making the most of Isle of Skye with so much more to see of Scotland!
Oct 25th, 2011, 11:23 AM
#21
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A couple more things. I suggest, as others have, a good map/atlas and get this while actually planning your trip. A good one will have all the interesting spots marked. Also use a route planner. For the UK I like www.theaa.com but add some time as they don't include any <I> " Honey, can you pull over right NOW?" </I>stops. 
Oct 25th, 2011, 12:03 PM
#22
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We just got back from 9 days in Scotland and did an Edinburgh to Edinburgh loop. 2 nights in Edinburgh, through Glen Coe and across to Ballachulish for 1 night, up to Eilean Donan, over the bridge to Skye for 3 nights, then down south of Glasgow for 2 nights to visit some ancestral homes, and back to Edinburgh to fly out. So you CAN cover a lot of ground if you don't mind the driving. For us, driving in Scotland is part of the experience - we love the scenic, narrow roads and we make plenty of "Honey, can you pull over right NOW?!?!" stops. ;-)
Two days in Edinburgh will give you a good introduction to the city. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to see the castle. On our first trip to Scotland we spent 5 hours there! We also enjoyed Mary King's Close...it may sound like a corny overhyped tourist attraction, but it is actually pretty interesting. Just strolling up and down the Royal Mile, walking through Princes Street Gardens, and climbing Calton Hill at sunset were also highlights for us.
Make sure you drive through Rannoch Moor and Glen Coe as some part of your route. The landscape is simply stunning.
I have to say that if you're going to stop at Eilean Donan, you SHOULD go over the bridge and have a look around, especially if the weather is nice...it is a fun place to explore with beautiful loch views, and the whole visit will take no more than 2 hours of your time.
You definitely want at LEAST 2 days on Skye, if not more. One reason for this is the weather...you are bound to encounter some (if not a lot of) rain, and the longer you stay the more likely you will have at least a few hours of good weather. We based in Portree for two nights (Ben Tianavaig B&B - highly recommended), drove around the Trotternish Peninsula one day (with stops at Kilt Rock, Museum of Island Life, and Dunvegan Castle), and did the Fairy Pools hike in the Cuillin Hills and drove out to Glenbrittle Beach the second day, with a stop at Talisker distillery. We spent our last night in Broadford before heading out to Armadale to catch the ferry, stopping at the Musem of the Isles and a couple art galleries along the way. We weren't going to take the ferry but were unable to take a boat tour during our visit due to heavy seas, so we figured it would be fun to get on SOME kind of boat! Having done it, I do recommend the ferry for at least one leg so that you don't have to backtrack over ground you've already covered.
Scotland is amazing...we have been there twice, both visits too short, and I would go back in a heartbeat!
Two days in Edinburgh will give you a good introduction to the city. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to see the castle. On our first trip to Scotland we spent 5 hours there! We also enjoyed Mary King's Close...it may sound like a corny overhyped tourist attraction, but it is actually pretty interesting. Just strolling up and down the Royal Mile, walking through Princes Street Gardens, and climbing Calton Hill at sunset were also highlights for us.
Make sure you drive through Rannoch Moor and Glen Coe as some part of your route. The landscape is simply stunning.
I have to say that if you're going to stop at Eilean Donan, you SHOULD go over the bridge and have a look around, especially if the weather is nice...it is a fun place to explore with beautiful loch views, and the whole visit will take no more than 2 hours of your time.
You definitely want at LEAST 2 days on Skye, if not more. One reason for this is the weather...you are bound to encounter some (if not a lot of) rain, and the longer you stay the more likely you will have at least a few hours of good weather. We based in Portree for two nights (Ben Tianavaig B&B - highly recommended), drove around the Trotternish Peninsula one day (with stops at Kilt Rock, Museum of Island Life, and Dunvegan Castle), and did the Fairy Pools hike in the Cuillin Hills and drove out to Glenbrittle Beach the second day, with a stop at Talisker distillery. We spent our last night in Broadford before heading out to Armadale to catch the ferry, stopping at the Musem of the Isles and a couple art galleries along the way. We weren't going to take the ferry but were unable to take a boat tour during our visit due to heavy seas, so we figured it would be fun to get on SOME kind of boat! Having done it, I do recommend the ferry for at least one leg so that you don't have to backtrack over ground you've already covered.
Scotland is amazing...we have been there twice, both visits too short, and I would go back in a heartbeat!
Oct 25th, 2011, 12:47 PM
#23
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thanks so much to everyone who recently posted...I completely agree that I need to decide where we are going and what we just don't have time for. At this point I am leaning towards janisj suggestion:
"That is totally doable. You could do Edinburgh, Glencoe, Skye, the Trossachs, the Borders, EDI. Or vice versa."
It is just a matter of getting a map and trying to figure out the best and most logical way to get to each location. If anyone knows of a site or route suggestion which would be similar to the above itinerary; I'm all ears the roads may be easier than I'm making them but I also don't want to rely on a GPS too much. I really appreciate all your help!
"That is totally doable. You could do Edinburgh, Glencoe, Skye, the Trossachs, the Borders, EDI. Or vice versa."
It is just a matter of getting a map and trying to figure out the best and most logical way to get to each location. If anyone knows of a site or route suggestion which would be similar to the above itinerary; I'm all ears
the roads may be easier than I'm making them but I also don't want to rely on a GPS too much. I really appreciate all your help!
Oct 25th, 2011, 01:45 PM
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Certainly to/from Edinburgh, Glencoe, Skye, the Trossachs and the Borders you'll have no problem with the roads unless you <I>choose </I> to do single track. On Skye there are a number of excellent (for scenery) single tracks. The main roads are absolutely fine.
Oct 25th, 2011, 02:25 PM
#25
"<i>It is just a matter of getting a map and trying to figure out the best and most logical way to get to each location.</i>"
For most of that route, not really anything to worry about. Once you look at a map you'll see its pretty straight forward. Edinburgh, across the Forth Bridge and on to Culross. Catch the M9 to Stirling. From there the A84 for Doune, Inchmahome (a short detour) and stay somewhere like Callander or Killin. Then on to Glencoe/Ft William/Mallaig (A84/A82/A830) and the ferry to Skye. After staying on Skye - take the bridge (A87) see Eilean Donan and then from Spean Bridge take the A86/A889 to the A9. Straight down the A9/M90/Edinburgh bypass to the A68 into the Borders.
This may <i>sound</i> complicated, but w/ a map it will all fall into place
(there are other variations you could take - but the above is pretty direct)
For most of that route, not really anything to worry about. Once you look at a map you'll see its pretty straight forward. Edinburgh, across the Forth Bridge and on to Culross. Catch the M9 to Stirling. From there the A84 for Doune, Inchmahome (a short detour) and stay somewhere like Callander or Killin. Then on to Glencoe/Ft William/Mallaig (A84/A82/A830) and the ferry to Skye. After staying on Skye - take the bridge (A87) see Eilean Donan and then from Spean Bridge take the A86/A889 to the A9. Straight down the A9/M90/Edinburgh bypass to the A68 into the Borders.
This may <i>sound</i> complicated, but w/ a map it will all fall into place
(there are other variations you could take - but the above is pretty direct)
