed.

bilboburgler

Robbie B's country is a bit bleak, which month are you coming for?

Gordon_R

<i>Robbie B's country is a bit bleak, which month are you coming for?</i>

Huh ???? That's a strange comment. "Burns Country" (Aka Ayrshire) is a very pleasant part of Scotland with one of the most favourable climates (there are palm trees along the various coastal micro-climates), especially in September when the OP I planning to visit. I lived in Alloway (where Burns was born) for a while and it's not "bleak" at all.

historytraveler

I agree. Ayr often gets short shrift but is a lovely area, and if one has an interest in Robert Burns, it's a great place to visit.

janisj

IMO the SW coast is lovely . . .

But back to your itinerary, very nice - my only change would to squeeze in one more day in Fife. Maybe by cutting one night from either Killin or Banchory.

BritishCaicos

Bleak?

Bleak, man.

We're on the major highway of the Gulf Stream, it's greener than Donald Trumps
'S dollar bills, in SW Scotland.

I'm not sure where the tour visits but much of his life was spent in Dumfries and Galloway where we have a far more creative culture and warmer affinity to Burns than the ruff necks on the Clyde.

If anyone ever gets the chance, try to make it to the procession in Dumfries on the Saturday closest Burns night. It's a magical and creative occasions which celebrates both his work and the artistic energy of the area.

Burns spent large periods of his life as both a excise tax collector and farmer around Dumfries. JanisJ knows of the romance to the Galloway coast and the secret coves which Burns did battle with rum runners trying to avoid excise taxes.

It's a magical place passed over by most national and international travellers, some locals say thankfully but JanisJ knows better.

PalenQ

bleak is in the eye of the beholder! Like Rannoch Moor is bleak to some but because it is bleak I loved it - in my interpretation of bleak.

Bleak need not mean ugly or worthless.

bilboburgler

After a year there I found it bleak and the RB trail a bit depressing, but others clearly differ, I'll step back.

Gardyloo

I also like the outline itinerary. It's rather refreshing to see a Scotland itinerary that doesn't include a mad dash to Skye and/or Loch Ness, although it sounds like this will be your second visit without experiencing the west coast.

I'm curious about what follows your drive through Fife and East Lothian. Where were you thinking to stay in both counties? Are you planning to stop somewhere in Northumberland on your way south? As janisj suggests, you might consider adding a night in Fife - Falkland or one of the East Neuk villages, say. Or if you're on a tight timetable, don't stop in East Lothian but continue south and stay that night somewhere around the Holy Isle or Bamburgh - marvelous and historic places.

Or I would suggest the East Lothian night could be spent in Gifford, a lovely little town at the foot of the Lammermuir Hills. The next day's drive over the Lammermuirs to the coast at Holy Isle will be splendid in late September; the heather should be gorgeous and these are some of the nicest "off the beaten path" roads in the country. https://goo.gl/maps/wkVSzPPFmkA2

dwdvagamundo

Thanks to all, especially Janis and Gardyloo. I'll add a nite in Fife rather than in East Lothian. I have a family connection in Fifeshire (although no known relatives there), so that will work out.

We're planning to spend a nite around Lindisfarne so if you think we can drive from Fife to Lindisfarne, Bamburgh or Seahouses in one day, that's what we'll do.

Still haven't decided whether to add a nite in Glasgow and take a tour to Burns Country, though. Right now, I'm leaving against it for reasons that have nothing to do with whether it's bleak or sunny, but will let my spouse make the final call.

Although the rest of the trip is not set in stone, my current plan is to proceed down the east coast, then over to the Peak District to break the stay and see some of Manchester and the surrounding area. That instead of a canal boat cruise.

Then we'd continue to Lincoln, Bury St. Edmunds (family connection), other parts of East Anglia, Portsmouth (second attempt to see HMS Victory), Winchester, then London.

Thanks again for the help.

Lenchik

I've stayed 5 days in Isle of Skye and I absolutely loved it! There are so many awesome natural wonders to see there. Here's the report from my trip there, if you are interested: http://www.travel-monkey.com/ultimat...-isle-of-skye/
But I guess Scotland is great in nature altogether. Another fun thing that we tried was taking the Harry Potter steam train from Mallaig to Fort William.

Good luck on your travels!

janisj

Very easy to drive from Fife down along the coast through St Abbs and Lindesfarne into Northumberland. Or you could stop ove short of Bamburgh.

There is a ring road around Edinburgh and the rest of the drive is great.

historytraveler

I agree with Gardyloo. It is nice to see an itinerary that doesn't include Skye and Loch Ness. There are so many other places in Scotland that are every bit as interesting. Kudos to you for stepping outside box.

Gardyloo

<i>Very easy to drive from Fife down along the coast through St Abbs and Lindesfarne into Northumberland. Or you could stop ove short of Bamburgh.</i>

Like this - nice day's drive. https://goo.gl/maps/3PXQpSW9QtN2

dwdvagamundo

Thanks everyone.

After looking thinking this over, we've decided to spend one less day in Killin and add two nites in Oban so that we can see the Isles of Mull and Iona. It would be a shame to be so close and not give it a try.

Why Oban rather than Skye? Because if the weather is too overcast, we can go to Iona.

We've also adopted the suggestion to spend two nites in Fife.

So now we are spending close to the originally planned two weeks in Scotland.

Again, thanks for your help, not just on this thread but on all the Scotland threads over the last several months.

Gardyloo

<i>Why Oban rather than Skye? Because if the weather is too overcast, we can go to Iona.</i>

Or if you're interested in prehistory, a short drive from Oban will put you in Kilmartin, arguably the biggest concentration of prehistoric relics - stone circles, standing stones, burial cairns, carved grave slabs in the churchyard - in Scotland. http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.u...tin/kilmartin/ Remarkable place.

dwdvagamundo

Ah! Thanks Gardyloo. I'm very interested in prehistory--archaeology is one of my biggest interests--so I'll make it there for sure.