Scotland- have 4 days??? Best areas??
 

I'll have 4 days for Scotland. I will be taking the train from London and then returning to London for departure.

Wondering where I should go for the greatest touring area??

Interested in scenery, history. Willing to rent a car- if it's recommended?? From where??

I'm reading a Scotland travel guide and it all sounds great. But don't know where my time can be used best.

BQ - I have purchased "Drive Around Scotland" from Thomas Cook & "The AA Best Drives Scotland " for our forthcoming trip in May.
Unfortunately there is no advertising in either but there must be trillions of motorhire sites on the net.
We are in a hired motorhome as we are driving from the bottom of England to the Isle of Mull etc.

There are many possible itineraries you could put together, but if this is your first trip to Scotland, consider a full day in the heart of Edinburgh followed by a 3-day drive northwest to the Highlands, for both scenery (beautiful glens - especially Glengarry - mountains and lochs) and great history (Cawdor Castle, nearby Culloden, Sterling, etc.). Four days in all will give you enough time to get a sense of the landscape and begin to plan your return trip! Fort William is not a particularly pretty town but it does provide a good base for exploring the area(and has a fantastic B&B, The Grange, where we've stayed twice and enjoyed the hospitality of its innkeeper, Joan Campbell). If you go to Cawdor, look for the Cawdor Tavern for a great lunch. And if you're up for spluring on a tremendous dinner while in Edinburgh, you'd be hard pressed to beat The Witchery,along the Royal Mile.

Thank you so much for the information. So, a car would be the most recommended?? Rather than staying in Edinburgh??

Would it be best to take the train from London and rent in Scotland, rent round trip from London airport, which I hear is horrific driving??
Any other suggestions. And, yes this is my first trip here. :)

I agree that Fort Williams is not to be missed. We did a full day hike up the mountain Ben Nevis - this has been one of the best activies of my life, best scenery ever. I would rent the car in Edinburgh, it's easy to drive in Scotland but London is a mess.

Well, I think Fort William is to be missed. Nice things in the general area: Glencoe and the Road to he Isles. But the town isn't very interesting.

With only 4 days, I'd stay in Edinburgh and take 1 or 2 day tours into the countryside. Driving is slow in Scotland, especially in the more scenic areas up north. So I'd research bus trips to Stirling and the Trossachs and up the east coast (cute villages) to St. Andrews.

You could look into a night train from London for a little more time. But be sure to buy your train tickets early unless expense is no object.

I agree - train to Edinburgh, a day in Edinburgh, then rent a car and explore the Trossachs region. Callendar or Killin seem like nice towns - I'm going to be staying in Killin this summer for 3 nights, at a delightful place called Craigbuie. The hosts are very nice and very communicative :)

There is lots to see in that area - castles, Loch Lomond and Loch Katrine, distilleries, Monarch of the Glen country, etc.

I'd go along with Mirmar's suggestion.

When are you coming ?

Budget Queen
When I saw your name, it threw me because when I was planning our fantastic 3-week trip to Alaska last year....you were a BIG help!
So, here you are planning a trip to England as I am.

My kids and I are doing similar trip. However, we are skipping London and flying into Edinburgh. I have not decided on a definite route yet. Let me know what you are doing. Do we need to see Loch Ness???? We are renting car and my cousin who went last year had a hard time getting an automatic drive. Keep me informed, thanks!

From what caroline and janisj have said (and my own opinion) there are many more beautiful lochs than Loch Ness. There are something like 31,000 lochs in the highlands :) Loch Katrine or Lomond are beautiful, and closer to Edinburgh than Ness.

I will be there mid July and have no problem driving standard, did so in Ireland. And left side of road not too big a deal either. :)

So, spending a day in Edinburgh, renting a car there, a couple days drive/touring?? Round trip London train??

Sound doable??

I will be in London a week mid June then 2 weeks in Norway, via cruiseship from Southhampton. Adding another week when I return.

You might consider a train from London Euston to Glasgow, from whence a day trip to Edinburgh is a half-hour ride, and the western highlands are at your doorstep. The coast down through Ayrshire is spectacular. Don't miss the Electric Brea - a stretch of coastal roadway that seems to go up, but your car will roll forward on it!

I think you've got it about right, BudgetQueen.

I'd stay reasonably far south in a 2 day trip, if I were you.

Judymo, mo ghràdhaich, immensely important slip of the keyboard there.

Written apologies will not be necessary, THIS time:)