Scotland
Nov 13th, 2007, 06:04 AM
#1
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Scotland
My husband and I are trying to plan a trip to Scotland and are severely overwhelmed. We plan to rely on buses, trains and ferries and are having a hard time mapping out a plan for 11 days.
We wanted to fly into Glasgow or Edinburgh and we wanted to do a long distance walk of 2-3 days and see at least one of the islands. I wanted to see some mountains and cliffs and go horseback riding and he wants to visit a disitllery.
Please help us with an itenerary. everytime we think we have it mapped out we find out that the place we want to go is too far or hard to get to without a car!
thanks!
We wanted to fly into Glasgow or Edinburgh and we wanted to do a long distance walk of 2-3 days and see at least one of the islands. I wanted to see some mountains and cliffs and go horseback riding and he wants to visit a disitllery.
Please help us with an itenerary. everytime we think we have it mapped out we find out that the place we want to go is too far or hard to get to without a car!
thanks!
Nov 13th, 2007, 06:22 AM
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Sheila will give you the best answers as to where to go and what to see. What I suggest in cheching out "Traveline public transport information" to find out transportation between towns. Once in the site just click the map of Scotland then the to and from information. One thing, you might have to fill out the form using towns closer together for the best results. If you were to put in from Oban to Inverness you will not get the bus information as it stops for a change of buses in Ft Williams. So it requires two separate request. Next you might try National rail enquiries for train information. Also, I generally go each year and I can get to most every place by train, bus, and private guide. Did Mull, Skye and Orkney that way.
Nov 13th, 2007, 06:29 AM
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Sheila has a wealth of ideas and information.
You are going to fall in love with Scotland. It is my favourite country and cannot get enough of it. We've been there six times and are returning in 2010 after a few other trips to other parts of Europe. Don't know whether I can wait that long!
You are going to fall in love with Scotland. It is my favourite country and cannot get enough of it. We've been there six times and are returning in 2010 after a few other trips to other parts of Europe. Don't know whether I can wait that long!
Nov 13th, 2007, 06:41 AM
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I'm sure Sheila can help you much more than I - while I've done lots of research for our trip in June, I'm not a walker, and will be renting a car. However, I agree you'll fall in love with the place. Scotland is well-geared for walkers 
Nov 13th, 2007, 06:43 AM
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First we looked at doing Oban and Mull, which we later changed to Skye, and the Great Glenn Way walk and 3 nights on Orkney and then heading back to Glasgow but that was too much to pack in on one trip.
We are fine with spending 3-4 hours on a bus, train or ferry a few times but we don't want the whole trip to be taken up by traveling. We really want to get somewhere where we can take long walks on the beaches and cliffs and feel really remote, but also have access to a town sometimes for food, and without a car that seems hard.
If it helps, our budget for 11 days is about $2500. (not including our flights)
We are fine with spending 3-4 hours on a bus, train or ferry a few times but we don't want the whole trip to be taken up by traveling. We really want to get somewhere where we can take long walks on the beaches and cliffs and feel really remote, but also have access to a town sometimes for food, and without a car that seems hard.
If it helps, our budget for 11 days is about $2500. (not including our flights)
Nov 13th, 2007, 12:09 PM
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Okay so after a whole day of research I think I have a better idea.
We are thinking of just doing 4 nights on Skye with day trips to other islands and then 3 nights in Aviemore with lots of walking, some whiskey tours, and horse backriding, and then 3 nights in Glasgow.
Thoughts, suggestions?
Is Aviemore going to be too touristy?
We are thinking of just doing 4 nights on Skye with day trips to other islands and then 3 nights in Aviemore with lots of walking, some whiskey tours, and horse backriding, and then 3 nights in Glasgow.
Thoughts, suggestions?
Is Aviemore going to be too touristy?
Nov 13th, 2007, 02:32 PM
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My opinion on whisky tours is one should prove to be sufficent. Interesting, but better things to spend time on. For what ever reason I am not fond of the use of you limited time. However, its your trip. I know for sure you wouldn,t enjoy my past trips.
