Scotland summer 2025
 

you have all been very helpful.
It sounds like getting from Glasgow to Fionnphort on Mull in one day is a bit extreme..Oban overnight might be a better stop.
Then our route is from Fionnphort to tobermory ferry to Kilchoan drive to Mallaig and ferry to Armadale to Kyle of Lochaish staying on the mainland.Is this possible in one day??Any advice welcome

Scotland summer 2025
 

Thinking of staying at Sealladh guest house Ardelve near Dornie and exploring Skye from there across the bridge for 2 full days.Is this reasonable as opposed to staying on Skye.Most of what we want to see on Skye is in the middle/south of the islandThanks for your advice

Absolutely not. Do note all the comments about how slow the driving is. Driving just from Ardelve to Portree takes more than an hour. Or Ardelve to the top of the Trotternish at say Duntulm takes more than 2 hours each way. A minimal driving day tour something like Ardelve, around the Trotternish Peninsula, Dunvegan, Talisker and back to Ardelve would require more than five hours butts in seats. With stops that would be a 10 hour day. It simply isn't practical to tour much of Skye from off island, or even from the southern end of the island. Either stay in Portree, at Sligachan,. Orr in some airbnb or B&B sort of mid-Isle., i.e. not in Broadford.

Scotland summer 2025
 

New itinerary glasgow 678 june
mull 9 10 11 june
skye 12 13 14 15 june
lewis and harris 16 17 18 june
ullapool 19 20 june
gairloch 21 22 june
\fort william 23 24 june partner wants to do the jacobite train
inverness 25 26 june
cairngorms 27 28 june
edinburgh 29 30 june 1 july
glasgow 2 june
fly home to canada 3 july

what do you think//all suggestions welcome

Not bad -- I'd maybe consider fitting Ft William in between Mull and Skye (though I'd stay in Ballachulish or Glencoe rather than IN Ft William). So it would be: Mull > Ft William area/Jacobite > Skye > Outer Hebrides > the rest of your plan.

And I would not stay IN Inverness but somewhere like Nairn, or on the Black Isle, or Culloden

Scotland summer 2025
 

Thanks Janis
We are going to do the train form fort William to Mallaig after Skye the outer Hebrides Ullapool Gairloch Inverness.Going from Inverness to fort William
then we are driving the A 86 A 9 down to Perth with one stop on the way.then overnight in Stirling and on to Edinburgh.Any suggestions for where to stop betwwen Fort William and Perth??Thanks

That just seems more zigging and zagging than needed. And driving Gairloch to Ft William takes almost twice the time of Gairloch to Inverness.

Mull > Ft William area for the train (again - not IN Ft William). Then Skye > ferry from Skye to Harris, then ferry From Stornoway, and so forth. Just seems easier to fit in Ft William/train between Mull and Skye.

Then Inverness / Cairngorms / Stirling is an easy, direct drive down the A9

Scotland summer 2025
 

Sorry Janis I messed up..............1
we are doing fort William after Inverness and then travelling the A86 A9 to Perth and on to Stirling Edinburgh.Any ideas for any stops before reaching Perth?Thanks

And my comments wouldn't change. Ft William just makes more sense between Mull and Skye, and from Inverness down the A9 makes more sense than zigging over to Ft William and back. Why build in extra mileage/drive times when not needed?

When do the two days in Cairngorm(Aviemore area?) fit into things , as after Fort William you mention heading for Perth?

it doesn’t really matter , it’s through lovely scenery, but you do know that the train journey pretty much follows the road route from Fort William to Mallaig? My point being that if you travel from Mull to Skye via Ardnamurchan and the Lochailort road, you will be driving the same route that the train takes from that point to Mallaig.Just to point it out…chances are the weather will be completely different and it will all look quite different!

You don’t seem to have Glencoe and Rannoch Moor into your plans, so I would be doing that Fort W - Perth journey via the A82 through Glencoe then across to the A9 and Perth via Crianlarich.

However, my question about Cairngorm still stands…

Nice to see you have the Outer Hebrides and part of the NW Highlands in your plans.Do try to see something if Torridon as you head south…20 min drive through Glen Torridon to the village and immense scenery from Kinlochewe but..given where else you are planning it may have to wait for that second trip!

Tried to explain that a few times but apparently the train is non-negotiable

Scotland summer 2025
 

driving from Inverness via the Cairngorms to Perth on to Stirling and on to Edinburgh. in 4 days.Where to stay in the Cairngorms for 2 nights and Stirling 0ne night?

