Hello, I'm planning a 10-day trip to London and the Scottish Highlands with my best friend to celebrate my anticipated PhD graduation. I wondered if I could get some opinions from experienced travelers on an itinerary that I hope will work for someone who has seen some of the UK (me) and someone who hasn't (my friend). My bucket list items for the trip are Orkney and Clava Cairns. My primary interests are in neolithic and medieval history/archaeology, nature, and local culture. Thirty years ago, I lived and worked for a summer in London and backpacked around the UK, including Scotland. In Scotland, we had brief stays in Ft. William, Glasgow, and Edinburgh, and a drive on the Isle of Skye (and I've been back to England since then). My friend is younger and fitter than me, and she loves hiking. She is a fan of Ancient Aliens, so I think she would be intrigued by the standing stones and Skara Brae in Orkney, and Loch Ness might also appeal to her. I remember the walk from the youth hostel under Ben Nevis as astonishingly beautiful. However, I am well past the age limit for youth hostels now, and we will not have a car. From reading on this site and others, it seems that Aviemore might be a more convenient base for easy-to-moderate hikes without a car. Would I be doing my friend a disservice to take her to the Cairngorms instead of Glencoe, Skye, or some of the other well-known Highland hiking spots? Ten days is the max my friend can manage, btw. As far as timing, would the end of the first week of September be a reasonable start for the trip (after UK schools start back)? Or would the Highlands/Orkney be too dreary and rainy by then? If so, would the last week of August be any better? Recommendations for lodging in London, Aviemore, Orkney, and Inverness would also be appreciated. We do not need luxury, although an ensuite is preferred. However, I might be willing to pay up to $250 per night for an ideal location close to sites/trailheads and/or tube, train, or bus stops to save time due to our compressed schedule.
- Day 1 Flight from Houston, TX to London
- Day 2 Arrive in London, stay in Kensington Gardens/Hyde Park area (Bayswater for budget hotel?)
- Day 3 Full-day London; Caledonian sleeper train to Aviemore that night
- Day 4 Day hikes in the Cairngorms from Aviemore (easy for me, more challenging for my friend); overnight Aviemore
- Day 5 Half-day in Aviemore; Train from Aviemore to Inverness, overnight Inverness
- Day 6 Highland Explorer Tours 1-day Loch Ness & Outlander tour (Loch Ness cruise, Culloden Battlefield, Clava Cairns, Beauly Priory); overnight Inverness
- Day 7-9 Rabbie's 3-day Orkney Explorer tour from Inverness (drive along the northeast coast then take the ferry from Gills Bay to Orkney; 2 nights in Orkney; return to Inverness)
- Day 10 Flight home from Inverness