Scotland, Western Highlands recommendations??
Jul 13th, 1998, 03:45 PM
#1
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Scotland, Western Highlands recommendations??
We are planning a three week trip to Scotland next summer. At this point I am thinking of using somewhere near Oban as a base for about a week and making day trips to the north, west and south. The Isle of Mull and Iona, the Isle of Arran and Islay seem to be the best choices. Any comments or input? <BR>The drive from Ft.Williams to Mallaig is touted as being excellent. Agree? <BR> <BR>We are thinking of basing a second week slightly north and central to Glasgow and Edinburgh; perhaps the Trossachs? Maybe in the Fife area instead? <BR> <BR>Then a third week further north, based in the Aviemore area. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks. <BR>
Jul 13th, 1998, 04:27 PM
#2
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The Great Lakes area (Loch Lommond, Lochy and Ness) is absolutely breathtaking in beauty, and the people are very warm, friendly and courteous. Inverness is a great town (one of the fastest growing cities in Europe!). It still has the small town feeling with a lot of city amenities. Fort Williams was very nice, too. Isle of Skye must not be miss; neither the Aberdeen Area (site of a number of William Wallace's related sights). The Highlands are spectacular! E-mail me if you need details on recommended lodging and sights. <BR>
Jul 14th, 1998, 11:50 AM
#3
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We have just returned from a 3 week trip to Scotland. Your itinerary sounds great. I think the bases you mentioned are good locations. We met a number of people who spent so much time on the road back and forth from distant bases that they didn't have the time or energy to enjoy the sights along the way. Oban was one of our favorite places. We stayed at a lovely B&B right on the Corran Esplanade which runs along the waterfront. The name is Kilchrenan House (0163-156-2663). It was very pretty, clean, beautiful location and views, and the McLeans who own and run it are very friendly, helpful people. We spent a day on Mull at Duart and Torosay castles. The ferry company Caladonian Mcbrayne has a ticket called the Mull Experience. It includes round trip ferry to Mull, a bus on Mull that takes you between the castles, and entrance to the castles. We found it a convenient and enjoyable way to see some of Mull without the additional cost of bringing our car on the ferry. Arran is beautiful. We spent two nights there and could easily have spent longer. As a day trip I think you would miss out on the relaxed feel of the island. There are castles, seaside villages, rocky beaches, seals, dolphins, and beautiful scenic drives. Keep in mind as you plan that many of the roads, especially on the islands like Skye and Arran, are very narrow and curving. Many times we were on one lane roads with passing places. It takes much longer to go some distances than it would on bigger roads. <BR>Some 30 mile distances can take over an hour. We did not have time to take the Ft. William to Mallaig trip though we did Ft. William to the Kyle of Lochalsh (Eilean Donan Castle and the Bridge to Skye). It was an incredible drive. Sooo beautiful. <BR>You can probably tell that I found Scotland to be <BR>wonderful. We stayed at Daviot Mains Farm, a B&B outside of Inverness about 30 minutes north of Aviemore. I reccommend it as a good location, pleasant b&b, and friendly owners. Let me know if I can helkp with any other details. Have a wonderful trip!
Jul 14th, 1998, 01:17 PM
#4
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Iona was a destination for us on a recent trip, and if the history of the island intrigues you, do go. We had a car, stayed overnight in Oban, and took the early ferry to Mull (pre-booked). The fare was L50 for the car and up to 4 people - pricey for 2, but the flexibility of the car is nice. We stopped to book one of the few B&Bs in Craignure, (Penny Something)where the ferry lands, and then explored Torosay Castle, (wished we could have seen both)and the drive to Iona. On the return from Iona we took the road north, and thus circled the island. What beautiful scenery! We only spent a couple of hours on Iona, which is enough to see the Nunnery, the Abbey, and the little town, but if you like to explore on foot, you might want to spend the night to see more of the island or to take a boat tour to Staffa and Fingal's Cave. We returned to Craignure, had a great dinner in the Ceilidh Pub, then returned to Oban on the morning ferry. I'd recommend it. Also, the area around Loch Awe, on the way to Oban is lovely, and there is a hotel on the lake - Loch Awe Hotel (or Inn), I think. Enjoy.
