Finalizing Scotland trip

What time of year is your trip? It sounds as if you are planning to spend your last night in Edinburgh; is that correct? I'm wondering whether you could do the trip in reverse, heading to Stirling by train on the day you arrive and picking up a rental car there the next morning. Don't know whether that's viable, but it would avoid the hassle of checking into Edinburgh hotels twice.

My first trip to Scotland occurs next July, so I'm not in a position to counsel you about Skye. However:

• I don't think there is any such thing as a "must-see", especially on such a short trip.
• I'm having a hard time finding lodging in towns served by buses/trains on or near Mull and Skye. Especially if your trip will be in the summer, you should investigate the availability of lodging right away. With a car you'll have the freedom to stay outside the main towns, which should help, but I don't know by how much.

I would not attempt to see the Isle of Skye in one day from Inverness. I stopped for a night in between Inverness and Skye (although I did a detour up to Ullapool, first) as there is so much great scenery on the way. But, you would not do any of it justice with so little time. The drive from Skye to Edinburgh is a long one so you wouldn't have much time to stop along the way. With so few days it's best to narrow your focus and not try to cover so much ground. I might even suggest cutting Inverness out of this trip and stay in the southern half. There lots to see and do, and much of it is better seen on foot than out the window of a car. I'm not sure what you like to see and do, but if it's castles then there's lots of them in Scotland, and you don't have to go all the way up to Inverness.

Last year we did a five day driving tour renting a car in Stirling and doing a loop to staying in Oban, near Skye and outside Inverness. Skye and the mainland area nearby was the most scenic in my view. The drive from the great glen towards Skye on the A87 was particular scenic and it is an area i wish we had spent more time in. However Skye is a bit overrun with tourist and finding accommodation can be difficult. We stayed in Kyle of Lochalsh just across the bridge on the mainland.
Loch Ness was a bit underwhelming, it's pretty, but nothing special in my view. People seem to think it's a must see because of the monster, but for me it falls in the category of tourist traps.

Hi Steve -

If it was me, I’d be inclined to drop Inverness and head to Skye to spend time there. Inverness is not especially scenic, although perfectly pleasant, but if you wanted to see rugged majesty then Skye is definitely more what you are looking for.

Personally we’ve tended to avoid the ‘honeypot’ of Portree as far as accommodation goes favouring Broadford, Portnalong, Colbost, etc. None of these are busy urban centres! That said most of our visits have been concerned with getting into the hills and in particular the difficult and challenging Black Cuillins, so if hiking verging on climbing isn’t your thing, Portree and environs may be your best choice. If so, book early. Very early. Skye seems to be overrun with tourists these days, much to the chagrin of us old hill walkers who remember it as rather isolated and forsaken! Still, can’t fight City Hall and it will abate eventually I believe!

Have a great trip!

Ian

All great feedback. We are planning to be in Scotland the first or second week in June. I like the idea of going directly to Sterling after landing in Edinburgh and picking the car up there. Probably stay the night. Then heading over to the west coast. I had heard of Inverness being just okay as well as Loch Ness. I think going toward Isle of Skye is a better use of time. Spend the two nights in that area and then head back to Edinburgh and skipping Inverness. We are in our sixties we like taking walks and modest hikes but not real strenuous ones. We do like to stay where is less crowds and in B & B's. Might have to add a day to enjoy Edinburgh which under the current timing would only give it one full day.

The Isle of Skye books up very quickly for the spring-summer season. The most pleasant and best value places may already be fully booked by now. We stayed on the "mainland" at the Dornie Hotel, which is about 20 minutes from the Kyle Bridge and a stone's throw from Eilean Donan Castle. It's nothing fancy, but nice and clean, affordable, with helpful staff and a nice restaurant/pub that is popular with locals. From there we spent a day driving around the Isle, including a couple of hours inside Dunvegan Castle.

Some have said Loch Ness isn't particularly interesting, but we greatly enjoyed two Loch Ness sights. 1) Urquhart Castle has walking tours several times a day included in the entry fee; also costumed interpreters and many informative signs. It is a ruin, so dress for the weather. 2) Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition is an indoor attraction that presents a fairly scientific analysis of the history of rumored "Nessie" sightings and the loch's geology, flora and fauna.

Hi, Steve,

If you're heading to Skye, and can't find a place to stay, don't discount independent hostels. A couple of years ago, we stayed at the Skyewalker Hostel in Portnalong. We had a private en-suite room, and it was reasonably priced. Several of the hostels on Skye have private twins or doubles. You're never too old to stay in a hostel! (Speaking from personal experience)

Unless you're really set on taking a Loch Ness cruise, give Inverness and Loch Ness a miss. You don't see that much of Loch Ness from the A82. However, if you have the time, the B862/B852 down the east side of the loch via Dores and Foyers is worth it. It's slow going, however.

If you go directly from Oban to Skye, bypassing Inverness, it's about a four hour drive. Longer if you detour via Glencoe. If you go that way, be sure to make a ferry reservation on the Mallaig to Armadale route.

Best wishes for your travels!

Mike (Auchterless)

We did your itinerary but in two weeks, instead of one. I agree with the the others to do Skye over Inverness. Skye was our favorite part of the trip without question, though we enjoyed driving through the Glencoe Valley from Oban to Mallaig for the ferry.

Hi Steve -

Second recommendation for the Skyewalker Hostel! Been a couple of times, once under the previous owners a long while back and more recently under the new owners who have put a huge amount of work in on the place. It was a few years ago when we last stayed there, but the owners couldn’t have been more helpful when Julie was unfortunately taken ill while we were there. Pub/bar handy just round the corner too!

Ian