Well, I'm making good progress with my planning and I have most of our stays booked, but I was wondering if anyone has ever stayed at a B&B on Skye that they would reccomend? Whis part of the island is best?

Thanks for your help,
Sarah

I don't do B7Bs so I can't answer that part of your question.

all of Skye has its joys, but it's very dijointed so I'd suggest you stay either a) somewhere nice or b) somewhere close to where you want to be.

If price's no objection then I'd suggest the Three Chimneys for Skye.. excellent food and superb view..

Getting ready to fly out on Wednesday.
Aug 29- fly out
Aug 30- arrive Gatwick- drive to friend's house in Petersfield
Sept 1- Petersfield
Sept 2- Petersfield
Sept 3- Fly from Southampton to Glasgow- pick up rental car and drive to Mull (Glengorm Castle)
Sept 4- Spend morning sailing (Alternative boat hire) end up on Iona. Spend night at hostel.
Sept 5- Drive to Glencoe- Clachaig Inn
Sept 6- Drive to Skye- Roskhill House
Sept 7- Roskhill House
Sept 8- Drive to Pitlochry (via Inverness) and take in Highland games. Stay at hostel
Sept 9- Pitlochry
Sept 10- Drive to Edinburgh, drop off rental car. Stay at Grassmarket No-1 apartment.
Sept 11- Edinburgh
Sept 12- Fly home.

Any comments on must see things in these areas or wonderful places to eat (local interest type places, price doesn't really matter). Any last second sugestions? Thanks!

Glad you decided to fly from Southampton to Glasgow. This is definitely the way to go - Southampton is a small efficient airport, nothing like the nightmare of the London airports and a FlyBe ticket is a LOT less than a sleeper train ticket from London. Provided you have an early morning flight you should have no real problems getting over to Mull by the late afternoon/early evening. Have you booked your ferry crossing?

Highland Games: ignore the poor advice about booking ahead for Highland Games. No need, just turn up on the day. The Pitlochry Games are a particularly good example. The only thing that bothers me is your drive rom Skye to Pitlochry (via Inverness???) to get there before the ganmes end at 5:15pm. Inverness is way off track for this journey and it always baffles me why tourists always want to go to great lenghts to visit Inverness. Nothing really wrong with it, but the city itself has little of interest to visitors. Given that it will take you at least 4 hours to cover the ground from Skye to Pitlochry, you need to start early and drive as directly as possible.

flying up is a great choice. just a few quick comments . .

I agree w/ Gordon - I'd probably skip the detour up to I'ness. Even just going across the A87/A86 to Dalwhinnie and down the A9 to Pitlochry skipping the Loch Ness/Inverness loop will still be a long drive.

On Mull try to eat at the Keel Row - it is in Fionnphort just down the way from the ferry to Iona. Really good food.

I think you guys are right- Inverness just will not happen this trip! I have not booked the ferry from Oban to Mull yet- do you think it is reasonable to catch the 1400 ferry if we pick up the rental car at 0900? Would it be better to go for the 1600?

I wouldn't bother booking the ferry so loong as you don't have to be on THAT one. That way, if you get there, that's fine, and if you don't you don't.

You could take either of these ferries to Mull if you pick up your hire car at GLA at 09:00. Which one you choose could depend on whether you drive straight to Oban (in approx 2.5 hours) or if you stop off to visit Loch Lomond on the way, and believe me it is well worth seeing.

A few more thoughts about Pitlochry. When we went to the Highland Games a few years ago the town was (not surprisingly) very full. No major problems although getting a decent restaurant to eat in was tricky. All the most appealing places seemed to be fully booked. If you have the time, you might consider an evening's performance at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre www.pitlochry.org.uk. It's summer season is very popular and the productions are high quality.

If the weather is OK, do not miss under any circumstances, the Queen's View, a magnificent viewpoint in the hills about 10 miles NW of the town. It's named after Queen Vic who apparentlly was very impressed when she visited it. On the way, there's the Pass of Killiecrankie (a great Scottish placename if ever there was one), with its charming story of the escaping clansman jumping over the river. See for yourself if you think it could have been done.

Finally Petersfield (actually my own home base!); you're possibly the first person on this forum to stay here. But don't let that put you off, it's a prosperous, archetypal English market town with a beautiful mediaeval market square, great little shops and restaurants and surrounded by the South Downs chalk hills. I'm sure your friends will give you a whistle stop tour!

Sheila- good to know that booking the feery ahead is not imperative. It will be nice to have some flexibility with our timing

Gordon- what a coincidence! I've seen some photos of Petersfield and it looks like everything that I love about England. I'm not sure what all our hostess has planned but I know that we will be attending the Anglican church on Sunday and then checking out the farmers' market afterward. Last time I visited her she lived in Shaftesburry so I'm looking forward to getting and intimate view of a new town. Its always nice to have a local contact so that you can experience the true essence of a place.

Thanks to everyone for the helpful posts- this forum really helped me to focus and fine-tune our itinerary. There has been alot going on with my family these last couple of weeks and this trip will be a much-needed getaway. I'll let you know how everything goes.