Scotland Trip Planning
#1
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Scotland Trip Planning
I am planning our trip to Scotland in September - We plan to rent a car to drive around after being in Edinburgh for 4 days. I would like to be able to go to these other areas but not sure we have enough time - we will have 16 days total - so 12 after spending 4 in Edinburgh.
St. Andrews
Aberdeen
Inverness
Fort William/Lock Ness
Isle of Skye
Sterling
Glasgow
We are two couples, interested in touring the countryside, churches and castles. I am thinking the list above is too large for the amount of time we have. Please provide feedback and any must see items in the areas listed above to help me decide which to keep and which to cut.. In addition, is 4 days too many for Edinburgh??
Also , is there a law in Scotland that someone over 70 cannot drive a rental car. My friend told me that is such a restriction in Ireland .
Thank you
St. Andrews
Aberdeen
Inverness
Fort William/Lock Ness
Isle of Skye
Sterling
Glasgow
We are two couples, interested in touring the countryside, churches and castles. I am thinking the list above is too large for the amount of time we have. Please provide feedback and any must see items in the areas listed above to help me decide which to keep and which to cut.. In addition, is 4 days too many for Edinburgh??
Also , is there a law in Scotland that someone over 70 cannot drive a rental car. My friend told me that is such a restriction in Ireland .
Thank you
#2
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Loch Ness is by Inverness not Fort William which is on an arm of the sea - right close to it however is the awesome Rannoch Moors which though impossible to drive thru does have some access points for cars I saw when taking the train thru it:
https://www.google.com/search?q=rann...w=1920&bih=955
A more logical order IMO:
St. Andrews
Aberdeen
Inverness
Isle of Skye
Fort William/Lock Ness
Glasgow
Sterling (midway between Edinburgh and Glasgow - could hit on the way out of Edinburgh - few hours enough for most and end up in St Andrews for the night, driving across the Firth of Forth road bridge.)
From Inverness you traverse neat highlands scenery to Kyle of Lochlash - nothing there much but the place to get the bridge to Skye - then leave Skye by ferry to Maillag and then head down to Fort William, a nice watering hole if you like cities but many here will say to stay in smaller towns or rural B&Bs along the way rather than Inverness, Aberdeen or Ft William - Scotland's gems are not its cities (apart from Edinburgh and Glasgow and a few others perhaps) but its lovely small villages and rural areas. B&B dot the roads everywhere.
https://www.google.com/search?q=rann...w=1920&bih=955
A more logical order IMO:
St. Andrews
Aberdeen
Inverness
Isle of Skye
Fort William/Lock Ness
Glasgow
Sterling (midway between Edinburgh and Glasgow - could hit on the way out of Edinburgh - few hours enough for most and end up in St Andrews for the night, driving across the Firth of Forth road bridge.)
From Inverness you traverse neat highlands scenery to Kyle of Lochlash - nothing there much but the place to get the bridge to Skye - then leave Skye by ferry to Maillag and then head down to Fort William, a nice watering hole if you like cities but many here will say to stay in smaller towns or rural B&Bs along the way rather than Inverness, Aberdeen or Ft William - Scotland's gems are not its cities (apart from Edinburgh and Glasgow and a few others perhaps) but its lovely small villages and rural areas. B&B dot the roads everywhere.
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Also , is there a law in Scotland that someone over 70 cannot drive a rental car. My friend told me that is such a restriction in Ireland .
It's not true in either Ireland or Scotland. Dan Dooley, a car rental agency in Ireland much loved by American tourists, charges a steep surcharge for older drivers. I don't know where it begins. We'll be in Ireland this summer, and I compared prices, and found that it was much cheaper to reserve through Expedia. It was even cheaper for my 30-something daughter to rent through Expedia, but far cheaper for me and my husband.
We rented a car in Scotland two years ago from Arnold Clark, and were well satisfied with their service. My husband was over 70 at the time.
