Scotland - 6 days - need help
Oct 9th, 2006, 10:12 AM
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Scotland - 6 days - need help
Hi,
Planning (a little late) a trip to Scotland for 5-6 days later this month. Was thinking of going to Edinburgh - spending a day/two there and then visiting parts of the lake district. Would it be possible to fit the Isle of Aaran in there? Please advise on a itinerary for that period - will fly in from London (or guess could take the Caledonian sleeper as well). Any help is greatly appreciated as need help with the itinerary and also mode of transport and places to stay (B&Bs are great).
Thanks so much,
Alok
Planning (a little late) a trip to Scotland for 5-6 days later this month. Was thinking of going to Edinburgh - spending a day/two there and then visiting parts of the lake district. Would it be possible to fit the Isle of Aaran in there? Please advise on a itinerary for that period - will fly in from London (or guess could take the Caledonian sleeper as well). Any help is greatly appreciated as need help with the itinerary and also mode of transport and places to stay (B&Bs are great).
Thanks so much,
Alok
Oct 9th, 2006, 10:32 AM
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Not sure what you mean by the lake district - do you mean the English Lake District, or areas of Scotland with lochs and perhaps mountains ?
Arran is very doable from Edinburgh - depending on the time of day it's about a 2 hour drive to the ferry port then a shortish boat ride. As you may know, Arran is sometimes said to be Scotland in miniature, being low & rolling in the south & mountainous in the north. So since you don't have long, you could do 2 days in Edinburgh, 2 days in Arran & 2 days...? (Although I don't remember any lochs in Arran, but I've only been once.)
Arran is very doable from Edinburgh - depending on the time of day it's about a 2 hour drive to the ferry port then a shortish boat ride. As you may know, Arran is sometimes said to be Scotland in miniature, being low & rolling in the south & mountainous in the north. So since you don't have long, you could do 2 days in Edinburgh, 2 days in Arran & 2 days...? (Although I don't remember any lochs in Arran, but I've only been once.)
Oct 9th, 2006, 02:13 PM
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Regarding Isle of Arran, Caroline is right, no lochs but one Lake (Tanna). Arran really is Scotland in miniature and IMO certainly worth spending several days there.If you don't have a car, there is a reasonable bus service to most of the villages. The drive from Brodick to Lochranza is one of my favorites. There are also a lot of hiking/biking opportunities. It's easily accessible from Edinburgh/Glasgow as has been already mentioned.
Oct 9th, 2006, 03:01 PM
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alok, if you want to read about our September trip on the Caledonian Express (and also the places we stayed) it's in my TR. (Click my name and look for TR titled "Scotland's the Best..."
The TR is a work in progress because work keeps getting in the way <sigh>
By the way, our B&B in Edinburgh gave us lovely soap and shower gel from Arran Aromatics, made right there.
The TR is a work in progress because work keeps getting in the way <sigh>By the way, our B&B in Edinburgh gave us lovely soap and shower gel from Arran Aromatics, made right there.
Oct 9th, 2006, 03:35 PM
#6
What everyone else said . . .
BUT -- you really do need to clarify if you meant THE Lake District. That is not in Scotland - and 5 days for Edinburgh, Arran, and the Lakes is just not long enough. How were you planning on traveling around outside of Edinburgh?
BUT -- you really do need to clarify if you meant THE Lake District. That is not in Scotland - and 5 days for Edinburgh, Arran, and the Lakes is just not long enough. How were you planning on traveling around outside of Edinburgh?
Oct 9th, 2006, 05:58 PM
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Five/six days doesn't really allow you much time to visit Edinburgh which IMO needs at least two full days and then try to get to Arran for a couple of days and still allow time to get back to London for flight back.
What time does our flight arrive? You could get a flight to Edinburgh or Glasgow (from London) for a very reasonable price if you fly off peak times. Personally I think this might be your best option.
