How does this sound? We arrive in Edinburgh and spend first night in Edinburgh. Day 2- 3 Pitlochry. Day 4- Stirling/Curloss. Day 5-6 Edinburgh. Day 7-8 Lake District.
Day 9-10 Conwy, Wales. Day 11 Manchester. Day 12 fly home

Any suggestions? The only thing I can think of would be to spend several nights in Edinburgh at the beginning and then go by train from Stirling to the Lake district instead of coming back to Edinburgh for a couple of days, but I'm not sure that makes much difference.

We will be coming from Bruges/Belgium and I would kind of like to be in small towns/country for a few days before spending much time in Edinburgh.

Considering your short time frame - not bad. You are renting a car for days 2-4 - right? And then train for the rest?

One suggestion - I'd visit Culross on Day 2. Pick up the car at EDI and drive to Culross and explore the village. Then drive up to Pitlochry. You'll get there by early afternoon. Then on day 4 leave Pitlochry and drive down to Stirling - spend 3 hours or so exploring the castle, maybe go over to the Wallace Monument or Doune Castle. Then in to EDI to drop the car in the early evening - it will still be day light.

It sometimes helps a bit if you lay it out in 'nights' rather than 'days'. Where you spend the night is what matters.

Thanks for your suggestion- now to think about it a little more.

I agree with that. And Saraho, not to be picky, but to help with Googling, it's CULROSS, not Curloss

Thanks, Sheila, I need to hear it spoken to make me remember how to spell it.

Now I am considering getting a car when we first arrive at the Edinburgh airport and then spending the night in Culross or Stirling and going to Pitlochry the next day. We won't have to worry about jet lag since we are just flying from Brussels. Then we can spend a couple of days in Edinburgh at the end of our time in Scotland.

"<i>I need to hear it spoken to make me remember how to spell it.</i>" -- NO! If you hear it spoken you'll never spell it right

(It is spelled Culross-- it ain't pronounced that way. See your other thread)

What time would you be landing? If it is before noon - you can still follow the plan -- visit Culross for 2 or 3 hours and then drive up to Pitlochry (though I'd much rather stay in Dunkeld than Pitlochry myself)

There's nothing WRONG with staying in Culross; but I'd get bored myself.

Wondering why you are returning to Edinburgh rather than visiting it first then travelling on. Seems to be backtracking for no obvious reason

Okay,Alan, we are going to the lake district after Scotland. What is the best train route there from Scotland? I was assuming that going through Edinburgh would be the best way. That is one of the reasons why we planned to come back through Edinburgh. The other reason is that we are anxious to see smaller towns and villages.

However, we are still figuring out our plans, so thanks for any good advice.

Dunkeld does sound like a very attractive place.

Right now I am at the beach in Florida and all my maps and books are back at home in Virginia so I'm taking a few days break from getting hotels, etc.

It's not a nightmare to go by train from Edinburgh to the Lake District. The rial lines converge at Carstairs.