Planning our days in Edinburgh and Highlands
 

Hi,

We are visiting this part of UK after mid March and trying to make itinerary and allocate days. Focus is some nice scenery and architecture to photograph. Mostly interested in nature, but photographic castles too. Below are my days and high level pointers :
18-March - Reach Edinburgh at 8:00 AM with Caledonian Sleeper train. Pick up rental car and head to highlands
19-March - Highlands
20-March - Highlands
21-March - Highlands
22-March - Highlands and reach back to Edinburgh by evening, drop rental car.
23-March - Edinburgh full day
24-March - Fly out of Edinburgh at 8:45 AM
At this stage I am trying to figure first, what route I should take.
First doubt is, I should take train to Edinburgh or Inverness or Glasgow. If we reach Inverness, we can take one way rental car and end in Edinburgh. If we should reach to Edinburgh or Glasgow, we can do a round trip. So my three options are :
(1) One way from Inverness to Edinburgh : [Inverness - The Storr - Skye- Makkaig - Fort William - Glencoe - Edinburgh] - https://maps.app.goo.gl/tE3m5QUuNQvnsCWo7

(2) Round trip form Edinburgh to Edinburgh : [Edinburgh - Stirling - Callander - Glencoe - Fort William - Mallaig (ferry) - Skye - Portree - Oban - Inveraray - Edinburgh] - https://maps.app.goo.gl/yeK5YJJ4ka6GkEuN9
It can be done from Glasgow also and end at Edinburgh.

(3) Otherwise you would suggest a different option.

Please throw some ideas based on our time and interests.

Thanks

OK . . .bit of a reality check. Pre-planning a road trip in Scotland in mid March -- well you'd just better have a Plan B, AND a Plan C - and maybe plans D, E and F . . . :(

And Especially on the west coast/Skye. The weather could be decent for sure, absolutely. But more likely it would be wintry/wet/cold.

It looks like you have almost five full days to play with . . . even in summer and with great weather, five days is not enough for your option #2.

Does this trip have to be in March? In March I personally would avoid the west coast/islands, and rural parts of the Highlands (essentially anywhere in the Highlands)

Now, I have visited rural Scotland in March - but it was when I lived in the UK and could make and change plans essentially at the last minute. Wake up Friday morning, see good weather forecasts, book a B&B, gas up the car, and head north Saturday morning . . . Wake up Friday morning and rain/flooding is forecast, roll over and go back to sleep. Try again next week.

As of now, just planning with good hopes of all good weather :-) But yes, if something changes, I will change my routes and places too.
I was just going with miles (525 miles) in 5 days, but I agree I have short time for this place.
I don't have flexibility to change the dates, so living with this plan :-)

OK -- I would 100% forget about a car. You have 6 days -- do 4 days in Edinburgh and 2 days in Glasgow. Take the train between the two. Then IF you are extremely lucky and the weather is fine you could take a small group day trip out of Edinburgh with Rabbies.

https://www.rabbies.com/en/scotland-...from-edinburgh (in March they won't be that busy so booking just a day before is definitely possible)

That is one good option. If I keep this as Plan B and assume that weather 'may not' ruin it, can I get some guidance on that?