Scotland Help!
Jan 8th, 2018, 05:37 PM
#1
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Scotland Help!
Looking at going to Scotland in March, but I have NO IDEA where to start. We want to definitely hit Edinburgh, some hiking, maybe camping, Distilleries and Cowdenbeath (family originated here). Not too much into the guided tour thing, but don't know where to go or what to do. Love the outdoors. 7-10 days! HELP! and THANK YOU!
Jan 8th, 2018, 06:37 PM
#2
Camping probably won't be in the cards in March. Hiking could be OK but you don't want to be out in the wilds of Glencoe or Skye during a wintry storm.
BUT the good thing is Cowdenbeath is in Fife an a good base for St Andrews, the fishing villages, and then north into Angus and Perthshire. So you could visit Edinburgh for a few days and then base in Fife for a few days. From Cowdenbeath/western Fife day trips could get you to St Andrews, Crail/Anstruther, Perth, Dunkeld, Stirling, Galmis, Dunnottar and more. There are walking opportunities at or near all of these places.
BUT the good thing is Cowdenbeath is in Fife an a good base for St Andrews, the fishing villages, and then north into Angus and Perthshire. So you could visit Edinburgh for a few days and then base in Fife for a few days. From Cowdenbeath/western Fife day trips could get you to St Andrews, Crail/Anstruther, Perth, Dunkeld, Stirling, Galmis, Dunnottar and more. There are walking opportunities at or near all of these places.
Jan 9th, 2018, 03:32 AM
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How about starting with a good guide book? Eyewitness Scotland is a good one to start with and you can pick up a copy cheaply on Amazon. It has plenty of pictures to whet the appetite and reasonable maps. It also covers a lot of the smaller places ignored by the other guides.
Are you renting a car or depending on public transport?
Are you renting a car or depending on public transport?
Jan 9th, 2018, 07:45 AM
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The whole bloody country is susceptible to hiking. Get a guidebook and start researching. I'm thinking there's one published by Fodors. Also, the D______ K_________ book is good and has lots of photos that can help inspire you.
Jan 9th, 2018, 02:22 PM
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I visited Scotland for the first time a couple years ago. My itinerary for that trip was:
Glasgow (arrived here, rented a car)
Skye (excellent hiking and some of the most beautiful scenery I've ever witnessed)
Edinburgh (where I returned rental car)
IMO, 10 days would be a nice amount of time to do a loop tour. Edinburgh is a beautiful city (worth at least 2-3 days). You can easily reach Cowdenbeath with a car rental, and drive to Loch Lomond. If you have the time, I highly recommend driving up to Skye. The hiking is great and the scenery is incredible--I particularly enjoyed the Old Man of Storr and the Quiraing. Portree in Skye is a lovely little town. You could stay there or rent an entire house using AirBnb. Then visit Cairngorms National Park on the loop back.
Not sure about camping this time of year--I haven't tried it. If you have the right gear and find the right location, it could be fine.
If you do go to Skye and stay in the northern part like Kilmuir, just watch for sheep! They roam pretty freely.
Glasgow (arrived here, rented a car)
Skye (excellent hiking and some of the most beautiful scenery I've ever witnessed)
Edinburgh (where I returned rental car)
IMO, 10 days would be a nice amount of time to do a loop tour. Edinburgh is a beautiful city (worth at least 2-3 days). You can easily reach Cowdenbeath with a car rental, and drive to Loch Lomond. If you have the time, I highly recommend driving up to Skye. The hiking is great and the scenery is incredible--I particularly enjoyed the Old Man of Storr and the Quiraing. Portree in Skye is a lovely little town. You could stay there or rent an entire house using AirBnb. Then visit Cairngorms National Park on the loop back.
Not sure about camping this time of year--I haven't tried it. If you have the right gear and find the right location, it could be fine.
If you do go to Skye and stay in the northern part like Kilmuir, just watch for sheep! They roam pretty freely.