Scotland summer 2025
 

My partner really wants to do the Jacobite train but we cannot book it till 25 november.If we base our itinerary around 2 nights in fort William in the earlier part of our trip we may have more of a problem booking later days as opposed to booking Mull Skye Lewis and Harris Ullapool Gairloch Inverness and then going down to fort William for the train.I know we are zigzagging a bit but it seems to make more sense booking the train later??

I'm not quite sure I follow?? Why would booking the train early in the Itinerary be more problematic than booking it for 12 days later in the trip?

Scotland summer 2025
 

Hi Janis
we feel that we cannot confirm our stays onward until we have booked the train so we have to delay booking our itinerary until after 25 november which might limit our avalability at planned locations.We cannot book the train until Novemer 25.does this make sense?

Lewis and harris accomodation
 

3 Nights on Lewis/Harris June 16 17 18gGetting the 14.10 ferry from Uig on Skye to Tarbet coming back from Stornaway to Ullopool.Any suggestions on where to stay?
Are there any ferry cancelllations ever on this route in June?

Yes even summer ferries get cancelled or delayed..there have been regular issues across the whole aging fleet.That said, weather is less likely to be an issue in June..ie high winds.Technical issues can happen anytime.

Re accommodation..I'll come back on that re bases.

Lewis and harris accomodation
 

Hi ScotlandMac,
Been looking at Royal Hotel, Ceol na Mara,Arch Inn and Caledonian hotel as options on Lewis/Harris for 3 nights in June.Is that a reasonable time frame?Thanks for your help

Ron

Lewis and harris accomodation
 

Sorry Scotland Mac Ceol na Mara is the only one on Lewis/Harris the other 3 I mentioned are on Ullapool.your advice on those on Ullapool would be welcome.Ceol na Mara looks like we will pick unless you can come up with a better alternative.We need a bedroom with twin beds which can limit our choice.

Ceol na Mara looks good…east coast and certainly for a short time on the islands it’s handy for travelling about.Bear in mind that the archaeological sites on Lewis are up in its more northern end…Callanish, Carloway Broch, Norse Mill and Kiln, Bosta Iron Age roundhouse, Gearranan Blackhouse village, Arnol Blackhouse.All well worth seeing.So with 2 days on the island plus then travelling all the way up to Stornoway for the ferry(about an hour from Tarbert on a good fast road) you need to plan those days carefully.All of these Lewis sites would need a whole day’s sightseeing at least.

My own preference would always be to stay somewhere on Harris’s stunning south/west coast…but these places tend to be VERY expensive.There are a few down the Luskentyre road for example.The scenery on the east coast is stunning too, in a different way.You can’t really go wrong on Harris.

I wouldn’t go for the Caledonian Hotel, always thought the Royal looked nice, good location too albeit pretty much on the main road coming into Ullapool.Never stayed in any of these.We usually go for smaller B&Bs in Ullapool (in one right now!) I’d choose it over the Arch Inn.

Ok Janis…missed that!

Scotland summer 2025
 

We are taking ferries to Mull and Skye and Harris/Lewis.Should we be booking them now for next June??

Scotland summer 2025
 

Latest itinerary
Glasgow 6 7 8 June
Mull 9 10 11 June
Skye 12 13 14 15 June
Harris/Lewis 16 17 18 June
Poolewe 19 20 21 June
Inverness or in same area 22 23 June
fort William for the jacobite train 24 25 June
26 27 28 where to stay on our way to Edinburgh???
Edinburgh 29 30 June 1 July
Glasgow 2 July
Fly home to British Columbia Canada 10.45 am flight
Any suggestions for the 262728 stops??
Thank you

Ron

Scotland summer 2025
 

We are overnighting in glasgow on 2 July.Our flight leaves the morning of 3 July to Canada

For 26 - 28 June I'd consider Callander, Aberfoyle, Doune or in that general area. That would be a base for the Trossachs, lovely Inchmahome Priory, Stirling Castle, Doune Castle (Monty Python :) ) Loch Lomond, Loch Katrine, other lochs, Killin/Falls of Dochart, Loch Tay, Balquhidder, etc. etc.,

Calmac have changed their booking system and now 'open' bookings for certain time periods and crossings.Check their website to see when they open.
For example I booked our Ullapool - Stornoway crossing in July when the booking window opened in January, I think it was.
Definitely book all your journeys as soon as...
If you need to change them, there's no charge.Small admin charge for complete cancellation.

Fort William to Edinburgh 3 nights ? itinerary ? Callender/Doune area as suggested or drive to Perth Stirling Edinburgh? Which are the positives/negatives of each route.Which way would you go?

My post explains which way I'd go and lists many places of beauty/history/interest. Maybe google some of the places I mentioned and decide for yourselves . . .

