A month in Scotland - would love thoughts on our itinerary

I don't know when you booked your ferries to Islay and which port you are booked to but this is the amended timetable- https://assets.calmac.co.uk/media/gixfkinz/ken-isl-2jun-18oct-0505.pdf

Port Ellen has been closed a lot sooner than expected for redevelopment so all sailings are now using Port Askaig, on revised timings.
This also renders sailings a bit more susceptible to weather as there is no diversionary port. Port Askaig becomes untenable in certain conditions (when Port Ellen is safe) and v.v.

Sounds great and a relaxed holiday. My only comment would be that Inverness, Aberlour and Abderddn are so close together, you could almost combine them into one stop at Aberlour ....

Sounds like a wonderful trip. I was just there for a week last month on an RS tour. Barely scratched the surface, of course. Holyroodhouse is high on the list of things I enjoyed, so I'm glad you have that planned.

If you have any interest in textiles, how wool becomes clothing, or factory tours in general, consider doing the tour at Johnston's of Elgin woolen mill. It takes about an hour, and Elgin is not far out of the way between Inverness and Aberlour. They do EVERYTHING there except shear the sheep. They start with the raw wool, dye it, card it, spin it, and weave it. I found it fascinating.

And they have a nice shop where they will sell you a lovely cashmere sweater for a mere €700 or so. They also have a cafe, and I thought the food was good (sandwiches and such).

I really enjoyed Cawdor Castle too. It's not far outside Inverness. It's still lived in; the dowager countess moves out during tourist season (to help pay upkeep on her nice digs, no doubt). Fancy, but not Downton Abbey fancy. Parts are 600 years old. The gardens are beautiful. There's a nice cafe there too.

We will be visiting Scotland again next year, our seventh trip. Considering your itinerary, I would take a day off Loch Lomond, Fort William, and Inverness. This would give you enough time to add Harris/Lewis. You could take a morning ferry from Uig to Tarbert, stay two nights in Stornoway, and then take the ferry to Ullapool. Harris/Lewis has stunning beaches and stone circles, including Callanish......Another area we have enjoyed is the Borders region, which has a plethora of ruined abbeys and castles and some pretty little fishing villages.

I agree with Cynthia. I loved Harris & Lewis! It's just an absolutely wonderful place, and it's going to be much less crowded than the three places that Cynthia recommended you take a night from. As she mentioned, the Callanish Stones are incredible. Those are on Lewis, along with a host of other wonderful sites, and all in a fairly compact area and easy to get to. As she mentioned, Harris also has those beautiful beaches, and if you're interested in wool, Harris Tweed originates from here.

I would highly recommend a trip here if you can get there.

It's presumably too late now if you have everything booked on Islay but you will be driving past Lake Lomond to get from Glasgow to Islay and then coming back again

you missed Shetland (our personal favorite) and the western isles (harris, lewis, uist, barra)

What a terrific trip you have planned!

I’d agree about allocating more time from the Inverness or Aberlour/Aberdeen portion of your trip or even drop a day or so around Loch Lomond/the Trossachs.
I’d add that time if accommodation can be got at this late stage, to the NC 500 - you are going to be racing through some of our most magnificent landscapes, at least equal to Skye. Applecross/Torridon is just stunning as is the area north of Ullapool up to Durness and round to Tongue.

The Applecross Inn is well worth a stop. You probably wont have time given Ullapool is your next overnight but certainly don’t miss out that drive from Applecross round the coast to Loch Torridon/Torridon village - it’s probably the most incredible coastal drive I’ve experienced anywhere in my travels.

We’re just back from a short family holiday on lovely Islay with a big focus on the distilleries (we visited 8 out of 9 this time.) The northern distilleries have to most dramatic views, over to the Paps of Jura and at least one is worth a visit for that alone - Bunnahabhain allows you to be right down at the shore itself.
Laphroaig overall is my favourite, such a pretty setting as well as some great whiskies.

The Machrie Hotel has a glorious terrace and dining area with views over the golf course to the sea.There is also a nice walking route through the course to the 8km beach which edges the course.

The Mull of Oa is a wonderful walk.Kilchoman/Machir beach (near the distillery) is my favourite beach on Islay and also offers a nice if dampish (waterproof shoes required) up to the top of a small hill above the strand on an obvious path.The only downside is the last 200m or so to the car park is horrendously pot holed.

A walk out to lovely little Carraig Lighthouse on a good path makes for an easy walk from Kilnaughton beach near Port Ellen.

The superb Kildalton Cross north of Ardbeg Distillery is well worth the extra few miles driving.

Not sure if you enjoy walking but walkhighlands is an excellent website used by many in the UK for planning what to do, easy and flat to bigger stuff, throughout Scotland.I can also recommend some in all areas you are visiting if of interest.