It's not true in either Ireland or Scotland. Dan Dooley, a car rental agency in Ireland much loved by American tourists, charges a steep surcharge for older drivers. I don't know where it begins. We'll be in Ireland this summer, and I compared prices, and found that it was much cheaper to reserve through Expedia. It was even cheaper for my 30-something daughter to rent through Expedia, but far cheaper for me and my husband.
We rented a car in Scotland two years ago from Arnold Clark, and were well satisfied with their service. My husband was over 70 at the time.
#4
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On our driving trip a year ago, we enjoyed driving from Edinburgh to Dunblane and staying at Cromix as I am a huge Andy Murray fan. From there, after a few side trips, we stayed in Stonehaven to tour the Dunnottar castle and walk along the shore in charming Stonehaven. After a few days in Speyside, we drove through Inverness and gradually made our way to the Isle of Skye.
I would not miss the Eilean Donan Castle, about 20 minutes from Kyle of Lochlash and on your way to Isle of Skye. The Isle of Skye was beautiful even though we only saw the area around Talisker and Talisker Distillery. We took the ferry from Mailbag, stoping at Glenfinnan, lunched in Glencoe and drove to Stirling though the pass.
We found many of the smaller towns were more interesting and stayed at B&B's along the way, getting the know the owners and meeting others sharing their travels .
Driving always took longer than we thought - those one lane roads, scenic sites stopping to take endless photos, and the intermittent rain slowed us down but only fueled our interest to return to Scotland sooner than later.
I would not miss the Eilean Donan Castle, about 20 minutes from Kyle of Lochlash and on your way to Isle of Skye. The Isle of Skye was beautiful even though we only saw the area around Talisker and Talisker Distillery. We took the ferry from Mailbag, stoping at Glenfinnan, lunched in Glencoe and drove to Stirling though the pass.
We found many of the smaller towns were more interesting and stayed at B&B's along the way, getting the know the owners and meeting others sharing their travels .
Driving always took longer than we thought - those one lane roads, scenic sites stopping to take endless photos, and the intermittent rain slowed us down but only fueled our interest to return to Scotland sooner than later.
#5
(It is Loch Ness, and Stirling)
You do have time for all that -- a little rushed but not bad. Where are flying in/out of? In to EDI and home from GLA . . . or something else?
I would stay 3 nights in Edinburgh, then collect a car and drive across to Fife and stay 2 nights (St. Andrews, Crail, Falkland Palace, etc.)
Then visit Glamis Castle and Dunnottar, Crathes en route to Deeside. Stay 2 nights along the Dee (not IN Aberdeen but maybe in/near Ballater).
Then drive up to near Inverness and stay 2 nights. (Loch Ness, Culloden, Ft George and/or Cawdor Castle)
Then drive to Skye and stay 3 nights
Then drive to the Trossachs and stay near Callander 2 nights - to visit Stirling, Queen Elizabeth Forest park, Doune Castle, Inchmahome, etc
Then drive to GLA and drop the car and stay 2 nights -- Fly home. thus having no 1 night stops.
(yes - over-70's can drive -- use AutoEurope to find the best rates)
You do have time for all that -- a little rushed but not bad. Where are flying in/out of? In to EDI and home from GLA . . . or something else?
I would stay 3 nights in Edinburgh, then collect a car and drive across to Fife and stay 2 nights (St. Andrews, Crail, Falkland Palace, etc.)
Then visit Glamis Castle and Dunnottar, Crathes en route to Deeside. Stay 2 nights along the Dee (not IN Aberdeen but maybe in/near Ballater).
Then drive up to near Inverness and stay 2 nights. (Loch Ness, Culloden, Ft George and/or Cawdor Castle)
Then drive to Skye and stay 3 nights
Then drive to the Trossachs and stay near Callander 2 nights - to visit Stirling, Queen Elizabeth Forest park, Doune Castle, Inchmahome, etc
Then drive to GLA and drop the car and stay 2 nights -- Fly home. thus having no 1 night stops.
(yes - over-70's can drive -- use AutoEurope to find the best rates)