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.
