Overwhelmed - Help with Scotland

Old Feb 21st, 2010, 09:04 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Overwhelmed - Help with Scotland

I've been reading guidebooks and reviewing this forum and have been getting some wonderful ideas - but am also getting overwhelmed. Any help would be wonderful!

First - what we know: We are a couple in our early 60's (from the US) who will be visiting Scotland for the first time. We will have two weeks for our vacation sometime in August. We will be renting a car (love to drive) and would prefer to stay in B&B's, inns or small hotels. Would like to spend a little time in Edinborough, but our main interests are nature, wildlife, history and archeology, the sea, farm country. Love food. Any kind of food.

Given this, we are considering the Hebrides and the Orkneys and Shetland islands. First, does this make sense? And second, what kind of itinerary would you recommend that would encompass flying in and out of Edinborough and seeing the things we'd like to see?

Of course, we wish we had more time to meander, but this is the situation for now. Thanks so much for any help!
Leanne1 is offline  
Old Feb 21st, 2010, 09:56 AM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 25,496
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
If we kinda just ignore the fact the roads are small and we drive on the wrong side of the road. Firstly, August is when Europeans go on holiday so you probably need to book pretty soon. I know the Orkneys better than the other two and these are lovely islands with nistoric sites going back 5000 years, have a couple of distillaries on the island and lots and lots of wildlife.

Its about an 8 hour drive from Edinborough plus a ferry ride so you may want to fly up. If money is no object then I recommend similar to the other islands.

So E probably 3 days. Glasgow maybe as a day trip at least to see the Mackintosh museum. Then roughly 4 days on each archipeligo.

Over to the rest for some details
bilboburgler is online now  
Old Feb 21st, 2010, 10:09 AM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 72,633
Likes: 0
Received 50 Likes on 7 Posts
Edinburgh (note the spelling) is a bit of a special case in August. There are several world famous festivals and the Tattoo all running at the same time. Everything pretty much books up for the whole month. The festivals/Tattoo are amazing -- but if they aren't your reason for visiting, they do complicate things. Everything is very crowded, and accommodations book up far ahead. Not just w/ visitors, but w/ all the performers.

So - if you do want to include Edinburgh - you need to plan/book well ahead. Like in the next few weeks.

Doing an Island-centric trip is very doable. You can fly into Glasgow or Edinburgh, or you can connect through a number of cities direct to Inverness or to Kirkwall on Orkney - or to Sumburgh on Shetland.

I personally probably wouldn't rent "a" car for these islands. I'd rent a local car on each island group - at least for Shetland. You could rent one car for the Orkneys/NW Scotland/the outer Hebrides.

Two weeks is not all that long to cover from Edinburgh to Shetland to Orkney to the Hebrides. So you might want to forget about Edinburgh/Glasgow this time around (except for perhaps flying through) and just do the islands.

Once you've see bits of Scotland -- you will want to return and see more.
janisj is offline  
Old Feb 21st, 2010, 10:15 AM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,395
Likes: 0
Received 11 Likes on 4 Posts
I know you didn't mention cultural activities as one of your chief reasons for visiting Scotland, but if you are at all interested in music and theater, the festivals make Edinburgh in August one of the most exciting places I have ever been. Just something to consider if you want to enjoy some big city culture along with your nature and archeology agendas. It does require some planning though- the schedule of events in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe alone is the size of a telephone book.
Nikki is offline  
Old Feb 21st, 2010, 12:16 PM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,159
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I was so pleased to see your post. So many people say what you say " nature, wildlife, history and archeology, the sea, farm country." and then do that bloody boring triangle, so it's FANTASTIC you are choosing EXACTLY where you ought to be.

August is not ideal. First fortnight is school holidays; whole month is midge weather. And you're going where the midges are. Sorry.

