Ditto to everything historytraveler said -- that longer Rabbies tour of Mull/Skye/Orkney would be a wonderful combo of Scottish history, neolithic sites and gob smacking scenery

Wonderful. Perfect. Thanks for all the help:)

"most recently cyclists who clog the road from Craignure to Fionnphort"

It's actually the cars and bloody tour buses that clog up the road. In summer, I don't cycle on Mull because it's too dangerous with the inept driving of visitors who don't have a ounce of sense when it comes to single track driving with passing places. I've twice thrown my bike pump at cars, that's not what you go to Mull to endure.

The most revolting sights on our roads, other than convoys of caravans, are the convoys of tour buses that clog up the roads in the popular spots. There is a backlash against the buses as generally they offer little to the local economy.
1. Land at Craignure
2. Get in bus
3. Clog up the roads to Fionnphort
4. Get on ferry
5. Buy a postcard on Iona
6. Reverse trip and leave.

Contribution to economy 75p and one ferry ticket which receives an 83% from my taxes ( technically don't pay tax in the Turks and Caicos off shore trust)(but that's not relevant).

Still, there's plenty of the Highlands that aren't on a Rabbies tour route.

My remarks were in no way condescending.>

I was not talking about your very informative comments but someone else's.

As for Skye - I thought OP when said:

I am definitely doing Edinburgh Skye Glencoe the viaduct.>

that included Skye and there was other talk of Skye.

Obviously you were addressing me -- it would just be more helpful (IMHO) if you posted about places you've been this century -- that's all.

Why, has the Rannoch Moor or two scenic train lines changed a lot in the 12 years since I did them (this century)? Janis you give great advice but please let others shed their inputs too - things I talk about are timeless. I see no harm or negatives about that and will feel free to continue to do so as I see no harm in that.

Cheers!

We spent 3+ weeks vacation in Scotland in 2006, so I am a certified expert :) We'd love to return.

OP is a photographer asked about easy day trips from Edinburgh. Janis has already mentioned Stirling Castle. We also visited Linlithgow Palace and Rosslyn Chapel as day trips. (We had 6 nights in Edinburgh.) All are highly interesting and photogenic IMHO, though I think the entry rules for Rosslyn have changed since we were there.

<i>I have been fascinated with the Celtic culture and the history for a long time. I love castles and am a photographer so amazing scenery and architecture.</i>

In which case you might want to consider a Rabbie's 4-day tour of Mull and Argyll that includes Iona and also Kilmartin Glen - https://www.rabbies.com/en/scotland-...nds-4-day-tour .

Kilmartin is ground zero for prehistoric relics - standing stones, carved grave slabs etc., and your castle fix will be handled well by (rather pompous IMO) Inveraray Castle, and probably good photo ops as the Mull - Oban ferry sails past Duart Castle - http://i.imgur.com/9kd53CN.jpg . This is a nice, compact intro to the western Highlands and the Inner Hebrides, with less time on the road than trips to Skye or Wester Ross. Just a suggestion, anyway.

Nelson, photography and videos are no longer allowed within the chapel.

Thanks for that clarification, historytraveler. We were there at the height of the Da Vinci Code craze, but long before the selfie stick craze. It's a small space and was already pretty crowded.

Well, glad I got my shots, including the supposed "corn".