universitylad

Just booked a ticket to Edinburgh at the end of August/beginning of September (Arriving Sunday August 28 and Departing Sunday September 4th). I'll spend two nights in Edinburgh at either end of the trip and would like to visit some of the highlands or other natural areas of Scotland. I'm comfortable renting a car and enjoy scenic drives, scenic walks/hikes, and touring castles and historic houses.

I had considered driving up to Braemar area for Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday nights, but I'd read about the Highland Games being the first weekend in September. Would it be too packed?

Some areas that looked like they would have interesting stuff would be Loch Lomond area, Cairngorms National Park (Braemar to Aberbeen) and Inverness. It's too much to fit into three nights. Could anyone recommend a circular drive from Edinburgh that would take three days and see some houses/castles, some areas of for Scenic walking?). I'd be fine staying in one place for three nights too. Any thoughts? I'm also open to taking a train part of the way as well.

Gardyloo

Top of the head, this would be one possibility - https://goo.gl/maps/MKRz6PT5TgG2

Day 1 - Edinburgh to Oban via Glen Etive and Glen Coe. This is a very scenic day.

Day 2 - Day trip from Oban to Isle of Mull. More great scenery, picturesque towns (Tobermory), Duart Castle, distilleries...

Day 3 - Oban to Inveraray. Travel via Kilmartin, an interesting village with a large number of prehistoric monuments - standing stones etc. - littering the valley floor below the churchyard. Visit Inveraray Castle, home of the Campbells and familiar to <i>Downtown Abbey</i> viewers as Casa Shrimpy.

Day 4 - Inveraray to Edinburgh via Loch Lomond.

This is like a crash course in West Highland scenery and history - islands, castles, empty glens and lochs, Celtic ruins... great stuff.

janisj

I would not split my time in Edinburgh . . . stay at the front end all 4 nights

(in fact by doing that you could easily manage a great visit w/ only 3 nights. Two 2-night stops = about 2.5 days free, while one 3 nighter nets you . . . 2.5 days)

So 3 nights in Edinburgh 28, 29 30, then pick up a rental car the morning of the 31st and head out.

This will give you 4 full days. I'd stay the last night somewhere near Stirling or and be a very easy drive to EDI. (Stirling, Dollar, Callander, Dunkeld, etc)

But even w/ four days -- Aberdeenshire/Braemar, Inverness area, the Cairngorms, and Loch Lomond would be pretty rushed. The good thing is houses/castles/scenic walks are found just about everywhere.

I really like Deeside/Braemar but personally wouldn't visit during the games -- very crowded and accommodation are more expensive.

If it was me I'd consider either 1) an east and north loop -- or a west and north loop. #1 would include Fife/St Andrews, fishing villages, Glamis, Dunnottar, Crathes, Craigievar, Deeside, Braemar. #2 could include Stirling, the Trossachs, Inchmahome, Killin, Glencoe, Kilchurn and Loch Lomond.

Both would have LOTS (just tons) of scenery, castles, walks, lochs, streams, and either would make a nice 4 day loop.

joto

Go south from Edinburgh to the Scottish Borders. Plenty of castles, ruined abbey's, pretty, small towns and villages, historic houses, and scenic walks. In no particular order, Soutra Aisle, on top of Soutra Hill, the remains of a medieval hospital, Melrose for the abbey and Priorswood Gardens, Abbotsford, Sir Walter Scott's house, Dryburgh Abbey, Jedburgh for Mary, Queen of Scot's House and the Abbey, Mellerstain House, Kelso for the Abbey and Floors Castle, and the beautiful town square, Kirk Yetholm, at the north end of the Pennine Way. You could go to Berwick-upon-Tweed to get on the A1 coast road, back to Edinburgh. It is rolling countryside, not so wild like the Highlands.

janisj

Yes -- a southern/Borders loop is also totally doable. The scenery won't be as dramatic but is very good . . . well, St Abbs Head is pretty darn gorgeous

http://www.bbc.co.uk/staticarchive/4...0ab9c13ff3.jpg

And is great for walking.

Gardyloo

If you go south you could also swing out to the Northumberland coast for visits to (spectacular) Bamburgh Castle and the Holy Isle of Lindisfarne. I adore the drive from Edinburgh down the coast to Bamburgh, then an inland return over the Lammamuir Hills. Stop at the Black Bull in Etal, the northernmost thatched pub in England. The wee road over the Lammamuirs is marvelous. https://goo.gl/maps/GU83JHfJKS12

Map - https://goo.gl/maps/7QcdJWZDBmS2

almcd

I am glad to,see several people recommending the Borders. It is a great area with some spectacular homes to visit such as Floors Castle, Manderston, Traquair House and Abbotsford. You would need to rent a car, but the area is easy to drive and towns like Melrose and Kelso are easy to negotiate. This area would be a much more relaxed three days than going north into the scenic but very busy Highlands.

Tries2PakLite

I'm not sure about recommending tour companies, if I remember it is allowed. So, if your plans aren't yet set in stone, I can recommend an amazing tour company called McKinley Kidd. They are based in Glasgow, but can plan a custom trip for you anywhere in Scotland.

We have traveled with them twice. The first trip was a self-driving Mini Cooper tour that started in Edinburgh, went north to St. Andrew's; then across the Highlands to Tobermory on the Isle of Mull. It was perfect.

I could wax poetic about them for paragraphs, but I'll restrain myself since it may not be what you are looking for. Or it could be.

They offer all kinds of trips, from self-driving to trains and personal tours. It might be worth a look if you still aren't decided.

Tries2PakLite

Sorry -- it's McKinlay Kidd -- with an "a".