jaconway

We are a family of four (kids ages 12 & 15) going to Scotland in June. What we have so far...
Arrive Glasgow June 15 @ 10am. We will head in the direction of the Isle of Skye. A must see for us is Eilean Doonan Castle. We are open then to 18 June when we have reserved a cottage outside of Perth for a week.
Any suggestions for the few days in the Highlands? We plan to day trip from Perth to Stirling, Edinburgh, St. Andrews, etc. Any suggestions for that area?

Thanks. Julie

sheila

Do you intend to go straight to Skye in a oner; or do you intend to pause en route. Those with more experience than I would suggest that's a long road for those with jetlag....

What is it you're coming here to see?

letour

I think that it depends on what you would like to do and see. The western isles are so beautiful. My family and I spent three days on Mull, which offers the charming harbor town of Tobermory and peaceful stretches of narrow roads above, along the hillsides. We stayed at a wonderful B&B and played golf and just enjoyed the setting. You would need to take a ferry, I think from Oban, to get there. I think that your itinerary would allow you to make that kind of a visit for a couple of nights. If I had more time than that, I probably would still go to Mull, although I would love one day to see the Outer Hebrides.

Good luck and have fun! And good luck negotiating driving on the left side of the road! Once you get used to it. it's fine. My problem was readjusting coming home!

bettyk

Suggest that on one of your day trips from Perth you stop in Dunkeld. We stayed there for 2 days last year and loved it. It's quite small but there is a fabulous Cathedral on the banks of the River Tay as well as one of the famous Telford Bridges.

GJLinda

Hi,
A comment regarding Eilean Doonan Castle: it was a big disappointment for us. From the outside it is beautiful and just what you want a castle to be. However, we took the inside tour and, IMHO, it was not worth the money it cost. Very commercialized and set up for conferences and such. The castle itself is not original at all--see if you can find the story of its rebuilding before you go.

janis

GJLinda is definitely correct about Eilean Donan. The view of the castle w/ Loch Alsh behind it is an iconic scene of Scotland - on more choclate boxes and shortbread tins than probably any other place. It is gorgeous - but that is the ONLY reason to go there. Don't waste time nor money going inside.

for a day trip from Perth to Edinburgh, I'd take the train. It is quick and fairly inexpensive and you end up at Waverly station right in the center of the city on Princes Street w/o having to fight Edinburgh traffic and parking.

Another interesting visit from Perth would be Loch Leven and its island castle.

Near Stirling is Inchmahome Priory on an island in the Lake of Menteith - a GREAT place for a picnic lunch, and it is easy to combine Stirling Castle, Inchmahome and maybe Doune Castle in the same day trip.

Also from Perth, do a loop drive through Crieff/Comrie, along Loch Earn, to Killen and the amazing Falls of Dochart, along Loch Tay, a quick side jaunt through Fortingall, through Aberfeldy, Dunkeld and back to Perth. This is an easy day trip w/ lots of places to stop and walk or take photos, and you will see some amazing scenery.

After an overnight flight I would not drive very far your first day - maybe a B&B along Loch Lomond, or near Helensburgh where you can visit Charles Rennie Mackintosh's wonderful Hill House. Both are w/i easy reach from GLA

The next day you could drive up to Glencoe, through Ft William to Glenfinan and then take the ferry to Skye. Stay 2 nights on Skye and then drive to Perth the next day using the bridge at Kyle of Lochalsh. Stop and take photos of Eilean Donan, then through Invergarry, Spean Bridge, Pitlochry and on to Perth.

If you only stay one night on Skye you could squeeze in a bit more touring to the north before heading down to Perth

leonberger

I agree with GJLinda and Janis about Eilean Donan....it's not worth the price. Just stop and take a picture outside.

Janis has given some great itinerary advice - I'm copying it down for my next trip!

Fortingall! That's been on our laughing list of places to go for years. According to legend Pontius Pilate (of "crucify him" fame) was born in Fortingall. I find that fascinating, and don't know whether to believe it or not. But I don't think I've heard anyone else mention Fortingall...what is there to do/see in Fortingall, janis?

Skye is beautiful. Take time to stop at Kilt Rock Falls and buy a little handpainted cottage from George Kennedy. He paints them on smooth rockss that are shaped like small thatched cottages - very inexpensive and one of my very favorite souvenirs from a trip several years ago.

Step out into a peat bog and be reminded why they're called "bogs."

Find a nice misty morning and drive across the center of Skye, west to east. The shifting clouds and sudden patches of sunlight make the scenery even more fanciful.

I wanted to visit Caithness Glass in Perth, but didn't make it. I think (without looking at my map) that both Scone and Falklands aren't too far - we enjoyed both a lot.

Stop at Leault Farm and watch Neal Ross run his sheepdogs - amazing. (That's not on Skye, but in the "center" somewhere - along a major north/south road...we came from Grantown on Spey and ended up in Oban and Leault Farm was somewhere in the middle, I think. Check my trip report for more details.)

Anyway, I've said it before (and I'm sure I'll say it again), I honestly don't think you can go anywhere in that area and NOT find spectacular sites, friendly people, and memorable activities.

Have fun.

Gayle

KE1TH

This will not be of much help in that I have no idea of the road number, but along the road between Fort William and Mallaig (where I caught the ferry over to Skye), is the train bridge used in the Harry Potter films. Do a google search on Glenfinnan Viaduct. I'm sure the kids would love to see that.

Keith

sheila

I just spent New Year at Garth House, about a mile from Fortingall, Gayle, but I was brought up in Perthshire, so I know it well.

