Scotland Itinerary Input, Please!:)
 

Hello,I am planning a Scotland trip in April of '06 with a friend of mine.It'll be our first visit to Scotland.:)We will be driving, so our travelling will not be limited to public transportation.Here's our trip as follows:
1)Fly into Glasgow(in the a.m.)Travel into Perthshire area.Spend 1st night.
2)Drive up to Inverness.Stay 2 nights in i-ness area.(want to take cruise to see dolphins in Moray Firth).Also, cruise in Loch Ness.
3)Drive on through to Glen Coe area.Spend night in area.
4)The next 2 days/nights in Loch Lomond/Trossachs park area.(want to kayak or something in Loch Lomond)Fly home.
Did that make sense?I'm still working on our lodging, but don't have specifics yet.Did I leave out a major details?Let me know.I just want to enjoy our trip and not do too much and kill ourselves while we visit that beautiful country.Thanks!Lots of Love!

Your general itinerary is fairly reasonable. But I would do it in reverse. Loch lomond > Trossachs > Glen Coe > Inverness > Perthshire/Stirling > Glasgow > Home.

Main reason being, after an overnight transatlantic flight, you will probably be too jet lagged and tired to be able to drive far the first day. Loch Lomond is a very short and easy drive from GLA.

I did assume you were coming from North America. If instead, you're flying in from the Continent you won't have to deal w/ jet lag so your original plan works better.

One other suggestion - don't stay IN Inverness. Stay in a B&B outside of the town, or even better somewhere like Fortrose, Beauly or Strathpeffer. You'd still be w/i easy drives of Loch Ness and the Moray and Cromarty firths.

BTW - you don't even have to go out on a boat to see the dolphins. They come right in VERY close to shore and you can easily see them from the walls of Ft George or from the shore especially around Rosemarkie/Fortrose.

Janisj:Thanks for your input!:)
Also, since I will be driving, how hard will it be to find petrol and what can I expect to pay for it.They usually charge by liter, right?Help!:)

OTOH, depending on where you stay, you can get onto the motorway (freeway) at the airport, and not have to get off until you get to where you're going in Perthshire. Dunkeld seems like a good bet. Whereas you have a number of twists and turns between Glasgow airport and Loch Lomond.

If you go dolphin hunting PLEASE use one of the wildlife friendly boats. the dolphins are suffering from too much attention and OUr wildlife agency has set up a code of practice for the boat trip people. Please only use someone who follows it.

http://www.loupers.com/guidetowatching_boat.html

http://www.canyouexperience.com/

It sounds just fine. What sort of place do you want to stay in?

Nowhere you are going will you find it hard to find petrol. If I were you I'd get a diesel vehicle. Diesel is about 92.5p/litre. It may be more expensive in the more rurla localities.

I plan on staying at various B&Bs.I'm working on where now.There are so many choices;I love it!I'll let you know what I'm leaning towards in the next couple weeks.
I know this sounds really stupid but:
Here in the states when you want lunch; towns either have fast food, regular restaurants or cafes.I know it's a bit different in Scotland, especially in the countryside which is where I will be most of the time.I'm not worried about dinner, because I'm planning on staying in B&B that have restuarant in them or relatively close to a pub,etc.How hard will it be to find cafes,etc in the areas I will be going?I know it sounds like an ignorant question but I want to have things really planned out.Thanks for your patience.

Most B&Bs don't offer evening meal -- but some do. But as long as you are in a good sized village or town there will be pubs and restaurants nearby and there are fish and chips shops, chinese take aways, etc. Just lots of options as long as you aren't in a pretty remote B&B far from anything. One thing - IF you do go to fish and chips take away for dinner - be sure to ask at the B&B if it is OK to bring it back to your room. Most won't care and may even give you plates and silverware to use. But some have strict rules about cooked foods in their rooms - mostly because of the smell and possible mess.

as for lunch times -- again in any town or good sized village you will find places to eat. Pubs are usually a good bet. Not that many fast food options (a good thing IMHO) except at motorway rest tops or in the cities.

