Scotland Itinerary help, Please
 

Dear Fodorites,

My wife and I are in our early sixties, like scenery, light hikes, just a bit of big cities, would rather be in nature rather than museums. We love little towns, ruins and castles. We are mid priced people, not the top 'o' the line but we like nice digs and are willing to splurge ($250 US/night) on a couple stops. We're finding this trip a challenge in itinerary planning. So far this is what we're thinking. Nothing but air booked so far.

May 13, 2019 SFO to EDI
May14,15,16 Edinburgh
May17, 18,19, Somwhere to explore the Trossachs, Loch Lomond, and Glencoe
May20,21,22 Skye
May 23,24,25 NO CLUE !
May 26,27 St. Andrews (we are golfers and this is a bucket list stop)
May28 Edinburgh
May 29 Fly EDI to SFO

We would like your opinion of our timing and choices so far. We are far enough out that we can tweek (or radically revamp) if we're missing a must see or have too much time allotted to something not so great.

A big advance THANKS

I am literally dashing out the door and will be back this evening with more advise/suggestions -- but a terrific area for those "No Clue" days. In or near Ballater on Deeside.

It would be a base for the 'Castle Trail', GORGEOUS scenery, and all of Aberdeenshire. It is a good stopping point between Skye and St Andrews/Fife.

Awesome JanisJ, thanks. I will start reading up on that area and I'll look forward to your details when you get time.

Forgot to mention, we are renting a car upon leaving Edinburgh and returning it the night before we fly home

I agree with Janis about someplace in/near Deeside for the layover on the way back. This map - https://goo.gl/maps/GqJQAdHtJG92 - provides a rough idea for a driving route. Note Google only allows up to 10 locations on one map, so of necessity a lot of key places are either not mentioned, just passed through, or would hinge on exploratory day trips (out and back) from some "hubs."

The basic idea is to do a big loop out to the west and to Skye, then back to the east side of the Grampians to Aberdeenshire and Angus, then down to Fife for St. Andrews, a drive through the picturesque "East Neuk" fishing villages on the south coast of Fife, and back to EDI.

However, given the dates you're traveling, I'm actually inclined to reverse the direction of this loop and make it a counter-clockwise one (or as they say in Britain, "anti-clockwise.) The reason for this would be to give the weather a little extra time to improve in the west; in the spring the Highlands and Islands can be lovely one day and rotten the next, while the east coast, being in the lee of the mountains, generally has *slightly* better weather. (Reverse map - https://goo.gl/maps/yokWqVjE5AT2 )

I'd also be inclined to cut one of the Trossachs-area days and add it to the post- (or pre- if you do the counterclockwise loop) Skye days and use it - if you're keen golfers, which it sounds like - to add Dornoch to your itinerary. The Dornoch course is almost as old as St. Andrews, and adding it would also give you the opportunity to see the lovely landscapes around the Dornoch Firth, including possibly a stop at Croick Church, a lovely, lonely and very moving place to contemplate the Highland Clearances and other cases of ethnic cleansing. Use Undiscovered Scotland to learn about the various places on your route. Map for this variation - https://goo.gl/maps/k1BH4VehQi62

You'd access Skye in one direction via the Kyle bridge, and the Armadale-Mallaig ferry in the other. This would let you drive along the lovely Road to the Isles past Glenfinnan. I'd also strongly suggest a drive down (and back up - it's a dead end) beautiful Glen Etive, located just east of the top of Glen Coe as you travel to or from Callendar.

Happy planning!

Thanks Gardyloo, Thanks for the great info. I have no problem reversing the travel direction, and originally was considering an extra day for the golf so that fits well. If it were you, how would you break up the two days in the Trossachs-Loch Lomond-Glencoe area?

>>f it were you, how would you break up the two days in the Trossachs-Loch Lomond-Glencoe area?<<

I wouldn't break them up -- stay one place as a base. In fact I wouldn't cut the days in the Trossachs -- if anything I'd cut one day from Deeside. Especially if you reverse the order and are coming from the St Andrews direction since it will be a shorter drive day. Edinburgh > Fife > Deeside for a couple of days > Dornoch > Skye > visit Glencoe on the drive en route to the Trossachs. There is so much to to see in the area that 2 days isn't really enough. A short Trossachs list would be Stirling, Doune, Inchmahome (a 'must' IMO) Loch Lomond, Killin/Falls of Dochart, Loch Katrine, other lochs/waterfalls, Fortingall etc etc etc. Look in teh Callander area as a base.

