We will be making our first trip to Scotland in April, and could use some advice. We are a “mature” group who love to sight-see, enjoy good food, local music, and prefer small villages to bustling cities. We will have a total of 12 nights, and we definitely dislike having to pack & unpack every day. We also know that we can’t possibly do everything in 12 days, and have no problem just bypassing certain spots for another time. That said, here’s our tentative itinerary:

We arrive Edinburgh airport, pick up a rental car, and spend the first 2 nights in Stirling, with a day trip to St. Andrews.

Then 4 nights in Inverness, with excursions to Culloden, boat ride on Loch Ness, drives into the Highlands.

Our last 4 nights will be in Edinburgh, touring the sights, museums, etc., then we return to EDI.

If you’ve counted with me, you’ll see that’s only 10 nights. So we have 2 additional nights to book, preferably around Skye/Oban, or some other charming spot on the west coast. Suggestions? Any and all recommendations would be appreciated, as always!

Moved to Europe board and tagged for UK

April is a dicey time for the Highlands; it can be great or miserable, or both, hours apart. A boat tour on Loch Ness in April makes me shiver just sitting here.

Will you be arriving at Edinburgh after a long flight, maybe overnight from North America? I'm wondering if it might not be smarter to spend the first day or two in Edinburgh, without a car, while you adjust body clocks.

Yes, April wouldn't be my choice for Scotland. I was there the end of September last year, and the weather was mostly cold and damp. If you are going to Stirling for the castle, I found it disappointing. Click on my name to find my UK TR from that trip.

OK -- I really don't like the basic plan very much (but it is your trip - not mine).

A couple of questions: Are you flying in long haul or just up from England (or elsewhere in Europe)? And, How important to you is visiting Culloden?

Random comments: Two nights in Stirling nets you on day and that day supposedly is spend driving across half the country to St Andrews. So you will have no time at all for Stirling or the glorious nearby Trossachs.

You say you prefer small villages yet are only staying in cities.

In April you could be lucky and have lovely weather, OR it could be seriously wintry . . . or both.

With the rest of your plans -- Skye/Oban is a total non-starter. Too far in too little time.

St Andrews makes more sense as a day trip from Edinburgh than from Stirling

I wouldn't stay one night IN Inverness let alone four. Now, staying near Inverness is fine, but the city itself is basically a busy commercial centre. Staying in the general vicinity (Nairn, Black Isle, Wherever) is good. IMO four nights is a bit long for such a short visit to Scotland.

If you are flying in long haul - you don't want to drive on arrival day -- even though EDI to Stirling is a straightforward hop.

Loch Ness is OK -- but compared to MANY other beautiful Lochs it is sort of meh. It is the 'famous one' not the pretty one.

Jeeze - I do sound like a Debbie Downer don't I But these are all issues you need to think about.

Answer the two questions (flight and Culloden) and we can help you work out a plan that better meets your time frame and likes.

Worked on my answer so long didn't see the other two posts.

You don't visit Scotland for the weather. It can be lovely and or horrible at any time of year. At least in April there won't be midges, and there will be less crowds on Skye if you go there. Skye, like so many places is struggling with the numbers of visitors it is getting.

True. And if you are visiting cities it doesn't matter so much. However, if you want to see the countryside you can improve your odds by going in the summer.

Many people go for the scenery, however, which can be hidden by clouds and rain at that time of year. Or not. Do you feel lucky?

Staying further south and more to the east side of the country offers slightly better odds, but of course less dramatic scenery. It's possible to accomplish both, but it needs some careful planning.

I'd never advise against visiting Scotland at any time of year. April can be wonderful - or so so - or truly a wash out. Or some of all three in different parts of the country.

Hedging your bets and staying south-ish and east-ish might help - or not.

I wouldn't worry too much about the weather in April. It can be fine as well as not so fine but as another poster said, one doesn't travel to Scotland for the weather. I've been in the summer when the weather was lousy. Some of my best memories are of having a long lunch in a pub wirh a peat fire burning and conversing with the locals or seeing the mountains clouded in heavy mists. I believe if you don't experience some typical Scottish weather ( rain,wind, mists ) you really haven't experienced Scotland.
Take note of janisj's itinerary suggestions. I may come back with a few when I have more time.

