Hi! I have everything all planned and mostly organized now. Plane tickets, ferry tickets, explorer pass all taken care of. Got a cell phone (GSM unlocked) and a SIM card through Virgin. Now the only thing that is keeping me from being completely organized is the day-day activities. I have created a draft of my itinerary with things I would like to do, but I don't know if I have mis-judged distances and maybe not made the smartest of choices on what to do on what day. I have pasted the proposed itinerary below. Please let me know if there is a day where there is too much or a day where there is too little.

Itinerary:

Edinburgh-
Royal British Hotel

Sunday- (Plane lands 9:45am, check-in early at hotel, or leave luggage with front desk)
Hop-on Hop-off bus (Take full tour, then get off at top of Royal Mile, walk up to castle, see sites on way back down) Guide Friday Bus
Holyrood Palace
Botanic Garden

Monday:
Carlton Hill
Arthur's Seat
Royal Yacht Britannia (Leith- get 22 bus to Ocean Terminal.)
Pub lunch on the Shore in the old docks area
Royal Observatory
Tartan Weaving Mill

Tuesday:
Day trip: ½ Day- Ayr (Culzean Castle)
½ Day- St. Andrews

Wednesday:
Craigmillar Castle
Tantallon Castle
Night: City of the Dead tour

Thursday- (Leave Edinburgh for Callander)
Pick up car- 10am

Poppies Hotel

Bannockburn
Cambuskenneth Abbey
Castle Campbell
Loch Katrine
Rob Roy Centre?

Friday:
Bus to Stirling and catch hop-on hop-off bus to see sites
First Group Service
Depart Callander Bus Station- 9:58am
Depart Stirling Bus Station- 6:05pm

Saturday- (Leave Callander for Isle of Skye)

Dunvegan Hotel

Eilean Donan Castle
Armadale Castle
Dunvegan Castle
Skye Skyns

Sunday:
Central Skye (Sunday restrictions)

Monday:
Northeast Skye:
Fairy Glen
Kilt rock/waterfall
Old Man of Storr
Quiraing
Duntulm Castle

Tuesday- (Drive to Uig for Ferry @ 6am traveling to Tarbert)
Arrive in Tarbert, drive to Callanish

Loch Roag Guest House

Lews Castle
Broch of Dun Carloway
Steinacleit Cairn and Stone Circle
Callanish Stones

Wednesday- (Drive to Stornoway for Ferry @ 6am traveling to Ullapool)
Drive to Inverness from Ullapool

The Waterside Hotel

Loch Ness
Culloden Battlefield
Clava Cairns
Urquhart Castle

Thursday:
Day tour: Puffin Express to John O’Groats

Friday- (Drop off car, take train to Edinburgh)
Point Hotel

Relax

Saturday:
Flight departs for home

jodirb, it's great that you have nearly 2 weeks in Scotland. You'll have time to get a good taste of the country. My initial reaction to your proposed itinerary is that you haven't used a map enough in your planning. The other point I'd make is that while Scotland is a small country, that's deceptive. It takes a lot longer to get around on the roads than you might think. Here are some observations:

On Monday, it's doubtful you can fit Carlton Hill, Arthur's Seat, and the Royal Yacht in before lunch. Arthur's Seat is one of my very favorite things in Edinburgh - the views are amazing. You will need a couple of hours for the walk. If the Tartan Weaving Mill is the one located on the Royal Mile, you should do that the day you are on the Royal Mile.

Tuesday is problematical. Ayr and St. Andrews are in opposite directions from each other with respect to Edinburgh. Assuming you are taking public transportation, St. Andrews by itself would likely be a full day trip. Ayr/Culzean would, imo, be a tough day trip by itself. I don't see how you could combine the two destinations.

Then I'm confused as to why you'd pick up a car from Edinburgh on Thursday and drive - through Stirling - to Callander only to turn around the next day and take a bus tour back to Stirling. Although Stirling is lovely, the castle is the main draw, and maybe the Wallace Monument. You could do both on your way from Edinburgh in half a day and then continue on.