I like the idea of one base in the Trossochs. Thanks Janis you made my decision on that area easier. Callander it is, any favorite accom. in that area?

Re playing Royal Dornoch . . . absolutely 100% yes.

Re where to stay in Callander: The Roman Camp Hotel if you can get it near your budget. Luxury Scottish Hotel and Restaurant, luxury 4 star hotel Wonderful location and nice walk to Bracklinn Falls https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/loch...nn-falls.shtml

Or on the Lake of Mentieth - the Lake Hotel. http://www.lake-hotel.com. Wonderful views across the lake (only 'Lake' in Scotland), short walk to the launch to Inchmahome.

Both of the above may be a little above your budget (or not - rates are very date dependent) but wort economizing elsewhere to make them doable.

ps: If you stay in Ballater, there is a lovely course along the river practically in the center of town. BALLATER GOLF CLUB

Updated Itinerary- reversed ( thanks Gardyloo)
May 13 SFO to EDI
May14,15,16 Edinburgh
May 17,18 St. Andrews
May 19,20 Ballater
May 21 Dornoch
May 22,23,24 Skye
May 25,26,27 Callander
May 28 Edinburgh
May 29 EDI to SFO

Best to stay in Dornoch overnight rather than day trip there (with a round of golf) from Ballater?
Do I look fairly well balanced and paced? Have I any glaring omissions?
Janis, Roman Camp Hotel looks wonderful. They are not taking reservations yet on their online booking link, seems I'll have to wait a few months. Maybe call them dierctly?

I think it's a sound plan, but have a comment on time and distances. Out of curiosity I put Ballater > Dornoch > Kyle of Localsh into Google maps, and the result I got made me laugh out loud. I think the only Scot who could make those drives in the time Google states is Jackie Stewart, driving something definitely NOT street legal. So no, Dornoch as a day trip from Ballater is NOT on.

Even two-lane roads in the Highlands (as opposed to "single track" roads - one lane with passing places) - are going to suppress your speed; there are too many cars pulling caravans (trailers) or trucks or buses lumbering along, and anyway, isn't the point to SEE things? In the Highlands, and really in most of the country, getting there is often most of the fun, so trying to rush from one place to the next is exactly the opposite of how I'd recommend visiting.

For example, you have three nights on Skye. What do you plan to do on those days? If you're like most visitors, you'll (rightly) want to drive around to see things, but it's the unexpected that often provides the real joy. A break in the clouds lights up some distant scenery that you'd otherwise have rushed by, but in the sunlight it takes your breath away. Things like that. For example, here's a scene on Skye that was invisible not long after.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...bfb9083694.jpg

You have plenty of time to hone your plans, but my advice is to book some places as "anchors," then spend the next few months diving deep into your research about what's nearby, local events or activities, look for chances for "collateral" discoveries, and coming up with bad-weather "Plan Bs" so a rainy or misty day doesn't spoil the reason you're visiting somewhere in the first place. For example, let's say your golf game in Dornoch means you can't get away until the late afternoon. (And remember, you're at the same latitude as Juneau, Alaska, so daylight lasts a long time.) Instead of driving hell-bent through some of the best scenery in Scotland for three or four hours (or more) to, say, Sligachan on Skye, what if you spent a night in Ullapool on the northwest coast instead? That would take probably half the time the drive to Skye would, and the next day you'd reach Skye by lunchtime or early afternoon, having passed through landscapes that are stunningly beautiful along the way. Map - https://goo.gl/maps/LHnAZBPbPnk - on which I've included a couple of spots to research - Plockton, a picture-perfect village not far from the Kyle bridge to Skye, and Dornie, which is where the iconic pictures of Eilean Donan castle are taken.

Anyway, just some thoughts to consider.

One other thing, as relates to your Callendar stay. May 27 is a spring Bank Holiday in Scotland, so that whole weekend is going to make for busy times in the countryside. Callendar is attractive enough, and close enough to a few million people in Scotland's "central belt" (the Edinburgh - Glasgow corridor) that I'd imagine that whole weekend will be jammed. (Think Memorial Day weekend - which it happens to be - in the US.) So I would definitely book lodgings as soon as possible for that weekend, including phoning or Skyping if possible.

