oellen

I'm renting a car in Edinburgh on August 16 and heading towards Skye. I fly out of Glasgow early on the 21st. This gives me 5 full days and 5 nights. I like picturesque towns, charming inns, beautiful country, ruined castles, and gardens. My last night I thought I'd stay near the airport in Glasgow. Can anyone suggest a good intinerary and places to stay? I leave in just a few days for London, so any quick help would be great help. Also, is it a mistake to not book my hotels ahead of time? Thanks.

sheila

1. where are you coming from and what time do you arrive. I really don't recommend driving long distances if you're jet-lagged (and remember, long is Scotland is a lot shorter than long is the US)

2. I think I'd suggest- first night somewhere near Comrie, second third and fourth nights Skye and last night Glasgow airport.

3. Any chance of a budget for your charming Inns?

4. Booking in August would be a good thing. Not VITAL, but if you want specific places, recommended.

oellen

Hi Shiela,
We'll be in Edinburgh for a week before setting out on our brief exploration of Scotland. So jet lag won't be a problem. I'm thinking about £100 a night for lodging. Some of the areas that looked nice on the way to Skye were Kenmore, Lock Tay, Lock Rannoch, Dunfeld, Eliam Donan, Glen Carron. Do you think we should include any of those places? I couldn't find Comrie on the map. Where is it? What do you think is the nicest part of Skye? Thanks. Ellen

sheila

That does change things. OK. Given that's the case, I'd head straight for Skye; Stirling, Starthyre, Crianlarich, Glencoe, Fort William, Mallaig and the ferry to Skye. No stop; get there.

Then I'd spend as much time as I felt like in all the nice places. Is £100/night per head, per couple or per family?

Stay in the Rosedale in Portree for central; the Greshornish for off the wall, the Sligachan for good company and the Eilean Iarmain for comfort,.

When I'd had enought I'd either zap up to Inverness and straight down the A9, or meander down past Oban and Kilmartin and Loch Fyne and Loch Lomond and back to Glasgow.

oellen

Hi Sheila

So how long does it take to get to Skye from Edinburgh? With only 5 days for touring are we making a smart choice to spend most of it there?

Ellen

oellen

Oh and I forgot to mention, it's £100 per couple.

sheila

4 hours straight drive? My accommodation recommendations hold.

I wouldn't go to Skye if I had only 5 days, but only because it's kind of off to one side. Setting aside the Cuillins, it's also not my favourite island

oellen

Well after thinking about this a little more, I'm thinking about skipping Skye altogether. Instead, I like the sounds of Gairloch. Thought I'd spend one night somewhere between Edinburgh and Gairloch. Then a couple of nights in Gairloch. Then one in Oban. Last night Glasgow. Does that sound like too much? Ellen

Pausanias

Just a suggestion: Airport hotels being what they are, we decided to skip them when we were in Scotland last year, and stayed in Inverarry, driving to Glasgow airport on the morning of our departure. It was a Sunday, and though I've lost my notes, I believe the drive took only about one hour and twenty minutes, and is quite pleasant, skirting Loch Lomond.

If you have a day you might enjoy exploring Kilmartin Glen, not far from Inverarry, with its great collection of stone circles, standing stones, bronze age hill forts and medieval gravestones.

We enjoyed a three-day stay in Portree, too, with hikes on the Trotternish peninsula, if you haven't totally given up on Skye.

oellen

Well it's all such a quandry and I'm so tired of trying to make plans about a place I know nothing about. All I know is I don't want to spend more than 3 hours actually inside the car on any given day. These last 5 days of my UK trip I want to be peaceful, beautiful and varied. We will have just finished the Festival Fringe which I fully expect to be both wonderful and exhausting. Just booking all the shows was exhausting. Anyway thanks for the airport tip. We have to be there at 7:30 in the morning, so I just thought we'd get in late somewhere and fall into bed. But I could manage maybe a half hour drive in the morning. It's a Sunday flight as well so my guess is the traffic will be non exhistant.

janis

Actually w/ just 5 days your original plan for Skye makes a lot more sense than Gairloch. Gairloch is even farther and more remote than Skye.

I also agree w/ Sheila - that w/ only 5 days Skye wouldn't be my first choice -- but it IS totally doable. And parts of it are glorious.

With 5 days/nights I'd probably do something like 1 day/night north of Edinburgh in Fife (for St Andrews, the fishing villages and Falkland Palace). Then 2 nights near Callander (for Stirling, Inchmahone Priory, the Trossachs, Doune, Loch Earn, Loch Tay, etc). Then 1 night near Oban or Ballacullish (for Glen Coe, Oban, Loch Linnhe, Kilchurn, etc).

Then the last day Kilmartin, Inveraray and Loch Lomond, staying so,ewhere near the south end of Loch Lomond (Luss or Arden) or at the airport. Loch Lomond is a very quick drive to the airport.

Inveraray is too far for a 7:30 a.m. flight.

oellen

This sounds nice.