Scotland advice wanted
David,
We spent two weeks in Scotland last May, on the following itinerary, all stays in b&bs: 2 nights at Linlithgow (near Edinburgh) to see Falkirk Wheel, Stirling Castle, etc.; 1night at Burntisland (across the firth from Edinburgh); 2 nights at Tomintoul, access both to Cairngorms and to Speyside distilleries; 1 night at Nairn; 2 nights on Skye; 2 nights at Oban; 2 nights in Edinburgh; 1 night at Jedburgh in the Borders; and a final night in a motel near the Edinburgh airport. Had we to do it over, we'd have made all stops (except the last) at least two nights; but this was our first trip to Scotland and we wanted to sample as much as we could. The next trip we will probably concentrate on a single place, such as the highlands and islands -- Islay, as well as Skye, and hopefully the outer isles. Favorite and recommended places? I'm a single malt fan, so distilleries were great fun -- Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, etc. Good tours, a wee dram to sample (sometimes a bit more than a wee dram!). Just driving through the highlands is an experience -- the trip to Tomintoul, then to Elgin, Nairn, Inverness, the length of Loch Ness, and to Skye was brilliant. I can't say enough about Skye itself; we'll return there some day and spend three or four days so we can hike extensively (I can recommend an excellent b&b and guide if you contact me); the scenery is wonderful, the sea is everywhere, and the people are friendly. Oban and the west coast was also enjoyable -- pretty villages, historic sites, outstanding seafood, etc. And at the end of the trip, a visit to the Borders and its abbeys was outstanding, as was a trip to Scott's View (I'm a Sir Walter Scott fan, and read or re-read a bunch of his novels to prepare for the trip). Castles are everywhere in Scotland -- I'd strongly recommend either buying a pass or even joining Historic Scotland, which will admit you to almost all of them at no cost. Favorites: Urquehart Castle on Loch Ness, Stirling Castle, Linlithgow Palace, Huntingtower, the Borders abbeys, St. Andrews. Driving requires only a U.S. driver's license. We found driving easy in Scotland (except for a few crowded A roads) with light traffic loads and general courtesy. There are a great many single track roads in the highlands and islands, and they take a bit of getting used to. Passing places are frequent, however, especially (in my experience) compared with rural England. Locals have it down to a science, timing their approach to one another so that they arrive at a passing place at the same time. When in doubt, yield. Petrol is about the same as in England -- about 75p/liter last May, probably higher now -- $5 or better per US gallon. Hope this helps a bit! Jack Hewitt On 2004-03-04 09:06:01 -0700, (David Adler) said: My wife and I will be visiting Scotland for a week in June. I've bought a guide book, and it's clear that there's a lot to see - it's overwhelming to try to determine where to go! I'd like some help narrowing down the possibilities and with possible itineraries. I see another post from earlier today, which had some good advice. Basically, we'd like to spend a week in the Highlands and Hebrides. Castles, historical sites, and gorgeous scenery are what we want to see (I know, that doesn't exactly narrow it down!). Access to museums and choices of restaurants is a plus. We've been to Edinburgh, and we'll spend some time in Glasgow before starting the rest of the trip, so no need to include these in the itinerary. Rather than staying in a different place each night, I'd like to pick 2-3 places to use as a base and explore from there. I'm thinking Inverness as one base, and someplace in the Hebrides (Isle of Skye?) as a second base. Any thoughts on this plan? Better suggestions/additions? What are the "must-see" sights around those places? We'll rent a car for the trip - is an international driver's license needed, or will one from the US suffice? Thanks in advance! |
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