>>Best to stay in Dornoch overnight rather than day trip there (with a round of golf) from Ballater?<<

You would absolutely have to stay the night there - it will be a long drive - at least 3 hours but likely longer. You'd probably want to visit Culloden en route so count on about 4.5 hours including that stop. So you wouldn't have a tee time until probably late afternoon or the next morning. Not to worry -- it will be light late and golf is played until sunset which is nearly 10 PM in Late May. You will want to pre-book your round at Dornoch (or even two rounds - one the first evening and one the next morning if you can)

Thanks to both Janisj and Gardyloo,

I feel so much better bouncing this off the two of you. I'll contact the Roman Camp Hotel by phone and try to nail that down for the busy weekend.

Gardyloo, I love your idea of some "anchor spots" but my wife needs to have every night booked or she does not have as good a time. If she is comfortable, I'm comfortable. I know we lose some flexibly buy it is a worthy tradeoff. One thing about us, we both are very early risers and can do quite a bit every day without feeling rushed or feeling that we don't have time to make unexpected stops.

I'll spend the next few weeks researching the areas we've chosen and booking hotels and golf as well as looking for "plan B's". I'll keep you posted!

Talk soon, Truckinbob (and Truckindonna)

Sligachan Hotel completely booked for tha dates we're in Skye. On to plan B

Sligachan is VERY popular because of its very central location on Skye plus serving food throughout the day - but there are a lot of options in Portree so I'd look there next.

will do, thx

Photos below from the beautiful grounds at Roman Camp ... stayed there last year. Loved it. Hotel room was small, but the grounds were great and hotel had a good bar, too

Here is our 2015 Scotland trip report with photos. Chapters 4 through 14 cover Scotland, (there are more photos of hotel in the TR)

https://travelswithmaitaitom.com/londonscotland-2017/

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3fdf6a0a9b.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...36c0248b4f.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fffaeb3197.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...51cfa6dd19.jpg

Love your pis MaitaiTom, Gonna call Roman Camp this week and try to book. Just got off work for the week and look forward to your trip report in the next day or two. Thanks.

>>Janis, Roman Camp Hotel looks wonderful. They are not taking reservations yet on their online booking link, seems I'll have to wait a few months. Maybe call them dierctly?<<

I missed that bit: Many properties won't book on line that far ahead - they may not even know their rates for next year.

>>Gonna call Roman Camp this week and try to book.<<. Yes give them a call now, its worth a shot. Even then you may need to wait a until Fall.

Thanks Janis, I'll let you know what Roman Camp says.
By the way, I booked The Scotsman in Edinburgh for our first three days of the trip on your rec. on another thread. Looks super great!!
Thx

The Scotsman is in a terrific location. I'm not sure if all the rooms have been refurbished yet, but I do know the new cafe is up and running.

I was able to book Roman Camp though they are full for the first night of our proposed stay. I decided to spend that first night, coming from Skye, in the Glencoe area and booked the Ballachulish House. Looks like a fine stopover with the next two nights at the Roman Camp.

MaiTaiTom! That trip report was absolutely fantastic. Your pics and details were informative and your humor brought it all to life. Checking out your trip has given me a ton of "must sees" for our trip. I've bookmarked your site and will refer to it often before we go. My wife saw your afternoon tea in Edinburgh and declared "if we do nothing else, we do THAT" Thanks for sharing!

That is great -- that gives you time to explore Glencoe the first afternoon without rushing, then the next morning you can take a short detour to Killin en route to Callander and have the best part of two days for the Trossachs.

Then leaving Callander you can visit Stirling Castle en route back to EDI.

glad you think its perfect. I think so too. Thanks Janisj

Thanks Bob, Be sure to book the tea in advance ... the place was jammed (for once, pun not intended). I hope the Roman Camp Peacock is still around, and those colorful ones that roam freely outside at your tea. Have great trip.

