trip to scotland
 

I am very excited about my trip to Scotland this June (2007). I am flying from the US to Glasgow International as it is the only non-stop flight. What is the best way to get from the airport to Edinborough?
I am spending four days in the city and then plan to pick up a car and will start to drive towards Stirling. I was thinking of picking up the car at the Edinborough airport to avoid city driving, but does anyone have other suggestions?
We will spend 7 days touring around Stirling, Fort William, Isle of Skye, etc. and then we are renting a chalet in Lochinver for a week. While we are at the Chalet we are thinking of trips to Handa Island, Ullapool, and walks on beaches and in the countryside. We have four days after that before our return flight, which we were thinking we would spend in Glasgow. Is a trip to the Orkney Islands too ambitious?
I welcome any and all suggestions, thank you very much!

Just a couple of initial comments. Be sure to check your spelling - it helps when googling etc. It is <u>Edinburgh</u>

You can take the bus from GLA to the center of Glasgow and then it is a quick train ride to Edinburgh.

The easiest place to pick up your car is a EDI like you plan. There is an airport bus that goes from the city center out to the airport. From there you will be right on the motorway and have a quick/easy drive to Stirling.

One other option you might consider. Stay the first night or two in Glasgow and then take the train to Edinburgh. then after 3 or 4 days continue as you planned.

W/ your spare 4 days you have lots of choices - going up to Orkney would certainly be doable, or you could head over to the east coast for the &quot;Castle Trail&quot; and Deeside in Aberdeenshire and down into Fife/St Andrews. Or any number of other areas.

For various options of travel through to Edinburgh look at http://www2006.org/edinburgh/travel/ I have found the bus as easy as other options especially as Edinburgh Waverley Railway Station is currently being altered and some train journeys from the west are being terminated at Edinburgh Haymarket Railway Station.

Picking up a hired car at Edinburgh Airport is also a good idea as it will save you having to navigate your way through Edinburgh city centre / roads lay out.

When you are in Lochinver you will find that the roads are single lane with passing places and this can make for a long journey to either Scrabster or John O Groats for the ferry to Orkney. It is possible but you will have to work out your ferry times and allow 2 - 3 hours for the journey to / from Scrabster.

As you have four days available after you leave Lochinver you could consider using up a number of them to travel to and around Orkney before travelling south for your flight.

The North coast has some lovely beaches around Durness and Torrisdale and I am sure that you will enjoy the scenery (not the roads) in that area. There is also a small boat / bus available to take you all the way to the lighthouse at Cape Wrath. Make sure that you have a good midge repellent if you go there from August onwards, as it can be a longish wait for the only bus to return to pick up passengers. There are also good fishing and horse riding opportunities in the North West.

Thank you janisj, I do apologize for my misspelling of Edinburgh, I have just begun to use this site and was anxious to get my message online! I like the idea of a few days in Glasgow first too, I hadn't thought of it before!

By far, the simplest way to get from Glasgow airport to Edinburgh is by bus. There is a bus every 15 minutes that goes from the airport to the bus station in Glasgow. You get off, walk 25 feet and get on the Einburgh bus, which also runs every 15 minutes. The cost is very reasonable.One of the few remaining deals left in Scotland. I just did the same trip a few months ago and it was very simple.