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Holidays in Scotland

We are planning our summer holidays in Scotland. We are planning from mid July about 10 days. We will be arriving from ZRH commercial so we will start the journey from Edinburgh. I would be very grateful if you could fill me in with some tipps how to best spend 10 days in Scotland by car. We don’t fancy driving too far to the north due to the long drives. 3 to max 4 stops. Edinburgh and Glasgow (is the latter worth it?) plus one or two other sites more in the nature.

Looking forward to reading your suggestions.

Placido

LSZH

I think the Scottish pilots here missed this thread

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

In 2012, my wife (then girlfriend) and I spent 14 nights in Scotland. We basically started in Edinburgh, and followed the coast anti-clockwise, stopping in various places for 2-3 nights before moving on.

Edinburgh is a nice city with a nice castle that’s worth seeing. The big hill in the park (forgotten it’s name) is worth walking up too. But it is a city and the real charm of Scotland is away from the cities. Three nights there is plenty (given that you’ll probably have little time on the day of arrival) from a tourist point of view. If you want to party the nights away, then best stay a little longer, as things get quieter the further around the coast you go.

Leaving Edinburgh, heading north, I found Loch Leven Castle an interesting diversion. It’s a castle on an island in a lake, so you need to get a small boat to it (not expensive from memory). Well worth spending a few hours while heading north.

If you’re a big golfer, you might want to stop at St Andrews. Aside from its famous golf course, it’s a nice town/village to walk around for an hour or two.

We stayed in Dundee and Aberdeen, but I don’t have any strong memories. Smaller cities.

Inverness, another smaller city had some charm. It also made a nice place to explore Loch Ness. Obviously that’s got a fair bit of “Loch Ness Monster” corniness about it, but on the wet and misty day we were there, it was quite atmospheric. I found Urquhart Castle on the edge of Loch Ness an interesting visit. There is also a place close by Inverness where the dolphins come to feed on the fish as the tide changes. You can go to the beach nearby and watch them if you enjoy dolphin watching (my girlfriend was fascinated with them). I’ve forgotten the name of the beach, but I’m sure a local can point you in the right direction if you’re interested. By the way, if you do enjoy dolphin watching, there are boat trips all around the coastline.

Close to Wick (just a little south on the coast) is a lovely little cove between two huge cliffs. You walk down a lot of steep steps (not suitable for small children) to the bottom. It’s really nice, and well worth it if you don’t mind the exercise.
http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/lybster/whaligoesteps/

John O Goats furthest point on the mainland from Landsend , but you’re missing nothing by skipping it. Likewise Dunnet Head, the most northerly point on the mainland.

The drive up the east coast is nice. Across the north coast was less interesting. I do remember enjoying a nice boat trip that we got into Smoo cave. But once you get to the north west, and start to head south you’re in for the real charm. From Smoo cave onwards, your drive is just spectacular, but your eyes will be on the road, with its narrow and twisty roads.

Eilean Donan Castle is well worth some time (I know it’s another castle, but apart from rain and beautiful scenery, what else did you from Scotland )

You should definitely spend a night on the Island of Skye (connected by a road bridge, so no ferry needed). It’s no that there is a lot happening here, but the scenery is very dramatic. Take the few hours that needed to drive around the coast of the island. You won’t regret it!

The towns of Fort William and Oban have a lot of small town charm. Big enough to be able to get all the things you need, but small enough to have rural town feel. Budget to spend a few nights along the west coast if you enjoy beautiful scenery and drives.

I hope that gives you a flavour for your trip, and some ideas for inspiration.

Colm

EIWT Weston, Ireland

If it were me……..Edinburgh, two nights. Drive to St Andrews, one night there, (beaches, golf, University town). From St Andrews, across to West Coast, Fort William. I would spend three nights here. From Fort William, you can use this as your base, and travel out to Kyle of Lochalsh, Skye etc, and get to see the wonderful Highlands, Ben Nevis, etc etc. You could have one night in Plockton, just around from the Skye Bridge.

I would then spend one night in Oban, then to Glasgow, and spent your last couple of nights here. Lots to do and see……….

Enjoy…..Google maps and route planner is your friend. Bed and Breakfast is superb, but book and plan early. The above would limit your driving, as you suggest.

I live in Glasgow, therefore have a very strong, West Coast bias

Last Edited by BeechBaby at 23 Feb 19:39
Fly safe. I want this thing to land l...
EGPF Glasgow

Thanks a lot for these first indications. We are a family with two adult sons and no golfers. We both appreciate some busy city life as well as scenic nature where there is something to explore for the sons. if you have some nice hotels to share please let me know.

LSZH

One thing I meant to add. If you get to Oban, take the ferry to Mull. Car ferry. Tobermory is the ""town", you can go whale watching from here. However, take the car/bus to Fionnphort and take the ferry to Iona. This is steeped in history, and has the abbey. You can also visit the grass strip at Glenforsa, and the hotel for night or two. Your boys would love it…….check it out

http://www.welcometoiona.com/index.php?id=10

Last Edited by BeechBaby at 23 Feb 21:46
Fly safe. I want this thing to land l...
EGPF Glasgow

This video shows some of the places mentioned


although whether it is all too far from Edinburgh is another matter.

In the right wx, Scotland is really scenic.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

The places shown in Peter’s video are all on the west coast of Scotland.

EIWT Weston, Ireland

Myself would be looking for litterary memories, like Robert Burns and Walter Scott (isn’t his house a museum now?) and local traditional music, especially Moray fiddle and – if I could travel that far – Shetland fiddle.

I confirm @dublinpilot’s recommendations for Castle Urquhart and Fort William – but the memory carries a shade of at least 30 years, for me.

Last Edited by at 24 Feb 21:18
EBZH Kiewit, Belgium

Very beautiful video, Peter.

I very much liked the first song, the second one seemed to be from the movie “Winnetou”, at least it reminded me of that. Must have been a very cool trip. Your landings seem to be greasers all the time or your camera pod has a stabilizer. The handshot landings with a cell phone look much more bumpy, sometimes they also are:-0

LSZH
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