Exploring Scotland in Two Weeks?

Posted by Jim (Slidell, LA) on 10/16/23 05:01 PM

My wife and I are planning a trip to Scotland in June 2024. We are planning the first three nights in Edinburgh (been there before) and then drive to St. Andrews for four nights where I will be playing two rounds of golf (one on the Old Course). We are thinking about seeing the Scottish islands and/or the highlands and will have another week to do so. Is going all the way to Inverness worth the time and drive? I looked into the 14-day RS tour that starts in Inverness the day after St. Andrews, but we don't have that much time and the shorter RS tour doesn't go to the islands. Should we consider driving from St. Andrews to Oban (126 mile/3:15), or possibly return our rental car in Edinburgh and take the train to Oban? Is it worth the time and cost to go to the islands? Do you have any suggestions for a better use of our extra week? Thank you.

Jim

Posted by Skyegirl

Isle of Skye, Scotland

10/16/23 05:31 PM

1300 posts

I think if you are planning a trip to Mull, Skye or other Inner Hebrides islands you will want to have a car with you. I guess whether it's worth it depends on what you want to do while you are there. Skye for example is all about the natural beauty and there are excellent hikes both hill walks (and much more challenging scrambles and climbs in the Cullin range) and lower level walks. There are also opportunities to take boat trips from Portree and Elgol (from where you could take a day trip to Canna) and you could also take the ferry from Skye to Raasay and spend a day there.

Alternatively since you are already going to be on the east coast you could drive up to Aberdeen and take an overnight ferry to the Shetland islands (or a slightly shorter ferry to Orkney), both of which are rich in history and archaeology as well as having wonderful scenery. Again you would want a car.

Posted by acraven

Washington DC

10/16/23 06:25 PM

28190 posts

There's a lot of demand for lodging in the most accessible island and coastal towns (like Oban, Tobermory and Portree for three examples). Don't wait long to make reservations. It sounds as if there will be fewer rooms available next year because of new regulations and fees hitting innkeepers/Airbnb hosts/etc.

Posted by Mardee

Duluth 🛶

10/16/23 06:53 PM

8118 posts

You might be interested in one of Rabbie's tours, which come highly recommended on this forum. They have multi-day tours that leave from Edinburgh that are anywhere from 3 days on up to 5, 6, 7+ days that go to the islands. Many members here have taken their tours and they have a very reputable reputation.

https://www.rabbies.com/en/scotland-tours/from-edinburgh

Posted by wasleys

Lincolnshire, UK

10/16/23 08:50 PM

2310 posts

Which Scottish Islands are you thinking about seeing? There are a lot of them to choose from and they all have their unique selling points!

Posted by kmkwoo

Massachusetts, USA

10/16/23 10:05 PM

1707 posts

We spent 4 nights in Portree on the Isle of Skye last June, and it was one of our favorite places with stunning scenery. It is worth the time and cost to visit Skye, IMO. You will definitely need a car. We had 3 full days on Skye, and we followed this roadtrip itinerary:
https://www.ontheluce.com/isle-of-skye-itinerary/
This kept us organized and we didn't do any backtracking. Of course, if you don't have the time, you don't have to follow it exactly, but it helps you decide what you want to see and to do so in a logical, organized manner.

If you have the time, I also recommend spending a night or two in Glen Coe. This was another one of our favorites with gorgeous scenery.

And if you go to Inverness, I wouldn't stay there; it's a busy commercial center. We stayed in Nairn, a lovely seaside village about 20 minutes from Inverness. We spent 3 nights in Nairn at the Sunny Brae B&B, and from here we visited Elgin Cathedral, Glen Moray Distillery, Cawdor Castle and Culloden Battlefield. If you decide to visit Skye, you can stop at Urquhart Castle on the way from Nairn to Portree.
https://sunnybraenairn.co.uk/

Posted by Sarah C

USA

10/19/23 09:16 AM

153 posts

Another recommendation for a Rabbie's tour - just did the 5 Day Highland Explorer tour last month - it was fabulous. We didn't want to drive in Scotland so the Rabbie's worked out great for us. Plenty of time off the bus for photos and lunch, small groups of only 16, and the best tour guide ever! Came home with new friends and wonderful pictures. Can't wait to do another!