((H))

On your way from Ballachlish to Callendar, be sure to take the road down (and back) through Glen Etive. In May you ought to have some roadside rhododendrons in flower (in the lower part of the glen, before it terminates at Loch Etive) and the totality of the glen's beauty is something to behold. Map - https://goo.gl/maps/CCZdmo9YGev

Top of the glen, just off the main road through Glen Coe:

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...beb96dcf6b.jpg

thanks for beautiful pic Gardyloo. Between the mountain and the clouds and the green grass it seems like one of those "perfect" moments. we will DEFINITELY make the stop.

Just booked the Dornoch Castle Hotel "Old Courtroom" room for our one night in Dornoch. Pretty jazzed!!

What I've got so far

May 13 SFO to EDI
May14,15,16 Edinburgh-- Scotsman Hotel
May 17,18 St. Andrews-- (waiting to hear back from Russell Hotel)
May 19,20 Ballater-- (waiting to hear back from Gordon Guest House)
May 21 Dornoch-- Dornoch Castle Hotel
May 22,23,24 Skye-- Sconser Lodge Hotel
May 25 Glencoe area-- Ballachulish Hotel
May 26,27 Callander-- Roman Camp Hotel
May 28 Edinburgh-- Scotsman Hotel
May 29 EDI to SFO

Side trips and activities still in the works, talk soon, Truckinbob

That looks very doable. Sconser is a good substitute for Sligachan location-wise. I stayed in a small B&B just down the road once when Sligachan was full.

Good Morning all,

New wrinkle, Roman Camp has informed me they have bumped me on the first night of our two night stay due to a wedding in their hotel. My question is should we look for another hotel in Callander for one night, or maybe, since we are planning a stop in Killin on our way from Glencoe, stay a night there.
Does anyone have a Hotel or area they like in Killin?

Or maybe another area altogether?

Fortingall Hotel in the remarkable village of Fortingall - standing stones, on the edge of glorious Glen Lyon, thatched cottages, a yew tree that is possibly the oldest living thing in Europe. It's purportedly the birthplace of Pontius Pilate.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4fd28275f0.jpg

It's more or less at the opposite end of Loch Tay from Killin. Map - https://goo.gl/maps/WvZW6J9Tx2v

Fortingall would work - a bit more of a detour. Staying the night in Killin would be more direct but either would be fine. Too bad about the Roman Camp. My guess is they have a huge wedding business between the lovely grounds and accommodations it would be a very nice wedding venue.

Another option would be try the Lake Hotel mentioned up thread, If they have availability, you might consider cancelling the Roman Camp :( and book the two nights at the Lake of Menteith. It is in a beautiful setting.

Thanks J & G,

I'll check out the spots you have suggested and get back when I've booked.

By the way, the fact that you take your time, energy, and incredible knowledge to help people like me restores my faith in inherent goodness. Thank you.

New Plan.....
One night at the Lake of Monteith Hotel, Sunday, May 26
One night at the Roman Camp, Monday, May 27

Roman camp has "comped" our B&B for our one night stay, so we had no problem getting the Superior Lake View room at the Lake Hotel of Monteith. We know the last few days of our trip will be a lot of checking in and checking out, but, we didn't want to give up the Roman Camp experience altogether. The Lake hotel seems very nice and is pretty close to Roman Camp and the sights of the Trossachs.

Gardyloo, decided against the Fortingall in favor of the extra time in and near Callander (wife is gaga for Outlander, Doune castle a must) but thank you and all input is so much appreciated.

Truckinbob

Thanks again Fodorites!!

That works . . . What I would do is check out of the Lake hotel right after breakfast on the 26rh and drive to the Roman Camp. Your room won't likely be available yet but they will hold your bags until later . . . and then go out and about sightseeing all day. Return to the Roman Camp whenever it is convenient. That way you won't have to go back to the Lake Hotel to get your bags nor have to drive around all day with them in your car.

The only exception would be if you hadn't visited Inchmahome the day before. If that's the case, then go out to the Island before heading over to the Roman Camp.

<New wrinkle, Roman Camp has informed me they have bumped me on the first night of our two night stay due to a wedding in their hotel. My question is should we look for another hotel in Callander for one night, or maybe, since we are planning a stop in Killin on our way from Glencoe, stay a night there.
Does anyone have a Hotel or area they like in Killin?>

We loved Annfield Guest House in Callander. I'm not sure if you want a B & B or not

Yes, I like the idea of dropping bags off at Roman Camp and then setting out for the day. Thanks Janis