Nov 14th, 2007, 06:36 AM
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I forwarded this to my husband as he plans all our hiking trips:
"It all depends on what kind of gear you are going to have. You'll need good hiking boots and rain gear at the least.
The walk I had originally planned started in the town of Drymen (North of Glasgow, accessible by train to Ballach, then bus), and goes up along the Eastern shore of Loch Lomond all the way to Ardlui at the Northern tip of the lake. It could be done in three days if you're good hikers, but you'll probably need to camp (there is a B&B in Rowardennan, which could be used if you think they can do the hike in two days). It isn't a mountain hike, but skirts along the edge of the lake, and there are paths that go up the mountains around it (though they would take extra time). The path is part of the West Highland Way (http://www.west-highland-way.co.uk/home.asp)(in particular it covers these four sections: Drymen to Balmaha, Balmaha to Rowardennan,
Rowardennan to Inversnaid, Inversnaid to Inverarnan). In total it's
about 28 miles. The train can be picked up in Ardlui and taken either back to Glasgow, or on to Oban if they want to hit a distillery and catch a ferry out to the isles."
We also did a long weekend in Skye last May and I still rave about it. The hiking is just incredible and you can't beat the scenery. It is accessible by public transport to Portree but getting around the island proved a bit difficult and we ended up having a friend bring his car. The B&B owners were incredibly nice and ended up driving us to the start of our hike so we could leave the car at the end, so I'm sure things like that could be arranged with some planning.
We actually haven't been to Glasgow yet (lived in Edinburgh for almost 2 years), but just wanted ot say that it would be a shame to miss out on seeing Edinburgh - it really is a beautiful city. It's only 45 minutes by train from Glasgow so it's worth considering.
"It all depends on what kind of gear you are going to have. You'll need good hiking boots and rain gear at the least.
The walk I had originally planned started in the town of Drymen (North of Glasgow, accessible by train to Ballach, then bus), and goes up along the Eastern shore of Loch Lomond all the way to Ardlui at the Northern tip of the lake. It could be done in three days if you're good hikers, but you'll probably need to camp (there is a B&B in Rowardennan, which could be used if you think they can do the hike in two days). It isn't a mountain hike, but skirts along the edge of the lake, and there are paths that go up the mountains around it (though they would take extra time). The path is part of the West Highland Way (http://www.west-highland-way.co.uk/home.asp)(in particular it covers these four sections: Drymen to Balmaha, Balmaha to Rowardennan,
Rowardennan to Inversnaid, Inversnaid to Inverarnan). In total it's
about 28 miles. The train can be picked up in Ardlui and taken either back to Glasgow, or on to Oban if they want to hit a distillery and catch a ferry out to the isles."
We also did a long weekend in Skye last May and I still rave about it. The hiking is just incredible and you can't beat the scenery. It is accessible by public transport to Portree but getting around the island proved a bit difficult and we ended up having a friend bring his car. The B&B owners were incredibly nice and ended up driving us to the start of our hike so we could leave the car at the end, so I'm sure things like that could be arranged with some planning.
We actually haven't been to Glasgow yet (lived in Edinburgh for almost 2 years), but just wanted ot say that it would be a shame to miss out on seeing Edinburgh - it really is a beautiful city. It's only 45 minutes by train from Glasgow so it's worth considering.
Nov 17th, 2007, 03:36 AM
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Sorry to have been so long getting back to you. It's been a tough week.
You arrive on a Thursday morning in August, you want to use public transport, you want to do a walk and see an island, see some highlands, go trekking and visit a distillery. You leave on a Monday 10 days later. OK.
Well, here's something for you to think about. I'm quite happy to alter or come up with something totally different, if you prefer.
Spend the 21st in Glasgow getting your bearings, buying all the things you've forgotten, then take teh train to Milngavie. From Milngavie follow the West Highland Way. If you have 3 days, and you're reasonably fit, you will get to Gartness on day one,Rowardennan on Day two and Inverarnan on Day three.