On Saturday, driving from Callander to Skye will not leave you enough time to tour three castles and Skye Skyns. Both Dunvegan and Skye Skyns are in the north part of Skye, Armadale is in the far south. Eilean Donan is a nice photo op from the outside, but I bother with the inside.

I haven't been to the north of Skye, the Hebrides or north of Inverness, so no comment there. Your last Wednesday looks pretty ambitious - Stornoway to Ullapool to Inverness, then trying to visit four sites. I'd definitely drop Urquahart Castle.

I can't help with much of your trip, but I do have two comments.

I think you would have to be incredibly fit to visit Calton Hill, climb up and back down Arthur's Seat and visit the Royal Yacht, all before lunch.

How are you getting to Ayr? It is two and half hours by train to Ayr, plus another half hour I would guess to the castle. I don't see this being done in a morning, either.

Acoule of things stand out.

it's a long trip to Culzean and back to St. Andrews. Have you looked at the drive times?I reall don't think you can do a half day to Culzean and a half day in St. Andrews.

Likewise coming from Ullapool and trying to fit in Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle, Clava Stones and Culloden is a bit ambitious.

And why are you going to John O' Groats if not continuing to the Orkney's. It's not worth the time IMO. Also there will be little time to relax(Edinburgh) as it'll takes the better part of the day to get from O'Groat's to Edinburgh.

At Lewis Castle is now a college and only the grounds are open to the public. Personally I would give it a miss with your time allotment.

Reconsider the distances...a problem a lot of first time travlers have in determining their Scotland itinerary.

Geez, I hate all those typos!

It is clear you have done some serious research - but it is also clear you have been confused by some of your research.

To repeat a bit of what the others have said:

1) Impossible to do Arthur's seat plus almost anything else in a morning - and definitely not Calton Hilll and the Royal Yacht

2) Your Edinburgh tuesday makes absolutely no sense. Either St Andrews OR Ayrshire would be a full day trip by itself - neither is a 1/2 day and they would be impossible on the same day.

While St Andrews is a fairly easy day trip by train/bus, you could leave Edinburgh a day earlier and drive into Fife and see more and spend the night before heading west.

3) I 100% agree about driving through Stirling only to turn around the next day and take a bus back. Just tour the castle on the way to Callander

As you have it now you are driving past Callander to Loch Katrine and then backtracking the next day. If you visit Stirling enroute, you can see Loch Katrine the next day.

4) you need to look at a map of Skye - and then rearrange into things nearer each other,

5) Are you just taking the Puffin Express to John 'o Groats (instead of one to Orkney) - why? You will have a car and are landing at Ullapool. Why not drive the northern loop yourself and then head down to Inverness a day later to see Culloden etc.

Sorry, didn't mean to confuse everyone on the day in Edinburgh with doing everything before lunch. I don't know why I stuck it in there like that but I knew I would have to do the lunch right before doing anything else in Leith simply because I know that I would like to spend quite a bit of time enjoying Carlton Hill and Arthurs Seat. Thanks all for your notes I really appreciate your help, and I apologize for the convoluted way I put things on! All the help you are providing on the order of things really helps!

I think I will definitely cut out the 2 1/2 day trips and just try to decide which one I'd like to see more. Culzean Castle looks fantastic, but on the other hand St. Andrews is an entire town and not just one site. I'll really have to think on that one.

As for the day in Stirling, there are quite a few things in addition to the castle and the monument that I would like to do, and heard that the best way to do this would be on the hop-on hop-off bus. I'd also read not to bring a car into Stirling which was why I'd decided to take the bus from Callander. Thought it might make it easier all the way around. Is this not the case?

I have now moved the tartan weaving mill on to the first day when on the Royal Mile. Thanks for the tip!

