Scotland driving tour - advice needed please
 

Hi all,
We've decided this year that we should do our first proper trip to Scotland - we've been to Edinburgh and Glasgow a couple of times but just for short weekends but have never got out into the countryside - so in June or July we're putting that right.

As ever this site has been an enormously helpful resource as have Undiscovered Scotland and the Eyewitness, Cadogan and Scotland the Best guidebooks. We've only got a week and as ever am sure we're trying to cram too much in but we love driving holidays every now and again and have driven round Europe twice now - once driving from Manchester to Athens and back for the Olympics in 2004, which we absolutely loved - so spending lots of time in the car is not a problem for us. However, it has to be a balance. On this trip we want to see beautiful scenery and we love history and old stuff. We have a preference for off the beaten track things rather than stuff more obviously orientated to tourists but we don't want to miss out on the must sees. Budget is a factor but as ever we will be staying in a mix of accommodation and will want to visit a few good restaurants.

This is my rough itinery, (thanks to wrenwood for a very similar post and to Sheila and Janisj for their advice on other posts) and I'd very much welcome your comments, thoughts and advice. I'm concerned that there may be things that I've missed or things that require time given to them that then mean the day's schedule isn't possible.

Saturday - leave early from Manchester
Culzean Castle
Overnight in Glasgow

Sunday
Burrell Collection (we didn't manage to see it previously)
Loch Lomand and the Trossachs
Doune Castle
Scenic drive via Aberfoyle
Overnight in Stirlng

Monday (this is a busy day! Is it too much?)
Stirling Castle
Scenic drive via Dumbarton, Helensburgh, Arrochar
Inveraray Castle
Either Crarae or Arduaine Gardens (which one?...currently thinking Crarae given that we're definately doing Inverewe Gardens)
Dunstaffnage Castle
Kilchurn Castle on Loch Awe (4 castles in one day! - this one will just be a quick stop)
Overnight in Crainlarich or Tyndrum

Tuesday
Loch Etive
Glencoe
Scenic drive along coast via Corran, Strontian, Kilchoan, beach at Morar
Overnight in Mallaig

Wednesday
Fort William
Kingussie
Aviemore
Inverness
Overnight in Inverness

Thursday
Loch Ness
Eilean Donan Castle
Kyle of Lochalsh
Skye
Overnight on Skye (depends whether I can book dinner at Three Chimneys but definately can't afford to stay there!)

Friday
Dunvegan Castle
Scenic drive round north coast of Skye
Wester Ross - Applecross, Plockton
Inverewe Garden
Ullapool
Overnight in Ullapool

Saturday
Scenic drive north of Ullapool - Achiltibuie, Lochinver, Unapool, Ardvreck Castle
Then head for overnight in Glasgow (is there a good route that we should take?)

Sunday
Drive home, stopping at Tebay Services on M6 for a big shop.

Thanks, Tim

Have alook at my trip report for last year's Scottish trip, it may a little.

Have a look at my trip report for last year's Scottish trip, it may help a little.

Must type more slowly!

Hi, Yes yours was one of the trip reports I read, very interesting, specially re food and am checking the power station as it sounds it would make a good contrast to everything else.
Thanks

Tim-we stayed in Silverdale Cottage which was located within walking distance of Three Chimneys-much less $$$ than TC B&B so you may want to look at it. Our meals at TC were excellent.

Nini - Perfect! Have emailed them with potential dates - excellent tip, thanks very much. Just updated my UK restaurant guide and TC is rated 30th in UK! - this whole trip is going to be organised around availability of table and B&B. Fingers crossed!

Tim

We have a business in Lytham and a house in Rockcliffe, D&G.

I assume that you live in Manchester.

The first day drive is long but doable.

Try to build in extra time on the Solway coast before you turn north to Ayrshire. I hate to blow our trumpet but Kirkcudbrightshire has a lot to offer and some few people come! The castles/coast match most in the north and you will not suffer the midges.

I would suggest a stopover in Kippford.

Hooray, Silverdale Cottage booked and Three Chimneys booked for 8.30pm (so no rushing just in case they get a second sitting and we have to vacate before 9.45pm). Such a good feeling when trip planning goes right!

Humpty - your part of Scotland is so much closer to home so while you are right to point out its attractions it will be far more likely that we will be able to take more time there another time. I neglected to say that we have had use of friends holiday cottage on the beach just north of Holy Island so have visited that part of the border region of Scotland a few times before and this trip was about geting north of Glasgow which we've never done. Also I'm looking forward to a Saturday night in Glasgow.

Saturday night is indeed an experience! Do you know where you are staying yet?

No, everything was hinging on the Three Chimneys so will now start firming up the routes and finding accommodations. In Glasgow I'm thinking a moderate central hotel where I'm not going to feel bad about getting in Sunday morning - Stayed at the Marks Hotel last time and ate at Fratelli Sarti and would not be disappointed to do the same again, though it would be great to try something different, as both were lovely last time. Any other sugestions though?

It took us two days to drive from Glasgow to Ullapool (Inverewe Gardens). I don't see a day (Saturday) spent farther north (Unapool) with an overnight in Glasgow.

If near Meigle, do not miss the small museum of Pictish stones:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7623437796997/

tjhome1 ~ I am SO JEALOUS you will be going to Culzean Castle! I opted out for a later trip when maybe we do the Lakes Region in Northern England and the Borders in Scotland.

To me it looks like you have an awful lot to do on some of those days, but I just posted my most recent itinerary, and maybe I don't have enough options!

I've been downloading Scottish music to burn CDs to play when over there. I'm psyched!

Hi, your original post has been so helpful. Yes, Culzean was a must see and saw that you had had to miss it off your trip but the border country and Lake District will make a fantastic future trip and you could even start off with a night in Manchester for some (very) contrasting urban culture.

You are right to warn against trying to do too much but having driven across Europe we're good at pacing our days and as the real purpose of this trip is a driving tour and seeing as much of a part of our homeland we've never seen before I don't want to miss out on getting as far north as we can. But I am still thinking very carefully about our overnight destinations.

Hope you have the entire Deacon Blue Raintown album as well as some Snow Patrol, Simple Minds, Associates, Big Country, Aztec Camera, Cocteau Twins, Annie Lennox and Paulo Nutini on those cds - and dont forget the quintessentially Scottish band The Proclaimers.

Fingers crossed that we get great weather in July!

Tim

<i>You are right to warn against trying to do too much but having driven across Europe we're good at pacing our days</i>

Driving in Scotland is slower than in any other European country where I've driven with the possible exception of alpine roads. The roads are narrow and driving on the left side of the road takes getting used to, hence a slower drive.