We are "mature" as well and went to Scotland from the US last September (mid). We like smaller towns rather than cities, but we took a taxi to Edinburgh and stayed at a B&B for three nights. Took advantage of the hop on/hop off bus for two of those days and saw lots. Also did a lot of walking and thoroughly enjoyed the city. Went back to EDI, picked up rental and drove to Stirling Castle. Took a guided tour and loved it. Drove a bit further and stayed in the small town of Callander for two nights. Went to Inchmahome Priory for the morning and walked around. Beautiful day and lovely place. Went to Loch Loman and walked a bit. Beautiful. Next, we went on to the Glen Coe area for two nights, driving Glen Etive on our way. Another breathtaking drive. Leaving Glen Coe area, we stopped at Loch Ness on our way to Inverness. It was extremely touristy. The guides on this forum are correct when they say skip it. I think the only mistake of our two-week trip was going to Inverness to do an11 hour small van (8 people) trip to Skye. We stayed two nights in Inverness with the day trip sandwiched inbetween, but it just wasn't worth it. We saw some lovely scenery on Skye, but that's just not the way to do it. So we wasted two nights lodging and the cost of the tour. We then took our time getting to Dufftown and stayed three nights. We wanted to learn more about Scotch and there are lots of distilleries in that area. We saw many beautiful places in addition to tasting some Scotch. This was one of our favorite stops because it was low-key and beautiful sights everywhere. On our way back down towards EDI, we took a day to drive through Cairngorms National Park which was absolutely breathtaking and not-to-be missed. Our destination was Pitlochry, which was a cute, touristy town. We enjoyed it, and two days was just enough. From our Pitlochry B&B we went to Queens View and were the only people there for at least a half hour, then to Fortingall for a quick look around. After we left Pitlochry we stopped at St. Andrews for lunch, watched some of the golfers start out, walked a bit of the town and headed back to the airport. We stayed overnight nearby and left around 9:00 a.m. the next morning. We had 14 days there in total, and should have skipped the Inverness/Skye part. If we had to do it again, I would have spent the two nights somewhere in the northeast.

Thanks so much to all for the quick and very helpful comments. To answer a few questions, yes, we are flying direct from Philadelphia (USA). And our dates are set, no changing them. We are seasoned travelers, and never let weather bother us. Also, Scotland is just our first stop in a much longer trip; while April in Scotland may not be perfect, April & May in Italy will be glorious!
No, Culloden is not of major importance, but we're both history buffs, and thought it would be interesting.
Based on some of the above comments, we will be staying just 3 nights in Inverness, and the Loch Ness boat ride may not happen. But we did want a home base for drives up into the Highlands.
And here I thought Skye would be a must-see, no?
And any thoughts on Glasgow?
So I still have now 3 nights to stay somewhere maybe off the beaten path, any further thoughts?
As always, thanks so much for your help. Maria

Lots to see in Glasgow! A must for any Art Nouveau fan, plus a lot of options for day trips.

Start here for my recent visit: An eccentric trip around the UK

I was also considering a day teip to Paisley, plus Rabbies tours has day trips to the countryside.

Inverness is convenient enough for day trips into the northern Highlands, but as towns go, it's... okay. In my view there are some much better places to use as a base, giving access both to some great Highland scenery as well as a taste of the Islands.

Is Skye a "must see?" Well, it's certainly beautiful, but it's not the only beautiful island in the Inner Hebrides, and in fact, with 12 days in April I'd be inclined to swap it for a more southerly itinerary. Here's a "loop" that I tend to recommend a lot, but one you might consider: https://goo.gl/maps/UBVcPvbUGXw

This includes stops in Callendar for a visit to the Trossachs, a brief visit to Glen Etive and through Glen Coe, then down to Oban and across to the Isle of Mull. Mull is the second biggest of the Inner Hebrides (after Skye) and has much of the same appeal as Skye - wild mountain scenery, picturesque villages like Tobermory, but also a couple of stunning castles, standing stones, and, via Fionnphort, access to the isles of Staffa and Iona. Staffa is a geologic wonder with basalt columns and Fingal's Cave, and Iona with its ancient abbey, is arguably the birthplace of Christianity in Britain. You can visit Mull (and Staffa/Iona) in day trips from Oban, or stay on the island for a more intimate experience.

