Why do I have the feeling that I will be in close contact with the people on Fodor's while planning this trip???
We are planning to stay in Edinburgh for 2 days and thinking about going by train to Inverness or Saint Andrew's or Aberdeen areas. Since we are traveling by train (Rail pass of some sort) we are looking for areas that we can explore by day trips( bus)
or walking.Thanks for your help as usual.

Sealight3... I'm a great believer in traveling by bus. We've travelled by train when absolutely necessary, but I find it more expensive and not as hospitable. It's easier to chat with folks on the bus (coach)and you can really get many places. Check in with the tourist center near you, get a bus schedule and plan on! Where the coach doesn't go you can always walk or hire a taxi. We've done this in Northern Ireland and had great results.

Take the Coach!

Thank you Danna but we have already decided to go by train. Our daughter is in England and we are traveling by train with her.Maybe next time we'll do the bus....
Does anyone have any answers where to go by train after Edinburgh.. Inverness, Aberdeen,Saint Andrew's?!?!?

Stirling has an interesting castle and old town. Glasgow is an interesting Victorian city with good museums including the Burrell Collection. Both about an hour by good train service from Edinburgh. A bit further with a less frequen service is Berwick-upon-Tweed, just in England, a nice border town with good Tudor town walls.

Have

Can I clarify please? You intend to go to Edinburgh for 2 days, then travel by train to Inverness, St Andrews or Aberdeen, and use that town as abase to make further day trips on foot or by bus. Is that right?

What do you like? Why did you choose Scotland?

Yes, we are planning to visit someplace after Edinburgh to make it our base for a couple of days. We chose scotland because we had not been there before, and my husband has a love of bagpipe music. He is a piper himself. We also like the scenic stops (we have been to Ireland many times... beautiful scenery!) We thought a train ride to the Northen part would be nice... Perhaps Inverness, OR Aberdeen OR Saint Andrew's. Can you help, Sheila, or anyone to suggest a good spot to go to? Thanks

You could make it a round trip and take in some truly magnificent scenery, see some great towns and cities and enjoy some real Scottish hospitality.

Take a train from Edinburgh to Aberdeen. It takes a couple of hours and follows the east coast. You get a chance to go over the Forth Rail Bridge which is truly awesome, pass through Dundee, stop off and see St Andrews and then continue up to the granite city of Aberdeen.

Aberdeen is the city that services the North Sea oil industry, so the best deals on hotels tend to be at weekends when all the oil guys are out of town.
There are often some fab deals to be had on Friday and Saturday nights in some really good hotels. There is plenty of shopping to be had, good restaurants and lots to see. Balmedie beach is a few miles north of the city and is gorgeous, if a bit cold if the wind is coming from the north east!

You then head to Inverness which is a couple of hours away. When you leave there,I would recommend coming back down via Loch Ness, then through Glencoe (which is breathtaking to say the least) and past Loch Lomond until you reach Glasgow. Glasgow is always worth a visit, and home to the annual piping festival, then finally, head back across to Edinburgh.

3 to 5 days would be just ideal. I hope that helps, & enjoy Scotland!

I would recommend a visit to a small town south of Edinburgh, Melrose on the river Tweed. My family and I stayed at Burt's Hotel. It is a small village with a great history and a great place to get away from the ciy. We plan to go back to Scotland very soon. Scotland is a wonderful place to visit. Just relax and have a good time!

OK. I am going to suggest that you do St Andrews from Edinburgh; and go to Dunkeld for your second base. The reason is that it's on the main railway line; it's got a thriving traditional music scene; and all the north tours-Timberbush, Mac Backpackers et al stop there at the Hermitage, should you choose to join one for a day trip

Stirling is often overlooked but is packed with history and has a better castle than Edinburgh !

For ideas and places to visit our website has useful information and links : www.kilronan.co.uk