Itinerary help for Scotland (western Highlands)?
May 15th, 2015, 05:47 AM
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Itinerary help for Scotland (western Highlands)?
Hi,
We are planning a trip to Scotland for August, and we have sketched out a plan with 3 days in Edinburgh, 2 days on Skye, 1-2 days on Lewis and Harris, and 4-5 in the western Highlands (with the time split between getting to and from the islands). Hoping for some beautiful scenery and time outdoors.
We'd like to see Glen Coe, and likely Loch Ness (for the younger members of the party), and we are hoping for ideas on routes and where to stay. We were thinking of maybe doing a loop of Oban-Loch Ness-Lewis/Harris-Skye-Loch Lomond (taking the ferry from Ullapool to Lewis, and then from Tarbert to Skye) but we were wrestling with how to plan the time between Oban and Lewis/Harris-- should we stay around Loch Ness, and then head over to Ullapool to catch the ferry, or should we try to see Loch Ness and then head someplace on the west coast like Kyle of Lochalse or Plockton and use the Uig-Harris ferry in both directions.
Any suggestions for our route or where to stay around Loch Ness (or Loch Lomond) that would be convenient and interesting?
thanks!
We are planning a trip to Scotland for August, and we have sketched out a plan with 3 days in Edinburgh, 2 days on Skye, 1-2 days on Lewis and Harris, and 4-5 in the western Highlands (with the time split between getting to and from the islands). Hoping for some beautiful scenery and time outdoors.
We'd like to see Glen Coe, and likely Loch Ness (for the younger members of the party), and we are hoping for ideas on routes and where to stay. We were thinking of maybe doing a loop of Oban-Loch Ness-Lewis/Harris-Skye-Loch Lomond (taking the ferry from Ullapool to Lewis, and then from Tarbert to Skye) but we were wrestling with how to plan the time between Oban and Lewis/Harris-- should we stay around Loch Ness, and then head over to Ullapool to catch the ferry, or should we try to see Loch Ness and then head someplace on the west coast like Kyle of Lochalse or Plockton and use the Uig-Harris ferry in both directions.
Any suggestions for our route or where to stay around Loch Ness (or Loch Lomond) that would be convenient and interesting?
thanks!
Jun 21st, 2015, 11:07 PM
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Sorry to take so long to respond.
My first piece of advice would be, take midge repellent. a) it's that time of year and b) this year is being especially bad.
I'm assuming these 4-5 days will be you coming south from Ullapool, having taken the ferry back there from Stornaway.. ah; I see you're not, but I would counsel you do that.
So, start in Edinburgh; take a day to drive to Skye- driving through Glencoe en route to Fort William, and out to Arisaig, catch the ferry to Armadale and then have your two days on Skye. Take the ferry from Uig to Tarbert on Harris and have your two days on Harris and Lewis. So far you've used one of your 4-5 days.
Take the ferry from Stornoway to Ullapool, which will take a morning, and then take the coast road past Dundonnell, and Poolewe to Gairloch and Loch Maree. It's up to you how far you go and where you stop, but I'd stay somewhere down there.
Then come across to Inverness and down Loch Ness. Cut across to Kyle of Lochalsh, and either cross back onto Skye and take the little ferry off to Glenelg, or just back track. At Sheil Bridge follow the road back to Loch Ness and go south to Fort William again.
Take the coast road to Oban and back to Edinburgh/Glasgow.
Does that work for you?
My first piece of advice would be, take midge repellent. a) it's that time of year and b) this year is being especially bad.
I'm assuming these 4-5 days will be you coming south from Ullapool, having taken the ferry back there from Stornaway.. ah; I see you're not, but I would counsel you do that.
So, start in Edinburgh; take a day to drive to Skye- driving through Glencoe en route to Fort William, and out to Arisaig, catch the ferry to Armadale and then have your two days on Skye. Take the ferry from Uig to Tarbert on Harris and have your two days on Harris and Lewis. So far you've used one of your 4-5 days.
Take the ferry from Stornoway to Ullapool, which will take a morning, and then take the coast road past Dundonnell, and Poolewe to Gairloch and Loch Maree. It's up to you how far you go and where you stop, but I'd stay somewhere down there.
Then come across to Inverness and down Loch Ness. Cut across to Kyle of Lochalsh, and either cross back onto Skye and take the little ferry off to Glenelg, or just back track. At Sheil Bridge follow the road back to Loch Ness and go south to Fort William again.
Take the coast road to Oban and back to Edinburgh/Glasgow.
Does that work for you?
Jun 22nd, 2015, 07:23 AM
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This may be the daft query of the day, it may help the OP, or both, but here goes: do the normal ingredients in bug repellent - Picaridin or DEET - repel midges?
Some little buggies are unaffected by certain repellents (most famous incident, a baseball playoff game in Cleveland where the midges went swarming and the bug repellent had no effect).
Some little buggies are unaffected by certain repellents (most famous incident, a baseball playoff game in Cleveland where the midges went swarming and the bug repellent had no effect).
Jun 22nd, 2015, 08:37 AM
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I'd agree with Sheila.
Anyone coming to Scotland should be armed this year. It has been damp all Spring which means a perfect breeding recipe for the things. There are lots around.
The last two summers have been quite dry.
I saw more centuries by English batsman than midges over the past two years.
Anyone coming to Scotland should be armed this year. It has been damp all Spring which means a perfect breeding recipe for the things. There are lots around.
The last two summers have been quite dry.
I saw more centuries by English batsman than midges over the past two years.
Jun 22nd, 2015, 05:03 PM
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On our trip they recommended something called 'Smidge', but not seeing any midges (but maybe a few one night) we didn't buy anything.
When I tried to research a trip including Harris/Lewis five years ago I kept running into the thing where the ferry didn't run on Sundays- for religious reasons. Maybe that's no longer so. Anyway if you go, of course see the standing stones on Lewis.
When I tried to research a trip including Harris/Lewis five years ago I kept running into the thing where the ferry didn't run on Sundays- for religious reasons. Maybe that's no longer so. Anyway if you go, of course see the standing stones on Lewis.
Jun 23rd, 2015, 12:17 PM
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There are now ferries on a Sunday between Stornaway and Ullapool and also Tarbert and Uig (on Skye). See details here:
https://www.calmac.co.uk/uig-tarbert...mmer-timetable
It's a few years since we visited and all shops, cafes etc were shut on a Sunday. Hotels only provided meals to residents. Is this still the case?
https://www.calmac.co.uk/uig-tarbert...mmer-timetable
It's a few years since we visited and all shops, cafes etc were shut on a Sunday. Hotels only provided meals to residents. Is this still the case?
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