We are planning a last minute trip to visit friends near Dumfries in early November for about 2 weeks. We spent a summer in Scotland many years ago, not spending much time in the southern area. Any thoughts welcomed. We are 74, in good shape, enjoy walks, cultural sights, people and are open to anything. Would like to have a few other bases besides our friend's home. We know the weather will not be ideal, but that's okay. We can rent a car.

Lots to see in Dumfries & Galloway. Then just up the coast in Ayrshire there is Culzean, Crossraugel Abbey (oops, it closes for the season Oct 1), Robert Burns sites. Nearby and well worth spending time would be the Borders (all the Border Abbeys, Abbotsford, St Abbs Head, Traquair House, etc). Then you'll also be close to Cumbria and all of Hadrians Wall, Lanercost Priory, etc.

If you wanted 3 bases -- I'd maybe have one in Dumfries (also as a base for Ayrshire), one in the Melrose/Galashiels/Dryburgh area, and one in Northumberland for the eastern end of Hadrian's Wall, Lindesfarne, Alnwick, etc.

Do check individual sites for if they are closed for the season or have limited hours.

Thanks so much!

A wonderful area, Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders.

Culzean Castle is one of my favourite castles anywhere - a regular day trip for us from Glasgow.Huge grounds plus a chance to walk on the little pink beaches which line the coast there, especially if the tide is low.Alloway might be a drive too far but is a beautiful village (great scones in the Robert Burns Birthplace Centre.) Essential for all things to do with Rabbie! The Auld Kirk and Brig’o Doon, settings in the famed ‘Tam o Shanter’ poem.Paintings of key scenes in the poem, truly superb are on display in the adjacent Rozelle House Galleries.

Dumfries House is a beauty. Though closed in November, the Estate grounds are open.

Kirkcudbright is a delightful wee town, very picturesque and well worth a stroll.Dundrennan Abbey is lovely.

Galloway Forest Park offers some lovely hill and loch scenery.

On the Moffat side of things to the east, you might enjoy a walk up to see the Grey Mare's Tail waterfall in rolling Moffatdale. Various walks also by St Mary's Loch.It's also a hugely scenic drive over by Talla Water to Tweedhope and on perhaps to Dawyck Botanic Garden which gives a lovely walk round its woodland grounds.Great wee cafe there too.

The area of Upper Tweedale through to Stobo (a superb spa resort)is one of Scotland's officially designated 40 National Scenic Areas.

Melrose is a very attractive wee town and would make a good base.Nice walking (uphill!) on the adjacent Eildon Hills or perhaps following part of the Borders Abbey Way or St Cuthbert's Way.It's well worth checking out the excellent Walkhighlands website, the go to site for walkers and hikers in Scotland...lots of ideas for short to longer walks and hills too of course.The Three Brethern Walk is a good one.

https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/borders/melrose.shtml

There are a lot of privately owned, stunning country house properties in the wider area but they will of course be shut in November but their grounds may be open for a stroll.eg Floors Castle.

Historic Scotland properties, though not all, tend to be open all year round...a link to their site which you can peruse by area:

https://www.historicenvironment.scot...-results?r=128

Thank you so much for great ideas!

Dates are certain now--Nov. 11-26, flying into Glasgow. As I mentioned, we spent 6 weeks in Scotland 52 years ago. We will start at our friends, who Dumfries and also run a well-reviewed Bed and Breakfast, for about 4 nights. That leaves us 10 days. We think 2-3 more bases and we are happy to have this be relaxed. We will have a car. We would like some time on Isle of Skye. Any advice appreciated.

I highly (HIGHLY) recommend you ditch any plan to visit Skye. Sorry Just not a great idea. The weather will likely not cooperate and you don't want to be out on Skye in vile weather. (I have visited Skye once in late Nov/early Dec but that was when I was living in the UK and could make plans at the last minute and could cancel last minute when necessary). In general the east side of the country will be drier (though all rules are made to be broken )

I assume you are flying home from GLA - right? And you haven't mentioned any interest in Edinburgh - at that time of year I'd want some time being more 'city centric' because there is a lot more to do in bad weather and in the evenings since daylight will be short. Besides Dumfries, I'd consider 3 nights somewhere in the very NE tip of Northumberland (Alnwick/Bamburgh/etc), 3 or 4 nights in the Borders area (Innerleithen/Melrose/Galashiels/etc.) and finally a few nights in Edinburgh.

