Planning and Practicalities — visitscotland

Ready I think!

kcfaye — Tue, 06 Jun 2017 02:27:44 +0000

Hello all we are about ready to depart for your beautiful country and can't wait to arrive. We are coming into Glasgow on the 15 June, 2017 and will be departing for home on the 26 June, 2017. We are wondering what to expect for weather while we are there. Does anyone have any sort of thought or idea? Are we forgetting anything lol. We have our passports, all reservations made, and list and list of things to see and do. You all have been wonderful answering my questions these last few months, wish I could meet you to Thank You all.

Worrying about the weather at this point, and the long flight. So EXCITED!!!!!

train schedule from Cairnryan to Glasgow?

oneillw — Sun, 04 Jun 2017 23:41:03 +0000

We're taking the ferry from Belfast to Cairnryan on a Sunday in July and need to get to Glasgow by train. How do we find the train schedule? Can anyone tell us how long it takes from Cairnryan to Glasgow? Does the train actually leave from Cairnryan or do we need to get somewhere else to catch the train?

Ferry to Mull

djalbert81 — Sun, 04 Jun 2017 15:27:53 +0000

I am planning a trip for this summer and want to include Mull. Are reservations needed for the ferry (with a car)?

ScotRail Question

Rob — Sun, 04 Jun 2017 14:31:10 +0000

Does ScotRail offer any kind of "hop on, hop off" rail pass suitable for day tripping?
If it were feasible, I thought we might take a train from Glasgow Queen St. out to Blair Atholl, and return with stops at Pitlochry and Stirling.
Would this be possible as a day trip or too ambitious?

Orkneys or Hebrides?

Islanderabroad — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 15:18:07 +0000

we are traveling to Scotland end of July into August.
we are trying to decide between going to the Hebrides or the Orkneys.
we would love some feedback and suggestions as to which trip we should take.
We like to hike, explore, good restaurants, B&B's, we do not like big crowds so aren't interested in festivals. We would like to see historical sights, good beaches and coastlines. We are late 30's, we like good pubs. We have rented a car. We really don't want to fall into tourist traps, we are hoping to explore off the beaten track find hidden gems. Any advice would be appreciated.

Scotland for New Year

wenlund — Tue, 23 May 2017 19:51:18 +0000

We are from Australia and we are finishing our big European Holiday in Scotland... there is 3 of us...
We arrive in Edinburgh in the afternoon of December 26. Problem is that we want to see as much as we can but we only have such a short time
We are wanting to see the Highlands, castles, the Isle of Skye, Jacobite history and be back in Edingburgh for New Year's Eve.
We then head for home and reality on the 2nd January.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Highlands Loop

abarker324 — Tue, 30 May 2017 18:37:51 +0000

Hi all,
I'm so excited to be going to Scotland for the first time this July! I'll be renting a car in Edinburgh and traveling for about 12 days. My itinerary is as follows: Inverness (one night), Ullapool (one night), Poolewe (one night), Isle of Skye- Portree (four nights), Isle of Iona (two nights,) Oban (two nights,) Fort William (one night,) and then back to Edinburgh. Any suggestions for stops along the way, must-see places or sites, great walks or hikes, things I should know about driving (especially since I'm an American!) or any other planning tips would be greatly appreciated. I've got all of my hotels/AirBnBs/hostels booked, so I'm set on that front. Thank you!

Cape Wrath?

shawes86 — Thu, 25 May 2017 04:01:51 +0000

Planning our first trip to Scotland next April. I just stumbled on the Cape Wrath lighthouse on the far NW corner of the main island. The pictures I've seen of Cape and the surrounding area look incredible. But it looks like it's incredibly difficult to get to, with the Cape Wrath ferry being hit or miss. We'd be coming from Inverness, and after we were done at Cape Wrath we'd be heading to Ullapool for the night (maybe).

So the question is, is Cape Wrath worth the time? If we go to Cape Wrath that might mean we have to shave a day off of our time in Glasgow at the end of the trip (we'll be in-country for 2 weeks). I don't want to try cramming too much into the trip, but at the same time I want to see as much as possible. Thanks.

Weather on the west coast

losthiker — Wed, 31 May 2017 18:45:26 +0000

We'll be arriving in Scotland in a week with plans to explore the Highlands, the Inner Hebrides and Orkney (primarily).

I'm always leery of looking at weather forecasts this far in advance but I'm seeing 50-60% chance of rain pretty much every day for every city I select from Oban to Kirkwall.

What is the usual pattern in that part of Scotland? Should we expect steady rain? Off and on? A quick downpour then gone?

Mallaig/Skye / Eilean Donan Castle/Ft. William /Loch Lomond /Glasgow/Dundee

Dundeeboy59 — Tue, 30 May 2017 09:34:30 +0000

I'm looking for some advice, Im taking The Jacobite to Mallaig on 12 th July , hoping to get a B & B for the night . I would like to get the ferry to Skye , spend a couple of days there and then to Eilean Donan Castle then back to Ft. William. I would ideally like to go to Loch Lomond , Glasgow then back to Dundee.

