We are traveling to Scotland in Sept. First time. Accommodations are almost done and we have an itinenary. We will be driving from Edinburgh to Pitlochry (for the tattoo), onto Tobermory, then Inverness, and back to Edinburgh. Any suggestions on a company or resource that can plan out the driving routes? Also which car rental agency you would use.
Much thanks.
You can use the Theaa.com to plan routes. Arnold Clark (Celtic Legend in North America) are highly regarded.
Celtic Legend is actually a broker for Arnold Clark. I used Celtic Legend to book my rental car and was extremely happy with the process. They were prompt, quick to communicate and respond to emails and the price was reasonable (it included Sat Nav, also, which many places do not). Arnold Clark, who I picked up the car from, was also a very good company and I have nothing but praise for them. I recommend them highly. And by the way, they guarantee the quote but you do not need to pay until you pick up the car. https://www.celticlegend.co.uk/car-rental/
With regards to driving routes, I basically used Google maps to plan my routes but then came back here to make sure that they were okay. Usually they were but sometimes I got some good suggestions for changing something. For example, here is the route that Google would suggest: Edinburgh-->Pitlochry-->Tobermory-->Inverness-->Edinburgh.
Keep in mind that you will need to take the ferry from Oban to Craignure to get to Tobermory, and you must book that in advance at CalMac. https://calmac.co.uk/summer-timetables/oban-craignure
Your return ferry, which goes from Fishnish to Lochaline is a "show up and go" ferry, so you do not need to book that ahead.
The Corran ferry (on the Tobermory to Inverness leg) is run by Highland Council, not Calmac, and is just a 5 minute crossing across a narrow part of the very long sea loch of Loch Linnhe.
At the moment there is a lack of capacity on that route due to the main route vessel being out of service (leading to lengthy delays), but the hope is to have that repair completed sometime in August. The new part is being made in Germany now.
Locals are taking the lengthy road route round the Loch from Corran at times due to the capacity issue.
If the ferry is still out of service in September the Tobermory to Kilchoan ferry may be the faster route.
I just looked for roads that went between the places I wanted to visit using Google maps. No need to pay somebody to plan it for you. What you can’t plan for is unexpected construction and road closures once you’re there. Last September we rented our car through Enterprise.
I recently switched a standing reservation with AVIS to Celtic Legend ( Arnold Clark ) for several reasons , the most important being the price of the rental was $1000.00 less for a one month period . The other terms of the service with Celtic Legend were also more favorable than those of AVIS
THanks so much everyone. I contacted Celtic Legend and waiting for a response.
The Corran ferry has had another in a series of failures this week.
Both ferries are now off service again for an unspecified period- but "several weeks".
The larger ferry is still having it's engine replaced, and the smaller has developed steering problems.
For foot passengers RIB's are providing a service on the normal ferry route, and there is also the conventional boat on the service to Camusnagaul, Ardgour from Fort William.
For drivers Highland Council have now improved the A861 road round the Loch with "additional signage and expanded passing places. It is likely to be busier than normal and we ask all drivers to allow extra journey time, to avoid convoy traffic and to use the passing places to allow traffic to safely pass."- to quote the Highland Council press release.
