At Christmas DH sprang idea of Scotland trip with another couple with whom travelled before. Flights are booked. The short timeline can't be helped but it is stressing me out as I don't like to leave things to chance. We're all around 70 and in good health.
Hoping trusty Fodorites can help (itinerary - and accommodation, of which there is little left).

Likes: beautiful scenery, walks but not long hikes, the road less-travelled, highlands not lowlands, one couple loves history, visit a distillery for sure, Music (fiddle bodrum). Prefer 2 or 3 night stays rather than constantly moving on. Not rich, sadly, because Scotland is very expensive for we Canadians. We've been looking at airbnb, vrbo, and I look at hotels. We have a couple booked (free cancellation).

DRAFT ITINERARY
Sun Apr 27 - arrive Edinburgh - staying at Drumsheugh Gardens air bnb.- anyone know area?
Mon Apr 28 - Edinburgh
Tue Apr 29 - staying somewhere N or W of St. Andrews (a quick visit to the city to see golf course or lunch there).
Wed Apr 30 - staying in Inverness area (countryside possibly) - see Culloden, Urquhart Castle maybe,
NOTE: ancestors who didn't come to Canada in 1830's had a hotel in the village across from Eilean Donan Castle which is now Eilean Donan Apartments.. is anyone familiar with??Thur May 1. Inverness area - daytripping - any suggestions accommod?
Fri May 2 Inverness area - daytripping
Sat May 3 - Isle of Skye - we're booked off the island at Rona B&B, Ardaneaskan. We know travel-time from there is at least an hour just to get to the bridge... but minimal accommodation and $$ are factoring in. Still looking for something ON the island as we have free cancellation with the B&b
SUNDAY May 4 - Isle of Skye (still at Rona B&B, Ardaneaskan)
So we've started wondering whether to dump Skye in favour of somewhere else because IT IS A BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND. Maybe we need to reverse our trip itinerary, but more on that later
Mon May 5 Glencoe area
Tue May 6 Isle of Islay - Staying at The Oa Heathery Brae, Port Ellen
Wed May 7 Isle of Islay (as above)
Thur May 8 Loch Lomond & Trossachs area or Stirling area
Fri May 9 Edinburgh staying close to airport at Norton House (free shuttle into Edinburgh)
Sat May 10 fly home early

There was talk about driving up to NC 500 for one leg of it (we know we can't do it all.
We don't want to spend all day in the car.

Hoping against hope that you can help us with a realistic plan, given there are ferries to the islands ad apparently so much traffic (on Skye in particular). And very little accommodation available.

I have read trip reports (KarenWoo),and comments by Gardyloo, ScotlandMac, and JanisJ on other people's itineraries, but not sure my other travelers have read them over. The more I read, the more confused I am (old brain, I'm afraid).
Again, Help! TYIA

A few random comments to start:

• " Drumsheugh Gardens air bnb.- anyone know area?" Its a bit west of Princes Street -- less than a 10 minute walk. Best thing is it is very close to a tram stop so easy in / out to the airport.

• You have VERY little time in Edinburgh. The history, Castle, Whisky Centre etc tick a lot of your boxes and at least some you will be jet lagged. I'd definitely add another night or two.

• I would SERIOUSLY (yes -- all caps on purpose -- I'm sort of yelling ) consider dropping Skye completely. Ardaneaskan is a totally impractical base for touring the island. Just to say Portree will be more than a two hour drive on a Bank Holiday weekend. Plus every beauty spot will be slammed that weekend. Unless you reverse the trip and avoid the Holiday Skye will be a zoo.

• it will be a 3+ hour drive from Ardaneaskan to Glencoe so you don't have much time in the area.

• Islay is great but a very long journey from Glencoe. -- probably close to six hours including waiting for the ferry

This may seem blasphemous but -- Culloden is great, Skye is great, bt unless you are dead set on both I'd consider dropping the north. I;d do something like Edinburgh 4 nights including a day trip to St Andrews. (Can be done by car or public transport). Then a driving route of Glencoe > Oban/Mull > Kilmartin > Islay > Loch Lomond/the Trossachs > EDI

sorry for the typos . . .

Darn -- I was posting again but the power company stopped by and shut of my meter for 10 mins maintence and my router went down. Autosave didn't work so there is the short and sweet what I was posting . . .

One night near Loch Lomond / the Trossachs will only be a pit stop really since driving from Port Ellen/Islay to say Callander would take about 6 hours. I'd stay 2 nights (3 if you can swing it) because it would be a base for Stirling, Doune, Loch Lomond/the National Park and more. Callander is less than an hour's drive from EDI so unless your flight is early you could stay there the last night before flying out. Doune is about 45 minutes from the airport so alsoa good option.

Thanks janisj
My husband and I spent a week in Scotland 40 years ago and had a couple of days in Edinburgh then. We are not city-lovers and the main thrust was to enjoy spectacular countryside. We;re renting a car when we leave Edinburgh.

I had warned our group that Skye has become incredibly busy (and expensive) but the DH’s couldn’t conceive that April/May would be busy (do they read or research like I do – No).

Regardless (because this is a rushed process which I’m not comfortable with) I missed the fact we were booking Skye, not only on a weekend, but on a Bank Weekend. (Canadians, eh?)

Regardless, at the time of booking our off-sky bnb, I flagged to the gathered group (that it would at a BARE minimum be a 1 hour drive onto and off Skye and that traffic is bad even in April. The DHs were deaf to my cautions (because they’re old? Because they’re world adventurers in times-past and think that you can still fly by the seat of your pants and it will all work out? Because their memory of Scotland 40 years ago, didn’t have many tourists in June, for heaven’s sake).

[The location of the B&B was nice, and price was good] and we knew we had free cancellation if needed (likely).


So when DW2 flagged that we were there on a bank Holiday and weekend, we started searching to do one of 2 things:

1, reverse some of the itinerary

2 find accommodation actually on the island (everywhere in Scotland is low-vacancy because this is so last-minute

3. scrap Skye (that might be a hard sell to the DH’s.

So you say scrap Skye and keep Islay?

Or scrap Islay?

We really want to see Glencoe because that is what everyone says

And again, the DH’s are talking Scotland’s north 500, but even they seem to realize we can only hit maybe one spot, if any.

Yikes!

You've got a lot on your plate!

"So you say scrap Skye and keep Islay?
Or scrap Islay?"

I'd drop Skye and definitely keep Islay. ESPECIALLY if any of you are into the more peaty/smokey single malts. 40 years ago Skye would have been a doddle -- you wouldn't even need to pre-book accommodations or the ferry. Now is a lot different. Keep working on the other couple about Skye -- a Bank Holiday if the weather is nice the roads will be a mess, and if the weather is dire that's a lot of driving to not see much of anything.. And explain to them that the hour getting to the bridge and isn't even the half of it. From your B&B to the Quiraing for example is a minimum 2.5 hour drive - that is each way of course so 5 hours car time just to get part way up the Trotternish Peninsula. Ardaneaskan to Dunvegan Castle is about 2.5 hours on a good day. An Ardaneaskan > Dunvegan > Talisker > Ardaneaskan day would be 5-5.5 hours butts in seats with no stops at all.

The NC 500 would also be problematic over a bank holiday. Try really really hard to talk the guys out of it. While there has been extremely effective marketing that draws soooo many visitors, the infrastructure is better but not good enough to handle holiday numbers.

I think Glencoe, Islay and the Trossachs would be a GREAT road trip and if you really don't want/need more time in Edinburgh you could fit in a couple of nights on Mull. Though accommodations might be tight on Mull too but if you miss the bank Holiday it should be easier.

To keep things simple (and administrator doesn't allow editing of my long winded posts) here is an update/recap on our DRAFT itinerary.
thanks to Janis, please don't give up on us! Or anyone else for that matter!!
Thanks janisjI expected the Skye reaction -

We are not city-lovers and the main thrust of the trip was to enjoy spectacular countryside. I can see though that another night could be useful for day-trips if we're not stuck in Edinburgh traffic getting in and out (we were going to rent a car when we left Edinburgh.

I had the husbands that Skye has become incredibly busy (and expensive) but my DH’ couldn't conceive that April/May would be busy (it's the wives that do the research...).

I flagged that our off-Skye B&B would at a BARE minimum be a 1 hour drive onto and off Skye and that traffic is bad even in April. The DHs was deaf to my cautions (an ‘adventurer’ from time’s past thinking that you can still fly by the seat of your pants and it will all work out? Because his memory of Scotland 40 years ago, didn’t have many tourists in June, for heaven’s sake). I admit that the location of the off-Skye B&B was nice, and price was good] and we knew we had free cancellation if needed (likely).

Regardless I missed the fact we were booking Skye, not only on a weekend, but on a Bank Weekend.

Luckily DW2 flagged it the next morning and she & I started considering whether we should::

a) reverse some of the itinerary

get accommodation actually on the island of Skye (see below)
c) scrap Skye (that might be a hard sell to the DH’s)

This morning we ended up getting accommodation on the Isle of Skye (on the weekend still at Old Post Office Row 4, Edinbane), so would you still say to scrap Skye and keep Islay if we don’t reverse /change the itinerary.to be on Skye midweek?

Note: We really want to see Glencoe because that everyone says it is a must.

And again, the DH’s are talking Scotland’s north 500, but even they seem to realize we can only hit maybe one spot, if any.

Please keep the advice coming. Don't give up on us.
ORIGINAL ITIINERARY (DRAFT) HERE:At Christmas, DH sprang idea of Scotland trip with another couple with whom travelled before. Flights are booked. The short timeline can't be helped but it is stressing me out as I don't like to leave things to chance. We're all around 70 and in good health.

Hoping trusty Fodorites can help (itinerary - and accommodation, of which there is little left).



Our Likes: beautiful scenery, walks but not long hikes, the road less-travelled, highlands not lowlands, history, visit a distillery for sure, Music (fiddle bodrum). Prefer 2-3 night stays rather than constantly moving on. Not rich, sadly, and Scotland is very expensive for we Canadians. We've been looking at airbnb, vrbo, and hotels. We have a couple booked (free cancellation).



DRAFT ITINERARY

Sun Apr 27 - arrive Edinburgh 7am booked at Drumsheugh Gardens air bnb.- anyone know area?

Mon Apr 28 - Edinburgh

Tue Apr 29 –somewhere N or W of St. Andrews Pick up rental car & a quick visit to St. Andrews to see golf course or lunch there).

Wed Apr 30 - Inverness area (countryside possibly). See Culloden? Urquhart Castle? Eilean Donan Castle? (hotel across was owned by my family in the 1800's (it's now carved into 4 airbnb)

Thur May 1. Inverness area - daytripping - any suggestions accommod?

Fri May 2 Inverness area - daytripping

Sat May 3 - Isle of Skye - now booked to stay at Old Post Office, Edinbane.(were previously booked at Ardaneaskan- off-island)

Sunday May 4 - Isle of Skye (Edinbane)

Note: Janisj suggested dump Skye or change order of our itinerary because IT IS A BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND. Maybe we need to reverse our trip itinerary, ..b

Mon May 5 Glencoe area

Tue May 6 Isle of Islay - Staying at The Oa Heathery Brae, Port Ellen

Wed May 7 Isle of Islay (as above)

Thur May 8 Loch Lomond & Trossachs area or Stirling area or other suggestions?

Fri May 9 Edinburgh staying close to airport at Norton House (free shuttle into Edinburgh) (or using JanisJ suggestions

Sat May 10 fly home early

Note:

There was talk about driving up to NC 500 for one leg of it (we know we can't do it all, if any)

We don't want to spend all day in the car.



Hoping against hope that you can help us with a realistic plan, given there are ferries to the islands ad apparently so much traffic (on Skye in particular). And very little accommodation available.

I don't have time right now to look it over in detail but got this far: "This morning we ended up getting accommodation on the Isle of Skye (on the weekend still at Old Post Office Row 4, Edinbane),"

Wow - Terrific! That is a wonderful location. Less than 30 mins from Portree, less than an hour from Talisker and barely 20 minutes - maybe less to Dunvegan. One neat thing is being on-island you can get an early start before the day trippers so visiting the places with parking issues (around the Trotternish, the Fairy Pools etc ) - you can hit them first.

I think you have good advice already, and I echo what janis has already said. We are very active, fast paced travellers but this is a very busy itinerary (e.g. Glencoe, Skye deserve more time) with some onerous logistics (e.g Islay). Candidly : I'd narrow down your current plan itself.

Responding to your point about the NC500 (and your separate messages on this), this is difficult to meaningfully incorporate. That said, the most spectacular part of the NC500 is the north west coast (roughly the stretch from Durness to Torridon). You could fly open jaw into Inverness and out of Edinburgh (leaving Edinburgh for the end). After a night of rest, pick up a car to drive the A835 west towards Ullapool and drive a small section of the NC500 south eventually driving over to Skye (and continuing with the rest of your plan) but
1. this calls for a few overnighters/ breaks en route (availability of acco unclear) and
2. this needs you to eliminate some or all of Edinburgh, St Andrews, Inverness - I don't know how important these are for you.
The NC500 is a whole (slower paced) trip in itself, so am hesitatingy putting these (far from ideal) suggestions out there, since you asked.

for lunch in St ANdrews I recommend the Rusacks hotel which overlooks the 1st and 18th holes at the Old Course

We were in The Bonham (superb off peak deal, couldn't afford it otherwise) a few days ago, same address as your B&B (assume it’s B+B Edinburgh which is quite stunning inside) It’s a beautiful , quiet part of the handsome New Town.

In have also stayed in Heathery Brae under different owners…terrific house, stunning views and perfect with the car.10 mins to Port Ellen.

That said, Islay is a MAJOR addition to an already packed itinerary…more later!

875 views, oh my!
Thank you janisj for your wonderfully detailed info/feedback. Thanks also to Anuj, castlescot and scotlandmac! Sorry for the delay in replying, family matters and illness drew me away. Based on your feedback, we (the planners/wives) scaled back our itinerary so that it’s less ambitious (but is it? We, the DW'a are trying, really!.

The ‘new’ 14-day Itinerary is:
Sat Apr 26 Flying overnight
Sun Apr 27 7am Arrive Edinburgh
Mon Apr 28 – Edinburgh
Tue Apr 29 Oban
Wed Apr 30 Oban – ferry to distillery on Isle of Rasaay
Thur May 1 Oban
Fri May 2 Skye (staying on Island), Edinbane
Sat May 3 Skye (staying on Island) - bank holiday
Sun May 4 Tain/Dornoch area: see golf course, Dunrobin castle, maybe distillery
Mon May 5 Inverness countryside - booked
Tue May 7 Inverness countryside - booked
Wed May 8 Stonehaven, Stirling, Perth or St. Andrews for 2 nites
Thur May 9 Stonehaven Stirling, Perth or St. Andrews – day-trips
Frid May 10 Final night back near airport?
Sat May 11 depart early for Canada

Our “must see” *Eilean Donan Castle and the wee town’s hotel across loch which was in my family – when is the best time to fit it into our itinerary?
*Glencoe (best time to fit in itinerary .
*Achnacarry - again, a must see, but when?
And of course the big gap in our itinerary - the Stirling/Perth/Stonehaven area - what do you think?
St Andrews (yawn, not a golfer, stayed there, froze wandering the town, visiting knitting mill while DH played in downpour 40 years ago- but I did enjoy a drink in the G.C pub, probably couldn't afford it now - but the other DH is still a golfer and will want to see it).

None of the itinerary is set in stone (can cancel what is booked but given our lack of accommodation/last-minute-trip plus trying to find accomm’n for 2 couples has been a huge challenge. (affording it too!)

DH’s look at what we’ve set up and aren’t happy (easy for them) and think we should be covering the coastlines and not spending so much time in the “middle”. North American's, we're strange that way. We haven't and never will see all of our countries, let alone our provinces (Canadian eh? oh and did you hear the one about Trump wanting to make us the USA's 51st state?) Mind you, IMHO Britain/Europe beats NA hands down for culture. architecture ....

The DW’s are wondering whether we aren’t more on the coasts – remote coasts! No crowds, lots of Scottish traffic Jams (sheep) are wished for. I'd like that a bit myself - came as a shock to see how busy things have become (everywhere really).

I’m a history buff in general, and Scotland in particular. DH is very interested. Other couple, not so much (they don’t even know what Culloden is – trying to remedy that). But like all Canadians they like castles and scenery and some fairly light walking.

*Anyway to convince DH’s that
a) car travel time is often double what dear old Google Maps predicts
b) that some of the most splendid scenery is inland I would say some of the most interesting attractions are gathered in the “middle”?

Any recommendations, even admonishments are welcome!!! (I'm doing a preemptive sorry here - we Canadians are known for always saying we're sorry). We’re trying – but I wonder whether the Dornoch/Tain/ isn’t a mistake? A simple, what the hell are you thinking, will suffice (not really, give it to us, both barrels.
HELP!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Generally, I find google times for driving pretty accurate, you don’t need to double them.Add on a little more given roads aren’t so familiar to you as they are to me.
Skye ‘s traffic is not what I’d ever call bad! Nor are the approach roads to the island.I have never seen them the way you describe.There may be shuffling of cars in places such as I mentioned re the Fairy Glen or Pools or as people park up at the honey spots but hardly the sort of urban nightmare many of us think of re traffic jams😀
You may well get sheep or Highland Cattle traffic jams on Skye! The Elgol road usually sees us stopped to allow the latter ‘ladies’ to pass by the car.

You will not see the Isle of Raasay distillery from Oban but from Skye itself.Ferries go to and from Raasay each day, several times a day so visit it then if it’s must see.If you do take the car over consider driving up to the north end of the island via Calum’s Road (look it up!) for truly stunning views to Skye itself. Brochel Castle is quite a sight and offers a short walk to the site - probably not another soul there.

It’s worth checking the tide tables in order to do the short easy walk across to Oronsay Island giving fab mountain and coast views all around.The Scorrybreac walk from Portree, out along a path by the coast is just lovey for views without doing the whole circuit which climbs up a steep bank to the top of Portree. (and which isn’t particularly interesting until you reach the wonderful terrace garden of the Cuillin Hills hotel.But you can see the views from there by driving up and parking.)

I quite agree about a focus on our coast especially the west - that’s where much (though not all )of the truly world class scenery lies.

I’d be tempted to cut a night in Oban and add it to Skye .

When you are travelling north from Oban to Skye, Glencoe is a short detour though it will largely be a photo stop.It would be ideal to have time for Glen Etive, perhaps going up the ski chairlift, doing a short easy walk along a section of the West Highland Way for the beautiful scenery of Rannoch Moor amidst the surrounding mountains.

Eilean Donan also is easily visited on route to Skye.Stick with an exterior visit only - the interior is fairly dull and relatively modern.

You can easily travel to Dunrobin as a day trip from Inverness though Dornoch is an attractive wee place.A fair old drive from Skye.Inverness countryside is fairly run of the mill IMO and the city is nothing special though it offers nice walks by the river.The best day trip from the city is to Torridon and the loop round to Applecross which offers coastal scenery on the grand scale, the equal of Skye , different looking too and quieter again.About a 90 min drive to Torridon village from Inverness but your appetite for driving might be on the wane by then.

Stonehaven is an attractive place at the harbour and the easy cliff top walk to Dunnotar Castle is outstanding..best way to approach that wonderful site.But, a LONG way from Inverness though plenty of castles to keep you occupied if you do head that way.

You are certainly covering a huge amount of ground on roads that are generally more twisting, narrower and more tiring to drive than you may be used to.That said, especially in the west, the scenery is pretty much stunning most of the way.

When we visited Skye you still took a ferry and it really burned up a lot of time we could have used doing other things for what we experienced. Things have changed but logistics are a bit complex so weigh whether you really need to physically put your boots on the ground and check that travel "box", or if you can be very near Skye and take in sites and be fulfilled without actually going there. Please don't think I am dumping on it...just consider the investment of time it takes away from seeing other stuff, and I hear it is much more crowded and some of the charm is diminished. Good luck! Glasgow was cool...we thought we perhaps saw Nessie.

Wow, thanks scotlandmac. You're really helping still some concerns and view our itinerary with a different eye. We really like your suggestion that we can do Torridon from Inverness, rather than when we come off Skye en route to Dornoch. Still parsing through your comments and ideas, keep them coming.

Thanks wildiowa, We're going to think some more about the ferry from Mull to Skye idea instead of road travel.

So it's back to the drawing board - stay tuned

After Skye and on route to Dornoch you can certainly do the drive over the Bealach na Ba to Applecross then round the coast to Torridon - if you get even a half decent day for that it is one of the finest coastal drives anywhere IMO!

It depends how much you enjoy basically a LONG road trip that day albeit quite amazing up until you start a heading inland at Kinlochewe beyond Glen Torridon itself which is magnificent.

That could easily turn into a 9 hour day (say 4.5 hrs non stop driving but broken up by photo stops (almost never ending), lunch or snack (Applecross Inn or the Walled Garden would get my vote , the former especially), short strolls, coffee break (perhaps Jo’s cafe in Torridon village with the best Carrot Cake ever or the Whistlestop Cafe :

https://www.lochtorridoncentre.co.uk...istlestop-cafe

Easily a very long day!

If you decide to visit Torridon from Inverness you will be covering some of the same ground until Achnasheen where you branch off to Kinlochewe and Glen Torridon.That loop to Applecross via the coast and over the Pass of the Cattle (Bealach na Ba) is definitely another all day outing with a bit more chance to explore eg the Diabaig road, Loch Maree.It’s 90 mins non stop drive to Torridon village from Inverness.

If of interest, I wrote that day out as my own ‘best day trip’ from Inverness for scenery, it’s in the link below:

https://annestravelsandhikes.com/202...rom-inverness/