My husband and our 8 year old and 6 year old will be visiting Scotland in late July. We arrive Monday July 25 in Glasgow where we have relatives. We have to leave Scotland on August 3rd.
We would like to rent a car and make a proper trip to Skye (ie not rushing around the island - taking time to do a little boat trip, a pony trek, perhaps some cycling, make it up to Uig) the first week and be able to visit with Glasgow relatives again on the weekend. We would like to see Glencoe and take the steam train either heading up or on the way back to Glasgow.
After that we would like to do a short visit to Edinburgh - probably by train - either a day trip or an overnight. Does this sound feasible?
We want to take a train to London from either Glasgow or Edinburgh - is one more scenic than the other?
what are the highlights for a short trip to Edinburgh - is a day trip too tiring?
How long does the drive from Glasgow to Skye take (if we take the bridge and stop in Broadford for example).
Does it make a difference which direction you take the steam train? My husband will drive the car while I ride with our children.
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. We're open to any suggestions!
We would like to rent a car and make a proper trip to Skye (ie not rushing around the island - taking time to do a little boat trip, a pony trek, perhaps some cycling, make it up to Uig) the first week and be able to visit with Glasgow relatives again on the weekend. We would like to see Glencoe and take the steam train either heading up or on the way back to Glasgow.
After that we would like to do a short visit to Edinburgh - probably by train - either a day trip or an overnight. Does this sound feasible?
We want to take a train to London from either Glasgow or Edinburgh - is one more scenic than the other?
what are the highlights for a short trip to Edinburgh - is a day trip too tiring?
How long does the drive from Glasgow to Skye take (if we take the bridge and stop in Broadford for example).
Does it make a difference which direction you take the steam train? My husband will drive the car while I ride with our children.
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. We're open to any suggestions!
Does this sound feasible?
That all sounds feasible. In order not to have to do the round trip, if it were me, I might arrange to hire a car in Mallaig, take the train from Glasgow to Fort William the night before, (or even early that morning) take the Jacobite through to Mallaig then the ferry to Armadale.
That would leave you free to do the Glencoe loop on your way south.
Both south train runs are nice. I'd probably take the East coast route becuase I like the sea and there's more of it on that route.
Highlights in Edinburgh depend on your interests, but must include the castle.
The drive from Glasgow to Skye takes about 4 hours.
That all sounds feasible. In order not to have to do the round trip, if it were me, I might arrange to hire a car in Mallaig, take the train from Glasgow to Fort William the night before, (or even early that morning) take the Jacobite through to Mallaig then the ferry to Armadale.
That would leave you free to do the Glencoe loop on your way south.
Both south train runs are nice. I'd probably take the East coast route becuase I like the sea and there's more of it on that route.
Highlights in Edinburgh depend on your interests, but must include the castle.
The drive from Glasgow to Skye takes about 4 hours.
I Totally agree w/ Sheila. It doesn't make any sense to me for the family to take the train while Dad drives alongside.
I'd take the train from Glasgow to Mallaig, changing to the Jacobite at Ft William. Pick up a car Ft William, do the rest of your tour and drop the car back at Glasgow or Edinburgh - depending on if you wanted to visit in Glasgow some more.
If the family visit time in Glasgow is finished, drop the car at Edinburgh. Stay 2 days/1 night and then take the train to London. I'd probably choose the east side route too.
I'd take the train from Glasgow to Mallaig, changing to the Jacobite at Ft William. Pick up a car Ft William, do the rest of your tour and drop the car back at Glasgow or Edinburgh - depending on if you wanted to visit in Glasgow some more.
If the family visit time in Glasgow is finished, drop the car at Edinburgh. Stay 2 days/1 night and then take the train to London. I'd probably choose the east side route too.
Meant to add - if you can't find a hire car in Mallaig that you can drop in Edinburgh - then just rent the car for touring around Skye. Then take the train back to Ft William and rent another car for the rest of your journey. Some of the majors are in Ft William and one-way rents won't be a problem.
You won't lose money by renting two cars since there really aren't any discounts unless you rent for a full week and even if you kept one car you aren't talking about 7 days.
OOPS - just re-read your post and you do want to spend more time in Glasgow after Skye/Glencoe.
But my suggestion still works. Drop the car at Glasgow and then take the train over to Edinburgh when you are done there.
You won't lose money by renting two cars since there really aren't any discounts unless you rent for a full week and even if you kept one car you aren't talking about 7 days.
OOPS - just re-read your post and you do want to spend more time in Glasgow after Skye/Glencoe.
But my suggestion still works. Drop the car at Glasgow and then take the train over to Edinburgh when you are done there.