That ticks off walk, highlands, loch.
I'm assuming you are OK about camping whilst walking, because a chunk of this is off the beaten track.
If you then walk another 6kms on Sunday, you will get to Crianlarich where you can get a train onwards and upwards.Me, I'd suggest Oban as your destination. Apart from anything else, it's got a distiller which makes super whisky, and it's the ferry port for most of the West Coast islands. You'll be there in plenty of time to take a tour.
Then, pick your island. Mull is 30 minutes away, and the ferry shuttles across. On foot, no problem. Buses meet the boat so you can move on to where you want. Alternatively, you could spend a day or so on Coll and Tiree; or you could catch the overnight ferry to Lochboisdale in South Uist.
If you go with either of the first 2, head back to Oban for Wednesday afternoon, then catch the tea-time ferry to Islay. 8 more distilleries and masses of fantastic walking. The ferry back to Kennacraig links withthe Glasgow bus, so you just aim to be back when you want.
If you want to do the Outer Isles trip, then when you get to Lochboisdale, you use the local bus to take you up through the Uists to Lochmaddy. For the sake of argument, you spend a day or so there, then cross on the Lochmaddy boat to Uig, and spend a day or two on Skye, before getting the train from Kyleakin to Inverness and on to Glasgow.
You can get your long walks just about anywhere on either of those routes.
You really don't want more than one distillery tour- at most 2 if you can find one with a malting floor like Bowmore on Islay- but you do want somewhere nice to sample. So pick a place with a specialist bar. they're not hard to find in amongst the ditilleries.
Now, as an alternative to all that, I could do you a similar trip based on the Speyside Way and Orkney.
And you can get people to carry your bags along these walks if you prefer not to do it yourself.
You arrive on a Thursday morning in August, you want to use public transport, you want to do a walk and see an island, see some highlands, go trekking and visit a distillery. You leave on a Monday 10 days later. OK.
Well, here's something for you to think about. I'm quite happy to alter or come up with something totally different, if you prefer.
Spend the 21st in Glasgow getting your bearings, buying all the things you've forgotten, then take teh train to Milngavie. From Milngavie follow the West Highland Way. If you have 3 days, and you're reasonably fit, you will get to Gartness on day one,Rowardennan on Day two and Inverarnan on Day three.
That ticks off walk, highlands, loch.
I'm assuming you are OK about camping whilst walking, because a chunk of this is off the beaten track.
If you then walk another 6kms on Sunday, you will get to Crianlarich where you can get a train onwards and upwards.Me, I'd suggest Oban as your destination. Apart from anything else, it's got a distiller which makes super whisky, and it's the ferry port for most of the West Coast islands. You'll be there in plenty of time to take a tour.
Then, pick your island. Mull is 30 minutes away, and the ferry shuttles across. On foot, no problem. Buses meet the boat so you can move on to where you want. Alternatively, you could spend a day or so on Coll and Tiree; or you could catch the overnight ferry to Lochboisdale in South Uist.
If you go with either of the first 2, head back to Oban for Wednesday afternoon, then catch the tea-time ferry to Islay. 8 more distilleries and masses of fantastic walking. The ferry back to Kennacraig links withthe Glasgow bus, so you just aim to be back when you want.
If you want to do the Outer Isles trip, then when you get to Lochboisdale, you use the local bus to take you up through the Uists to Lochmaddy. For the sake of argument, you spend a day or so there, then cross on the Lochmaddy boat to Uig, and spend a day or two on Skye, before getting the train from Kyleakin to Inverness and on to Glasgow.
You can get your long walks just about anywhere on either of those routes.
You really don't want more than one distillery tour- at most 2 if you can find one with a malting floor like Bowmore on Islay- but you do want somewhere nice to sample. So pick a place with a specialist bar. they're not hard to find in amongst the ditilleries.
Now, as an alternative to all that, I could do you a similar trip based on the Speyside Way and Orkney.
And you can get people to carry your bags along these walks if you prefer not to do it yourself.
