I'm planning my first trip top Scotland in September and I'm looking for must sees and B&amp;B recommendations for Edinburgh, and Isle of Mull. We plan to rent a car for 5-6 days and plan on driving to Mull and back. Any thoughts on a good car rental company for an automatic?<BR>thanks

Edinburgh and Mull are two of my very favorite places anywhere. And weather in Sept is usually pretty good so you will have a great trip.<BR><BR>My Fav B&amp;B on Mull is Seaview. It is in Fionnphort and is sooooo nice. it is right across from the tiny beach and if you get one of the two front facing rooms you will wake up to a view across the sound to Iona and the Abbey. The food is terrific and they will do evening meal if you want. Next door is a pub/restaurant with really good food. It is 200 yards to the Iona ferry terminal where you can also get trips out to Staffa and Fingall's Cave. www.iona.bed.breakfast.mull.com<BR><BR>In Edinburgh, try for Castle View Guest House e-mail [email protected] (I don't have their URL at hand but it should be very easy to find)<BR><BR>As for a rental agency - all of the usual suspect are available - Hertz, Thrifty, Budget, plus several good UK-based firms. Just go w/ which ever one you can get the best rates. Do shop around - one company may be cheaper for one size car while another may be best for a different car.

I meant to add -- both these places are pretty special and book up (even in Sept) so do make reservations as far ahead as you can finalize your plans.

Just checked - Castle View's website is www.castleviewgh.co.uk (which means the e-mail is probably [.co.uk] not [.com])

We rented an automatic car out of Avis in Glasgow last September for just under $600 for 2 weeks, if that helps any. I watched all the major sites and AutoEurope for about 2 months and that was the best I could find. Have not been to Mull, but if you tell me where else you are going, I might be able to help with accommodations.

thank you for your input. I can't believe the Castleview guest house is so close to everything and still so reasonable. Thanks for the recommendation.<BR>I got a pretty good quote for a week from the www.rental-cars-scotland.com site but I'm not familiar with them. <BR>Did anyone get any hassels with CDW charges? I'm looking into using a credit card that covers insurance instead to avoid the charge.<BR>We'll be driving from Edinburgh to Oban probably and then back a similar route. Are there towns along the way that I must not miss. Sterling? Or the Wallace monument?<BR>thanks again

The route from Oben to Edinburgh is very scenic. Along the way you can see Kilchurn Castle, several lochs, the Falls of Dochart in Killen, Balquhidder (where Rob Roy is buried), Callander, the Lake of Menteith and Stirling. <BR><BR>But if you are doing it in one day you'll have to miss something. Kilchurn doesn't take long and is a wonderful site. The Lake of Menteith is a terrific place for a picnic lunch stop - you take a boat out to Inchmahome Island and the ruined priory (Mary connections). Stirling Castle is amazing - many people like it even better than Edinburgh. <BR><BR>I'd give the Wallace Monument a pass - you just won't have time. It does have terrific views - but the view is just as good or better from the ramparts of Stirling Castle.

If you are staying in Oban (which was one of our favorites) we really liked the Greencourt Guest House (don't have the website, but we found it on the web.) Very nice, great breakfast overlooking the bowling green. Not sure what route you are taking (we were coming from Glasgow) but we spent an entire day driving around the Kilmartin Valley just south of Oban. It's a lot of prehistoric sites, standing circles, cup and ring marks, nice visitor center and church at Kilmartin. Just a thought!

Thanks for the Mull, Sterling and Oban recommendations. It's really helpful to hear from people who've done it!<BR>

One more recommendation for Mull/Oban. The trips out to the islands are fantastic. There is Staffa, Iona and the Treshnish Isles, where the puffins and skuas (and other seabirds nest). It is a long day trip, but well worth doing. (You may want to check if it is too late in the season for the puffins when you are there). You can book through any of the four or five agencies down by the ferry landing. Really fantastic.

I spent 6 days in Scotland last September.. Beautiful country.. Wonderful people.. and the most beautiful place I've ever been: Urquart Castle, at Loch Ness..<BR><BR>Don't miss it!! ;o)<BR><BR>I also agree that you should not miss the Stirling Castle.. and the Wallace Monument can be seen from the Castle.. Nice picture!!<BR><BR>Patricia

thanks for the Oban guest house information Jonesie. I've e-mailed for availability. Someone else had mentioned Glenburnie to me but they were already booked on a weeknight 6 months in advance! <BR>Anymore Oban guesthouse recomendations would be appreciated in case I can't book at the Greencourt.

We stayed at the Castleview in March 2003. Wonderful room and friendly service. We even enjoyed the 5 flights of stairs you have to go up to get to this place.<BR><BR>Two thumbs up on this one.