Scotland itinerary help
 

Hi everyone. I am going to be visiting Scotland with my wife for 12 nights (about 12 1/2 days) during the first 2 weeks of September. We are in our fairly active and want a good sampling of the country, but don't want to feel rushed. If we have to leave something out we will. We are interested in seeing and photographing the beautiful scenery, visiting interesting towns, viewing wildlife, etc. We are not drinkers, so the Scotish whisky distilleries aren't of much interest to us. Anyway, this is a a rough itinerary I would really appreciate some help with.

Day 1. Arrive Edinburgh probably around noon. Maybe take a Hoho bus tour. Will be very tired from overnight flight so I don't expect to see very much this day.

Day 2. Explore Edinburgh. (Sleep Edinburgh)

Day 3 More time in Edinburgh (sleep Edinburgh)

Day 4 Pick up car, Visit St Andrews (Does it make sense to sleep in Stirling?)

Day 5 Drive to Inverness or to Cairngorms (can't decide whether a drive through is enough or if we should stay).

Day 6 Explore area around Inverness or in Cairngorms (sleep Inverness or Cairngorms)

Day 7 Drive to Skye (may need to stay by the bridge rather than on Skye itself). (Sleep around Skye)

Day 8 Drive around Skye (sleep around Skye)

Day 9. Drive to Oban - Glen Coe, Jacobrite Steam Train (for pics) (sleep Oban)

Day 10 Trip to Mull (sleep Oban)

Day 11 ? (To be allocated where most appropriate)

Day 12. Drive back toward Edinburgh through Loch Lomond area (perhaps stay around Loch Lomond and take train into Glasgow for evening).

Day 13 Depart for home - late afternoon flight from EDI.

I imagine many will suggest allocating the extra day to Skye, and I may, but I am actually more interested in some of the other areas, so I'm not sure. Does this itinerary seem overly busy? Should I perhaps eliminate something so I can spend more time in each location? I had though about skipping Skye (heresy, I know) since I am planning to go to Mull, but I have to go that way anyway if I am driving a loop and it seemed a shame not to see some of it.

Anyway, any and all thoughts or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

A lot of driving and not much time anywhere unfortunately. You have essentially nine days to cover a LOT of territory. St Andrews/Fife, Invernesshire, Skye, Mull, Oban, Glasgow, Loch Lomond would fill 2 weeks easily.

I'd consider staying an additional night in Edinburgh and just doing a day trip to St Andrews by train. (Train to Leuchars and local bus or taxi to St Andrews)

>>Day 7 Drive to Skye (may need to stay by the bridge rather than on Skye itself). (Sleep around Skye)<<

No need to build in an additional check in/out/pack/move -- Stay on Skye at least 2 nights.

>>Day 9. Drive to Oban - Glen Coe, Jacobrite Steam Train (for pics) (sleep Oban)<<

You'll have to take a morning ferry to catch the Jacobite en route from Ft William to Mallaig.

I wouldn't bother w/ the Cairngorms all that much -- pretty scenery you will drive through but but not necessarily a 'destination' on such a short trip. Stay outside of Inverness (not IN the city) two nights as a base for seeing some of the sites in the area.

I might consider staying ON Mull nights 9 and 10 instead of in Oban. Then nights 11 and 12 in/near Callander to explore the Loch Lomond, the Trossachs, Doune, Stirling, etc.

Then and easy drive in to EDI for your afternoon flight.

Day 4 Pick up car, Visit St Andrews (Does it make sense to sleep in Stirling?)>

Or the reverse - St Andrews is a cool old uni town on the sea-Stirling is just a nice regional town - but Stirling could be a drive by and stop and yes like janis says do a day trip to St Andrews.

Thanks for the responses.

janis, you are right that there is quite a bit of driving and not spending much time in any one place. Is there a good way to remedy that? I thought about eliminating the north east part, but then instead of a loop I would be driving up the west side and back.

Also, I'm not quite sure I understand your comment regarding Skye. Were you thinking what I meant by saying that I may have to stay close to the bridge was that I was planning to do that one night and stay on Skye the next? If so, that wasn't my intention. The reason I said that was because I wasn't sure about the availability of accommodations on Skye. Also I wondered if staying by the bridge might give me more flexibility in the event of really bad weather?

>>Stirling is just a nice regional town . . .<<

That has the finest Castle in Scotland. I would visit Stirling on the tail end of the trip After Mull, not en route north to Inverness.

Of course I meant a drive by Stirling to see the astounding castle but the rest of the town is nice but no reason to linger but go on to somewhere further on -figured they were leaving Edinburgh -now coming back it could be convenient to stay there.

My son and I also enjoyed the Old Gaol or whatever they call it:

http://www.stirling.co.uk/attractions/oldjail.htm

Actually staying in Stirlin the last night before flight makes sense - easy drive to airport-no navigating Edinburgh.

>>Actually staying in Stirlin the last night before flight makes sense -<<

Not really -- multiple one nighters are a pain. Pick a (as in one) place for the 2 nights after Oban or Mull.

like Fort William? a nice bustling regional town and base for forays into the moors and Highlands?

Don't miss the Rannoch Moor - take an access road into say the railway station hotel and do a moors walk from there:

https://www.google.com/search?q=rann...hrome&ie=UTF-8

Does Stirling make sense for 2 nights at the end of the trip (after Oban or Mull?)

I can drive there through Loch Lomond, etc., go to St Andrews and Fife the next day and would probably have time to visit the Castle before heading to the airport for our flight on the last day. That would also free up one more night (what would have been the 4th night in Edinburgh for the day trip to St Andrews).