cslasor

I’d like to get opinions on my planned trip to Scotland from the US on May 19 to May 31. This will be me (66F) and my husband (75M) and will be our 2nd trip to Scotland. We were there in 2005 and hit the mainland areas of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Loch Lomond, Inverness, Culloden, Oban, Ft. William, Dundee, and the Isles of Mull and Iona. This time we’re going to concentrate on the Orkneys, Lewis and Harris, and Skye. Like last time, we will be renting a car. My husband loves photography and will need to stop fairly often to catch a good shot so we always drive ourselves when on vacation.

I have made reservations for planes and accommodations but still need to reserve ferries and dining. I think that can wait a little longer but I’m glad I didn’t wait on the accommodations – they are booking up fast!

May 19: Arrive EDI around 10 am. Pick up rental car and drive to Aviemore. Spend night at Rowan Tree Country Hotel. Please don’t blast me for driving the same day we arrive in EDI – I have no problem sleeping on a plane and although my husband usually can’t do it I’m surprising him on his 75th birthday with an upgrade to first class on the BOS-EDI leg of our flight. So we should both be pretty rested and ready to go.

May 20: Drive to Scrabster and catch 7 pm ferry to Stromness. Spend night at Karrawa Guest House in Kirkwall.

May 21 and 22: Explore Orkneys. Stay at Karrawa Guest House.

May 23: Take 6:30 am ferry from Stromness to Scrabster and drive to Ullapool via the northern route. Stay at an Airbnb in Ullapool.

May 24: Take 10:30 am ferry to Stornoway. If necessary, this would be a good afternoon to do laundry in Stornoway. Drive to SEAcroft B&B near Timsgarry.

May 25 and 26: Explore Lewis and Harris. Stay at SEAcroft B&B.

May 27: Take 12:10 pm ferry from Tarbert to Uig. Make our way to Glendale View in Glendale.

May 28 and 29: Explore Skye. Stay at Glendale View.

May 30: Drive to Edinburgh. Stay at Doubletree in Ratho Park.

May 31: Fly home.

Any thoughts or comments? Most of the accommodations can be changed if necessary.

Thanks!

MikeS

On the ferry to Stornoway be sure to go on the outer deck. There is often wildlife to see such as birds, dolphins, and if you are lucky whales.

There is the HS-1 Cafe in Stornoway, not fancy but I like it. https://www.royalstornoway.co.uk/din...-cafe-bar.html
There are two groceries in Stornoway. There is the Tesco Superstore close to the ferry terminal and a much newer and larger Co-op.
On Sunday everything is closed but there is the Sandwick Road Filling Station, Sandwick Rd, Stornoway HS1 2SL, where you can get gas and a few snacks.

I normally park at the "4 South Beach Parking" lot at the end of South Beach. It is free and there are normally plenty of spaces. Stornoway is small so walking from there is not an issue.

Down toward Harris there are a lot of one way roads but you'll get used to them. Look ahead for the white signs that indicate were the pull-overs are.

In Tarbert I stayed at the Hotel Hebrides on a photo workshop that has a descent restaurant. You might want to browse the Harris Tweed Isle of Harris Shop that is in Tarbert. If you exit Hotel Hebrides, make a left, walk up the hill and there is a small grocery on the opposite side of the street. There is also the LoomShed Deli on Main St.

As you drive down the A859 toward Leverburgh, don't miss Luskentyre Beach.

janisj

I haven't read through the whole itinerary -- but sorry -- just this first part is a terrible (horrible) idea. It isn't just jet lag one needs to worry about -- it is the micro sleeps, it is driving on the other side of the road, it is sitting on the other side of the car. That will be a 3-ish hour drive through unfamiliar territory - after faffing about with immigration, luggage, and the rental agency. I am being nicer/gentler about it than some of out Brit members may be if they see you plan . . . just sayin'

janisj

. . . and then on day 2 you have a 3.5+ hour drive to the ferry.

janisj

OK -- you have 11.5 days free on the ground . . . and plan on visiting 3 major island/island chains four (or five) ferry rides, and seven different accommodations!

Glendaleview is on the extreme western edge of Skye. The drive from Glendaleview to the DoubleTree will take 6 to 7 hours (and maybe more) without a single stop.

Jean

Why don't you fly in/out of Inverness? It would seem to make more sense than Edinburgh.

cslasor

janisj, I get what you're saying about driving the day we arrive. I'm a little confused about the comment about a 3.5+ hour drive to the ferry - are you saying that would be a long drive from Aviemore or are you saying it would be better to stay in Edinburgh and drive straight to the ferry from there? The reasons I was thinking of staying in Aviemore the first night include 1) we can't check in anywhere until later in the day and there's really nothing we want to see in Edinburgh so we might as well drive a couple of hours before stopping 2) we'll have to drive to get out of the rental car area and away from the airport and based on previous experience that will make us used to driving on the left 3) driving straight to the ferry from Edinburgh seemed like a pretty long drive with a husband who wants to stop for photos fairly often - especially when we have a hard deadline like the ferry departure time.