Is there public transportation from Skye or Mallaig to Eilean Donan Castle , and from Eilean Donan Castle to Ft.William ?
I would assume there is public transportation from Ft. William to Loch Lomond/Glasgow ?

I have noticed all the tours I see to Skye start in Edinburgh or Glasgow are there tours beginning in Skye .

Do you think I can do this trip in 4 days ?

Thanks in advance , any information with be greatly accepted .

STICKY: Best ways to get around Scotland

VisitScotlandIntro — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 18:30:15 +0000

This is the sticky discussion for commonly asked questions and answers on the best ways to get around Scotland, whether by car, bus, train or any other means. We'll add new questions and answers with links to the appropriate threads as they become available. Please feel free to comment and ask for particular threads or responses to be added.

camper van possiblitly

DebrahR — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 16:25:51 +0000

Has anyone traveled Scotland with a camper van? I was looking at that as a possibility--our other option would be to rent a car and stay at B&B's. Wondering how easy they are to drive and how easy it is to find camping places.

Road trip in the North

Gambassi — Tue, 23 May 2017 12:13:53 +0000

Hello,
we're a young couple from Germany. My boyfriend and I will be on our second road trip in Scotland at the end of August (finally!). I already booked the B&Bs and planned most of the itinerary, but maybe you have further recommendations for us? I am mainly interested in stunning nature and historical architecture - anything that makes a great photo I'm very keen on exploring and could be on my feet the whole holiday from dusk til dawn. My boyfriend, on the other hand, likes to take things slower and just relax from time to time - so we have to find a good compromise

I am completely aware that it's impossible to do everything on this list in the limited time we have - it's more of a collection of ideas. It will all depend on our current mood and, not least, the weather

So here's our rough plan:

Day 1:

- landing in Glasgow, drive to Edinburgh
- visit Linlithgow palace on the way, if we are not too stressed from the flight
- spend the afternoon/evening in Edinburgh (we've been there multiple times, so we can take it slow and just enjoy the city)

B&B in Edinburgh

Day 2:

- Edinburgh

B&B in Edinburgh

Day 3:

- Lauriston Castle
- Pitlochry
- Edradour Distillery
- Blair Castle
- Walk: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/cairngor…hans-easy.shtml
- Inverness
- Castle Leod

B&B in Strathpeffer

Day 4:

- Glenmorangie Distillery
- Goldspie
- Dunrobin Castle
- Walk: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/sutherland/big-burn.shtml
- drive towards tongue via Lairg and Altnaharra, maybe taking a detour via Dun Dornaigil Broch, if it's not too late already
- Walk: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/sutherla…s-of-shin.shtml
- Tongue House
- Walk: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/sutherla…bharraich.shtml - Castle Varrich will be in sight from our B&B room anyway

B&B in Tongue

Day 5:

- Durness
- Ceannabeina Beach
- Sango Sands
- Smoo Cave
- Balnakeil, Balnakeil beach
- Walk: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/sutherland/faraid-head.shtml
- Walk: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/sutherland/ben-hope.shtml - a little too long for our taste, but it still looks quite appealing

B&B in Tongue

Day 6:

- drive to Ullapool on the NC 500
- Walk: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/sutherla…-headland.shtml
- Walk: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/ullapool…-of-stoer.shtml
- Walk: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/ullapool…ich-beach.shtml
- Wailing Widow Falls
- Loch Assynt
- Ardveck Castle
- Calda House

B&B in Ullapool

Day 7:

- Walk: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/ullapool/stacpollaidh.shtml
or, as an alternative
- Walk: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/torridon/Mountaintrail.shtml

- Loch Maree
- Gairloch
- Walk: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/ullapool/ardessie.shtml

B&B in Ullapool

Day 8:

- Corrieshalloch Gorge
- Walk: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/torridon/Lochclair.shtml
- Walk: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/torridon/Lochtorridon.shtml
- Applecross via Bealach na Bà
- Walk: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/torridon…aorachain.shtml
- maybe visit Eilean Donan Castle in the evening (we've already been there) - does anyone know if it's illuminated in the evening?

B&B in Dornie

Day 9:

- Glen Coe
- Walk: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/fortwill…ofglencoe.shtml
- Walk: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/fortwilliam/lostvalley.shtml
- Trossachs
- Walk: https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/lochlomo…f-falloch.shtml
- Loch Lomond

B&B in Tarbet

Day 10:

- drive to Glasgow Airport

What do you think? Day 1-3 and 9 match parts of the route we've driven the last time, so we already know the area a little .

