We'll be driving from Edinburgh to Skye in one day toward the end of June. I'd thought of driving north to Inverness and then west but perhaps the route via Fort William and then north to the bridge is a better idea? (We'll be taking the ferry to Mallaig when we leave Skye.)

The two routes are equally beautiful. Go one way via the bridge and the other via ferry/Mallaig.

You don't have to go nearly as far as Inverness though, unless you just want to. You can cut across from Dalwhinnie to Spean Bridge. It is a beautiful drive along Loch Laggan.

You'll go through Ft William on the way back from Mallaig . . . Once is more than enough

Edinburgh-Stirling-Crianlarich-Glencoe-Fort William-Invergarry-Eilean Donan Castle- Kyle of Lochalsh.

SkyeHigh's route is fine. However if you are taking the bridge one way and the ferry the other, then the Edinburgh-Stirling-Crianlarich-Glencoe-Fort William bits would be duplicated.

That's why I recommended the A9 - Dalwhinnie - Spean Bridge - Invergarry - Eilean Donan - Kyle route one way, and the Mallaig - Ft William - Glencoe the other direction. (doesn't matter which you take over and which for the return - just so they are different)

We did SkyeHigh's route last September (but stopped overnight in Ballachulish on the coast) and it was excellent!

OK -- to clarify, I didn't mean you should avoid those places -- just not to go through them <i>twice</i>. A map will show what I meant - do a circle loop out and back via entirely different routes.

I wasn't disagreeing with you janis, just wanted to say that the route was very scenic. I agree that it's always a good idea to cover different ground if you have the opportunity on an out-and-back trip.

janisj and hausfrau are both right: janisj's routes and hausfrau's suggestion to stay the night (or more) in Ballachulish, a great place to tour the area

Thank you everyone! I should have clarified that from Skye we're taking the ferry to Mallaig and then driving east/south to Morvern, then ferry to Mull, so we won't get much of the Fort Williams route...