Best map

Posted by katsinca (Clemmons, North Carolina) on 01/05/26 11:57 AM

Hi all!!
I'm looking to see if anyone has suggestions or has used a large apartment of Scotland to help with trip planning (im sure many have!!)
What I'm looking for is a map that lists all the normal stuff on maps but with the addition of tourist spots, trails, gardens and basically all sights to see in any general area. I'm a visual learner and like to mark things on an actual map to help plan drives and stops and choose the best way to visit and see the most that I can and in the most efficient way. Any suggestions ona map that might have those things? Any help is greatly appreciated!!!!

Thanks Kathy

Posted by Lin C

Surrey, UK

01/05/26 12:27 PM

769 posts

I'm doing the same thing for Wales!
I have a Lonely Planet Guidebook, which came with a basic map.
I have also bought an AA (Automobile Association - UK) map scale 4 miles to the inch, which has a lot of information on it, albeint quite small print/symbols.
I'm going to use the guidebook to choose my major sights and mark them on the map so I can read them!

Posted by sownack

Banchory, Scotland

01/05/26 12:30 PM

297 posts

What you need is a super scale road atlas A-Z which are available from Amazon and the like.

Posted by Cat VH

London

01/05/26 12:42 PM

1037 posts

I would suggest something like this: https://collins.co.uk/products/9780008492571

Posted by jjgurley

Mountains of S. Oregon

01/05/26 02:12 PM

1038 posts

We have a laminated National Geographic wall map hanging in our house that displays some points of interest. I thought we could use erasable markers, but it's hard to highlight an actual driving route because of the scale and the intensity of the colors. A map that included exhaustive places to see would have to be a many page book of maps.

Google Maps does a pretty good job of displaying "Things to Do" along a route. I plan each day as a complex route that includes all stops (and sometimes the extra waypoints to get Google to take a peculiar scenic route). You can print the entire route for reference, or transfer it to your phone for use while driving. I transpose it to my Garmin dashboard GPS, so I just hit one button in the morning, and follow it all day. The driving time estimates are more optimistic than you might hope, due to sheep, coo, tractors, and slow tourists.

There are a wealth of Scotland websites like Hidden Scotland, Walk Highlands, etc. that can expand the choices of places to stop.

I'm not sure what the "large apartment" question was about. You can't leave your planning to the day of travel without risking getting shut out by the need for reservations, etc.

Posted by wasleys

Lincolnshire, UK

01/05/26 03:20 PM

2851 posts

Also have a look at the Undiscovered Scotland website. Click on the map of the area you want to visit and then use the links to the text pages with information and lots of photos. It covers all sorts of places that never get a mention in the guide books and includes some real hidden gems. It is a wonderful resource and I use this to plan all my trips to Scotland. As always, check websites for current opening times and prices of places you want to visit.