Scotland Itinerary Help
 

Hi All,

I'm in the process of working out the details for a trip to Scotland. We have 2 weeks to spend and I've come up with a preliminary itinerary. Please have a look and give me your opinions about the places I've chosen to home base as well as the amount of time I've allotted to see the sights in and around those areas. Let me know if you think I've missed something I shouldn't or if I'm taking the time to see something that's not really worth it. Thank you!

Fly into Edinburgh and spend 3 sleeps seeing the sights in and around the city
*visit East Neuk villages and St. Andrews
From Edinburgh, drive to Nairn and spend 3 sleeps, stopping for lunch at Pitlochry half way there
*visit Loch Ness, Culloden, Clava Cairns, Inverness
From Nairn, drive to Skye visiting Eilean Donan Castle on the way
Spend 3 sleeps in Skye seeing the sights in and around the area
From Skye, drive to Fort William and stay at Inverlochy Castle for 2 sleeps
*visit Fort William, Glencoe, Oban
From Fort William, drive to Stirling and spend 3 sleeps seeing the sights in and around the city
*visit Callander, Loch Lomond
From Stirling, drive to Borthwick Castle for 2 sleeps
Fly home from Edinburgh

Janisj will tell you there's bugger-all to see in Ft William.

Wondering how you can see a bloody thing when you "spend 3 sleeps seeing the sights in and around __________." Normally, when I sleep I don't see anything in the outside world.

Your itinerary is more than two weeks, it's 16 nights (if that's what the noun "sleeps" are equivalent to). And if you're flying in from somewhere remote from Edinburgh that requires crossing an ocean (Indian or Atlantic), you're now talking 17 nights.

Stirling for three nights (again, assuming that those are "sleeps") seems a bit much.

And knowing both WHEN you're planning to do this and how many people of what ages comprise "WE" would help you get more and better advice.

Seriously BigRuss, you can't figure out that by sleeps I mean nights spent in that place? To the point that you need to make the point that when you sleep you don't see anything in the outside world?

If you can't give any constructive advice, get off your soap box and go annoy someone else.

3 nights in Edinburgh only gives you 2 full days and if one is for visiting Fife then I would add another night to Edinburgh.
Everyone, puts people off staying in Fort William but as a base for seeing Glencoe, Road to the isles, Ben Nevis etc... it is perfectly situated and with plenty of dining and accommodation options. However if you are staying at Inverlochy, you have that well sorted..:-)
Maybe add a couple of nights to Oban if visiting Mull/Iona is of interest to you.
3 nights on Skye is good, gives you two full days...A detour to Plockton would be worth it on leaving Skye

Looks like a very nice plan. (except for the 'visit' Inverness and 'visit' Ft William bits. You will find soooooo much to see/do in these areas w/o having to step foot in either town.)

>>Stirling for three nights (again, assuming that those are "sleeps") seems a bit much.<<

Absolutely not too much time. Though I personally wouldn't stay IN Stirling, but in Callander or maybe Aberfoyle. Driving in and out of Stirling can be a pain. There is enough to see/do in the area to fill a week. Stirling Castle, Doune Castle, Inchmahome Priory, Loch Katrine, Loch Lomomd, Killin/Falls of Dochart, Lochs Tay and Earn, waterfalls, etc etc.

Meant to add -- you are cutting Edinburgh a little short if you are flying in long haul and will be jet lagged and w/ the day trip in t Fife.

When is the trip? That can make a difference where/what is doable.

<<Seriously BigRuss, you can't figure out that by sleeps I mean nights spent in that place? To the point that you need to make the point that when you sleep you don't see anything in the outside world?

If you can't give any constructive advice, get off your soap box and go annoy someone else.>>

Seriously, Judy, you're wasting my time by criticizing me and being grumpy about my questioning what you're talking about because your statements are unclear instead of thanking me or acknowledging the actual advice I took time out of my day to give you?

That's wrong. Absolutely wrong.

Fort William is a nice watering hole and base- like for the nearby Rannoch Moors which you can detour to drive into but not thru en route to Stirling perhaps - I've taken the train thru it and it is awesome. check it out!

