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There is one great reason for starting the flight from Inverness. Unlike most UK airports, there is no air passenger duty levied on flights from INV. This makes flights starting there considerably cheaper.
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Scotlandmac janisj JohnEW2912 Thank you all for your input!
I am now trying to plan an itinerary for a few more days in Scotland for my husband and myself. I have tentatively booked a few hotels with free cancellation as I try to figure out what we will do after the rest of our family leave Scotland. Time with Family includes 4 nights in Edinburgh 1 night in Oban 4 nights in Inverness 1 night near the Edinburgh airport After our family heads home, my husband and I plan to spend a few more days in Scotland. Possible itinerary for second part of our trip Day 11 Thurs – Drive to Dunnottar Castle, stopping in Crail along the way, Spend night in Stonehaven. Day 12 Fri - Drive to Aberdeen & North-East Scotland Family History Society. Spend night in Aberdeen. Day 13 Sat - Drive to Nairn, stopping in Keith and other places along the way. (Nairn hotel booked) Day 14 Sun - Take a scenic drive to Torridon or Ullapool or ??? (Newtonmore hotel) Day 15 Mon - Drive to hotel near Edinburgh airport, return rental car. Day 16 Tues - Fly back home from EDI. We definitely want to go to Dunnottar Castle, and I was able to book a hotel room in Stonehaven. And as the genealogist in the family, I am thinking that it might be useful to spend an afternoon at the Aberdeen & North-East Scotland Family History Society in Aberdeen. (I booked a hotel just outside of Aberdeen for that night.) My husband has a limited appetite for castles but shares my love of beautiful scenery and indulges my enthusiasm for landscape photography. (He is also comfortable driving long distances in the UK.) So we have tentatively booked a night's stay in Nairn to make it easier to take a scenic drive from there. And I booked a night in Newtonmore to give us a bit more time in that area before heading back toward Edinburgh. We haven't booked our flights yet and may decide to shorten the trip and come home a day earlier. Any thoughts on our tentative plans for the second part of our trip? Anything you would suggest changing? Adding? Deleting? |
Dunnotar is a stunner. - ideally do the excellent, scenic cliff walk to the castle from Stonehaven.Good, safe path, lovely views.It’s also well worth actually visiting the castle inside even though it is a ruin…it’s surprisingly extensive with several buildings and of course the location is a wow.
Your trip is very focused on the east of Scotland which , while offering some nice coastal scenery, good golf courses certainly, some attractive villages, is nowhere near the most scenic landscapes that we have.I do note your genealogy focus but really, if it’s beautiful landscapes you want to see, head west and for longer than you plan! Torridon and Applecross are outstanding, Skye is too, but any of that NW coast is just glorious and accessible from Inverness area where you are spending a lot of time.The city itself is not worth much time though walls by the river are very attractive but the landscapes around Inverness are farmland and much more lowland in character.Certainly it is missing the grandeur of the west or even the sub Arctic tundra /ancient Caledonian forest beauty of Cairngorm NP. Busy Nairn is nothing special either IMO (good golf course excepted) though it has a pleasant beach but again, it can’t compare with west coast beaches or the coast in general. |
Originally Posted by Scotlandmac
(Post 17637925)
Dunnotar is a stunner. - ideally do the excellent, scenic cliff walk to the castle from Stonehaven.Good, safe path, lovely views.It’s also well worth actually visiting the castle inside even though it is a ruin…it’s surprisingly extensive with several buildings and of course the location is a wow.
Your trip is very focused on the east of Scotland which , while offering some nice coastal scenery, good golf courses certainly, some attractive villages, is nowhere near the most scenic landscapes that we have.I do note your genealogy focus but really, if it’s beautiful landscapes you want to see, head west and for longer than you plan! Torridon and Applecross are outstanding, Skye is too, but any of that NW coast is just glorious and accessible from Inverness area where you are spending a lot of time.The city itself is not worth much time though walls by the river are very attractive but the landscapes around Inverness are farmland and much more lowland in character.Certainly it is missing the grandeur of the west or even the sub Arctic tundra /ancient Caledonian forest beauty of Cairngorm NP. Busy Nairn is nothing special either IMO (good golf course excepted) though it has a pleasant beach but again, it can’t compare with west coast beaches or the coast in general. The night in Kingussie might be welcome if we take a long drive north that day but we could stay somewhere else - if there is availability. I am also planning to explore the suggestions made by janisj for things to see along the road between Aberdeen and Nairn. But I may cut the second overnight stay near Aberdeen to shorten our stay a bit. Thanks again! |
I personally think your focus on the east coast is just fine. Absolutely the west coast is glorious -- but since you have been on the west coast on another trip and because Dunnottar and Aberdeenshire seem to be musts that means you really do need to focus on the east side since you have so few days to play with. The day trip out to Tirridon will be long-ish but certainly doable.
