First time to Scotland - needs loads of help
 

Having been a regular on this baord for 6 years, have somehow always planned holidays to continental Europe,mainly Italy and Germany/Austria. But am ready and excited about travelling to the UK in about 10 days. I will spend some time with family in London and Nottingham and then we (my husband, 3 year old daughter and I)plan to go to Scotland for about 7-8 days.

We enjoy natural scenery, charming villages and love driving around. We would likely take a train from Lon to Edinburgh and spend perhaps 2 days there and then rent a car. We love good food and concentrate of staying at one or two special hotels that are well located (for day trips)and are child friendly. Budget can be upto USD 200-225 per night.

Please suggest itineraries with hotels. Initial research on the past posts seems to suggest that we head for the Skye, Oban, Mull area? What say you?

Many thanks
Deepa

I cannot give you hotel information but I strongly recommend Skye - it really is special.

Do I understand you correctly? You will be arriving in Edinburgh in approximately two weeks, in the middle of August when all the International Festivals and the Tattoo are going on, and you have no hotel reservations? If that is the case, then you will probably not find anywhere to stay in Edinburgh and you may need to stay elsewhere and visit Edinburgh for the day.

I agree with Barbara; Edinburgh will be mobbed and it'll be a trying time for you (especially with the 3 year old). Thus I suggest that you skip Edinburgh. You say you like "natural scenery, charming villages..." so head for the Western Isles!

Okay, I really had no idea on the Edinburgh situation. Which is the nice place/area to stay around Edinburgh, if not in the city? Any hotel suggestions?
Thanks
Deepa

I really panicked on hearing about the hotel situaion in Edinburgh and rang the first place that looked good on Karen Brown's website. Its called Prestonfield and they do have rooms available. Anyone heard of the hotel? I need to confirm with them by tommorrow. Also, thinking about the Old Pines for doing the Skye area. Any thoughts?

Thanks
Deepa

Go to the Ceilidh if you spend a night in Skye, Monday and wednesday nights; Pitlochrie & Blair castle; stirling castle; the Mercat walking tours in Edinburgh; Culloden battlefield. We were recently there.

My point had to do with the swarms of people out on the streets. Even on non-Festival days, I found it to be unpleasant.

Prestonfield is a good hotel. If you can afford it, book it.

I've visited the old Pines but not stayed there. It's absolutely lovely.

Prestonfield House is a great place. What luck, Deepa! It has just been bought by the guy who owns the Witchery - I'm blanking on his name - and he is re-doing the whole place with an official opening for the MTV awards in November. I hope he doesn't change the country house feeling the hotel has now. It has a terrific, but expensive, restaurant.

Sheila, we may have Christmas dinner there! The only drawback is that we'd all have to drive home afterwards!

Edinburgh: Lynedoch Place-convenient, good breakfast, walking distance to Thrify Car Rental.

Fort William: Grange Bed and Breakfast-elegant, nice location to see Glencoe and Ben Nevis (were Braveheart was filmed)

Skye: Not Skeabost House Hotel, Skye is nice but so much the same, unless you hike, etc. Couple of days will do it. We stayed at Eilean Iarmain which is on the Peninsula of Sleet and really enjoyed it there, although it is expensive....the food and bar is great. It very close to the ferry to Mull. We enjoyed Mull more than Skye.

Mull: The Gruline Home Farm Bed and Breakfast or the self catering. A great location to see the island and also hike and go to the Treshnish Islands to see the Puffins (but only in June and July)

Collander: The Leny House Bed and Breakfast....a real treat. Good location to see Stirling, the William Wallace monument and day trips to St. Andrews the old golf course can be walked on Sundays.

Edinburgh is a wonderful city. Take a bus to were the Britania is docked, but it is just a boat. The seaport town of Leith sp??? is nice if you walk off the beaten path and talk to the locals there is alot of history and neat local pubs. Oban is just a busy tourist town. The highlands is the place.

Barbara

Get a taxi!!

Deepa, I emailed this to you(well, these are the editted lowlights:))

To be honest, I guess I didn't reply because I've got to the stage where I
just think this is boring. There's nothing wrong with it, but it's SO
predictable and SO samey. (I don't mean to criticise. If it's "it's
Tuesday so it must be Scotland" time the choices are limited- but I think
those who do that miss the best by going for the good... and easiest)

So if I had 5 days in rural scotland I'd do something else. In fact,
given what you say about your preferences I'd start with the hotels and the two I'd suggest are the Glenfinnan House at Glenfinnan and the Hilton at Coylumbridge. From the Glenfinnan you can day trip to Skye and Mull (tho' I'd give Mull a miss and go to the Small Isles on a day trip, instead), and Fort William and Glencoe and Ardnamurchan and even Oban and there are a heap of nice places to eat round about.

From Coylumbridge you can see the other Highlands, and distilleries and a great salmon river and the Moray coast villages and take the funicular to the top of Cairngorm.