Scotland summer 2025
 

thinking of staying in Nairn instead of Inverness.Any comments on the Aurora or Waverley hotels for a 2 night stay?
How long to drive from Nairn to Fort William realistically in one day while enjoying some stops along the way?

Scotland summer 2025
 

Nairn to fort William how long to plan for including some interesting spots along the way.Is it possible in one day??

Easy in one day with stops/visits at say . . . Urquhart Castle and Spean Bridge, plus photo ops. The entire route is less than 85 miles.

Scotland summer 2025
 

thanks Janis.How long to make the drive Nairn to Fort William via A939 Grantown on Spey Aviemore Laggan to fort William with some stops taking one full day??

Is there a reason you want to go that way? its just over 100 mies so still totally doable and the Cairngorms do have nice scenery -- . But Aviemore is mostly a resort area (dozens and dozens of hotels, B&B's, holiday rentals, camp grounds, etc. in the small town. The Aviemore tourist info site lists 197 - in a town of about 3000 people) and you could easily visit Grantown-on-Spey as an excursion from Nairn.

Scotland summer 2025
 

Thanks Janis.Which is the more scenic/interesting route in June.The A98 A82 Nairn to fort William via Fort Augustus Invergarry or the A939 A95 A86 viqa Grantown on spey/Cairngorms??
Which route would you take??

The both offer some lovely scenery.

Aviemore itself is not worth seeing but a short detour into Rothiemurchus to Loch Morlich and/or Loch an Eilein will give you some beautiful Cairngorm scenery including the wonderful Caledonian Pine Forest itself.Of you are up to a shortish easy walk,parking at the end of the Glenmore road (limited parking) will let you do the gorgeous wander to Lochan Uaine, the Green Lochan amidst delightful scenery.Or drive up to the Ski Centre for a cuppa in the Mountain Cafe (albeit with the ski paraphernalia around.) Still a fine spot.

The drive from Dalwhinnie across country to Spean Bridge has some lovely scenery too.

The road down Loch Ness gets quite busy - Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness, Fort Augustus is a pleasant wee place where the loch is at its most scenic.Boat trips to the famous castle ruins possible from just outside of Inverness too.Probably the best way to see it if weather allows.

I rarely miss a stop at Glengarry Castle Hotel, a gem…lovely as a coffee stop and a wee wander down to pretty Loch Oich through the hotel’s garden grounds.

Great mountain and loch scenery at Loch Lochy. A stop at the Commando Memorial gives fine views to Ben Nevis, if clear and the Grey Corries range.

If budget allows, another fine tea stop is Inverlochy Castle hotel…pricey but a treat.5 star luxury in the grandest of Scottish Country House hotels but always a very friendly, down to earth welcome to non residents.

You can of course cut out the main A82 down Loch Ness and after Inverness, head on the minor, twisting toad across country to Fort Augustus, a route I have always meant to do but never have!

Meant to say from Nairn south to Grantown on Spey, this takes you through (eventually) some nice quiet moorland country(Dava Moor) and a lovely spot at Lochindorb with its ruined castle on a very lonely loch.Nice picnic spot…probably no one else around.

"You can of course cut out the main A82 down Loch Ness and after Inverness, head on the minor, twisting toad across country to Fort Augustus, a route I have always meant to do but never have!"

Do you mean the B851/862 down the east side of Loch Ness via Foyers? I've driven that a couple of times - lovely drive, much less traffic with some sections of single track. Also partly General Wade's Road. I prefer it to the A82 really . . . however you would miss Urquhart going that way, and you might just be over single tracks by then ;)

Scotlandmac's mention of the Commando Memorial near Spean Bridge reminded me of another memorial near your travels. The Arctic Convoy Memorial is just a few minutes north of Poolewe. The history of these supply convoys isn't very well known by most Americans, but the crews on these ships (merchant vessels, protected by British, Canadian and U.S. naval warships) endured incredible danger and hardship. There are a couple of other WWII landmarks near the memorial... an anti-aircraft battery, etc. Haunting place, beautiful views.

Scotland summer 2025
 

Is there any history/places regarding Ernest Shackleton the Antarctic explorer and his ship the Endurance in Scotland.He is a distant relative of my wifes mothers family?

You are about seven years too late :(

Since he was born in Ireland and lived much of his life in London or southern England, there wouldn't be any sites of interest in Scotland. However . . . one could have actually stayed in the house where he lived for a few years in Edinburgh. The house eventually became a wing of Channings which was for ages a posh-ish hotel in South Learmouth Gardens. But it closed several years ago and was redeveloped into private homes. (I only know this because I stayed there with my folks maybe 18, 19 years ago and there were Shackleton references and photos in the lounge bar. When I was researching a trip to Edinburgh in 2017 I learned Channings was permanently closed)