I'm planning a trip in Scotland this summer. Actually the second half of a honeymoon. The bride and I won't be doing any driving.

We'll probably fly into Glasgow, then take the train to Mallaig and the ferry to Armadale, and spend four or five days on the Isle of Skye.

My question is, to get back to the mainland and thence home to the U.S., does it make any sense to take a train from Kyle of Lochalsh to Edinburgh, so as to at least see Edinburgh? (We've never been to Scotland, period.) It seems as if the train has to go via Inverness, which on the map looks kinda crazy, but maybe I'm not factoring in the terrain.

Can't answer your question, but I've been to Edinburg and the Isle of Sky and can't imagine a trip to Scotland would be complete without a visit to Edinburgh. Also, unless you are planning tours, I don't know how you can "see" the Isle of Sky without a car--its a big place. I know that in the 3 or 4 days I was there, I didn't get to see everything I wanted to.

From Skye to Glasgow and Edinburgh, buses follow a more direct route (www.citylink.co.uk) but the railway from Kyle of Lochalsh to Inverness has superb scenery. There are buses on Skye, but services are not frequent.

I think a train leaves Kyle of Lochalsh about noon and gets into Edinburgh about 6:00/6:30. There are two changes, at Inverness and at Perth. The one at Perth can be a bit of a wait. Geoffhamer is certainly right when he says the train ride from Kyle of Lochalsh to Inverness has superb scenery.

I'll also add that bus service on Skye dooes exist but can be sketchy. Fine if you have plenty of time but not the best form of transportation if only staying for a couple of days. Even for those wary of driving, Skye is probably one of the easiest places to drive.

Well, my thinking was we'd spend four full days on the Isle, staying in Portree, and we could take tour bus day trips, e.g., to Dunvegan Castle. So not so much the regular public buses (which sound sparse) but the single-destination tourist buses. What do you think, does that sound realistic? Is there anything to do in Portree itself if the weather is crappy or we feel like chilling out in town one or two of those days?

Your interest in Dunvegan Castle, home of the MacLeod clan, caught my attention as that was my main reason for going to Skye. My last name is Macleod. Unfortunately, I got very close, but didn't make it. With all my careful planning, or so I thought, I miscalculated driving times and missed the ferry that would have gotten me there on time. Instead drove on to Portree. Since I was the only driver, I couldn't force myself to backtrack the next day. I'm still kicking myself over that decision.

If I were to do it again, I would go the day tour route--driving was just too much. Have you searched out the day tours available to see if they suit your interests? Also, I don't remember Portree being interesting enough to keep me there for 4 full days.

Portree itself probably doesn't have enough to keep you interested for four days,but the Isle of Skye certainly does.