If neither NE England nor Edinburgh are of interest to you (both do offer a lot to see and do), then I'd probably do 4 nights in the Borders, 2 or 3 nights in the East Neuk of Fife (Crail/Anstruther/St Andrews/etc) a couple of nights in/near the Trossachs (Doune/Callander/Stirling/etc) and finish up with a night or two in Glasgow.

Re short days . . . on say Nov 23 sunrise will be 8:06AM and sunset @ 3:50PM - so you'll have a lot of night time/dark hours to fill.

janisj and Scotlandmac--You read our minds! We JUST decided against Skye for the very reasons you stated (so thank you for confirming). We also had the thoughts about needing to have indoor sites due to the weather. We are going to look at both of your suggestions and dig into this tomorrow. Cannot thank you enough!

We travel all year round throughout Scotland - Highlands and Islands- and time of year is never a factor.That said, we do love the great outdoors and enjoy anything from hills to coastal / beach walks and woodland strolls.Skye (and many, many places )is to me, wonderful all year round but indoor ‘attractions’ will involve enjoying cafe and lunch stops, visiting little shops and perhaps sitting by a roaring fire at night enjoying dinner and later, if clear, some of the clearest skies anywhere.The Northern Lights have been very common this year.

As with summer, the chances are, you will get sun, rain, wind, occasionally snow though mostly in the mountains- but it will feel cold.We get gorgeous days in November but of course, also miserable ones too - as in summer! One thing about our weather is, it tends to change not only from day to day but hour to hour!

With 10 days after Dumfries, Skye is certainly possible….but a LONG way there and back.5.5 hours from Glasgow to Portree approx…albeit from Loch Lomond onwards the scenery is outstanding most of the way.
You would have to see it as a chance to take a superb road trip through the Highlands when they are at their most colourful, in addition to enjoying time on the spectacular island itself.

We are just back from a very short trip to Skye to see family after my MIL took a slight fall in her Care Home…from Glasgow, we drove to Pitlochry overnight (a DBB treat at Knockendarroch Hotel) , then a quick and extremely wow drive up to Skye(Broadford) on a day of sunshine and showers.Lunch in the brilliant Am Praban bar in beautiful Isle Ornsay.
Later that same day we returned to the mainland at Mallaig via the Armadale ferry which does reduce the road mileage quite a bit.Gorgeous drive to Fort William.Home later that day after a bit of a mega walk.

Are we tired today? Yes a bit( though mainly from that big hike! My husband and I are both late 60s) but wow, the scenery, the colours and the light! And that’s despite the fact that we have seen it all so many times before.

It really comes down to your preferred style and pace of travel. I wouldn't rule Skye out.

Skye is always worth it and I also wouldn’t worry too much about shorter days…there’s still plenty time to fit in what you want to see…well over 8 hours.

Scotlandmac-Okay, I just increased the time in Scotland by 2 more days and so will look at this and consider Skye again.

Question about Borders area: I am reading that many sights are privately owned and shut down from early autumn until April so the area is less suited for off-season travel?

A lot of the big castles and country estates ARE privately owned in the Borders and will be closed though sometimes their grounds or part of their estate is open.You can check their websites.Abbotsford House may be open all year, certainly the grounds appear to be.

https://www.scottsabbotsford.com/vis...-opening-times

Melrose Abbey and the other Border Abbeys are open.St Andrew's Castle in Kirkcudbright (lovely wee town, well worth a visit) is open as many of Historic Scotland's properties are - check the website for further afield...

https://www.historicenvironment.scot.../prices-times/

If you do venture further north, as an example, Stirling Castle, Urquhart Castle (Loch Ness) and Eilean Donan Castle are open all year round.

I enjoyed Threave and Caerlaverock castles, which are very close to where you will be.

Thank you for these helpful suggestions!