In Glencoe, the Clachaig Inn is a good place to eat lunch after visiting the visitors center.

And don't leave it til too late to have dinner - many pubs and restaurants will stop serving fairly early.

Thanks!I'm really getting excited about my trip!:)It'll be here before I know it.
Quick question: I will be going right by a place called 'House of Braur'.What is it exactly?How expensive is it?

My favourite place in Scotland is Isle of Sky (northwest).
Surf the web and have a nice trip !!

I meant Isle of Skye

I will never understand why folks avoid the Lowlands of Scotland. No place is more beautiful with better walking trails and more history than the Lowlands. (and the Lowlands are not low.....they are almost mountainous but with green and trees covering everything.)

In our visit to Scotland we loved the Highlands and totally enjoyed visiting Glamis Castle (birthplace of the Queen Mother) and all that went with a tour of the north but I would have missed so much by not going south to visit Melrose and the southern towns.

To walk on a 5000 year old trail between Melrose and Newstead. The old ruins, the friendly people. I cannot imagine visiting Scotland and leaving out the Lowlands. Never!

Timlin: I definitely agree with you. The Borders, Ayrshire and the SW are all wonderful. But virginiarose has a very short time, apparently wants to go north and has some specific requirements (such as the Moray firth/dolphins). So recommending Melrose and the Border Abbeys isn't very practical.

On some of my trips to Scotland I have not gotten farther north than the Borders/Edinburgh, and on some no farther south than Stirling/Callander.

Just about any part of Scotland has a LOT to offer. Just because someone wants to go north doesn't mean they are "avoiding" the lowlands, they are just making choices. w/ just 6 nights it would be VERY hard to cover Glencoe, the Black Isle AND the Borders.

Virginia

One comment I'd make about your lunches and dinners. Don't assume in rural Scotland that you'll be able to eat after 2.30pm or after 9pm. You might, but it's not a given. But you're going somewhere where industry is tourism so there'll be somewher to eat, everywhere.

House of Bruar is pretty fine. It IS expensive and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. It'sa kind of upmarket department store, majoring on crafts, the kind of food you buy to say you bought it, and cashmere. Think "Harrods of the North"; but not quite so big.

Hi virginiarose. Your trip sounds like great fun; my concern would be the weather that time of year. We're planning our Scotland golf tour for '06 and ruled out spring as an option - BRRR! Golf and kayaking - different strokes :-)

I love getting all sorts of responses!:)Thanks!
One more question: Does anyone know about 'Clifton House' in Nairn?I saw someone mention it on another post, but was unable to find it on the net.If not, can anyone suggests where to stay in Inverness AREA.Not so much Inverness, itself.Thanks!!I'll be looking for all opinions. :)

The Clifton House is a nice hotel, and Nairn is a nice town. Another option on the far side of Inverness would be the Lovat Arms in Beaulyhttp://www.lovatarms.com/

I don't think the Clifton House has a web site.

I have 2 recommendations for accomodations.

Around from Loch Lomand is Loch Melfort where you can find Hotel Melfort looking right out over the water.

Inverlochy Castle is kind of near Glen Coe and if you want a castle experience, its terrific.

You can find info and links to both in the Scotland section of my site.

http://www.mcdougalladventures.com/category/scotland/

Have fun. Scotland is wonderful!

Ummm. I'm a great fan of loch melfort, but it's some distance from Loch Lomond. Just over 80 very slow miles, I think.

Just a few comments on this whole thread. I was in Scotland this Oct, in many of the areas you mention, and you might want to read my trip report http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34691867

About House of Bruar: if nothing else, the food in the restaurant there is absolutely wonderful, and very reasonable. The choices are almost overwhelming! There's a nice walk to a falls there, too.

In the Inverness area, we loved staying at Dunain Park http://www.dunainparkhotel.co.uk/ I don't know your exact dates, but their 'low season' rates apply into April (according to their website) and that means you can get a reasonable dinner plan that will include their excellent restaurant.

I also stayed at Culloden House ten years ago,
http://www.cullodenhouse.co.uk/ and it is now incredibly expensive; but what an experience!

