Im also thinking that maybe we should stay flexible on our skye itinerary. Maybe we might want to stay 3 nights on skye??

If anyone can review this brief revised itinerary it would be so, so appreciated!!
Day 1: arrive edinburgh 7am. tour edinburgh & overnight.
Day 2: tour edinburgh and overnight.
Day 3: pick up car, go to stirling (tour castle), callander, brig o'turk, aberfoyle, overnight buchlyvie.
Day 4: drive around west side of loch lommond, through luss, up A82 through glencoe. Take ferry? and arrive late afternoon/early evening in skye. Overnight skye (maybe broadford or portree).
Day 5: Tour northern skye, uig, old man of storr, dunvegan castle, distillery, etc. Overnight Skye.
Day 6: Tour southern skye, sleat, take boat ride out of Egol. Maybe overnight skye, OR depart and overnight in northern town (example Invergarry or Pitlochry). Suggestions welcome!!
Day 7: Departing from either Skye or northern overnight (Invergarry or Pitlochry). NEED ADVICE?! Take A87 to A889? through Blair Athol, Pitlochry, side trip to killin falls, duone, dunblane and overnight maybe Linlithgow?? (where should we stay overnight to be convenient to the airport? Our flight is at 1pm, but we have to drop the rental car off.
Thanks in advance for all your wonderful answers and suggestions!!

IMHO - there is no reason to detour northwards just to see Pitlochry. it is really just a touristy town w/ a TON of B&Bs and theatres. There are other things in the area that are very nice - but not Pitlochry itself.

This is what I'd do in general:

<b>2 days/2 nights Edinburgh</b>
<b>2 days/2 nights Buchlyvie </b> (you need two fulll days to see Stirling, Loch Lomond, the Trossachs, Doune, Loch Katrine, and/or other sites.)
<b>2 days/2 nights Skye.</b> (If you leave Buchlyvie <u>early</u> in the a.m. and stop at Glencoe you can be on Skye by lunch time on day 5)
<b>Last night</b> Drive back towards Edinburgh and stay anywhere enroute the last night. Blair Atholl, or Aberfeldy, or Perth or ??

thanks janis! - Very good recommendations!
What route would you take back towards edinburgj and would perth be close enough to the airport?

You've probably already posted it - but what time is your flight out of EDI?

1 pm, but we have to return the rental car first.

Janis; a question about the above itinerary you suggested.
Some people have suggested that Loch Lommond is overrated, compared to skye.
I DO want to see trossachs/lake lommond. However, do you think that I will have enough time on Skye.

I guess my concern is that spending 2 nights in trossachs area only leaves us about a day and 1/2 on skye.

ttt please

1.5 days is not enough time on skye.

You can't do it all in 7 days.

ps. Here is my travel website with a few pics and descriptions of Scotland 02 and 03 travels. I can't wait to go in June with my digital camera (didn't get it until 04).

http://www.geocities.com/tomtammitravel/

2003 has the Isle of Skye

amelie,
I know i am limited by time.
However, we have 7 full days.
My dilemna is how many to spend on skye.

Option 1: 2 nights Edinburgh, 2 nights Trossachs, 2 nights skye. 1 night outside airport.

Option 2: 2 nights Edinburgh, 1 night Trossachs, 3 nights skye, 1 night outside airport.

Several people have been kind enough to give me advice. what is your opinion?

It depends on what you want to do on Skye.

We toured the island by car in one full day (from 7pm first evening and until 4pm next day), but then it was the height of summer, with very long daytimes, sunset after 8pm, plus more daylight after that.

Next morning we had time to go to the seals, visit Dunvegan Castle, see Portree, the Kilt Rock, and stop very many times on the way to admire the nature and take photos.

I mentioned this in my report, see the link I gave you in a previous post.

In October, considering the shorter daylight time, one and a half day should be enough for this.

But then you can always spend the evening in a pub and drink a Talisker, their famous smoky whisky. It is one of my favourites now.

Seven days really isn't a lot, both my trips to Scotland were 3 weeks long. I've never been to the Trossachs which is why I didn't comment.

Idealy I would do 3 nights Edinburgh, 1 night Trossachs, 2 nights skye.

But I'd pick Option 1. Two nights on Skye is a good amt. One night is not. Skye is probably going to be THE highlight.

Of course 7 days isn't long enough - I lived in the UK for 5 years and go back all the time and <u>still</u> haven't seen all/done all I want in Scotland.

But w/ your 7 days you DO have time for the Trossachs/Loch Lomond, and Skye.

Loch Lomond is lovely - but not dramatic like much of Skye. A major consideeration for me would be to avoid 1-night stands. All the packing, unpacking, checking in, checking out cuts way back on what you have time to see.

I would leave Edinburgh early in the a.m. and drive to Stirling first. Then drive to the farmhouse B&amp;B in Buchlyvie after lunch and check in. You willl have time later that afternoon to drive along Loch Lomond. Next day devote entirely to exploring the Trossachs (walks, scenery, waterfalls, lochs, wool center in Aberfoyle etc.)

