[Travel] Scotland: Holiday Help

crodonilson · Jun 23, 2020

Asking the great and good of NSC for some help. With Lyme likely to be overrun with staycationers from 4 July with hospitality reopening and our cruise with Dennis Taylor for August being cancelled we were looking at a week in Scotland late July/early August to get away from it all.

I've put together a very rough itinerary as below, one night in each place and drive on. Am I wasting my time though with the first few days in cities and head straight to the countryside and mountains? Anything or places and accommodation I should definitely visit? Also would like to have one night at the seaside, where's best to visit?

Edinburgh
Dundee
Aberdeen
Inverness
Fort William
Loch Lomond
One of the islands (Mull/Arran?)

schmunk · Jun 23, 2020

crodonilson said:
our cruise with Dennis Taylor for August being cancelled

No help, sorry, but this intrigued me, however just watching this video made me feel seasick (amongst other feelings):

Ludensian Gull · Jun 23, 2020

Think you'd probably be better having extra time in Edinburgh and just have a half day in the Fort., Not a huge amount there apart from tourist shops.

madinthehead · Jun 23, 2020

crodonilson said:
Asking the great and good of NSC for some help. With Lyme likely to be overrun with staycationers from 4 July with hospitality reopening and our cruise with Dennis Taylor for August being cancelled we were looking at a week in Scotland late July/early August to get away from it all.

I've put together a very rough itinerary as below, one night in each place and drive on. Am I wasting my time though with the first few days in cities and head straight to the countryside and mountains? Anything or places and accommodation I should definitely visit? Also would like to have one night at the seaside, where's best to visit?

Edinburgh
Dundee
Aberdeen
Inverness
Fort William
Loch Lomond
One of the islands (Mull/Arran?)

I personally love Skye. It has some amazing white sand beaches. The mountains there are quite something and if you like hiking are great! Of course a trip to the Talisker distillery should be done.
The smaller islands near Skye are quite cool/ remote, some of them have seal colonies.
Fort William is a good stop, if you want to walk Ben Nevis and has a load of typically touristy stuff and a load of B and Bs.

Invicta · Jun 23, 2020

crodonilson said:
Asking the great and good of NSC for some help. With Lyme likely to be overrun with staycationers from 4 July with hospitality reopening and our cruise with Dennis Taylor for August being cancelled we were looking at a week in Scotland late July/early August to get away from it all.

I've put together a very rough itinerary as below, one night in each place and drive on. Am I wasting my time though with the first few days in cities and head straight to the countryside and mountains? Anything or places and accommodation I should definitely visit? Also would like to have one night at the seaside, where's best to visit?

Edinburgh
Dundee
Aberdeen
Inverness
Fort William
Loch Lomond
One of the islands (Mull/Arran?)

V & A in Dundee for a bit of culture, also the Discovery. St Andrews for beach and golf stuff.

Psychobilly freakout · Jun 23, 2020

crodonilson said:
Asking the great and good of NSC for some help. With Lyme likely to be overrun with staycationers from 4 July with hospitality reopening and our cruise with Dennis Taylor for August being cancelled we were looking at a week in Scotland late July/early August to get away from it all.

I've put together a very rough itinerary as below, one night in each place and drive on. Am I wasting my time though with the first few days in cities and head straight to the countryside and mountains? Anything or places and accommodation I should definitely visit? Also would like to have one night at the seaside, where's best to visit?

Edinburgh
Dundee
Aberdeen
Inverness
Fort William
Loch Lomond
One of the islands (Mull/Arran?)

Ah Scotland the land of the midges.....

Pavilionaire · Jun 23, 2020

Some fun stuff me and the family have done in Scotland:

1. The Oban Whisky Distillery Tour - it's right bang in the middle of town next to the harbour. Some good restaurants there.
2. The ferry to the Isle of Mull leaves from Oban harbour. A very pleasant return journey, just enough time to have some fish and chips on board. Tobermory is very picturesque and some nice beaches on the western side of the Isle.
3. Glencoe - just wonderful spectacular scenery, all year round.

