re your weather question....you can't really tell!

Four Marys...http://www.thefourmarys.co.uk/
also you should check out the Falkirk Wheel while you are in the area....just amazing.....http://www.thefalkirkwheel.co.uk/

yanumty....next time you are on VI. take the highway to Tofino ( if you haven't done so already)

alihutch...thanks for the links....good summary on Mary Queen of Scots and sites.

Canucck

Yes, we will!

I think from our last experience we will skip the city totally and go straight out to VI. We just fell on Sooke last time and loved it. It took four days out of seven to do the place justice. There were many restaurants which just looked "not our type" one night we gave one a shot and discovered some of the best food we have had.

Tofino is somewhere that past us by last time. We have done some research this time and are suprised how up- market it seems.

How's the planning for going?

Do try and get to Northumbria it's impressive.

I am in Inverness now having spent 3 days in Skye. I must say when I was driving in the NE region, I was reminded of Vancouver Island. I am from Singapore originally and living in the US for the past 10 years.

tangwash and yanumpty.....if we're talking islands in Canada, don't forget two island provinces in the east...Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland....both are unique.

yanumpty...trip planning? Now I'm trying guess the timing, distances, terrain, and motorways ( other than M series) from Bath to Edinburgh via York and Newcastle. Likely I'll be begging advice in another thread soon.

"<i> . . . and motorways ( other than M series)</i>"

The ONLY motorways are the M series. Do you want to use off-the-beaten-path, scenic roads, or do you want to drive as quickly as possible (on M's), bypassing places in between?

How many days do you have to travel between Bath and Edinburgh?

Hi janisj...I was taking a stab at the term motorways instead of highways. Between Bath and Edinburgh I was hoping to take a route off the M series ( I guess more like the A series and such),drive through some interesting historical and/or scenic towns ( possibly Lincoln, York, and Newcastle outskirts or other northeastern shore places). I have no idea of the conditions in which to drive. We suspect it will take three days to four days if we chose to take an hour or so stop at one or two interesting sites daily. Now, I need experienced travellers to give me sense of reality.
Always thankfully enjoyed reading everyones' responses.

Hey yanumpty, Glad to hear you like VI. We live in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. We also would like to visit Scotland after our next trip to France and Italy. Are you saying that Vancouver Island has better or similar scenery than some areas of Scotland? What wows me when we go to Europe is the history and beauty of the buildings, not to mention new food, languages etc. We also have done the Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia and was told that it was similar to Scotland. Sorry to intrude on the post but I couldn't resist.

The term "highway' really doesn't apply. The M's are the motorways (like freeways, interstates, in north America). "A" roads can be major divided sort of thruways, or smaller two lane roads.

Off the motorways you will be on every sort from divided dual carriageways to narrow roads. So just forget the concept of 'highways' :)

W/3 days heading up the east side you can easliy see either York, a bit of North Yorkshire and one other area (maybe Hadrian's Wall, or the Scottish borders)

Up the west side -- the Lake District and again Hadrian's Wall or some of SW Scotland.

W/ 4 days it would be less of a rush and you could see more.

Chiming in here because I've been reading all the Scotland threads for future travel.

Admit to loving Sooke Harbor House on VI, the winery, and of course staying at The Empress.

ps Canuckk - I almost forgot we have our own pretty good distillery

http://www.bladnoch.co.uk/

Which is small and family run, a far cry from the corporate affairs further north.

yanumpty...thanks for the link, but it seems I won't get south of Glasgow ( Jedburgh, Edinburgh, Skye, Glasgow, Flight)
.....annnnd it looks like I'll need to ( want) return to Scotland again soon after.

Canuckk what is your trip looking like, now?