Car Rental-Solo Traveler

Driving on the left side of the roadway is a bit of an adjustment for the uninitiated. I wouldn’t recommend driving in Aberdeen. However, you might consider renting a car outside of the city so you don’t have to get the hang of it in a city of 200,000. You also might consider taking the train to Inverness and renting a car there to explore Locn Ness and the Highlands. Driving on the “wrong” side of the road is far easier and much, much more doable in rural areas. It’s even easier with an automatic transmission because you won’t be working the stick shift with the left hand while steering with the right— something not easily adapted to.
Cheers!

If you're exploring the Royal Deeside area I'm not sure I would agree that pubic transport is limited.
Bus routes 201/202 run half hourly as far as Banchory, continuing hourly on to Braemar.
Then there is Ember bus on their Dundee via Royal Deeside route. That is currently once a day, twice a day from next week with limited stops. But it is to become more frequent and with more stops in the autumn (fall). No one knows yet what the final timetable will be on this very new service.
Up to Peterhead (including the puffins at Bullers of Buchan) there is very good service from very early to very late.
Generally bus services in the area are pretty comprehensive.

Not exactly sure what interrests you, but Rabbies now offers one day tours out of Aberdeen.

Hi, Linnae, I am a female solo driver also, and spend 3 weeks in Scotland in 2023, mostly driving myself from Glasgow to the Isle of Arran, then the Isle of Mull, then Skye, then Harris and Lewis, and finally driving through inverness along the north east coastline back down to Edinburgh. Given that you only have a limited amount of time, and public transportation will be slower and not as convenient as driving, if it were me, I would rent a car. For one thing, there are many beautiful places along the coast that you could easily visit; such as the Bullers of Buchan, Slains Castle, Newburgh Seal Beach, and the lovely town of Cruden Bay and much more.

I did not have a companion while driving, but I used my phone to navigate via GPS with Google maps, and had no problems with that. Most cars now have some kind of Car Play so that you can see the map clearly on the larger screen.

If you are staying in the Aberdeen area, the roads around there are generally pretty good. In terms of driving itself, driving on the left is fairly easy. After the first couple of minutes, you'll get the hang of it. Just remember when you first start up the car to think to yourself, "Go left." That's the time when you forget. Some folks put little notes on the dash. The first time, I messed up leaving the parking lot but after that I was fine (and so was the other driver who politely waited for me to come to my senses and get in the correct lane).

The hardest part of driving involves the single-track roads. However, there are always plenty of passing places, and honestly driving near Aberdeen and the surrounding area was very easy. For one thing, there were more two-lane roads and not that many single track ones. And much much less traffic compared to the more touristed Highlands and islands. Compared to that, driving along the east coast was a piece of cake.

It can sometimes be tricking driving in the roundabouts that have multiple lanes. I would suggest studying your route ahead of time so you are aware of those (and those are mostly in or near larger towns and cities. And of course, if you get confused while you're in a roundabout, you just keep driving in circles till you figure it out. :-)

In terms of a car rental, I've used Arnold Clark on my last two trips to the UK. Earlier this year in England, I was there for almost 6 weeks and rented directly with Arnold Clark. And I rented from them in 2023 through their broker, Celtic Legend for my trip to Scotland. Both rental experiences went very well. Arnold Clark is a pleasure to deal with. Their agents explain everything to you and make sure that you understand the fine print. They are good about upgrading sometimes, and very courteous and helpful. I will always use them in the UK for future rentals. I would check both sites below to see the quotes. Celtic Legend gives you a free GPS unit, but I preferred to use my own phone. Also, CL allows a 2nd driver for free, but as a solo, that should not concern you.

https://www.arnoldclarkrental.com/
https://www.celticlegend.co.uk/car-rental/

Driving on the left side of the roadway is a bit of an adjustment for the uninitiated. I wouldn’t recommend driving in Aberdeen. ... You also might consider taking the train to Inverness and renting a car there to explore Locn Ness and the Highlands.