And about cars: we rented a diesel car, a VW Passat wagon (there were 4 adults) and we never had any trouble finding fuel in ten days of driving. Diesel does give you good fuel usage, though, so it is worth asking for.

Have a great trip - planning it is the half the fun, I think, and this forum is a big help!

Dorothy

Hi!!!Are there going to be activities available(at Loch Lomond) on the water?Or am I going too early?
Anyone familar with the'Water's Edge Cottage'in Loch Lomond area?How about 'Ascot House' in Nairn?

We stayed for a week in Callendar at the Leny Lodge self catering. It was a good location to do daytrips from. Leny also has a B&B on the property.

Hello again!:)
Yet another question:
I only want to tour 2 castles during my upcoming trip.Reason being: I don't want all the castles running together, (so I'm not trying to remember which castle is which in the pictures).Which are not to be missed in this list:
1)Blair Castle
2)Cawdor
3)Inverary
4)Castle Menzies
Thanks!!!

They're all different. All I would say is drop castle mezies, and pick ONE of Blair or Inverary- which are similar in style to each other.

I find it very hard to get "castled out" since most of the castles are different. I would certainly not limit myself to just 4. But if that is what you want to do I'd drop Menzies and Inverary and add Kilchurn and Stirling which are both on your general route.

With Blair, Cawdor, Kilchurn and Stirling you have good examples of four totally different styles. Blair a large private castle; Cawdor a smaller Tower house w/ amazing gardens; Kilchurn an atmospheric ruin on the shore of a loch; and Stirling a massive fortified castle on a cliff w/ views of seemingly half of Scotland and enough to fill 1/2 a day.

And Urquhart is basically on the roadside as you drive north to Inverness so a good addition w/o any effort.

You just pick the ones you want:) I can't type and janis is numerically challenged

You noticed that, huh? But to limit myself to <b>TWO</b> castles in a week? Impossible :)

Virginiarose: you have PLENTY of time to see 4 or 5 castles and, trust me, you won't confuse one from another. Now if you went to 10 different tower houses (Crathes, Cragievar, Cawdor, Brodie, Fraser, etc etc) they <i>might</i> start to blur. or 10 different ruins (Kilchurn, Doune, Blavenie, Leven, Dunstaffnage, Urquhart, etc, etc) could start to run together.

But 4 entirely diifferent types of castles - no way to mix them up

Threave Castle

Your itinerary looks reasonable, though if jet lag is an issue I'd agree it's better in reverse. Whichever way you go, take it easy the first day.
The Moray Firth narrows to almost nothing between Fort George on the south and Chanonry Point on the north. Depending on the tides you are almost guaranteed a close view of the dolphins from either place. They are also often seen near Kessock Bridge which carries the main road north from Inverness to the Black Isle.
Meal times - in the bigger towns you'll find something to eat almost any time, though the choice could be limited except at the &quot;standard&quot; times of around 12 noon to 2pm and 6 to 9 pm. After 9 you'll be lucky to get a sit in meal. Carry some non perishable snacks and soft drinks so that you won't starve in an emergency.
I wouldn't be put off by comments about April being too cold for kayaking. The waters of Loch Lomond will be freezing cold no matter when you fall in, but in July and August there will be more people around to laugh.

Directly south if Inverness, near the shores of Loch Ness, the town of Drumnadrochit offers one of the best B and B's in all of the UK...Borlum Farm House...just a few minutes out of town (where there are some excellent pubs for dinners..like Ben Leva Hotel and Bar), and minutes from the Urquhart castle ruins on the lake shore. Also in town you can come face to face with Nessie...statue only.

Stu T.

Okay, another question: which currency should I use? British Pounds or Scottish Pounds?Both are generally accepted(so I hear).Which would be better for me?Thanks.My trip is slowly taking shape.Making reservations now.Yeah!!!!

You cannot get Scottish pounds anywhere outside of Scotland so if you're thinking of changing money beforehand, it's Pounds Sterling you'll have. They'll take your money, Scottish or otherwise.

