Please help me with my basic plan. We’ve an unexpected opportunity to be in Scotland March 10 to March 16. Such short notice and am struggling to put together a plan without much research time. This is what we have so far.
10/3/26 to 12/3/25 Edinburgh.
12/3/26 pick up car and take scenic drive to Oban for the night. Hope to drive through Loch Lomond and the national park..weather permitting.
13/3/26 Drive through and sightsee Glencoe. Short hikes= no more than two hours that are easy to moderate. Stay in Glencoe, Ballachullish
14/3/26 Slow drive to Inverness with sights along the way. Not sure what they are yet as haven’t gotten that far in planning. Hotel night Inverness.
15/3/26 Another Inverness hotel night. Perhaps drive to Cairngorms np if roads permit. Fly out the morning of
16/3/26.
Please tell me if this is doable, enjoyable and will give us a nice overview for the brief time we have. Please feel free to add in roads, sights, hotels etc that you think are especially nice.
I mostly need to get the plan completed, lodging secured and then can hammer out further details. Thank you so much.
Posted by
Chicagoland
2093 posts
I think I've already answered your post on another website.
I will add here, that as much as I love Oban and I am probably touting its virtues far too much on this website, I'm concerned that traveling to Oban and Glencoe in the winter time is totally different than May through October. The wonderful day tours out of Oban to Mull and Iona don't start until April. The Highlands won't be green and lush. March is still winter in Scotland.
You need to be realistic about winter driving conditions. And plan a journey that balances indoor with outdoor. I mentioned more than a few stops on an Edinburgh to Inverness route on the other forum just to give you some possibilities. You could always detour to Stirling Castle or St. Andrews with its ruined Castle and Cathedral. Or a number of other places.
I know this isn't what you want to hear. Maybe someone give you better ideas.
Posted by
OP
5 posts
Thank you Chicagoland. So you are telling me that it will be pretty difficult to do much of the Highlands at all because of the weather? I appreciate your honesty and maybe will go back and look at your initial suggestions, I think I didn’t completely understand what you were saying until now. Hiking is out then too do you think? Thanks for your time.
Posted by
Lake District, England
11443 posts
I don't agree at all that this will be difficult in March due to road conditions. While it is not impossible that we will yet have heavy snow it is pretty unlikely in two to three weeks time. All the forecasts show that there is no further real winter weather expected.
There is still a lot of rain in the forecast, but rain not snow.
And much of that trip is in the west where heavy settling road blocking snow is unusual anyway, due to the maritime climate. On the way from Inverness to Edinburgh you will be passing Aviemore- on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park. So long as the A9 is open (and it would be deeply unusual in March for it to be closed by snow) then you are all right. Yes there is a chance the road from Aviemore into the forest and to the resort could be closed by snow- but a pretty small one.
I would have no qualms whatsoever about scheduling this trip in a few weeks time.
Also you absolutely do not need the tour to go to Mull and Iona, especially when you have a car. Just book the ferry, and go over. There is a lot of hyperbole on the forums about booking the car ferry months in advance. Even in summer that is to a significant extent over the top, but in March certainly isn't true.
There are also a few car spaces held back on each ferry if required by locals for lifeline needs, if not required they are released shortly before each sailing.
The worst that can happen is that because of technical problems elsewhere in the fleet, there is a chance that the 2nd (small) vessel on the Craignure route may be out (confirmation awaited next week) but the Isle of Mull (the main, big vessel) will still be there- the loss of capacity really is not critical at this time of year.
Also the little ferry to Iona is quite weather dependent, but if it is off and you are driving yourself you have the flexibility to tour the rest of Mull instead.
If you drive over you will have more time on Iona than if you go with the tour, and it costs a lot less.
Posted by
Chicagoland
2093 posts
To me the drive to Oban and Glencoe is all about the scenery. I'm more concerned about rain and low clouds spoiling the wonderful Highland views. Maybe that won't bother you.
So, yes, it's doable. Just know what to expect. Pay attention to weather forecasts and driving conditions. Bring your waterproof jackets and footwear. You may encounter some muddy trails on your hikes.
Posted by
OP
5 posts
Thanks again to everyone for your input. It’s been invaluable in trying to pull this together on the fly.
Posted by
Preston UK
1835 posts
I think that the plan is doable but I don’t think I’d do it. You have 6 nights in total, 2 in Edinburgh, 1 in Oban, 1 around Glencoe and 2 in Inverness. I think most would say spending 1/3rd of your trip in Inverness is not the best use of your time, although it’s not clear whether you are intending to fly out of Inverness? Personally I would spend more time further south and west and fly out of Edinburgh or Glasgow but it might be too late for that.
Posted by
Freedonia
18658 posts
I spend a great deal of time in Scotland. All four seasons. And I can tell you--weather happens at any moment. In fact, weather changes within hours.
Your drive to Oban, Glencoe and the Highlands could be in rain or it could be sunny. No one can predict.
The ferry over to Mull could be smooth as glass or the seas could be too choppy for it to operate. No one can predict.
If you wait for the perfect time, you'll never go because no one can tell the perfect time.
The nice thing about going in a couple of weeks is that no place will be as crowded as it will be in summer.