Edit: Sorry, I just realised I should probably have posted this in the Road trip section

I need some friends (with friendly advice) in Scotland :)

AmyRushLaing — Fri, 19 May 2017 02:02:54 +0000

My best friend of 30 years/business partner and I are in the extremely early stages on planning a trip to Scotland next Spring. We own a thriving photography business and travel to different locations shooting models. My father who is pushing 80's family is from Scotland and he has never been (his brothers have). He has mentioned on several occasions "if only." Well, business is good, so Sarah and I decided we would take our dads on our next trip. I need advice on 1)where would be good model location. I like the idea of an abandoned castle/ local scenery, but don't know which would be good for this. We roll without lights, but bring a large reflector and don't want to step on any toes. 2)Any ideas on getting my dad on a NICE golf couse. He's literally asked me to scatter his ashes on saint andrews when he dies. He spends every day playing golf. I need friends in Scotland!!!

Getting to Loch Ness from Inverness

PulfordL — Mon, 22 May 2017 16:05:08 +0000

Hi All,

I will be in Edinburgh for one week and taking the train up to Inverness to stay for another week. I have already booked day trips with tour companies to take me out to Culloden and surrounding area and another for a 12 hour long day trip out to the Isle of Skye. I would also like to go to Loch Ness and see Urquhart Castle and perhaps a couple of the small villages further down the loch. My question is whether you would suggest I sign up for a guided tour that leaves from downtown Inverness and shuttles us all the way around the loch with places to stop and get out for exploration and photos, or if Loch Ness can be done easily via public transportation. Keeping in mind that I would like to take a boat tour on the loch, visit the castle, and general exploring. Is the loch easy to get to from Inverness or are the public transit buses a bit of a headache? Also if public transit is easy enough to get there, is it easy to get from one point to the next around the loch? Also, I read one time and with no website for additional info, that there is a boat that leaves from Inverness and travels down the river via the canal to Loch Ness. Has anyone done this? Is it even real?

I'm also having the same struggle with Cairngorms and the Funicular. There is no tour that goes there and public transit out there seems to be a bit of a headache. Anyone have experiences otherwise or advice? Thanks!!

Driving in Scotland- Need international driver's license?

KimberlyStraney — Mon, 22 May 2017 15:19:44 +0000

We are renting a car in Scotland and are from the U.S. Do we need an international driver's license to rent a car?

Trip in June 2018 - Speyside to Glasgow Airport in one day

ktleyed — Sat, 06 May 2017 22:48:36 +0000

Hi, we are planning a trip for next year in June and we will be in Oban, Skye and then to Aberlour for one night. We plan on seeing a distillery nearby the day we get there and then we were thinking of going to Glenlivet the next morning. We have to catch a 5:10 pm flight to Islay from Glasgow airport, return our car hire, etc. before then. I was hoping we'd have time to stop at Balmoral Castle on the way. Is this too ambitious? Would we have time to see Glenlivet, then go to Balmoral and then make our flight at 5? I'm not even sure, with these local airlines (Flybe, Logan), how early do you have to be there before the flight leaves? Any help and advice would be much appreciated! Thanks!

Looking to plan a trip to Scotland?

VisitScotlandAmanda — Fri, 24 Feb 2017 09:49:34 +0000

If you’re looking to plan a trip to Scotland but don’t know how to get started, then you’re in the right place! Not only is our community a great place for asking questions, reading discussion threads and building an idea of what you’d like to do (and how!) but we also now have a trip planning tool which is super handy for saving ideas, adding travel information and building a plan.

And best of all, you can login into Trip Planner with your iKnow Community login details!

All you need to do is head to https://tripplanner.visitscotland.com and login! Once you have, there are only 3 steps you need to know so you can get started:

Once you’ve added a destination to your trip you can give the itinerary a name, and after that you can continue to add to the same trip or create lots of different ones and select from the drop down menu each time for which one to add it to.

Once you’ve created your trip you can view as a list or on a map like the below:

AND you can also share your trip with other people, via the custom URL it generates. So you can now view my trip from the map above, by going to: https://tripplanner.visitscotland.com/trip/adventures-scotland

So what are you waiting for? Get trip planning now!

Weather

fitzigirl — Sun, 21 May 2017 21:15:10 +0000

My husband and I are planning a trip in September and wondering what the weather is like so we can plan on what type of clothes to bring.

Getting to Fort William in September

Stefan_B — Sun, 21 May 2017 12:45:11 +0000

Hello all,

I am planning on doing a solo hiking trip in the Scottish Highlands in September. I want to do the Ben Nevis and after that the Great Glen Way (Fort William to Inverness). I need to get to Fort Williams from either Inverness or Glasglow as these are the nearby airports. The flight back will be from Inverness as this is my end point.

My question is, how do I get to from Fort William from either Glasglow or Inverness in September. I've tried to find a bus line between them, but I can't find any (reliable) information on the busses, maybe trains?

Thanks in advance,

Stefan