We will be arriving in Glasgow and have 7 days in late August to explore by car.We have visited South and Central Scotland previously and would like to concentrate on the Highlands this time. My main question is whether or not we will need to book accomodations ahead of time? Last visit was during the low season and there was no problem with availability, however, I am a little uneasy about doing this during the last full week in August.
Also,would Oban be a good place to stay for a couple of days as a base for day trips?
Any comments or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Kbella

The last week in August (after the Scottish schools have gone back)is probably OK. If there is anywhere you specifically want to stay, book it.

Oban's not a bad base, tho' personally, I prefer to be out of the town a bit. If you mean to go to Mull or Iona or Colonsay, it's a great base for the ferries.

With seven days I'd be inclined to push it a little. I'm not that fond of Oban either, but as Fifteen Guineas says, it's okay for a place from which to sally forth.

But have a thought about heading north - all the way - up to the NW and North coasts. Incredibly wild and scenic country. I'm especially fond of north Sutherland - see Smoo Cave at Durness, then take a marvelous, lonely road back down Strath More from Loch Eriboll (off the A838) past Ben Hope then Dun Dornadilla, a Pictish <i>broch</i> right next to the road. Just your average prehistoric landmark, nothing to hear but the wind and the sheep conversing amongst themselves. Poor conversationalists, and quite negative. Bah.

Getting there requires a good day's drive from the SW Highlands. Stop over in Plockton (near Kyle) for maximum pretty village-ness, then take off on a long day loop (or another overnight) past Ullapool and on into the far northwest. The landscapes can be spooky and glorious by turn, lunar in places. Read up on the history of this part of Scotland if you can before visiting; it makes a real difference in appreciating the landscape.

Gardyloo,

It's all I can do to keep from going knee deep into debt to finance a trip to Scotland . . . tomorrow. What a terrific description of a wonderful location.

There's a hotel that I really enjoy at the South end of the bay in Oban near a heliport and near where the ferries dock that I've stayed in twice. I guess I'll need to stay there a third time to remember the name. I read a book called &quot;Educating William&quot; by William Rush (?) about his experience in Hollywood. Can't say why I included that comment.

Say, Gardyloo, is it true that &quot;gardy loo&quot; is what people yelled out the window just before dumping a piss-pot into the street? Or is that apocryphal?

Snoopy

Regardez l'eau.

Please may I subscribe to the suggestion may by Gardyloo- cheeky sod that he is!.

That part of Scotland is soooo unvisited, and very wild and bleak, but have a glory of their own. Melvich is a nice place to stay on the north coast.

Dear dog, we did the Gardy loo thing in detail on another thread before-keep up!. It's not at all apocryphal. Read your Johnston and Boswell (a piece of advice kbella- oh, I GET it now- might also enjoy if you fancy a trip to the Isles.

Thanks to everyone for all the input.Gardyloo, after reading your descriptions of the Northern Highlands we are definitely for pushing farther North.We really appreciate your insight.
Best regards,
Kbella

Actually, the reason that I thought it might be apocryphal is that's (S Johnson) where I read it and I know the proclivity for jerking the Western Cousins around with goofy stories about the origins of words and idioms.

Like . . . hook or crook, one of my favorites.

Dog? Was it the &quot;shrine&quot; comment?

Snoopy

The northwest is so absolutely gorgeous - Gardyloo got it just right. There are relatively not many visitors up that way even in the middle of August. So finding accomodations will be pretty easy. But there is a lot less population/development and therefore fewer B&amp;Bs and lots of remote villages. So you might want to work out your itinerary at least in general and either pre-book rooms or put together a list of potential B&amp;Bs. Any tourist information center will be able to call ahead and book places for you.