trip to Glencoe
 

hello all! I've been reading all the posts on Scotland, but couldn't quite find the specific info I'm looking for. At the end of June my english boyfriend is taking me to Scotland and I can't wait! Plans are to drive from the north of England (where he lives) to the Highlands, stay around Glencoe for about 3 nights and then drive to Edinburgh and stay there for 2 days. We are going there mainly for photography and to experience the beauty Scotland has to offer. My questions: what is a good place to stay around Glencoe, our budget is about £60 for the both of us per night. Second question: what shouldn't we miss as far as great views and beautiful pictures? Is it worth driving to Skye since we're there only for a short while? Thanks in advance!

I was disappointed in Glencoe, but certainly not with Skye! I'd suggest that you focus more on that, and on Mull too.

I would consider staying in the Clachaig

http://www.clachaig.com/

or a B&B in Glencoe

thanks for your suggestions! In what way did Glencoe disappoint you TuckH? The hotel sounds like the right thing for us, thanks for the tip. Sheila, would you agree with TuckH about chosing Skye of Glencoe?

I love Glencoe. I love the scale and the grandeur, and the mountains and the atmosphere.

Skye's definitely worth a visit

To me, the magic of this part of the world is the match of land and water. Glencoe lacked the latter, and the Isles, with their glorious coastlines (and mountains, i.e. The Cuillins), had me fascinated. How very unique!

Also, I loved Portree and, on Mull, Tobermory and the visit to Iona. IMO, not to be missed!

We found Glencoe sad, not surprising given its history. It is very much worth visiting for the atmosphere, and the scenery is fine also.

what I'm looking for in Scotland is the rugged and pure beauty I've seen in pictures. I'm from the Netherlands so anything higher than a mole-hill is a mountain to me. On my visits to the north of England I was blown away by the beauty of the country side. There's this road between Sheffield and Manchester called the Snake, which I expect to be a scaled down version of the Highlands: hills covered in heather, bold rock and green valleys. Beautiful! My boyfriend used to go to Oban with his family as a kid and is really excited about seeing the area again. What you said about it looking sad: I might actually like that...

wonder,

Glencoe doesn't LOOK sad; it feels sad and brooding, as though the mountains themselves remember the massacre that took place in the glen all those years ago.

It LOOKS magnificent.

that's kind of what i meant (english is not my first language, sorry)...

all in all it looks like Glencoe is the place for me!

To me the wonder of Glen Coe has always been the succession of views one obtains, first by crossing the Rannoch Moor on the approach from the south, then the Glen itself, which can take on all sorts of differing personalities depending on time of day, weather, sun angle, etc., then the transition at the base of the Glen to the mountain/sea environment. There's a lot of visual diversity and history into packed into a very small area.

does anybody know any alternatives for budget hotels in the area (the Clachaig is booked for the days we want to come), we're looking to spend about £60 a night for the two of us. It's probably wrong, but i don't fancy staying at a B&B.

ok, let me type that again: does anybody know any alternative budget hotels in the area? I do my best, but I don't get it right sometimes ; )
You are all very helpful btw, I didn't expect so many replies!

The two other places I would stay (and that's not necessarily the same thing as "budget") are the King's House and the Holly Tree

You may want to check the Isles of Glencoe, too


http://freespace.virgin.net/kings.house/

http://www.hollytreehotel.co.uk/

http://www.freedomglen.co.uk/isle_of.../fg_ig_001.asp

I've never been lucky enough to spend the night in Glencoe, but I've often thought that the King's House would be a nice place to say. The scenery is spectacular & the photo on the website Sheila has noted is wonderful.From what wonder says I think Glencoe would be right up her street.

Jim

thanks Sheila, the King's House it is! Called this morning and they have a room for us at the required time. Thanks so much for the suggestion, I don't think I would have found it without you! We'll stay there for 4 nights before driving up to Edinburgh. The plan is to use it as a base for trips, like to Skye. Are there any places i shouldn't miss in the area?

My diary from our trip in 1999 recorded, "We followed the road through Rannoch Moor and Glencoe to Fort Williams. Glencoe has a reputation, and it is well merited. There is something there, something that you feel in your bones. Maybe it is the blood of the massacred McDonalds crying for vengeance. Near to Glencoe is one of the oldest inns in Britain, almost certainly the oldest in Scotland. The King?s Rest, but nobody rests there now, the last to try died with their faces twisted into masks of terror and those lucky enough to survive the night died gibbering lunatics. We decide not to stop."

wonder,
I hope you don't mind me asking, but could you tell me how much you're paying per night at the King's House? I didn't notice any rates on their website.

Thanks,

Jim

wow Tangata, you know how to spread cheer! Although I know about the history of Glencoe I don't expect it to spook me like that. I would have had a hard time travelling to the places I went to if I did...
The King's House is quite affordable, it was my boyfriend who finally did the bookingbut I think he said it was something around £54 a night.