My husband and I are going to Scotland in May, 2012. Our friends, C & P, who are gay, are meeting us for part of the trip. We want to make sure that we stay in places that are gay friendly and make everyone feel at home. Below is our itinerary so far:

Arrive in Edinburgh, rent car, drive to Stirling
3 Nights in Stirling visiting sites close by including Stirling Castle, Duone Castle, etc.
2 Nights in the Trossachs and Lake Lomond - need help as to where to stay in this area.
Drive to Edinburgh to meet C & P
3 nights in Edinburgh - we are open to suggestions on whether to stay 2 or 3 nights and also as to where to stay
To Highlands - considering staying in Grantown on Spey (or somewhere on that side of the Highlands and then move over to close to Inverness or north of Inverness - need help on this as well. We are thinking of staying in two different places so we won't have to drive long distances each day to see the sights. We could also stay a full week in one place if it's convenient.
C & P will go home and my husband and I will spend our last 3 days on Skye - need help as to where to stay so we can see as much as possible.
We like historic sights, castles, scenery and want to do some easy walks. Suggestions would be most welcome. Thanks so much.

Being gay is not an issue

"<i>3 Nights in Stirling visiting sites close by including Stirling Castle, Duone Castle, etc.
2 Nights in the Trossachs and Lake Lomond - need help as to where to stay in this area.</i>"

This honestly doesn't make sense. Stirling/Doune are on the doorstep of the Trossachs. You'd literally be driving less than 1/2 an hour from one B&B to the next. If you want to stay 5 days in the Trossachs/Stirling -- pick one place you like and use it as a base for everything from Loch Lomond to Stirling to Lochs Earn/Tay and beyond.

For the northern bit -- stay in one place - maybe just west or just east of Inverness as a base for Speyside, Culloden, Loch Ness and beyond.

Good advice as always from Janis. We stayed in Callander in May and managed to see all your sights from there. We stayed at the Westerton B&B which is beautiful but if you are staying for 5 nights I'd do self-catering by booking a cottage.

We also did a day trip to Skye from Invergarry, via Glenelg and the ferry (http://www.skyeferry.co.uk/) then back across the bridge to Plocton. The drive is not to be missed, particularly the drive to Glenelg....stunning scenery.

Also if there are four of you in Edinburgh have you considered booking an apartment? We stayed at an apartment on the Royal Mile...I've stayed there twice now, 1st time 3 nights second 4 nights works out considerably cheaper than 2 hotel rooms.

Don't miss the Falkirk Wheel on your way from Edinburgh to Stirling.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...57623437796997

Thank you so much for the replies. I was worried about moving short distances. Do you have suggestions of where to stay in The Trossachs/Lake Lomond/Stirling? We are not set on any one place. Also, a suggestion as to where to stay in the Highlands to the east or west of Inverness. We would like to do a cottage but most don't rent on the 5 days we will be there. We will look for a cottage in the Highlands. I was worried that Callender would be too touristy and don't want that at all. Great suggestion about the Falkirk Wheel as my husband would love that. Thanks for any other suggestions you have.

Callander and Aberfoyle are small towns and not too touristy. Sure there are Tourist info offices and some tourist-geared shops. But you'd probably want to be in a town/village of some sort so you wouldn't have to drive for every meal/pub/shop. Callander would be the better located for general touring around since it is is more central.

Port of Menteith isn't a town at all but there is a very nice hotel on the shore of the Lake of Menteith (BTW - this is the only 'Lake' in Scotland. The others like Loch Lomond are <i>Lochs</i

Mostly depends - what is your budget?

re renting a cottage: If you are there in May you might be able to arrange a short let. Next year's May Bank Holiday is being shifted to the first weekend of June for the Diamond Jubilee so May won't be high season.

We booked 3 cottages/apartments through cottages4you.co.uk (1 in the Forest of Dean, 1 at Crich in Derbyshire and an apartment in Whitby) and they were very easy to deal with and we weren't disappointed, depending on the time of year they do do 4 and 5 night stays.

In Callander we stayed at the Westerton B&B http://www.westerton.co.uk/ in the Blue Room, excellent accommodation and Mike & Lesley were so helpful.

We booked our Edinburgh apartment through Gordon at http://afabplacetostay.com/apartment...e_166-apt2.htm

Thanks janisj. We would like to keep our hotel under or near 100 pounds on the first part of the trip. Thanks for info on the Bank Holiday as we are glad to miss it and glad it's not high season. I was in England during the Silver Jubilee so look forward to being there for Diamond Jubilee.

Would still love suggestions on cottages in the Highlands.