SeagullinExile · Jun 23, 2020

Inverness without a doubt. Ardesier, Fort George, Loch Ness and Culloden all nearby, and all worth visiting. Plus the people are amazing.

Doonhamer7 · Jun 23, 2020

Wtf are you going to do in Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness for a day and as for Fort William. Edinburgh great for 3 or 4 days, Glasgow best city to visit in the UK (and I didn’t realise that until I went for a long weekend about 8 years ago - always thought it was a dump).

Go up M6 turn left at Moffat and head to Galloway (Annan and Dumfries are dumps so keep going), spend a couple of days in Castle Douglas / Kirkcudbright area you can also visit Galloway Forest Park - beautiful scenery and no people). Head up to Glasgow (take the Ayr road) and spend a couple of nights there (Unbelievably genuinely nice friendly people). Great food (not all deep fried), visit Kelvingrove Museum / Art Gallery (really educational - explains what is actually being depicted in works of art - and art bores me), leave Glasgow via A82 that will take you to Loch Lomond, follow road to Oban (two routes - ones longer via Lochgilphead or Crianlarich)(great lodges you can rent at Benmore Farm (with great few of Ben More and two lochs)), from Oban take Ferry to Mull (spend night in Balamory (sorry Tobermory)) then take trip to Iona the resting place of Scottish Kings and greatest prime minister we didn’t have. Back in Oban you want to head back in land to Tyndrum so you drive up to Fort William through Glencoe - stunning scenery). Fort William is a wee bit depressing but you could climb Ben Nevis. (Take Harry Potter train to Malagg). Then depending on time either straight up ( well windey road) the Great Glen (loch ness) to Inverness or turn left and go to Skye. I’d do the Inverness leg - then trip up to Dornoch - most northerly championship golf course ( if you have time Helmsdale has a museum on the highland clearances) - next you head to Speyside - where I’m hoping to go this year). Then head down A9 - lovely towns and places to visit Pitlochry). Head to Aberfeldy as Dewars main distillery is three and has best visitor centre). Great hotel in Dunkeld you can stay - it was a Hilton with drinks on lawn over looking River Tay. From there head to Stirling (Wallace Monument and Castle) and then onto Edinburgh for a least two days to do anything - make sure your at Castle at 1pm when the gun goes off. From their head home - it’s decades since I’ve been to the Borders so can’t comment.

DFL JCL · Jun 23, 2020

Another vote for Glenn Coe. Pitlochry is a nice area. Edinburgh worth the time.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

Mr Bridger · Jun 23, 2020

Psychobilly freakout said:
Ah Scotland the land of the midges.....

Aye

Madafwo · Jun 23, 2020

If you can't get a place to stay in Fort William try Spean Bridge, few minutes drive from Fort William and a lot cheaper. Not much to do there but if you've got a car it's no problem. Hill View Guest House on Achintore Road is a personal favourite when I stay in Fort William, Jane and Joe who run it are lovely.

Jacobite steam train needs to be booked in advance preferably, but could be booked the morning of departure, however I'm not sure if that will be the case at the moment.

Change at Barnham · Jun 23, 2020

Firstly, Scotland isn't expected to open to tourists until 15th July.
Nicola Sturgeon is due to confirm on 9th July their move into Phase 4 from 15th July.

We're heading up there for 2 weeks on 17/7.
If you are still interested feel free to PM me and I'll get back to you tomorrow with some suggestions. We visit about 5 times a year to see our son.

Weststander · Jun 23, 2020

madinthehead said:
I personally love Skye. It has some amazing white sand beaches. The mountains there are quite something and if you like hiking are great! Of course a trip to the Talisker distillery should be done.
The smaller islands near Skye are quite cool/ remote, some of them have seal colonies.
Fort William is a good stop, if you want to walk Ben Nevis and has a load of typically touristy stuff and a load of B and Bs.

Skye’s stunning. Head to the Black Cuillins, you can take a small boat trip from the hamlet of Elgol to the heart of them.

The centres of Glasgow and Edinburgh are very nice, shopping mainly, museums, galleries, restaurants and bars.

St Andrews is beautiful on a sunny day.