When on Skye, I thought that on my drive in, I would stop and see Eilean Donan briefly and then head over the bridge and go to Armadale. After that I thought I would drive on to my Hotel in Dungvegan and see the Castle once checked in. If this is not a good idea, I can see Dunvegan castle the next morning on my way to the other sites, or just cut out Armadale all together....

The reasoning for the John O'Groats tour is basically just to see Duncansby Stacks. I saw a picture of it and knew that I really wanted to see the cliffs. I looked at the driving time and train times on it and it just seemed a really long distance. After all the driving from the other days, I figured I would need a little breather from it. The reason I didn't fit Orkney into the John O'Groats trip is that it would have been an overnight trip. With the things I was wanting to see, I thought I would save the Orkneys for another trip.

Ok, now that I have given my reasoning for the things I was doing and writing in, please don't hesitate to critisize. I want to have the best trip possible. To me this does not mean I have to see everything. More, I'd like to enjoy the things I see. Thanks again for your help!

All your reasoning really doesn't change the major issues.

Stirling: Yes it is not that easy to drive through Stirling. BUT there is a car park right at the Castle and very clear signs to get you there. Park at the castle, tour the castle, jump on the hop-on-hop-off bus at the castle and ride around, back to the castle and your car. The Castle is on the west side of the town -- and so is the Motorway so your don't have to drive through the whole town - junction 10 and follow the signs . . . .

Are you going to climb Arthur's Seat - or just look up at it? It is a very strenuous walk.

Driving on Skye is not fast - even on the main roads. Armadale is a nice visit -especially if you are a MacDonald, but it is on a very slow road and much of it is single track. If you want to go there - why not take the ferry right to Armadale? That way you don't have to back track. Then when you leave Skye you can take the bridge and visit Eilean Donan then. (but don't bother going inside - it is really just an amazing photo stop)

You are a good sport, jodirb, and realize that the comments are all meant to be constructive!

I guess I still am wondering about taking a whole day trip to Stirling.

Do you have experience driving on the left, or is this your first time? and will you be by yourself? I can see your point about not wanting to drive into Stirling since you will have just gotten your car at Edinburgh that morning (unless you follow janisj's suggestion of rearranging so that you drive to Fife/St. Andrews the day before).

I don't think driving in Stirling was all that terrible. The first time we went we just drove through town and up to a car park near the castle. As janisj says, you could ride the hop on bus from there, but you could also walk. There is a nice tourist info center in the old town (signs will point you to it) and you can get a brochure for a walking tour.

The city is pretty compact, and I really don't think the hop on hop off will get you that much. The bus route takes you (I think) outside of Stirling proper to places like the University of Stirling and Bridge of Allan which are sites of secondary importance, imo (although the Allan Water Cafe in Bridge of Allan serves great fish and chips). The bus tour does include Bannockburn (again, I think) which is on your list for another day. I don't know that I'd even say climbing the Wallace Monument is a must. You will have a pretty nice view of the surrounding countryside from Stirling Castle, including a good view of the Wallace Monument.

Janis, I like your idea of the ferry to Armadale and then up through Skye (makes the drive from Callander shorter also, I think, and the scenery is as beautiful, imo). However, since the OP is leaving Skye by ferry to the Hebrides and not by the bridge, he/she would have to skip Eilean Donan (no great loss).

Oh - oops (palm slapping forehead font) Duh.

But to recover a bit - I'd rather see Glenfinnan/the Viaduct than Eilean Donan anyway . . . .

Thanks so much guys! I think I will go ahead and park at the car park for Stirling after I leave Edinburgh and take the bus route. I was wanting more downtime in Callander for hiking and getting more of the natural scenery and this is the perfect solution.

For Arthurs Seat, I think I might just be viewing it. Depends on how much energy I have on that day.

Eilean Donan- This is not the first post I've seen that says to just take a photo op and move on, so I think I'm convinced to take that advise and pass it by.