So- fly into Edinburgh, spend a day or two there, fly to Orkney (now, for reasons of time, I wouldn't do both Orkney and Shetland, and if you go only one place, you MUST go to Orkney). Spend time there with a hire car. Fly to Glasgow. Spend a day or two there. Fly to.... I think you need to pick Inner or Outer. Again, for reasons of time, I don't think you can do both. Fly to either a) Benbecula and you can do Eriskay to Berneray on causeways; one short ferry trip to Leverbugh and you can do Harris and Lewis; or b) Fly to Islay. You can do Islay, Jura and Colonsay (so long as you're there on a Wednesday)

Now, I can't see past Islay. Magical, wonderful, natural, historical, archaeological Islay. Lots of fabby restaurants nowadays. 8 distilleries; brews its own beer; sea food to die for.

The Outer Isles are great too, but the archaeology is older and harder to see (except for Calanais), and the food's a bit more of an issue. There's less history too (silly, I know- oral history abounds, but being oral is less old).

We can do all this by road too, if you'd rather.
sheila is offline  
Old Feb 23rd, 2010, 01:57 PM
  #6  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks so much for everyone who replied - wonderful recommendations.

Sheila - I'm so glad you think our chosen locations will make us happy. (What is the boring triangle?) When you say "do this by road" - do you mean driving rather than flying. We do love to drive and worry about the discontinuity of flying - but realize driving takes up time. How would you handle it? Islay looks absolutely wonderful - I feel like I could stay there for the full two weeks - but won't - need to get to Orkney. It's sounding like we should see if we can go toward the end of July - we may be able to do that. (If you could pick any month, what would it be?)

Nikki - am definitely interested in cultural activities - this is why I'm so overwhelmed. I want to do and see too much. Don't want to make the vacation more "work" than it has to be. This is also why I am trying to fit in at least a couple of days in Edinburgh. (By the way - I keep talking about Edinburgh - if I were to spend a bit on time in only one city, would anyone want to make a pitch for Glasgow?)

Everyone says the world is getting smaller - I find it's way too big for everything we want to do!

Thanks, again.

Leanne
Leanne1 is offline  
Old Feb 24th, 2010, 01:34 AM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,159
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The boring triangle is Edinburgh, Inverness, Skye. I guess it's only boring if it's the only route your compatriots ever use (it often feels like that anyway, and apologies for the assumption about your country of origin if it's wrong

By "do this by road" I do mean driving. You tell us which you'd rather do, and I'll give you routes and links.

I'd go in June if there was no problem with timing. July and August are eexie peexie
sheila is offline  
Old Feb 24th, 2010, 02:20 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,395
Likes: 0
Received 11 Likes on 4 Posts
Please define eexie peexie.
Nikki is offline  
Old Feb 24th, 2010, 03:52 AM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,159
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
6 and half a dozen.
sheila is offline  
Old Feb 24th, 2010, 04:22 AM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,588
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Leannne, you probably should see Edinbrugh but Glasgow is a great city to visit and more real and friendly, and also less touristy, but with lots to visit...Glasgow is known as The Dear Green Place. Glasgow and Edinburgh are only 50 minutes apart by train
alihutch is offline  
Old Mar 7th, 2010, 03:27 PM
  #11  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks again, all! Sheila - I think we would rather drive if it turns out to be doable. Any information would be great.
Leanne1 is offline  
Old Mar 7th, 2010, 04:13 PM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Archaeologically speaking, Orkney has some real treasures, many quite close to each other (Skara Brae, Brodgar, Maes Howe and Stenness). I really enjoyed our time on Orkney and it seemed there was a fair bit going on in Kirkwall in terms of musical and cultural events.

I'm also terribly in love with Callanish/Calanais stones on Lewis but there does seem to be less going on for visitors on the island itself. If she's still offering tours, local archaeologist, Margaret Curtis, is a wonderful and knowledgeable guide to the old sites.
NS_Crowgirl is offline  
Old Mar 8th, 2010, 12:04 AM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,159
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Ok. I'll try to update this this evening.