The next day leave early in the a.m. and be to Glencoe by opening time of the visitors center at 10:00. Unless you hike in the Glen you really only need 45 mins or so. Then head to Skye arriving early afternoon. You will have that afternoon and the whole of the next day to explore Skye. On your last full day you can explore Skye some more and then leave the island after lunch to drive back toward Edinburgh. So you really would have 2 full days worth on Skye. I would look to be off the island by about 2 or 2:30.

I wouldn't count on any major sightseeing after leaving Skye - but w/ a 1 p.m. flight the next day you don't have to get all the way back to EDI.

I would take janisj's idea and run with it. I was only trying to say that you don't have to cram in everything in 7 days, you'll be back! My husband lived in Scotland for 30 years and had never even been to Skye until I visited from the US and dragged him along.

My question is, have you considered visiting/seeing Edinburgh at the end of your trip? I know there is the jet lag issue with driving off straight away. Do you two get jet lagged (I don't at all, so maybe you don't?)? We usually fly into Glasgow and go straight for the 3 hour drive to Aberdeen (where my husband's familys) from the airport and it's fine. Not for everyone though. It just makes more sense (to me) to see Edinburgh at the end and combine it with that last night you are talking about staying outside the airport. Why? The airport is so close to the city center. I would rather lump that night with the rest of my Edinburgh visit. But again, I don't want to send your plans into more chaos, I know you are leaving soonish.

Amelie,
thanks! Our hotel is already booked for Edinburgh. But maybe next time we'll take that advice.

Janis,

This is going to sound corny...but I am eternally grateful for your help.
For some strange reason, Ive been extremely panicky about planning this trip. Maybe because Ive been so busy with work, a new house, etc...I havent had the time to really concentrate on our itinerary. Consequently, I became really confused and frustrated. Your advice (especially coming from someone who has been to Scotland numerous time) is invaluable and has really put my fears at ease.
Thank you, thank you. I think we will definetly go with the timing you suggested. This will allow us to comfortably see a bit of everything....Edinburgh, Trossachs &amp; Skye. And hopefully, someday soon we'll be back to scotland again!!
(One more question - any really special favorites you have in the Trossachs area, for our second day there? - ie, pubs, sites, or ?). Thanks!!

You are very welcome - the first time is alwaysa sooooo confusing. And do keep flexible to account for weather etc.

I simply love the whole Trossachs area - but probably my very favorite single site is Inchmahome Priory. It is on an island in the Lake of Menteith (the only &quot;Lake&quot; in Scotland). I have some amazing photos of it but they are ont yet on-line. this site www.ancient-scotland.co.uk/site.php?a=95 has several good pictures.

You get out to it on a gov't launch that leaves from next to the church/Lake Hotel. If the weather is nice-ish, have the B&amp;B pack you a picnic lunch and eat out on the island. It takes about 10 mins each way on the boat.

Also there are a few easy to walk to waterfallls near Callander. Bracklinn Falls is on the east end of town above the fabulous Roman Camp Hotel, and the Falls of Leny are just off the main road west of the town.

Or even nearer to your B&amp;B is the Loup of Fintry waterfall just east of the village of Fintry.

Im leaving in 2 days!!! Cant believe it.
Im trying to organize all my information and had a few quick questions for janisj or one of the other scotland experts.

1. After our 2 days spent in Trossachs area we are driving up through Glencoe to the Isle of Skye. Which route would you recommend as most scenic? And would you take the ferry or bridge?

2. Also, after our 2 days spent on Skye we are driving back to Edinburgh. We probably wont have a lot of time for stops, since it will be a long drive. Which route would you recommend as most scenic? We were also thinking that it might be nice to go into Edinburgh for our last night for dinner. Would this be resonable?
Where would be a good town to stay near airport - that this would still be possible?
Thanks!!!

I forgot to mention, I think my husband would enjoy the ferry ride onto Skye, so we would like to take it (unless it is very inconvenient). Recommendations welcome!

I'd do both - Bridge over/ferry back (or vice versa)

Me personally - I'd take the bridge over since that is a long driving day and I wouldn't want to have to fit my schedule to the ferry's.

And then once on Skye - book the first or second ferry for the morning you leave the island. At this time of year you don't always have to book - but I'd do it anyway since you do need to get going fairly early

For the route north - since you will have already seen Loch Lomond by that point - I'd head up to Callander, the A84 (w/ a short detour over to Killin to see the Falls of Dochart) then catch the A82 at Crianlarich, through Glencoe and up to Invergarry. Then the A87 to Kyle, across the bridge and onto Skye.

For the return - ferry to Mallaig, A830 to the A82 - and then which direction you go really just depends on how much time you have -- retrace the route back down through Callander, or take the A86 across to the A9 and south.

All of these routes are FULL of glorious scenery.

By taking the bridge over and the ferry back you will see even more - Glenfinnan, Eilean Donan etc.

Haver a GREAT trip!