Hello everyone,
You have helped me a great deal plan our trip to Scotland in late May for 12 days. I have a question regarding Loch Lomond and Trossachs while staying in Callander and fitting in Glencoe.
Here is our itinerary so you know where we plan to be on what days:
Day 1 May 18 (Friday) We arrive in Edinburgh at 7 am…spend the day in the city once we settle in (we could never stay in the hotel no matter how tired we are..done it before in Spain and Italy and we're alright with the jet lag)
Day 2 (Saturday) All day in the city
Day 3 (Sunday) Get car from Enterprise (hubby works for them) morning drive to Borders Melrose/Dryburgh/Jedburgh/Kelso and stay around there for the night
Day 4 (Monday) morning drive to Callander, and enjoy Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park (staying in Callander to sleep)
Day 5 (Tuesday) more time enjoying Loch Lomond and Trossachs and stay another night in Callander
Day 6 (Wednesday) morning drive to Mallaig ferry to Skye...spend the remainder of the day in Skye
Day 7 (Thursday) Skye
Day 8 (Friday) Skye
Day 9 (Saturday) morning drive to Eilean Donan Castle and then to Dunfermline/Culross.. this will likely take most of our day so we plan on sleeping in a hotel or B & B in Dunfermline or Culross and making it our hub for the next few days
Day10 (Sunday) Cupar (going for a photo shoot at Crawford priory) and Culross then going back to stay in Dunfermline one more night (I realize we are backtracking a bit but notice the distances don't seem that far.)
Day 11 (Monday) Dunfermline Abbey (wanted to wait until today since Sunday hours are so short) and maybe stop somewhere else before we head back to Edinburgh... drive back to Edinburgh and drop off car
Day 12 (Tuesday) relax in Edinburgh for our last day and see a few more things we couldn't fit in
Day 13 May 30th (Wednesday) taxi to airport Depart am today for USA
I had no plans on stopping in Glencoe nor have I done any research on the area. We are staying two nights in Callander (got a hotel but could always cancel without penalty.) I've had a few people tell me I should drive into/through Glencoe on my way to Mallaig to get on the ferry for Skye. I'm not comfortable trying to fit this in before making the ferry...I'd rather get to the ferry with plenty of time to get on the next just in case.
My question is: Should I consider staying a night in Glencoe instead of two nights in Callander? I don't want to miss beautiful scenery and felt I would have enough to see in Loch Lomond and Trossachs....am I making a mistake planning on seeing Loch Lomond and Trossachs for two days and not putting anytime in Glencoe? Would it be silly for us to drive to Glencoe on the 2nd day staying in Callander just to drive back to Callander to sleep in the hotel we booked already and leave again the next day to go on to Skye?
Any opinions/suggestions are appreciated (I feel so blessed just to be going and seeing all the sights but it's so tempting to see why so many are saying not to miss Glencoe. )
Thanks for your help and sorry if I made a mess of my question 
Noelle
The Trossachs while staying in Callander should we include Glencoe?
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"My question is: Should I consider staying a night in Glencoe instead of two nights in Callander? "
Yes, you definitely want to see Glencoe . . . and you will
There is absolutely no need to change anything. Stay the 2 nights in Callander. You will drive right through Glencoe on the drive from Callander to Mallaig . .
Also on that drive, take a short detour (before Glencoe) to see Killin/Falls of Dochart...
Thank you for your response, Janisj. I guess what I'm asking though is do I want more time there then just driving through..will there be enough time to drive from Callander to Mallaig with a stops for pictures and enjoying the scenery and still comfortably make a ferry to Skye...I'm a BIG picture taker and wonder if I may want more than an hour or so in Glencoe? So you're saying there is plenty in the Trossachs to keep me happy
I promise, I'm normally not this hard to please I just love your opinions and advice 
thank you!!!
"So you're saying there is plenty in the Trossachs to keep me happy"
(In May I'm staying near Callander for 3 nights -- I think for the 12th or 13th time, usually for a week at a time)
Enough for two months let alone 2 days
"I guess what I'm asking though is do I want more time there then just driving through..will there be enough time to drive from Callander to Mallaig with a stops for pictures and enjoying the scenery and still comfortably make a ferry to Skye..."
Yes - totally. Callander to Mallaig is a bit over a 3 hour drive, maybe 3 1/2. So w/ LOTS of stops you can easily get to Mallaig by late afternoon. I'd book the last ferry just to be on the safe side.
You don't need to stay IN glencoe at all - though it is beautiful and it would be great to stay there IF you had 2 or 3 extra days. You can easily spend an hour or two there w/o any problem . . .
perfect Janisj, you're so helpful...thank you!
Oh, one final question...do I book the ferry though this site
http://www.calmac.co.uk/
yep -- that's the one. Normally you don't need to book Mallaig to Armadale, but when you want to be on a specific sailing, it is best to book ahead.
Not janisj but that is the booking website for Skye ferry. However for a Wednesday in late May, I doubt if you really need to book.
thank you both!
true -- but if traveling in cross country and you want to be sure to get on the last sailing, it would be good insurance.
oh --I was responding to ht . . .
janisj and I posted at same time. I agree if you want a specific sailing then book, but if you prefer more flexibility then you can just show up near sailing time. It's usually 20/30 minutes before departure for car & passengers.
So it looks like from Callander, we will take the A84 to A82 and that road is where we will see the beauty of Glencoe...then onto A830 to Mallaig? I'm going to make reservations for the 2nd to last ferry of the day 16:30.