From Oban, the route passes the tiny village of Kilmartin, noteworthy for the amazing quantity of neolithic and bronze age relics and landmarks sitting on the floor of Kilmartin Glen, overlooked by the village and its old church (with its collection of carved Celtic gravestones.) There are stone circles and standing stones (watch out if they're buzzing) as well as burial cairns and other evidence that this little valley has been occupied for thousands and thousands of years. Very moving, actually.

It then takes you to Inveraray, a very pretty town located on the shore of beautiful Loch Fyne, famous for its seafood. Inveraray Castle, on the outskirts of the village, is the home of Clan Campbell and has been used in several movies and TV shows, most recently as Cousin Shrimpy's digs on Downton Abbey. From Inveraray you can explore Loch Lomond on your way to Glasgow.

So this loop could be an enjoyable way to spend, say, four or five nights. You could then do another loop, or even two, to fill in the balance of your time. Here are two other maps that you might want to look at; google the places shown on the maps and also use Undiscovered Scotland - https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/ - which is a valuable asset in planning travel to Scotland and the northern part of England.

Loop two - https://goo.gl/maps/eWRDGzXae712 . This includes the lovely "East Neuk" fishing villages along the Fife coast, St Andrews (not just golf but a marvelous,historic town) and the ancient burgh of Falkland with its royal palace and stunning gardens (hopefully stunning in early spring.) It then brushes the central Highlands and heads to Fortingall, a lovely village (with some thatched houses, rare in Scotland) at the head of incomparable Glen Lyon. A yew tree in the churchyard is reputedly the oldest living thing in Britain, maybe Europe, and legend has it that Fortingall was the birthplace of Pontius Pilate during the brief Roman occupation of this region. You'd return to Edinburgh via Callendar, with a stop in Culross, a medieval village restored to a high degree, and featured in the Outlander TV series.

Loop three - https://goo.gl/maps/yCAvLBHQFYs . This loop travels east along the Firth of Forth to several lovely villages and a castle or two, before crossing into England with visits to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, Bamburgh and Alnwick ("annick.") Lindisfarne is reached at low tide via a causeway, and is the birthplace of Christianity in the north of England (the monks came from Iona.) It's an extremely atmospheric place. Then just down the road is Bamburgh, with its awesome castle overlooking the sea on one side and the village green on the other, one of the most picturesque places in all of England. You'd continue south to Alnwick with its incredible castle, used as a setting for Hogwarts. You'd return to Edinburgh via the lonely Lammermuir Hills, with a stop in the tiny village of Etal, with its wee ruined castle and nice thatched pub. The Lammermuirs are covered in heather and moorland, and the only other things you'll see will be sheep. The small village of Gifford is also very picturesque; a pint or a night at the Goblin Ha' hotel (named for the "Goblin Hall" in a nearby ruined castle, allegedly inhabited by a sorcerer in the 13th century.) Look out for things that go bump... This is a fun and VERY "off-the-beaten-path" part of the country.

Just a couple of quick comments -- more re your new post later . . . But 1) the 'Highlands' are a huge are and there is no reason to go all the way to Inverness to see them. and 2) I would not (ever) plan a trip around visiting Skye that early in the year. If one lives nearby and can plan at the last minute - an April visit could be great. But when you have set dates and the likelihood of nice weather on Skye being so slim I wouldn't. When the weather is bad on Skye you simply can't see anything.

Any of Gardyloo's loops would be great -- I'd personally rank them in the same order #1, #2, #3

a boat on the Loch in April?

the loch is famous for the paperfilling spoof, and you are going there for what?

>>a boat on the Loch in April?<<

I thought the same thing.

My thoughts, such as they are. We loved Culloden and it’s one of my best memories of our trip.

There are excellent walking tours available in Edinburgh. The office/meeting point is just near the Starbucks cafe on the Royal Mile. I’m sorry that I don’t have the name of the company.