>>If you can't give any constructive advice, get off your soap box and go annoy someone else.<<

Oops -- I didn't even see that bit . . .

just wow

Thank you everyone, that was very helpful. Looks like I should add one more day to Edinburgh, skip Inverness and Fort William and use Callander as my home base instead of Stirling. Detours to Rannoch Moor and Plockton look real nice too. We are planning to do this trip in mid-June.

>>Fort William is a nice watering hole and base- like for the nearby Rannoch Moors <<

PQ tells everyone that (and nice watering hole it ain't) -- but in your case that really isn't relevant since you are staying at Inverlochy Castle so that would be your 'base'

To clarify re Inverness -- don't skip the area, just don't bother going into town since you will have so many other things to see/do in your short time. Elgin Cathedral, Cawdor Castle, Ft George, Culloden, Clava Cairns, the Black Isle/dolphins, Maybe Dufftown or Speyside and so on.

June is a FABULOUS time for this trip -- you will have about 19 hours of daylight.

PQ tells everyone that (and nice watering hole it ain't)>

Again just can't believe that anyone would dare to have a different opinion from yours!

I stayed there twice because it was on the West Highlands Railway route and really enjoyed it - it may not be your cup of tea but to say it ain't a nice town is IMO giving folks the wrong idea -it is not the pits as you claim (neither is Inverness-no not the most beautiful town -though I liked the Victorian stone facades-but an ordinary town - I like typical towns - you can spend all your time in the boonies and that's fine but you miss out on where most Scots live, etc.) -anyway Fort William is a nice town as towns go- a nice watering hole- ancient pubs and old buildings-a place to find a variety of hotels and many restaurants, everything a larger city has to offer that seems such a anathema to you I guess.

The sea or firth-side of town is quaint enough.

Anyway for folks like me who enjoy roaming a largish town and the amenities like supermarkets, etc Ft William is a nice enough watering hole.

Harcon says above: <Everyone, puts people off staying in Fort William but as a base for seeing Glencoe, Road to the isles, Ben Nevis etc... it is perfectly situated and with plenty of dining and accommodation options.>

janis why do you think it is not a nice watering hole? Curious.

Did you read the OP? They are staying at <u>Inverlochy Castle</u>. Thus no <i>need</i> to stay in Ft William. To be fair - the OP didn't say they would stay in Ft William -- only mentioned seeing it. It was you who suggested using FW as a base.

They will drive <i>through</i> Ft William to get to Glencoe -- but no need to stop.

. . . And of course you stayed there - you were on the train and didn't have a car. There is no place else to stay . . .

PQ tells everyone that (and nice watering hole it ain't)>>

The statement above was a general slam on me and you said F Wm was not a nice watering hole - I take issue with that general statement - yes I did note they were transiting Fort William but my comments were general in nature- the point is that you need to explain- Why ain't Ft William a 'nice' watering hole - what makes it not nice?

Harcon said about the same but did you slam him/her?

How much time would you recommend I set aside to visit Glencoe? I was thinking I could trim my days (wish I didn't have to ;)) by skipping Oban and visiting Glencoe on my way to Stirling. I figure I could give it a good half day and arrive in Stirling by late afternoon. Am I short- changing Glencoe?

What exactly were you planning to do in Oban? Unless you 're going to take a CalMac ferry to one of the islands, I'd probably skip it. There is Dunstaffnage Castle along with the few remains of Dunollie Castle but not sure that's sufficient to short - change Glencoe.

Funny you say that historytraveler, my husband and I were just sitting outside with a glass of wine and travel planning and decided to nix Oban completely. Glad you concur.

I didn't notice Oban in you OP -- good that you are dumping it. Nice town (nicer than Ft William ;) Devil made me do it >) ) but Inverlochy to Callander will take you right through Glencoe.

Oban is much, much nicer than Fort William.;)

LOL I'm staying the hell out of Fort William!! ;) 19 hours of daylight--can I get good espresso in Scotland?