I agree with your comments about Glendalview being remote and at the far edge of the island. I'm hoping to find a more central location on Skye to stay but a lot of things are booked up so I went ahead and reserved a room at Glendaleview just to make sure we do have someplace. They have a 7 day cancellation policy so it's possible I'll be able to change that plan. At least it looks like a gorgeous place to stay if I can't change things. It will make a long driving day to get to EDI but it's not a big deal for us.

And yes, we will be visiting 3 islands with several different accommodations. That's our usual style of travel - a night or two in one location and then move on. Staying 3 nights is a long stay for us! And we considered trying to include the Borders area too but decided to just spend more time on the islands instead. I didn't even mention that we're flying from Florida to Maine first (to visit family) and then to Edinburgh from there. Anyway, I know it's not the way most people like to travel but we enjoy it.

cslasor

I looked into that, and Glasgow, and for both of those the times and costs just didn't work out. We can fly nonstop into EDI while Inverness and Glasgow both required plane changes, plus they cost more.

It was a good question, though.

Gardyloo

Maybe a non-starter, but you might want to think about flying from Edinburgh to Kirkwall the afternoon you arrive. The one-way price on Loganair for the 75-minute flight is £130, and it would save two days' car rental (around £100 per day, right?) and the ferry (around £80?) not to mention your nerves and potentially those of other drivers, especially on the A9 north of Inverness. You could then fly back to Inverness (also on Loganair) and collect the car for the rest of the trip at INV airport. One-way rentals in the UK are not as expensive as they are in the US.

This might end up costing a bit more than the current plan (there are cars to rent at KOI airport on Orkney) but it would definitely free up a couple of days for more photography, or to decompress or de-jetlag yourselves, whatever. Your time estimates for the drive are unrealistic; if you've taken them from the likes of Google maps, add at least 25% - maybe 30% to the "wheels turning" estimates. Aviemore to Scrabster is a long drive, and not (IMO) especially a scenic one. Of course, it can be done in a day, but the same hours could be spent more productively on Orkney IMO.

bilboburgler

I'd not like to meet a micro-sleeping right hand driver on some of the Scottish roads I've been on along with the sheep, cyclists and pedsestrians I've also met before.

I'd recommend the train and ferry or just the flights, I've done it all ways to Orkney and driving is the dumbest

janisj

"I'm a little confused about the comment about a 3.5+ hour drive to the ferry - are you saying that would be a long drive from Aviemore or are you saying it would be better to stay in Edinburgh and drive straight to the ferry from there?"

Yes - it is a long drive from Aviemore - not outrageous but this is just your second day in the country and you will have also had a long/tiring drive the day before.

No, not suggesting you drive up from Edinburgh in one day. No matter how rested I was I'd not want to drive from Edinburgh to Scrabster in one go. That is close to a 7 hour drive plus stops.

Didn't mention this before, but I fear your time on Skye will be an issue - I would guess finding other accommodations will be impossible at this late date, but that is a problematic location. Travel on Skye is quite slow at the best of times but you are there over the May Bank Holiday so the roads will be even more crowded and parking at beauty spots very hard to find. Glendale View just to Portree will take over an hour. To say Kilt Rock maybe 1:45. Elgol - 2+ hours. Talisker Distillery - an hour. Just to Dunvegan Castle which is practically a next door neighbor to the B&B will take 30 minutes. All of which assume you ca find parking once you get wherever.

I just think you are trying to cover too much remote territory in too little time. The suggestions to fly up to Orkney would help quite a bit,

MikeS

I used to travel that way when I was younger. Now I usually pick a spot, such as Isle of Lewis, and spend as much as a week there. I like to stay longer to get to know the area. On a one or two day stay you really don't get a feel for an area.
You might want to try a longer stay.

bjordan49

I won't comment on your routing as others have given you advice here. We stayed at Karrawa on Orkney and loved it - very comfortable and a warm welcome. Be sure not to miss Skara Brae, Skail House, Ring of Brodgar, Maes Howe and the Italian Chapel. The Orkneys are splendid. The drive from Scrabster to Uig is absolutely an all day affair, and there are many places to stop for photos. We did your trip in reverse, coming from Lewis to Uig and heading up to Thurso, but stopping in Uig, Kylesku and Tongue - slow travelers indeed!