This will actually be my first time driving on the left side; I am a female traveling solo so I really appreciate you making this as easy on me as possible I have to say I'm really glad I posted this 2 months ahead of my trip. Makes me feel much more relaxed to have things set...on paper anyway

Hope you haven't felt we were piling on - you did have the basic framework for a great trip w/ a lot of wonderful sites along the way. Just some of the details/specifics needed a bit of massaging.

A few more thoughts

As janisj has mentioned already you'll have to do some back-tracking if you go to Armadale. If you do decide to go I highly recommend the new museum at Armadale. There is also a wonderful loop you can do through the small villages of Ord,Tokavaig and Tarskavaig. Most tourists miss this very special part of Skye. Yes, the road is mostly single-track, but there is little or no traffic.

The suggestion to go to Joh O' Groats along the north coast(Durness, Tongue and Thurso) is good.It will be a long drive so will really depend on when you arrive at Ullapool.

If you have the time on your tour of Lewis, I'd also rcommend a visit to the Arnol Blackhouse Museum. A quickie stop might be the charming Siabost (Shawbost) folk museum nearby. Done mostly by school children to represent life on the island.

I wasn't suggesting that you go to Orkney while at John O'Groats. You are right to save it for another trip. I just wondered why John O' Groats? Your reason is quite valid IMO. Taking the Puffin Express is probably a good idea... a brake from all the driving.

I meant to add, before my post got away from me, that I hope (I'm certain) you'll have a wonderful trip to Scotland.

Re Royal Observatory, are you talking about the Royal Observatory on Blackford Hill or the City Observatory on Calton (note not Carlton) Hill.

At Blackford Hill there isn't any signifcant public viewing as they are only open for school parties & pre-booked events - www.roe.ac.uk/vc/events/ - otherwise there isn't much reason to go there except for the views of Edinburgh

As far as I know Observatory at Calton Hill is run by the local Astronomical Society & isn't open to the public - www.astronomyedinburgh.org

As for your 1st day suggestions, I think you'll give up halfway and miss out the Botanic Gardens. You may find however that your hop-on/hop off tour goes past the Botanic Gardens (not all do) in which case, hop off & visit

Your Tuesday trip is nothing short of insane as it involves at least 6 hours & 250 miles of travel (hint Ayr is on he West coast, Edinburgh & St Andrews on the East)

A couple of further thoughts. If you are at all into hiking and have hiking boots, you should certainly try to make time to climb Arthur's Seat. There is some exercise involved, but the views are worth it.

You also mentioned having more time to do some hiking around Callander. A very nice walk is the Callander Craigs walk, including the loop to Bracklinn Falls. It starts from the western edge of town, climbs pretty steeply up onto the ridge above Callander, then follows the ridge east past the Queen Victoria memorial, with nice views down into the valley and north to Ben Ledi. You can find a fuller description by googling "Callander Craigs", but they will also have a little trail pamphlet at the TIC in Callander.

Thanks for all the great suggestions! due to all the wonderful ideas, I think my itinerary has gone out of the draft stages. I didn't feel piled upon at all. I posted this in here for this very reason. I was hoping that you guys would set my time straight and you have all been wonderfully helpful! While in Armadale I will definitely try for the other areas; I guess it will all depend on how I'm feeling behind the drivers seat at the time

The Callander Craigs sounds wonderful. I think I'll definitely try to get that in on my now full day in Callander.

Thanks again everyone for your patience in helping, I'm extremely excited about this trip and I know I'm going to have a blast!

I hope you will post a report when you get back! Just to reassure you, we drove through Stirling and did not find it too bad. You just have to watch out for the one-way streets. We did not drive in Edinburgh and were very pleased with that decision (we parked at a park-and-ride instead). The castle car park is not free but is very convenient.

I found that after 2-3 castles, I was done. Do a drive by the others because once inside, they all look the same!