majuli

janisj

You will have very little time on Skye and Broadford is a long drive from much of the island. I'd stay farther up the Isle (Sligachan or Portree) and stay 2 nights -- otherwise I'd skip Skye altogether.

>>Should we take the Armadale-Malaig ferry( stay at Glenfinnan) or drive through Kyle of Lochalsh stay and stay at Glencoe area<<

You will drive via Kyle/the bridge TO Skye and the Ferry/Mallaig back to the mainland. Staying in Glenfinnan really doesn't make sense -- it is only a few miles from Mallaig and isn't really a destination (though you would want to stop at the Monument/Visitors center)

>>Return Car at Perth from where will train it to Edinburgh<<

Why? It would be a shorter drive and much easier to drop the car at EDI and travel in to the city by public transport. The tram stops less than 2 blocks from Waverly station. But I wouldn't pick a place to stay simply to be near the station.

I'd consider 2 nights on Skye, 1 night in Glencoe, 2 nights in Callander, and finish up in Edinburgh.

What os your budget for accommodations?

PalenQ

You'll get great advice from janis who hs encylopaedic knowledge of Scotland!

PalenQ

Maybe drive Perth-Edinburgh as janis says and stop off for a bit in St Andrews - neat seaside town - university and golf town but also very cute. Maybe return car there even if possible.

janisj

>>Maybe drive Perth-Edinburgh as janis says and stop off for a bit in St Andrews<<

I didn't mean to drive from Perth to Edinburgh. Perth doesn't make a lot of sense on this itinerary since they will be in Callander and it would be a huge detour to drive north to Perth simply to drive (or take a train) south to Edinburgh. I meant to drive from Callander straight to EDI. Callander to Edinburgh is a very straightforward drive, and dropping a car at EDI could not be easier.

majuli

Thanks janisj/PalenQ for your comments.
My earlier reply did not get posted may be restricted by 1 post per day norm. Not sure, am a new comer to Fodors forum.
Budget for accommodation is $150 per day stretchable to $175 in some cases.
Want to avoid city driving in Edinburgh hence the thought of Perth, but find Stirling would be more convenient.
Trying to allot Day2 to Skye and split Day 3,4,5 between Glencoe & Callander 1-2 or 2-1, which one

What is the driving time from Inverness to Broadford and onward to Sligachan/Portree.
The Calmac site suggests that the frequency of the Armadale-Mallaig ferry is only 2 one in the morning and the other in the afternoon.
Afternoon ferry arrival at Mallaig is after 1700, can we reach Glencoe by the check-in time. What is the driving time from Mallaig to Glencoe.

Thanks for the help
Regards

janisj

>>Want to avoid city driving in Edinburgh hence the thought of Perth, but find Stirling would be more convenient.<<

I suggested EDI for a reason. Dropping the car at EDI (the airport) is much MUCH easier than either Perth or Stirling. Driving in Stirling is harder than taking the main road and motorway right to the airport. No one would suggest you drive IN Edinburgh, but EDI is not in the city and is by far the easiest place to pick up/drop off rental cars.

>>What is the driving time from Inverness to Broadford and onward to Sligachan/Portree.<<

Long. Like 4 hours plus stops at places like Urquhart Castle, Eilean Donan and the many photo ops. So in real life Inverness to Portree takes about 6 hours. That is why you'd need two nights on Skye.

>>The Calmac site suggests that the frequency of the Armadale-Mallaig ferry is only 2 one in the morning and the other in the afternoon.<<

That is NOW . . . In February. In the middle of summer the ferries are VERY frequent.

I think you may have reveived some bad advice somewhere along the line . . .

majuli

Point taken, car will be returned at EDI.

Pl advise driving time from Mallaig to Glencoe with a stop at the viaduct. Also recommended split between Glencoe & Callander for the 3 days.

B&B suggestions in Portree/Glencoe & Callander pl. Budget is $150-$175 per night.
Is a smaller car recommended for the narrow winding roads, preferred choice for rental companies

Should we consider possible wet weather in mid-July.
Thanks for the help
Regards

Nikki

I agree that one night on Skye is not enough.

Wet weather is possible and beautiful weather is also. Sometimes on the same day.

janisj

>>Also recommended split between Glencoe & Callander for the 3 days.<<

If you want heavy duty hiking/climbing, I'd do 2 Glencoe and 1 Callander. But for most visitors doing walks/sightseeing I'd recommend 1 Glencoe and 2 Callander. The scenery is fabulous in Glencoe, but there is a lot to see and do near Callander. Killin, Doune Castle, Stirling Castle, Inchmahome Priory (a must), a boat ride on Loch Katrine, etc.

>>Should we consider possible wet weather in mid-July.<<

One should expect wet weather every day of the year and if you luck out - terrific (Sometimes rain is preferable to the midges that can come out when the rain stops)

>>Is a smaller car recommended for the narrow winding roads, preferred choice for rental companies<<

I mostly book through Autoeurope.com They are a US based broker that works with all the majors. I never get the smallest cars - but I do generally get the smallest that has an adequate combination of power/seating/luggage space. So usually the 3rd class up from the bottom - often called 'compact' but that differs from company to company.

>>Pl advise driving time from Mallaig to Glencoe with a stop at the viaduct.<<

About 2.5 to 3 hours plus stops at Glenfinnan and Neptune's Staicase -- so about 6 hours if you hike at Glenfinnan, or 3.5 to 4-ish if you you just stop at the Glenfinnan visitors centre and walk out to look at the viaduct and walk along the locks at Neptunes's Staircase.

majuli

Thanks janisj for the inputs.

