2+ weeks in Scotland -planning questions

If you want to see the Highland games and go on that specific train, then it’s worth it and it doesn’t matter what others think. If decide against that train, there are plenty of other steam train rides throughout the country you could ride.

You are correct that adding Skye to the mix will add miles to the trip, but more importantly, time. A drive around Skye with its one track road will take the better part of a day. The drive from Inverness to Portree alone is about 2 hours, 45 minutes and then you’d need to drive around the island. After that drive, there still an at least 3 hours drive from Skye Bridge to Oban. Then again, if you want to see Skye, you’ll find a way to make it work.

While the NC 500 would be interesting, much of that drive would be slow and take up a lot of your precious time. You can drive it on another trip.

You’re obviously in the preliminary stages of planning, so rather than wondering if this or that is worth it, make a list of the places you’d like to visit, then plot them on a map. From there, you can come up with approximate times needed to visit each place, along with rough driving times, then determine what might be feasible with the time you have. Towns to stay in will become more apparent the more refined your itinerary becomes. Best of luck. You’ll have a great time.

We changed the itinerary of our 2011 Scotland trip after learning about the Pitlockry highland games, and it was one of my favorite days in Scotland. It felt very local and non-touristy.

Let me restate my question. If you have gone to a Highlands game, what did you love or not like about it?

I was originally penciling in a clockwise 2 weeks, but if we go to the highlands game, we go the other direction.

And yes, as I start planning, always google map time and distance between potential stops. Had to buy a new notebook today……
But as my husband says to me “you are in your happy place when planning trips.”

Let me restate my question. If you have gone to a Highlands game, what did you love or not like about it?

My friends and I attended the Highland games in the small town of Alva in July and we really enjoyed it. We stayed about 4 hours. We were there at the beginning but could have arrived later since more of the events actually happened in the afternoon, as opposed to the morning. I am not sure how to describe why we liked it but everyone (and it was local people, not tourists - and a lot of them by the time we left) was there for the fun of it all. I would go out of my way again to attend one. However if you dislike crowds, even well-behaved and very friendly ones, you might want to give it a miss.

Hi, Karen,

The Braemar Highland Gathering is one of the two most famous Highland Games in Scotland, which is probably why you're having trouble finding accommodation nearby for that date. You could try looking in Ballater, or even as far east as Aboyne or Banchory if you have your heart set on attending. Aberdeen would be about a two hour drive. The nearest town south of Braemar is Blairgowrie.

Personally, I've only been to two Highland Gatherings - Echt and Luss. Both were small affairs - Echt more so than Luss. But both were highly enjoyable, and the small size meant that there was plenty of time to wander about and see just about everything. Both had the standard Highland Games events - caber toss, sheaf toss, hammer throw, tug-of-war, hill race, etc. ( Well, there are no hills near Echt, so it was a foot race!). Lots of Highland dancing competition as well.

The drive from Inverness to the Skye Bridge via Invermoriston is a good 90 minutes to two hours, traffic permitting. After you leave the A82, it's a beautiful drive. The Skye Bridge to Portree is a good hour, again depending on traffic. I don't know how much time you have to devote to Skye, but you'd need a couple of days after the day of your arrival to really do it justice. Having said that, some advance planning, and cooperation from the weather, means that you could have your day of arrival, one full day to take in some of the highlights, and half a day on your way back to the mainland.

The best way to return from Skye, especially if you're heading south to Oban, would be to take the ferry from Armadale to Mallaig, then the A830 to Fort William. The A830 is another another beautiful road, and much improved from the first time I drove it!

If you don't have time for the entire NC500, you could do a partial loop by driving from Inverness out to Lochcarron, and return by way of Glen Torridon. Or you could drive out to Gairloch, and return by way of Ledmore Junction, with a possible stop in Ullapool. Either can be done as a day trip from Inverness, given an early start, and would provide you with a good sampling of the Western Highlands.

What are your plans in Oban? Most visitors use it as a stopping off point for Mull and Iona, but if you can spare a half day, there are some good hikes on Kerrera, which is a ten minute passenger ferry trip from the nearby village of Gallenach.

You will no doubt be making many changes to your itinerary between now and September. Best wishes for your travels, and let hubby know that once you leave the Glasgow-Edinburgh area, the driving is not stressful.

Have a happy holiday season!

Mike (Auchterless)

I did the Braemar games from Edinburgh with a bus tour as I knew it would be hard to find accommodation near there. It was totally worth it, but be aware, there are different ticket levels. If you want to be able to sit in the bleachers you have to pay more. I really enjoyed the whole day. There was the sports events, dancing, and bag pipe competitions, and you could wander around to catch various events at different spots, though the main field was the focus of the big events (caber toss, tug of war etc.). The queen and Prince Philip made an appearance, also, so maybe Charles will attend now. The whole area seems to really get into the spirit of it, and at one point I walked up a street in town and noticed a group of men in a particular brown plaid, and heard someone nearby whisper “Jacobites!” It did rain on and off all day, not hard, but best to be prepared.

