My Scottish Journey
 

How does this sound? This is my itinerary, with locations to visit included. I am aware that not everything can be covered, and are hoping to make some choices on the travel day itself, depending on when we get up and weather conditions. Suggestions are welcome, but Skye is out because of the lack of time.

May 24 train from London to Glasgow
May 25 - 27 Glasgow, tour Macintosh sites, see museums
May 28 Glasgow to Oban via Trossacks and Inveraray
May 29 Oban to Talladale via Loch Duich
May 30 tour Inverewe Gardens and then go in Inverness
May 31 Inverness to Forfar via the Cairngorms National Park
June 1 Forfar to Stirling--visiting Glamis & Maigle, if time, the Scone Palace and a garden south of Perth.
June 2 Stirling -- a day's trip to the East Neuk
June 3 Sterling to Galashiels with a stop at the Falkirk Wheel
June 4 Galashiels
June 5 Galashiels - both days doing day tours of the Tweed Valley
June 6 - left open should we lose a day somewhere
June 7 Galashiels to Einburgh
June 8 - June 10 Edinburgh
June 11 - Edinburgh to Nice

I'm on my way out in a few minutes so can't deal w/ the whole of your plan - but others will have comments and I'll be back to add more . . .

but just a couple of comments.

Why a day trip to Fife from Stirling, when you will be quite close when you are at Glamis. If it were me, I'd go from Glamis to Fife, overnight there and on to Stirling the next day.

By garden south of Perth do you mean Drumond Castle??

Oban to Talladale is a looooong drive.

My initial impression is you start out well (through May 28), and finish well (rom June 4) - but in between it sort of falls apart a bit w/ a lot of long drives and a fair amount of to-ing and fro-ing.

Also the last weekend in May is the Bank hoiliday nice places in Oban may requier a 2 night minimum.

Janis,

Not Fife but <b>Forfar</b>. Yes, the drive is long, about 193 km.

Micahel, Janis meant that the East Neuk (of Fife) is en route from Forfar to Stirling (well, it kinda is) and that you should maybe stop there on the way to Stirling, rather than go to Stirling and back track.

Basically, your trip is OK, but you're packing too much in.

Yes - I just assumed you knew the East Neuk is Fife.

My point was - from Forfar/Glamis to Stirling and then backtracking to Fife makes little sense on such an already too crammed itinerary. Why not sipmplify things a bit?

Also, as Sheila says - you are packing too much in. Especially in the middle portion of your itinerary (between Oban and Galashiels)

Janis,

So your suggestion is to stay in Fife and then not stay two nights in Stirling?

Yes - that is one suggestion.

But even more - IMHO your whole plan from the time you leave Oban until you get to Galashiels is too much, too far, and too little time.

Can I ask why Oban? If you omitted that one stay you would at least gain a littel time/distance. You could drive north from Glasgow and get quite far north for that night and be MUCH closer to Inverewe.

But that is just a band aid - the beginning and end of your itinerary are sensible but the middle part just seems like a dash around half of the country.

The gardens of Inverewe are a must. Oban is not, but there are a couple of stops (Dumbarton to look up the address where my wife lived in 1954, the Hill House in Helensburgh if it is not closed because of a bank holiday) before it which imply that we will not get much farther. Aside from the scenery, most of the sights we chose are on the other side of Scotland, south of Inverness. How do I avoid the jump across the country?

You have 3 days in Glasgow - I'd visit Helensburgh (Hill House) and Dumbarton on one of those days. That would free up an entire day to add elsewhere - not a lot but any little bit will help.

janis,

Are you essentially suggesting that I spend 2 hours of travel, not counting the stop in Dumbarton, to be able to go 100 extra km. the next day? It's an option only if we feel that we do not need the third day in Glasgow proper. I won't have a car until the day I leave Glasgow.

From the Macintosh web site:

Rail:1/2 hourly service Glasgow Queen Street (low level) to Helensburgh Central Station (0870 6082608), then 1 1/2 miles walk or taxi

Not addressing the rest of your itinerary, I'll add a comment about Glasgow. From what I remember about you and your wife's strong interest in architecture - to see the Mackintosh sites as well as your expressed interest in the (excellent) museums in Glasgow, I think you would need the three days to enjoy Glasgow.

Well, If it were me, I'd get a car a day earlier and drive to Helensburgh (Hill House is magnificent) and Dumbarton.

But if you must have 3 days in Glasgow - then I <b>really</b> think you have to cut somewhere else. Those 6 days between Glasgow and Galashiels will be pretty much a blur.

I guess I'll have to rely on my photographs to mitigate the blur.

Why do some people come to Fodor's asking for help and then totally ignore the suggestions made?

I've been wondering about it myself when offering advice. But no one is required to take any advice. Sometimes we take it, and sometimes we don't. If curious, bettyk, check my inquires about driving in Turkey.

What you say may be true, but I think that &quot;I guess I'll have to rely on my photographs to mitigate the blur&quot; is a saracastic response to people who are trying to help you.

Michael: since you asked your questions a year ago - did you by any chance post a trip report after you took this trek??

Here's the report:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35058184