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4 week itinerary

Posted by on

Hi again

After much reading and research I have come up with the following itinerary for a 4 week trip to Scotland in August/September 2019. It may seem premature but everything I read indicates that accommodation for many of our preferred destinations books up very early.

Edinburgh Flight arrives 2pm
Edinburgh Tattoo performance
Edinburgh ?Fringe performance
Dunoon Drive via Falkirk/Kelpies/Stirling/Loch Lomond to Dunoon
Dunoon Tour Cowal peninsula, ?Benmore Gardens
Islay Drive/ferry via Portavadie/Tarbert/Kennacraig/Port Ellen to Islay, whisky tasting/tour
Islay Whisky tasting/tour, sightseeing
Tobermory Drive/ferry via Port Ellen/Kennacraig/Oban/Craignure to Tobermory
Tobermory Day trip to Iona
Tobermory Sightseeing on Mull
Invergarry Drive/ferry via Craignure/Glencoe/Spean Bridge
Invergarry Sightseeing

Dunvegan Drive via Kyle of Lochalsh (Detour to Plockton) to Dunvegan
Dunvegan Sightseeing- south and west of Skye
Uig (Skye) Sightseeing and drive to Uig
Uig (Skye) Sightseeing - north and east of Skye
Callanish Drive/ferry via south Harris/Tarbert to Callanish
Callanish Sightseeing on Lewis - Callanish Stones, Arnol Blackhouse
Callanish More sightseeing on Lewis/north Harris
Ullapool Drive/ferry via Stornoway to Ullapool, ?sightseeing loop north of Ullapool
Ullapool Sightseeing - drive loop south of Ullapool - Gairloch/Torridon?Ullapool
Thurso Drive to Thurso
Thurso Day tour to Orkney from John O'Groats
Inverness Sightseeing Dunnet Head, drive to Inverness
Inverness Sightseeing - Loch Ness, Culloden
Pitlochry Drive via Aviemore to Pitlochry - sightseeing en route
Pitlochry Sightseeing- including Aberfeldy, ?theatre performance
Edinburgh Drive via Dundee/St Andrews/Kirkcaldy
Train to Swansea

NOTES:

We have been to Scotland once before and visited Edinburgh, Glasgow, Fort William (Jacobite steam train) and Jedburgh (abbey and family history).

This trip is primarily about the islands and highlands.

We have friends who live in Dunoon.

We live in Australia and are completely familiar with driving on the lefthand side of the road.

Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated.

Posted by
3122 posts

Sounds like a wonderful trip!

When you are at Loch Ness you may want to take a boat trip. Urquhart Castle is well worth a visit; even though it's a ruin it has lots of informative signs as well as guided walking tours several times a day, and costumed interpreters. There's also the Loch Ness Centre & Exhibition, an indoor experience that gives a fairly fact-based history of "Nessie" sightings.

Near Dunnet Head is the Castle of Mey, a place I've not seen but would love to.

At St Andrews, if you are keen on golf be sure to take the walking tour of the Old Course. It's not actually much walking but rather mostly standing around listening to anecdotes about one famous golfer after another and what they did on a certain hole in a certain tournament. If you're lucky your guide will give you a few minutes to take photos on the iconic Swilcan bridge. If you're not all that interested in golf, you'll still enjoy the British Golf Museum and its cafe with huge picture windows overlooking the 1st / 18th holes.

Posted by
1117 posts

Looks good!

On accommodation booking for Skye - you are right that things get booked up quickly. However, be aware that lots of accommodation providers won't have determined their rates and opening periods yet (I speak from personal experience!). However, by December the rates and availability should be pretty much sorted out for summer 2019.

Skyegirl

Posted by
61 posts

Thanks for your replies.

Skyegirl - I am trying to be prepared for when bookings open. We can't book our airfares until early-mid November either :)

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