As advised shifted Day1 (&2) from Broadford to Portree. accommodation confirmed for Day 1 awaited for Day 2.
Day 3 Glencoe
Day 4&5 Callander
Day 6,7,8 Edinburgh

Car pick up Inverness, Car drop EDI

How far in advance should the Armadale-Mallaig ferry be booked for mid July?

Thanks

Sberg

You are trying to do way too much. We are a couple in our fifties and went to Scotland last September for two weeks. We covered the area you are going. We too flew into Inverness (very easy airport). We rented a car at this small airport which was very easy. We first stayed at Home - Thistle Dhu Bed and Breakfast Glenlivet which is in the Speyside region near the Cairngorm National Park. It is an absolutely beautiful area of Scotland! We then drove to Skye. We loved Skye but you are shortchanging it. It is a much nicer area than Calendar so I would spend at least 2 nights there. We stayed in Edinbane at a place called The Snug, The Snug | Contact. Absolutely loved it! There is so much to see on Skye. We spent 3 nights there. We then went to Mull for 2 nights and on to the Glencoe area. We stayed outside of Glencoe in Onich at the Lochview Guesthouse. It was phenomenal! Weather was interesting as it was cloud covered and rainy in Glencoe and in Onich the sun was shining. We did some great hiking in Glencoe and went back to a lovely guest house. We drove to Calendar from there and stayed overnight but I wished we had driven right through to Edinburgh (it is not very far). For some reason we did not like Calendar and I would not recommend it (that is just our preference as others have liked it). We much preferred the Cairngorms. We dropped the car at the airport and took the tram right into Edinburgh (very easy both in and out). If you are going to Skye book ASAP. It books up quickly as there are not too many places to stay.

majuli

Thanks Sberg for sharing your experience.

Accommodation at Portree for 2 consecutive nights finally confirmed at Whitehirst B&B. We shall be at Skye in defiance of CNN advice https://travel.cnn.com/travel/articl...to-avoid-2018/
Caledonian Sleeper reaches Inverness at around 9am, we should on the road to Skye by 10am and hope to reach Portree by 4pm.Will do as much possible in the next 1&1/2 days before taking the ferry to Mallaig
Shall miss CNP this time, can't fit in the routing, Skye accommodation availability being the pivot around which the itinerary is built.

Have booked Westerton B&B at Callander against "stay longer" 2 days offer, lets see how it turns out.

Thanks all

janisj

>>It is a much nicer area than Calendar so I would spend at least 2 nights there.<<

Per the OP's 2nd post they are staying 2 nights on Skye.

You had a lovely trip -- but also more time than the OP. Would I do it exactly like the OP's plan -- probably not (in fact with such a short trip I'd likely skip Skye and Inverness) But with the sleeper already booked, 2 nights Skye, 1 night Glencoe, 2 nights Callander and the rest in Edinburgh is a perfectly reasonable division of time. To say that Skye is much 'nicer' than the Trossachs is comparing apples and oranges. Both have a lot to see and do and are worth time.

>>For some reason we did not like Calendar and I would not recommend it (that is just our preference as others have liked it). <<

Just to clarify, Callander is merely a town -- it is convenient as a place to stay. But there is not much 'special' about the town itself . . . It is ALL about what is in the area. Lochs, waterfalls, Queen Elizabeth park, plus the sites I mentioned above. One certainly doesn't need to stay in Callander but it has the most accommodations in the area -- anywhere within say 10 miles of it would be good.

janisj

For some reason I didn't see your last post >>Shall miss CNP this time<<

Not a big deal. The Cairngorms are just an area of nice mountain scenery -- you will see as good or better on Skye and Glencoe

Sberg

Janisj, I don't think you can go wrong no matter where you go in Scotland. Like most places it is personal preference. Yes, we were in Scotland longer and did get to slow down a little. We passed through Callander so didn't really give the area a fair shake. The town itself is one that did not impress but the surrounding area was beautiful. We did not like where we stayed and there were very few restaurants to eat in that were open. Will just consider it a bad day. Just reflecting on our trip I would have driven from Glencoe straight to Edinburgh and spent the extra night elsewhere. majuli enjoy your trip. Scotland, and its people are wonderful.

A few other tips from our trip would be to eat at LochLeven Seafood Cafe in Onich. The best seafood of our trip.
On Skye we ate at the Skeabost Hotel, not far from Portree. We also loved a late lunch in the bar at
Flodigarry Country House Hotel after hiking in the Quiraing. The scenery in the Quiraing is unbelievable. We also loved Fairy Glen (which is not far from the Quiraing). You can't even describe the scenery as it is breathtaking.

majuli

Would appreciate any advice on the routing starting at Inverness & ending at EDI https://goo.gl/maps/tXKrHaiLXqF2
2 nights each at Portree & Callender & 1 night at Glencoe
Suggestions for day trips from the base(s)

Thanks

Nashh

Well I am not an expert in that region but visited Scotland last year, hence can chip in. IMHO keep at least two days for the Skye region. There are lots of places to visit in and around. I would recommend Portree as base. Glencoe or Fort Willam is a good place to stay open route to Skye.

majuli

Thanks Nashh, we have made the changes and now have accommodation booked for 2 days at Portree driving in from Inverness and exiting through Armadale.
Thanks to the forum

Nashh

Great to hear that! The Skye region has a lot to offer. But do please book your Portree accommodation ASAP, it’s crazy out there. As another folk suggested while coming back you can consider Cairngorm National Park. Put up in Aviemore which is a beautiful ski place. Cairngorm Mt. train ride is worth a visit.