You mention Oban. Have you thought about taking the ferry from Oban across to Mull for a few days, rather than driving up to Skye? Scenically it is as good as Skye but gets fewer visitors and is less busy. Take the ferry to Iona and also Ulva - both tiny islands off the coast of Mull and both unspoilt. You can't take a car across so explore on foot - a very different and special experience. Also you can do a day trip to Staffa and Fingals Cave. On another day, think about doing a guided day tour to see the wildlife (eagles, otters, deer...) on Mull . Several companies and guides offer them.

Check out accommodation soon as it does get booked up quickly . Also book the ferry from Oban once they have the summer timetables on line.

BROOMHILL STATION
Check out this website which has information about the station and details of a walk along the River Nethy to Nethy Bridge. Allow 30-40 minutes for the walk. If time allows, you can walk from Nethy Bridge along the B970 past Abernethy Old Kirk]5 to the ruins of Castle Roy. Allow 30 minutes each way.

If you've not found it, the Undiscovered Scotland website is a wonderful source of ideas for planning a holiday in Scotland and much better than any guide book! Start with the map page of teh area you are visiting and floow the links to text poages with lots of information and pictures.

Probably a good call to eliminate the N500, that could be a trip in itself. We based ourselves in Inverness for a couple of days and drove as far north as Dunrobin Castle on a day trip and that was enough. Dornoch is pretty, but not much to see. Take some time to wander along the beach while you're there. Dunrobin is spectacular on the outside but I could have skipped the interior. Are you heading that way with a plan to stop in Inverness and to see Culloden? We enjoyed it and made a day of it by also visiting Clava Cairns and Cawdor Castle. If I had to choose, I'd take Cawdor over Dunrobin in a heartbeat. The gardens there are incredible.

The only stress filled driving day we had was the A82 from Inverness to Oban. Very twisty road in places with plenty of blind corners. I never felt that way about the N500.

I'd say the one hour drive to Braemar each way is worth it if you want to attend the gathering. The event itself is worth attending. It is a very scenic route and reaching Glenshee you will be driving on the highest public road in the UK.

Parking in Braemar will be in a field on the outskirts of the village and you have to walk from there to the Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park where the gathering is held. Naturally the volume of traffic on the day means there will be a delay in getting parked but the entire operation is slick with lots of stewards to assist you.

Finding accommodation in Braemar is becoming quite tricky these days. A number of B&B's and guest houses in the village and nearby Ballater have been purchased by Artfarm ltd who own the Fife Arms hotel and are now houses of multiple occupancy for staff accommodation. This has not gone down well with some folk and I can quite understand why.

I like Aviemore and have been on the Strathspey railway but it's not something I'd choose to do again. Fans of the Monarch of The Glen television series might like it because Broomhill became Glenbogle Station in a few episodes.

The Cairngorm Reindeer Centre, the Highland Wildlife Park and the Highland Folk Museum are all within reach of Aviemore and well worth visiting.

https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/

https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/

https://www.highlifehighland.com/highlandfolkmuseum/

I also recommend the Old Bridge Inn as somewhere for lunch or dinner in Aviemore

https://www.oldbridgeinn.co.uk/

Such great advice. Decided against Skye. Spending 3 nights in Oban and taking the ferry to Mull sounds fun. Last visit in 2014 we ferried to Iona.

Glad to hear the parking for the Braemer Games is organized. And the drive is beautiful!

And thanks for the tips for Aviemore.

And I think we will do the Jacobite train on way to Oban. Sounds more scenic than the Speyside train.

We’ll visit Culloden between Dufftown and Dornoch (spending two nights) or Dornoch and Fort Augusta.

And last visit we saw Urguhart castle from Loch Ness, but by the time arrived it was closing.

I’m sure I’ll keep tweaking as I continue to discover other things. And will have more questions.

Hi again, Karen,

Be sure to reserve for the Jacobite as soon as your plans are firm. That excursion books up way in advance! You'll have just under two hours on the ground to explore Mallaig, which has a decent selection of shops and restaurants.

Where will you be coming from before Braemar? If you're coming from Pitlochry, you could take the A924 to Bridge of Cally, then head north on the A93 through Glenshee. You can save about ten miles by taking the B950 east from Kirkmichael. If you're coming from Blairgowrie, it's about 35 miles. It's a beautiful drive .

Best wishes once again for your travels!

Mike (Auchterless)

If you do get to Culloden, try and find time to visit Clava cairns too - they are just under two miles away.

Clava Cairns Bronze Age burial site is easy to get to from Culloden if you have a rental car. They don’t take long to see, but are interesting. On a separate note, if you’re an Outlander series enthusiast, it was the inspiration for the fictitious Craigh Na Dun stone circle. Also nearby is Fort George. It was a fun stop.