I agree about not driving in Aberdeen, but I do know that Arnold Clark has an office in Aberdeen and it's on the outskirts of town, so it would be easy to get there by cab or public transport, and then driving from there. You might want to consider staying on the outskirts of town for those days you are traveling around, and then move closer to your convention when you're ready. Also, I think Kenko missed that you were in the Highlands last year, and it sounds like you want to stay near the east coast area.

Well worth following Mardee's advice above, and read her excellent trip report elsewhere.

Swapping side of the road is easier than most people think, but there are unexpected hiccups. Muscle memory will kick in hence the little reminders, a post it note a small piece of string on the steering wheel. It is easier to some degree in a vehicle designed for that road rule, but I have still tried to change gear with the left door window handle more than once.

One other thing to watch YouTube for...should you be heading rural or into the Highlands...how to use single track or narrow roads. Plenty of etiquette of when and how to use the layers for oncoming traffic. Learn it.

Go for it! I did a solo driving tour several years ago, starting in Edinburgh, all the way up to Skye, over to Applecross, and back down through Oban to Glasgow. It will take you the first day to get used to driving on the left, but many years ago I got a simple piece of advice from someone. He said each time you get behind the wheel just repeat out loud three times “ stay to the left” and you should be fine. He also said you will pull out to the wrong side at least once, but after that, you will never forget. He was right. First day out I got lost, and when I pulled off the road and turned around I was on the wrong side. Quickly corrected when I saw a bus coming, and never did it again. I did make a stop in Ballater as my great grandmother is from there, and the lack of public transit there is one of the reasons I decided to rent a car. It’s a lovely area.

Aberdeen itself is a bit grim IMO, with the notable exception of the Union Terrace Gardens. But one can see some fabulous things a short distance away. Stonehaven and Dunnottar Castle to the south, Ballater and Balmoral, and the Cairngorms, to the west, and some gorgeous coastline to the north. Be sure to check out whatever day tours Rabbie's has on offer that depart from Aberdeen.

Driving on the left hasn't presented any difficulties for me, personally, but I'd not want a manual transmission. Auto only in the UK for me.

Hi, Linnae,

If you're flying in to Aberdeen, your best bet would be to hire your car at the airport. I've had excellent service from Avis - their staff is wonderful, and the cost is comparable to Arnold Clark.. I had considered Arnold Clark/Celtic Lagend, but Avis came in at a better price, and Arnold Clark's office was far enough away that it would have been time consuming and inconvenient. They wanted 35 pounds to take me to the airport after I would have dropped off the car!

That aside, it is really easy to get to Deeside from the airport. The new bypass has made it so much easier to get to the areas north, south, and west of the city that there is no need to enter the city unless your conference is being held there.

If you do have to drive in the city, parking is somewhat limited and expensive. Plus you have to watch out for the bus lanes, which have been a bone of contention since their introduction a few years ago. Many residents of the shire won't go into the city because of the bus lanes, which are now being contested by the merchants' collective. I hope that your convention facility will provide free parking.

You may also encounter LEZ (Low Emission Zones) in the city. You have nothing to worry about, as you'll be driving a relatively new car, which does meet the requirements.

Although central Aberdeen, as has been previously pointed out. is fairly grim, there are some very attractive parts of the city. Union Street, the main thoroughfare. is a depressing area of closed down shops and lower end shops. However, there are glimmers of hope, as boutique restaurants and specialty shops are opening in an attempt to lure customers back to town.

You need have no worries about driving on the left. Aberdeen Airport is very easy to navigate and depart from, and the roads leading in to the city, or out of the city, are wide and well marked. The roundabouts may present a problem the first couple of times you encounter one, but just remember to yield (and this means stop!) to any vehicle already in the roundabout.

Although it's a long time from now, very best wishes for your travels, and if you make it down to the beachfront, have an ice cream at the Inversnecky Cafe!

Mike (Auchterless)