I would not change anything really (except maybe add a week ;) ) |
Originally Posted by janisj
(Post 17637986)
I personally think your focus on the east coast is just fine. Absolutely the west coast is glorious -- but since you have been on the west coast on another trip and because Dunnottar and Aberdeenshire seem to be musts that means you really do need to focus on the east side since you have so few days to play with. The day trip out to Tirridon will be long-ish but certainly doable.
I would not change anything really (except maybe add a week ;) ) |
While we could go on the regular Rabbie's tour to the Isle of Skye from Inverness, we decided to check out the private option so that we could adapt it a bit. Just received a quote from Rabbie's for a private day trip - adapting the itinerary a bit - but then saw that they would be arranging this trip with a trusted partner since they don't have the availability to accommodate a trip like this for the remainder of the 2025 season. Has anyone worked with Rabbie's on a private tour that is handled by a trusted partner? Thanks.
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That's too bad. No personal experience with that. I'd probably feel okay about it because Rabbies is such a long time/well respected company that they'd want to protect their reputation and wouldn't be farming out to any old Joe Schmoe?? But I'd maybe phone Rabbies and discuss it . . . that this is an important day and have they used that sub-contractor before and what sort of experience s/he has, and feedback they received.
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Originally Posted by janisj
(Post 17638520)
That's too bad. No personal experience with that. I'd probably feel okay about it because Rabbies is such a long time/well respected company that they'd want to protect their reputation and wouldn't be farming out to any old Joe Schmoe?? But I'd maybe phone Rabbies and discuss it . . . that this is an important day and have they used that sub-contractor before and what sort of experience s/he has, and feedback they received.
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I had a thought that as a very low-key alternative to a pricey private tour, you might consider a day trip on the train from Inverness to Plockton, one of the most beautiful villages in the Highlands. The Kyle Line is not terribly well known outside Scotland and is less famous than the West Highland Line that goes from Glasgow to Oban and/or Mallaig (via the "Harry Potter viaduct" at Glenfinnan.) But IMO it's certainly a gorgeous ride that some say exceeds the West Highland line for the passing scenery. The line was built to serve the Skye ferry at Kyle of Lochalsh, but the construction of the Kyle Bridge negated the need for the ferry. The train line has been threatened with closure from time to time, but Scottish rail enthusiasts, not to mention the communities served by the line, have thus far managed to keep it open.
The train leaves Inverness around 9 AM and gets into Plockton (which is the second to last stop) around 11 or 11:30. You could wander around the very picturesque waterfront village, see a few shops, have a nice long lunch, then make your way back to the station (around a 10-minute walk from the village waterfront) for the return trip to Inverness. Another thought I had was that if you want to explore more to the east of Inverness - past Nairn toward the northern Aberdeenshire coast, you might think about visiting the tiny village of Pennan. Pennan was cast as the village of Ferness in the classic film Local Hero, which, if you haven't seen it, is a wee masterpiece. If you aren't converted to a passionate lover of Scotland already, this movie (from 1983 and available on Youtube) will do the trick. |
Gardyloo Great to have your input on this, and I will add your suggestions to the mix. I could see our group enjoying a trip to Plockton, and it would be more relaxing than a trip to Skye.
Originally Posted by Gardyloo
(Post 17638580)
Pennan was cast as the village of Ferness in the classic film Local Hero, which, if you haven't seen it, is a wee masterpiece. If you aren't converted to a passionate lover of Scotland already, this movie (from 1983 and available on Youtube) will do the trick.
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Since this thread is getting rather lengthy, here is a quick overview of where things stand now and how this trip came about...