Another idea would be to fly to Edinburgh, spend a couple of days and then go to Glasgow where you could probably pick up a day trip or even a two night trip to the Trossachs ( Loch Lomond and all that). This might be done from Edinburgh also?
As for the Lake District (England) that calls for a different plan entirely.
What time does our flight arrive? You could get a flight to Edinburgh or Glasgow (from London) for a very reasonable price if you fly off peak times. Personally I think this might be your best option.
Another idea would be to fly to Edinburgh, spend a couple of days and then go to Glasgow where you could probably pick up a day trip or even a two night trip to the Trossachs ( Loch Lomond and all that). This might be done from Edinburgh also?
As for the Lake District (England) that calls for a different plan entirely.
Oct 9th, 2006, 08:08 PM
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I would definitely not miss the Highlands! We just got back on Sept. 29 from Scotland. Rent a small car and go see Crieff, Pitlochry, and Aberfeldy. You can take in Dewar's distillery and Blair Castle. Or, stick around the Edinburgh area, and make sure to see Stirling Castle. Pitlochry has several nice B&B's to stay in, and a pub advertising haggis, neeps and taties! Don't miss out on a wee taste of Drambuie, too! Enjoy!
Oct 10th, 2006, 02:53 AM
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Apologies for the confusion - by the lake district meant the lochs in Scotland. So options were to do Edinburgh for a couple of days - see Stirling Castle and maybe Rosslyn Chapel and then head to Glasgow - make that the base and see the lakes from there. Alternatively could spend a couple of days in Edinburgh - and then head to Aaran - maybe spend a night in the Glasgow region - and then head onto Aaran - spend a couple of nights there and fly back from Glasgow. Could do cheap flights into Edinburgh and then out from Glasgow if I book in the next couple of days I guess. Would this work - also any suggestions on good B&B's in the places above. And any ideas on a reasonable car rental agency that would let me pick the car up in Edinburgh and drop it off at the airport in Glasgow. Thanks a ton for your help with this.
Alok
Alok
Oct 10th, 2006, 06:57 AM
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I'd try to get a flight into Edinburgh, spent a couple of days there, then travel to Glasgow. If you have the time, spend a day there.
From Glasgow Central you can take the train to Adrossen to catch the ferry o Brodick. The journey takes about an hour. To get the winter ferry schedule for Ardrossen/Brodick go to www.calmac.co.uk. The trip via ferry takes 50 min. If all goes well and with an early departure you should get to Arran late morning or early afternoon.
From Glasgow Central you can take the train to Adrossen to catch the ferry o Brodick. The journey takes about an hour. To get the winter ferry schedule for Ardrossen/Brodick go to www.calmac.co.uk. The trip via ferry takes 50 min. If all goes well and with an early departure you should get to Arran late morning or early afternoon.
Oct 10th, 2006, 07:38 AM
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It'sa fine idea to fly into Edinburgh and out of Glasgow, although were I you 8and travelling reasonably light) I'd do Edinburgh, go to Glasgow by train and get the car there once you're "finished with the city.
As to Lake District, we don't have one. Indeed we only have one lake (Tanna is a loch, historytraveler).If you look at a map of Scotland you will see vast areas of water but they are "lochs" and they start near England and finish near Norway. You could do a day trip to Arran from Glasgow, but did you have a special reason for going there?
I think you just don't have enough time to do everything you have in mind. Assume a day for arran, a day for Glasgow and you have two days to see, say the Trossachs and Loch Lomond. Much more can't be done.
As to Lake District, we don't have one. Indeed we only have one lake (Tanna is a loch, historytraveler).If you look at a map of Scotland you will see vast areas of water but they are "lochs" and they start near England and finish near Norway. You could do a day trip to Arran from Glasgow, but did you have a special reason for going there?
I think you just don't have enough time to do everything you have in mind. Assume a day for arran, a day for Glasgow and you have two days to see, say the Trossachs and Loch Lomond. Much more can't be done.