The west coast of the North West Highlands is dramatic and beautiful, with fjords, huge mountains, seals, pretty villages, all far from the madding crowd. Nearby Inverness is lovely.

The Cairngorms, accessed from Aviemore, offer the British Isles only Alpine-Arctic microclimate on the 4,000 feet plateau. Great views across Speyside, lots of distilleries nearby.

jakarta · Jun 23, 2020

Aberdeen is a shit hole, worked offshore for 20 years plus and was never happier than getting on the plane back to England.

In fact the Wee Crankie is welcome to the whole of Jock Land. Don't know exactly what she will do with it but as long as we don't to pay for it that's OK with me!

DJ NOBO · Jun 23, 2020

crodonilson said:
Asking the great and good of NSC for some help. With Lyme likely to be overrun with staycationers from 4 July with hospitality reopening and our cruise with Dennis Taylor for August being cancelled we were looking at a week in Scotland late July/early August to get away from it all.

I've put together a very rough itinerary as below, one night in each place and drive on. Am I wasting my time though with the first few days in cities and head straight to the countryside and mountains? Anything or places and accommodation I should definitely visit? Also would like to have one night at the seaside, where's best to visit?

Edinburgh
Dundee
Aberdeen
Inverness
Fort William
Loch Lomond
One of the islands (Mull/Arran?)

Some good choices.
I Would Also recommend loch fyne.
Also stanner island .
And the highlands.
I wouldn’t bother with Aberdeen or dundee.

Weststander · Jun 23, 2020

Pavilionaire said:
Glencoe - just wonderful spectacular scenery, all year round.

This.

AmexRuislip · Jun 23, 2020

Another vote for Edinburgh.
[MENTION=11767]Aristotle[/MENTION] is your man, great beer also

Has his own brewery.

knocky1 · Jun 23, 2020

Sussexscots · Jun 23, 2020

Doonhamer7 said:
Wtf are you going to do in Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness for a day and as for Fort William. Edinburgh great for 3 or 4 days, Glasgow best city to visit in the UK (and I didn’t realise that until I went for a long weekend about 8 years ago - always thought it was a dump).

Go up M6 turn left at Moffat and head to Galloway (Annan and Dumfries are dumps so keep going), spend a couple of days in Castle Douglas / Kirkcudbright area you can also visit Galloway Forest Park - beautiful scenery and no people). Head up to Glasgow (take the Ayr road) and spend a couple of nights there (Unbelievably genuinely nice friendly people). Great food (not all deep fried), visit Kelvingrove Museum / Art Gallery (really educational - explains what is actually being depicted in works of art - and art bores me), leave Glasgow via A82 that will take you to Loch Lomond, follow road to Oban (two routes - ones longer via Lochgilphead or Crianlarich)(great lodges you can rent at Benmore Farm (with great few of Ben More and two lochs)), from Oban take Ferry to Mull (spend night in Balamory (sorry Tobermory)) then take trip to Iona the resting place of Scottish Kings and greatest prime minister we didn’t have. Back in Oban you want to head back in land to Tyndrum so you drive up to Fort William through Glencoe - stunning scenery). Fort William is a wee bit depressing but you could climb Ben Nevis. (Take Harry Potter train to Malagg). Then depending on time either straight up ( well windey road) the Great Glen (loch ness) to Inverness or turn left and go to Skye. I’d do the Inverness leg - then trip up to Dornoch - most northerly championship golf course ( if you have time Helmsdale has a museum on the highland clearances) - next you head to Speyside - where I’m hoping to go this year). Then head down A9 - lovely towns and places to visit Pitlochry). Head to Aberfeldy as Dewars main distillery is three and has best visitor centre). Great hotel in Dunkeld you can stay - it was a Hilton with drinks on lawn over looking River Tay. From there head to Stirling (Wallace Monument and Castle) and then onto Edinburgh for a least two days to do anything - make sure your at Castle at 1pm when the gun goes off. From their head home - it’s decades since I’ve been to the Borders so can’t comment.

Seconded!

When you're in Edinburgh, if pubs are your thing spend some time in Leith and the Britannia is worth a look.

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[Travel] Scotland: Holiday Help

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