The Impetus for this Trip Our family came up with the idea of a family trip to Scotland as a retirement gift for my husband. They presented the idea to him with a framed map of Scotland, a book on the history of Scotland, a bottle of fine Scotch whisky, and a sleeve of golf balls. The original plan was to go in June 2020 but we had to reschedule. Family Itinerary for Nine Day 1 – Five of us arrive in Edinburgh. Day 2 – Husband and 3 sons play golf at Gullane Golf Club. Day 3 – Daughter, son-in-law, 2 grandchildren arrive. Tour Edinburgh Castle, etc. Day 4 – Tour of St. Andrews Old Course, visit the pro shop, return to Edinburgh. Day 5 – Drive to Oban, 3:30 pm tour of Oban Distillery. Stay overnight. Day 6 – Drive to Inverness. Explore the Glencoe area along the way. Day 7 – Golf outing for most of the family. Day 8 – Sightseeing - tour of Isle of Skye or self drive to Torridon area? Day 9 – Explore Kingussie and Aviemore. Some hope to go pony trekking. Day 10 – Drive from Inverness to Stirling, see Stirling Castle, overnight by airport. My husband and I are extending our trip after the family part of the trip ends. Trip Extension for Two Day 11– Drive to Stonehaven, stopping by Crail along the way. See Dunnottar Castle. Day 12 – Drive to Aberdeen. Visit North-East Scotland Family History Society. Day 13 – Drive to Nairn, stopping by Keith and seeing Huntly castle along the way. Day 14 – Scenic drive to Torridon or Ullapool? Stay overnight in Newtonmore. Day 15 – Drive to a hotel near Edinburgh airport. Day 16 – Fly back home from EDI. Thank you for your helpful input - here in this thread and in response to queries from others about travel in Scotland. Looking forward to our third Scotland trip and sharing this one with family! |
Local Hero is such a lovely film, do watch it if you get a chance - I've visited a few filming locations in NE and NW Scotland. Besides Pennan there is Morar Beach and Arisaig near Mallaig and other sites near Glenfinnan/Ft William. Unfortunately the Ship Inn pub in Banff has closed and is being converted to an airbnb :(
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I don't mean to make suggestions that would upset any apple carts, but I did have a couple of observations on your basic plan that might be of interest. If I'm repeating ideas that have already been nixed, sorry and never mind...
Day 5 – Drive to Oban, 3:30 pm tour of Oban Distillery. Stay overnight. Day 6 – Drive to Inverness. Explore the Glencoe area along the way With an early departure on Day 5, you could definitely travel to Oban via Glen Coe without any major loss of time and still make your distillery schedule. You'd cross the Rannoch Moor, possibly with a short detour down the Glen Etive road to the "waterfall" viewpoint or the "Skyfall" point (where James Bond and M parked the Aston-Martin.) You'd then enter Glen Coe from the east, which is a far more dramatic and scenic route than coming from the west, which is what you'd be doing the following day by starting in Oban. Here's a map showing this route: https://maps.app.goo.gl/TDgqbpGndjJJSfUj9 Crossing the Rannoch Moor - https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9fcdadb7e2.jpg Buachaille Etive Mor, at the top of Glen Etive https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3eaf94cec6.jpg Day 7 – Golf outing for most of the family. Day 8 – Sightseeing - tour of Isle of Skye or self drive to Torridon area? I understand the appeal of visiting the Oban distillery but I wanted to mention that there's a possibility of a twofer (or threefer) as you head north up the Great Glen and past Inverness. If you could get tee times, a round at the Royal Dornoch course would put you in one of the most historic golf venues in Scotland in a very historic and pleasant town. You could combine a stay in Dornoch with a visit to the Glenmorangie distillery in Tain, just across the Dornoch Firth bridge from Dornoch. Glenmorangie is one of the most highly regarded single malt whiskies and the distillery is reasonably attractive. If you spent the nights in the Tain or Dornoch area rather than Inverness, you could combine the golf, possibly a distillery visit, and then have a full day to head north toward the north coast, through some of the most stunning and remote-feeling country in Scotland. As Janis knows, I'm very fond of a route that includes a stop at a remarkable prehistoric fort (Dun Dornaigil, 500-1000 BCE) that sits next to a tiny (un-numbered) road that passes through gorgeous and empty countryside. A "loop" out of, say, Dornoch could include this road, along with possible stops at such sites as Dunrobin Castle in Golspie on the Sutherland coast, or at the villages of Tongue or Durness - way up at the top of Great Britain (the island.) This is very historic country (some of the history is pretty terrible - the Highland Clearances for example) but there are few corners in the Highlands with more dramatic scenery. Here's another map showing a possible route. Google the places on it. https://maps.app.goo.gl/6y9KMGb35KYWx9CR8 View south from Tongue https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c56ba6c3d5.jpg Dun Dornaigil https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b67541d2ab.jpg Roadside scenes https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...eac129e68a.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...75f5f8a0bc.jpg Just a couple of thoughts; again, I'm not trying to be disruptive. |
Originally Posted by janisj
(Post 17638677)
Local Hero is such a lovely film, do watch it if you get a chance - I've visited a few filming locations in NE and NW Scotland. Besides Pennan there is Morar Beach and Arisaig near Mallaig and other sites near Glenfinnan/Ft William. Unfortunately the Ship Inn pub in Banff has closed and is being converted to an airbnb :(
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Originally Posted by Gardyloo
(Post 17638699)
I don't mean to make suggestions that would upset any apple carts, but I did have a couple of observations on your basic plan that might be of interest. If I'm repeating ideas that have already been nixed, sorry and never mind...