It'sa pretty village, built in the second half of the 19th century in the Arts and Crafts style. There are lots of nice photos on the web

http://www.fortunecity.com/athena/ex...NGALL/id19.htm

There's a nice hotel, which, unfortunately closes in the winter. And, most importantly, there is the oldest living thing in Europe. A yew tree, believed to be over 5000 years old.

http://www.rannoch.net/Fortingall.htm

Whaddaya mean you don't know whether to beleive the story or not??! Of course it's true. (I had to laugh tho', because researching something about art in the village I kept coming across this line:- "His mother may have been either a Menzies or a MacLaren from Balquhidder". Only in Scotland!)

Opposite the hotel is an old plague pit and the places is surrounded by standing stones and four posters (no, not beds) and burial cairns, and, by sheer coincidence, it's at the foot of what is said to be Scotland's loveliest glen, Glen Lyon.

KEITH, your road is the A830- the Road to the Isles

http://www.road-to-the-isles.org.uk/home.html

janis

Sheila has given lots of info re Fortingall. What you'll see is the churchyard, the yew tree, the pub and somewhat surprisingly to me on my first visit -- thatched cottages that look like they were picked up in Devon and dropped into the middle of Scotland.

And the nearby Ben Lawers mountain center is fascinating. Amazing views.

jaconway

Thanks for all you advice. This is making things easier. I am so glad I mentioned Eilean Doonan because I would never have known not go to inside and would have wasted my time and money.
We are seasoned travellers and have been to Europe numerous times and know not to push ourselves too far the first day. Here is my revised schedule so far...
Day 1: Arrive GLA to Glen Coe
Day 2: Drive to Skye spend night - where???
Day 3: Another day in Skye??
Day 4: Drive to Urquart Castle, Loch Ness (kids), Culloden Battlefield - spend night at Mounlinalmond Cottage near Perth.
Day 5 - 10: Day trips from cottage
Day 11: Culzean Castle spend night GLA

Day trips from Perth we would like to do are Edinburgh by train, Stirling & area, St. Andrews, Scone Palace, Loch Levan, Dunkeld (from suggestions). Any distilleries in the Perth area to visit? I know from driving in England and Wales it takes long than it looks on the maps, and am assuming that Scotland is the same. So, I am wondering if day tripping from Perth is too much driving or are these places reasonable? A 45 minutes trip one way is no problem as we have done cottage stays with daytrips in England and Germany.

Thanks for all your great suggestions and I welcome any more you may have because you have all been a blessing. Scotland has been a great desire of mine to see for some time and I want to make the most of it.

Julie

JJBhoy

Julie,

I still think the first day of your revised itinerary (Glasgow to Glencoe) is a bit ambitious.

I would second Janis's suggestion of stopping off in the Helensburgh/Loch Lomond area, or perhaps Inverary if you're determined to go that little bit further.

Jim

jaconway

How long of a drive is it to Glencoe vs. Inverary? We have driven a couple hours after arrival before - is it more than that?

sheila

The problem with Skye is that the nicest hotels are all in the south east, which isn't where the scenery is precisely. I love the Eiean Iarmain and the Sligachan

Skye is definitely worth 2 days

No disllieries exactly in the Perth location. However the Famous Grouse experience is less than an hour away just outside Crieff, and you're slightly further away from Edradour at Pitlochry. Please avoid Blair Atholl or Aberfeldy.

There's probably not more than an hour in it between Glen Coe and Inverary. If you take your time, and stop frequently- and there's a lot to see along that route- you'll be fine.

jaconway

Thanks for that input, Sheila. Are there any B&B's, guesthouses, or farmstays you would recommend on Skye?

GreenDragon

One of the best, clean, neat B&Bs I stayed in was on Skye... called Tir Alainn, it's just south of Broadford... yes it's in the east, but the owner is delightfully funny and the rooms are clean, neat, and spacious.

Wonderful view from it as well!

http://www.visitskye.com/

sheila

I'm sorry- I just don't use them.

leonberger

Thanks for the Fortingall, info, Sheila and janis! I did know about the yew tree, but forgot. So, Fortingall is now back on my list for another trip AND OF COURSE I believe the Pilate story is true!! (Whew! I think I got that in just vehemently enough to sound believable...)

I don't have specific suggestions for places to stay on Skye, but would recommend you not stay at the Duntulm Castle Hotel. Meals are actually quite good (but the dining room is small, so come early or make a reservation) and the view is spectacular (we were there to watch the sunset during dinner).

Cute dogs, and sheep mowing the lawn, very picturesque, with the ruins of Duntulm Castle clearly visible on the next outcropping to the west.

However, the cramped seating for meals (we had to get up to allow the next table access to the breakfast buffet - with four of us and 8 of them, let's just say there was a lot of "up and down" throughout the meal), tiny bedrooms, and incessant rock beat from the bar made the overnight accommodations distinctly uncomfortable.

Do stop at the Skye Museum of Island Life - and the affiliated Craft Shop just down the road had some charming locally produced crafts that we couldn't resist purchasing for ourselves and as gifts. (It also had a mysterious canister of "Vegitarian Haggis" which I couldn't resist purchasing for a non-meat-eating relative. He was appropriately appalled upon receiving this "gift.&quot

Our favorite thing about Skye, though, as noted in my post above, was just driving around (especially on what we affectionately refer to as "the little white roads&quot and stopping frequently to admire the views and take short walks.

Gayle

jaconway

Sheila, any reason you don't use Tir Alainn B&B on Skye?

sheila

I don't do B&Bs. I prefer small hotels.