Highlands Help
 

Once we take the train to Inverness this September from Edinburgh and rent a car, we will have 4 nights to see the Highlands region. We definitely want to see Loch Ness and the Isle of Skye. We're trying to decide if we want to go down to Ft. William and Mallaig and take the ferry over to Skye OR from Invermoriston (Loch Ness area) head over to Dornie and Kyle of Lochalsh and take the bridge to Skye. We would love to see Inverewe Garden out from Poolewe, but wonder if this is too ambitious. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. We are from the USA, so our driving will be a bit slower adjusting to driving on the left. Many thanks, SisterLee

Where do you want to end up after the 4 days - back in Inverness, or Edinburgh, or Glasgow or ??? That makes a significant difference re your best route.

just a few comments until you clarify that bit . . .

- Loch Ness isn't really all that much. The scenery over on the west coast is MUCH better.

- Inverewe is not too ambitions. You could go from I'ness to Poolewe/Inverewe. Then down to Skye.

- where to go from Skye depnds partly on where you are headed after that.

We should arrive in Inverness Wed., Sept 20 about 1:30 PM, pick up rental car and head out. We need to be back in Inverness the Sunday evening, Sept 24, in order to take the train back to Edinburgh the next morning (25th). So that gives us almost 4 days to tour. Thanks for your comments and hope this clarifies things better.

SisterLee: That gives you loads of time. A loop over to Poolewe, down through Plockton to Skye over the bridge, then back to Inverness is not ambitious for 4 days/nights.

I'd head west right after getting the car and stay Wed. night somewhere in/near Poolewe. Visit the Gardens Thurs morning and then after lunch drive south to Skye. After visiting Plockton and seeing Eilean Donan you will arrive on Skye late in the afternoon. Stay Thurs and Fri nights on Skye giving you the full day Friday and a bit of Sat morning for touring around Skye.

Leave the Island by the ferry and see Glenfinan, Neptune's staircase and through Ft William to Glencoe. You could stay Sat night in Glencoe or Ballachulish. Then Sunday afternoon back through Ft William, along Loch Ness to Inverness.

That loop works well, although I'd presonally do it in the opposite direction (personally, I'd also miss out Loch Ness. - I know, I know).

You COULD do slightly further north the first night, and stay at Ullapool, rather than Poolewe, and then have the run south past Dundonnell the enxt morning. Do the gardens and have lunch and carry on.

If I were doing that I'd stay on the main road to Loch Carron, whereas if I were only starting in Poolewe, I'd drive through Torridon to Applecross on the way down, come over the Bealach nam Bo and down to Loch Carron that way.

I'd also probably go south at Arisaig, on the way back from Mallaig, and cross Loch Linnhe at the Corran ferry (I hate backtracking). You'd miss Glenfinnan but you'd get Ardnamurchan.

And just for the record, if I were starting out in Glencoe, or even Glenorchy, I'd go stright east along Loch Tay and the river to Pitlochry, and north up the A9. (that's where you miss out Loch Ness)

I'd prefer to return from Skye via Glenelg using the Glenelg - Kylerhea ferry.
The scenery is spectacular.

The Loch Tay route is a good suggestion - the main reason I laid it out as I did going from Glencoe up to Inverness was so you could see Loch Ness enroute. If you decide against that - then Sheila's route up the A9 would be my choice too.

As for the Glenelg or Mallaig ferry - just depends on if you want to see Glenfinnan or not. 6 of 1 / half dozen of the other really - you can't go wrong whichever you choose.

Excellent, excellents comments from you all! Thank you so much for your suggestions. I feel much better that we will be able to see more since we've heard so much about the beauty of Scotland. Can't wait!
SL