If you think you're going to have a lot of cash left over, spend the Scottish stuff. No other country in the world will exchange the Scottish toy stuff for real money.

&quot;<i>which currency should I use? </i>&quot;

Use what you get. They are the same. You will get both in your change and from ATMs. It would be best if you use up any left over Scottish banknotes at the airport before flying out. I usually try to keep one or two Scottish notes for a souviner every trip, but otherwise 6 of 1/half dozen of the other.

Currency?
Scotland doesn't have its own currency (worse luck). Some Scottish banks are allowed to produce their own banknotes. These are in the same denominations as Bank of England notes and are the same colours (&pound;5 blue, &pound;10 brown, &pound;20 purple, never had any reason to know what colour &pound;50 and &pound;100 are). Everywhere in Scotland will take Scottish or English notes or a mix of the two. In other UK countries you might have problems using Scottish notes. Scottish banks also produce green &pound;1 notes which they stopped making in England several years ago. These are accepted everywhere in cotland but I don't think they'd be accepted anywhere else. I'm reliably informed that someone sold a Scottish &pound;1 note on ebay for &pound;10!

if your looking for clifton house nairn you can find it here http://www.cliftonhousenairn.co.uk/
there is lots to see around the inverness /nairn area
culloden moor - scene of the defeat of Bonny Prince CHarlie at the hands of the protostant/Hanovarian Army 1746.
A stones throw is Clava Cairns 5,000 yr old burial chambers.
Cawdor Castle 'Home of MacBeth' (NoT).
(Also Near is a Pictish Fort with Fantastic Views of the Moray Firth).
Boat Ride to the Dolphins from Nairn.
Inverness Museum,
Fort George - Last build fort (after culloden) to keep the Highlanders from getting upity again, Has good army museum.
Groam House - Fortrose - Pictish Stone Museum on the Black Isle
Cruises run from inverness down to the castle on loch ness.

House of Bruar - Expensive
If your in Nairn Area then at Brodie There is IMO as good a shop as brua and not as expensive (also Brodie castle is worth a look)

Thanks for everyone's opinion!:)
On the last reply: I will be staying in Nairn for two nights.What shop(the one in your opinion) are you referring to?The shop at Brodie Castle?Please specify.:)
Also, I contacted a boat service in Nairn about little cruises to hopefully see dolphins and the seal island( of?He told me; I forgot)&gt;Are there more than one boat operation in Nairn?

Also, how often do you think I will be needing to fill up on petrol.I know it sounds an odd question, but I want to get an idea of how much my trip will cost.

Virginiarose, charliemac is talking about Brodie Country Fayre which is on the main road near Brodie Castle. I don't WHOLLy agree with him in making his comparison, but it's a nice shop.

I don't know how many dolphin boats there are in Nairn, but, since the dolphins have been suffering stress from bein harrassed by boats, could you haveca look at this page, and make sure your boatman is signed up to the Code of Conduct, please?

http://www.loupers.com/aboutus_boattrips.html

What will you be driving? It will make a huge difference to your fuel consumption.

to follow on what sheila said - I've been in the Country Fayre twice (both times I had neglected to check Brodie Castle's opening times and walked to the shop to kill time). It is a nice shop but certainly not anything like House of Bruar.

And as for Dolphin viewing. if you go to Ft George (highly recommended) you can get VERY good views of the dolphins from the walls and beach. They come w/i 30-40 feet of shore and once when standing up on the fort's wall I got a shot of four dolphins breeching at once.

I will be driving a compact car.Will not be sure exactly what when I arrive, but a small car.

If you take a petrol you'll get 40 mpg; if a diesl more like 50

So, far I'm am planning on staying in the following areas:

1)1st night: Kiltyrie Farmhouse (on Loch Tay for one night).

2)Glebe End B&amp;B in Nairn for 2 nights.

3)Lawriestone B&amp;B in Fort William for 1 night.

4)Lastly, for our last 2 nights we'll be staying at Waters Edge Cottage in and around Loch Lomond.