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First trip to Scotland- Please help with Itinerary

CarlottaValdezCarlottaValdez Member ✭
in General Discussion
Hello there,

I am from Canada and it is my first time on this board and first time visiting Scotland in mid-May. I have 6 days. Help me make it a memorable trip!

I am landing in Gatwick on Friday late at night. From there here is what I plan to do:

Saturday morning early train Gatwick to Edinburgh, visit Edinburgh, stay overnight
Sunday morning early leave Edinburgh by rented car to Inverness
Sunday afternoon arrive in Inverness, visit, stay overnight
Monday morning early leave for Inverness, drive to Skye via Lochness (visit Lochness on the way)  and then visit Skye, stay overnight
Tuesday morning visit Skye and surroundings (is it worth a full day of visiting?)
Wednesday morning early go from Skye to Glencoe via Glenfinnan (visit Glenfinnan viaduct on the way), stay overnight in Glencoe
Thursday morning, visit Glencoe, leave at noon to drive to Edinburgh to catch the train back to Gatwick to go back home.

Any suggestions or advice you can give me is greatly appreciated. I like scenery, castles, mountains, history. I live cities but I prefer the countryside.





 

Comments

  • YourScotlandTourYourScotlandTour Member ✭✭✭
    I'd suggest flying to Edinburgh - the train is a slow method - you'll get more time in Edinburgh rather than sitting in a train. 

    Do you have accommodation booked already on Skye? 

    You can easily spend a day on Skye and the area. 

    Wednesday requires a ferry (to make sense) - check the ferry times (https://www.calmac.co.uk/mallaig-armadale-skye-ferry-summer-timetable) 

    Get a flight from Glasgow back to London (hire from the airport and return to the airport)... 2
    Bespoke tours.
    Whisky, Castles and Food a speciality.
    yourscotlandtour.co.uk
  • CarlottaValdezCarlottaValdez Member ✭
    Duly noted for the plane. I do not have accommodation booked in Skye yet, looking for someplace to stay. Any recommendations? Also could you elaborate on the ferry ride? Thanks!
  • YourScotlandTourYourScotlandTour Member ✭✭✭
    Book now, I'd recommend getting what you can.

    The mallaig ferry as per the link I sent you, makes the most sense on a circular(ish) tour.
    Bespoke tours.
    Whisky, Castles and Food a speciality.
    yourscotlandtour.co.uk
  • fishyprofishypro Member ✭✭✭
    Hi @CarlottaValdez, Most places on Skye do not give out accommodation for 1 night stays. Book now and get what you can. Can't be choosey on Skye.
    Best regards
    fishypro
  • HorizonsHorizons Member, VisitScotland Ambassador ✭✭✭✭
    This is a super hectic schedule. Absolutely take an Easyjet flight from Gatwick to Edinburgh. I'd personally skip the overnight at Inverness (Loch Ness is sort of a must do but I personally am not a big fan). There is absolutely enough things to do on Skye for a minimum of 3 days straight so you should definitely overnight there. Another tip is to make stops at Arisaig & Morar when driving to Glenfinnan from Mallaig for some of Scotland's best beaches (they almost look tropical). Enjoy your Scotland trip!
    I'm Anirudh, an Indian travel blogger who has explored a lot of Scotland by public transport. My blog. Find me on Facebook | Instagram

    Best of Scotland in 1 week itinerary (fully by public transport)

    My Scotland travels (includes Edinburgh, Skye, Harris, Mull, Arran, Orkney, Loch Lomond, Islay, Oban, Speyside)

  • cmillarcmillar Member ✭✭
    One point I'd make is that, while it's always tempting to try to cover as much ground as possible in a first trip, this sounds like you'll spend most of your time travelling not seeing the sites! I'd recommend just doing two places - maybe Edinburgh and Skye? You could easily spend the whole time in Edinburgh so maybe combining that with somewhere more rural might be good. Up to you, of course, but this sounds exhausting!
  • Sanborn32Sanborn32 Member ✭
    I am doing the trip the other Way.. Glasgow, Oban, Fort William, Skye, Fort Augustus, Inverness, then we head east to Aberdeen, Montrose, Dundee, Kirkcaldy, Edinburgh, Glasgow...then home. We are staying one or two nights in each place..mostly using airbnb for accommodation.
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