Day 5 – Drive to Oban, 3:30 pm tour of Oban Distillery. Stay overnight. Day 6 – Drive to Inverness. Explore the Glencoe area along the way With an early departure on Day 5, you could definitely travel to Oban via Glen Coe without any major loss of time and still make your distillery schedule. You'd cross the Rannoch Moor, possibly with a short detour down the Glen Etive road to the "waterfall" viewpoint or the "Skyfall" point (where James Bond and M parked the Aston-Martin.) You'd then enter Glen Coe from the east, which is a far more dramatic and scenic route than coming from the west, which is what you'd be doing the following day by starting in Oban. Here's a map showing this route: https://maps.app.goo.gl/TDgqbpGndjJJSfUj9 |
We still have to figure out when to pick up 2 rental cars... It would be easier to get an early start from Edinburgh to Oban if the drivers picked up the cars Thursday night rather than coordinate 9 people heading to the airport Friday morning and waiting for the rental cars to be picked up. Or pick up the cars Friday morning and pick everyone up.
If we pick up the cars ahead of time, the NCP Castle Terrace car park is said to be closest to our hotel and there is some kind of discount for hotel guests. Questions 1) I gather that it is more difficult to drive in Edinburgh due to narrow roads, one way streets, bus lanes, etc. Those driving the rental cars are used to driving in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Philadelphia so city traffic isn't an issue. But only my husband has experience driving on the other side of the road (both in South Africa and in the UK). If "we" drive the rental cars from EDI to the NCP Castle Terrace car park (or similar) and then back out of Edinburgh the next morning, does that sound doable? (We would have had 3 nights in Edinburgh before driving....) 2) And will rental cars meet the low emission standards necessary for driving within the LEZ (Low Emission Zone) in Edinburgh? Thanks again for all your help! |
That would be doable but wouldn't be my personal preference. It is only about 8 miles from that car park below the castle out to EDI, but that could easily be a 30+ minute drive . . . and ferrying two cars. And then the next morning you'd be driving the exact same route in reverse to get out of town. It might feel a bit of a faff to get the cars in the morning but that's what I'd do if it was my group. Take taxis out to the airport, the rental cars are right there, and then you are directly on the motorway
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Originally Posted by janisj
(Post 17639476)
That would be doable but wouldn't be my personal preference. It is only about 8 miles from that car park below the castle out to EDI, but that could easily be a 30+ minute drive . . . and ferrying two cars. And then the next morning you'd be driving the exact same route in reverse to get out of town. It might feel a bit of a faff to get the cars in the morning but that's what I'd do if it was my group. Take taxis out to the airport, the rental cars are right there, and then you are directly on the motorway
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EDI is pretty easy to navigate, I’d say and as said you are then a stone’s throw from the motorway network which you will initially use to drive to Oban.
There is also the Edinburgh Sighthill depot of Arnold Clark which is not quite so far out as the airport and also has the advantage of being close to another junction of the motorway on a less busy access road. That road out west from Edinburgh via Corstorphine to the airport can be a nightmare during early morning or late afternoon rush hour times, very slow indeed, stop/start. |
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