Can you tell U what your thoughts are as to route/ locations?
sheila is offline  
Old Mar 8th, 2010, 12:04 AM
  #14  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,159
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
U = us
sheila is offline  
Old Mar 17th, 2010, 09:59 AM
  #15  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Sheila, I'm hoping you can help as to routes. We'll be flying into Edingurgh and stay for a couple of days - then want to go to the Hebrides (especially your recommendation of Islay) and Orkney. Do you need more information on where in the Hebrides and Orkney? Would love it if you could continue to make recommendations.
Leanne is offline  
Old Mar 17th, 2010, 01:44 PM
  #16  
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Leanne why not look at http://www.calmac.co.uk/ they are the main ferry company in Scotland covering 24 destinations on the west coast. You're sure to find some inspiration there!!!

Good luck!!

Chutney(in a very windy west coast of Scotland)
Chutneyrama is offline  
Old Mar 27th, 2010, 04:03 AM
  #17  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,159
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'm back from my hols. So to sum up

Flying into Edinburgh end of July -ish. In Scotland for two weeks. Edinburgh two days. Want to go to the Hebrides, including Islay, then Orkney, and you want route recommendations based on driving. Interested in a bit of culture, but mainly nature, wildlife, history and archeology, the sea, farm country and food.

So. Arrive Edinburgh, spend two days. (we can do more on that later, once we know exact dates, but if you're looking at the end of July, the sooner you've booked somewhere, the better. the town will already be filling up for the Festival)

Day 4- Fly to Orkney. Collect hire car. Spend (three) days. See monuments above mentioned- Skara Brae, Maes Howe, Ring of Brogar, Stones of Stenness, plus at least one Broch, and the Italian Chapel and the Churchill Barriers.

Go to Nature Reserves- Hobbister, the Loons, and Mill Dam. I'm inclined to recommend Hoy, but you pretty much need a full day.

Walk the streets of Kirkwall and Stromness and see St Magnus Cathedral.

Eat in The Creel at St Margaret's Hope. Otherwise I struggle with really good food there. I always think the place lets itself down.

Day 7 fly back to Edinburgh, pick up hire car; drive in a Leisurely fashion to Kennacraig, and get the 6pm boat to Islay. Stay till Wednesday.

See the Kildalton Cross, Finlaggan, the Iron Age duns, the Paps of Jura, the Round Church in Bowmore, the beaches, The Mull of Oa, Loch Gruinart, the Sound of Islay, et al.

Wednesday, take the ferry to Oban, pausing at Colonsay en route. Use the long evening to go down Kilmartin Glen.

Thursday morning, take the ferry to Coll & Tiree. Stay overnight and come back Friday.

Saturday drive back to Edinburgh.

Now, we can reduce stays in Islay and Orkney, and by so doing lose Coll & Tiree, and take in the Outer Isles, IF you would rather.

Tell us what you think. If you want to refine, because of the ferry timetables differing on different days, we'll need to sort out which days you arrive and depart so we can tie stuff together for you.
sheila is offline  
Old Mar 27th, 2010, 07:07 AM
  #18  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 25,496
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Italian chapel (5 minutes later) might add a distillery visit instead. Might want to save that for a wet day.
bilboburgler is online now  
Old Mar 28th, 2010, 07:47 AM
  #19  
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 277
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Definitely Mainland! (The main island of the Orkney Islands.) We flew up from Edinburgh via www.flybe.com and were glad to have done so. Picked up a car from www.orkneycarrental.co.uk and were perfectly happy. All the sites on Mainland that have been listed are worth a visit. It's a magical place. Note that you have to have reservations at Maeshowe, so make those in advance. Simply driving around Mainland is a treat in itself. Take me with you!
suspire is offline  
Old Apr 7th, 2010, 05:31 AM
  #20  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,159
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Leanne, There's a feature on Orkney in this month's Scottish Field. Send me your snail mail address and I'll stick it in the post to you.
sheila is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -