csb_mich

Hi,

My husband & I are planning a trip to Scotland, arriving Sept 27 mid-afternoon in Edinburgh, and leaving Oct. 7 in the morning, also from Edinburgh.

I've been reading up on other Scotland trip itineraries here, and am trying to plan ours.

My husband has a long list of places of interest, which is making things more difficult because they are spread all over!

This is what I have so far:
4 nights in Edinburgh (27,28,29,30). I'm guessing we won't get much done the first day, as we get in at 3:30pm, and will still need to get settled in. That leaves 3 whole days for Edinburgh.

Oct. 1, pick up car, drive to the Pitlochry area to see Edradour distillery and Blair Castle. Drive north to Craigellachie and stay there for the night.

Oct. 2, Balvenie distillery tour, then to Cawdor castle. Drive to ? to stay the night on way to Skye. If time permits, see Glen Affric.

Oct 3, Skye all day, including Cullin Hills, Talisker distillery. Stay in Portee.

Oct 4, some more time for Skye, before taking ferry to Mallaig.

I'm honestly not sure where to go from here. Some of the other things we would like to see include Castle Tioram, Inveraray Castle, Kilmartin House museum, Hill House in Helensburgh, and Doune Castle &/or Stirling Castle.

I want to stay near the airport in Edinburgh the night of the 6th, but we can get there late in the day after seeing other things.

I know the 1-night stays are generally discouraged, but it seemed that staying in one place and touring around it leads to a lot of back-tracking. So I thought I'd start with this plan to give an idea of what we wanted to see.

We could skip the stay in Craigellachie (and Balvenie/Cawdor Castle) if that just seems too far out of the way or too far to go.

We have our lodgings in Edinburgh for the first 4 nights, but nothing else.

Thanks in advance!
csb

boom_boom

CSB-MICH - If you don't mind all the driving on narrow roads from the otherside of the car, your plan sounds OK, although I'd probably consolidate at least one of your 1-night stays for 2 nights at Craigellachie. Enjoy!

sheila

Sounds pretty good to me.

For your missing night, you might try the Invermoriston or the hotel in Beauky- name's gone. Sorry.

I also think you might not want to spend time on 2 distillery tours. I'm not saying, don't taste it, but,really, seen one, seen 'em all.

From Mallaig turn left at Arisaig and go round past Acharacle to see Castle Tioram. Continue to Strontian and then go over the Corran Ferry to Inchree.

Stay at the Pier House at Port Appin.

Then, on the 5th, drive down through Kilmartin Glen to Inverary. At this point I'm going to say to you EITHER do Hill House or the Doune/Stirling thing.

It just makes no sense to do both. You choose and we'll help fill in the gaps.

janisj

I agree w/ sheila about the multiple distilleries. If it were me, I visit ONE distillery that has a good tour - and for the rest, just find a great pub and taste all the malts you want. Or even at the Scotch Whisky Experience in Edinburgh http://www.whisky-heritage.co.uk/

One distillery looks and works like every other distillery - it is the taste of each whisky that is different.

csb_mich

Thanks for the help, glad to know I'm on the right track!

I remember the advice previously to not bother on more than one distillery tour, but I was weak

I think we'll plan on doing the Edradour, since it has been previously recommended (as has Balvenie, but that one is fairly expensive, and less convenient to the route).

If we don't go to Balvenie, then we don't have to stay in Craigellachie; would you recommend someplace else instead?

I think we will probably not go to Hill House, but still have to discuss that.

Can you recommend a fairly inexpensive hotel in Edinburgh convenient to the airport?

Pier House is available that night; Does the restaurant live up to its reputation?

Thanks again!
Christina

janisj

just a couple of quick comments now -- If you are interested at all - definitely don't drop The Hill House. It is a "must" if you have ANY interest in architecture or Mackintosh.

As for where to stay convenient to Edinburgh airport - just about any hotel in the city will be fine since there are frequent/inexpensive airport buses from the city center to EDI. I wouldn't bother staying out at the airport unless you have a VERY early morning flight. What is your budget?

nini

If possible you should try to see Glamis Castle which would not be out of the way if you are driving to Pitlochry from Edinburgh. I really loved Cawdor Castle and the wonderful secret garden beside it. It has the feel of a beautiful home and is, in fact, lived in for part of the year. The little town/village of Cawdor was very charming. DH had to visit three distilleries and we found them to be quite different. Ben Nevis, Edradour, and Glenlivit (DH's fav Scotch) were the ones we visited. Glenlivit had a nice coal fire burning in the tasting room.

csb_mich

re: an airport hotel in Edinburgh; we'll have the car at that point, was planning on dropping it off before the flight home (not too early a flight thankfully, mid morning). That's why I was opting for a hotel near the airport, to avoid too much driving. Or at least not in the city-center.

budget-wise, was hoping to spend less here, since we'll likely be splurging elsewhere. I was hoping for 50-75 pounds, I guess.

janisj

For that last night - what I usually do - I drop the car at EDI and take the shuttle in to the city for one last car-less night. Its the only time I can actually do a pub crawl since I am usually doing all the driving. Then the shuttle back out to EDI the next morning to catch my flight.

csb_mich

Been working on the plan some more...

Will probably not do the Balvenie distillery, so I was considering not driving all the way to Craigellachie on Oct 1st. Was considering Grantown-on-Spey, staying at Strathallan House. Looks like that will be 1/2 to 1 hour less driving. Or is staying at the Craigellachie Hotel worth the farther drive? (the rates are about the same).

Then, we would still do Cawdor castle, eventually get to Invermoriston. Was it the Glenmoriston Arms hotel you were recommending there, Sheila?

I haven't settled on where to stay in Skye, yet.

Will book for the Pier House in Port Appin for the 4th.

On the 4th head down to Kilmartin, and then on to Inverary. Would it make a whole day between the Kilmartin museum, the sights in the Glen, the Inveraray Castle, so then would stay that night (the 5th) in Inveraray? Or would coninuing on farther be realistic?

Then on the 6th see Hill House, then head back to Edinburgh for the night?

Thanks,
Christina

Mimar

The Hill House doesn't open til 1:30, so plan accordingly. Plus, leaving from Hill House, we couldn't figure out how to get past Glasgow without going through Glasgow. If you do that during the commute time, it might really slow you down.

csb_mich

Thanks for that info regarding opening time for the Hill House. I did miss that detail in the guidebook.

I also was curious about routing back to Edingburgh; looking at the map I was considering the A811 into Stirling, then back south to Edinburgh?

sheila

IMHO, the Craigellachie is very much worth it. And so is Balvenie.

crazychick

Scotch Whisky Experience in Edinburgh
IMO not worth bothering with, very very touristy yes lots of choice of whisky to buy in the shop after and a resturant. You can't beat going to an actual distilery tour. I agree about finding a pub that has a good choice enjoy. Going slightly off the the whisky trail. I really like Captian Morgans spiced rum, a dash of that in warm milk is lovely before bed time. Not every night mind you. You do not see it sold in pubs very often here in Wales, or England ( well the bits I have been to). So I was surprised that every time I have been anywhere in scotland it was sold in loads of pubs, and it quite common behind the bar. Now I am not a big rum drinker but this is lovely a golden run with cinnamon and spices in it, warms the cockles of your heart.

csb_mich

OK, so back to first plan of staying in Craigellachie and doing the Balvenie Distillery before heading to Cawdor castle.

Sheila, sorry if I'm being dense, but regarding Invermoriston; was there a specific hotel there you were recommending (I've seen Glenmoriston Arms mentioned a couple of times before, but they may be older posts) or just that town in general?

Any recommendations for Inveraray accomodations?

whew!

twk

I recently stayed at the George Hotel in Inveraray and was quite satisfied. Liked the town as well.