I couldn't use some help planning the final leg of out trip. Well be attending the Games in Braemar and taking some time returning to Edinburgh before catching a flight home. Thought we'd stop in Kenmore to see the Crannog Center, then onto St. Andrews maybe spending the night there or in a Village on the coast. I think our next stop would be Stirling for a night. Thinking about skipping Pitlochry, not much of a whisky fan and we will have been to several distilleries already. Last night near the airport to catch an early flight and to drop off the car.
Please share your thoughts.
Posted by
New York City, NY, USA
5678 posts
Well you are zig zagging across the country a bit if you go from the Braemar to the Crannog Centre near Aberfeldy to St. Andrews and then back to Stirling. Are you planning on trying to golf or is one of you a true blue golfer that just has to see the old course? :)
As for Pitlochry, there is more there than the distillery. The Explorer's Garden is quite nice and unique from typical castle gardens. Also, there is the Festival Theatre. Check to see if there is something interesting on when you are in the area. It might then be worth checking it out.
Alternatively, you might stay in Dunkeld after Braemar. It's a lovely little town with some nice walks, a cathedral, a good pub etc. You can day trip over to the Crannog Centre. If you really want to go to St. Andrews you might stop at Glamis Castle on the way. It will be a bit of a trek back to Stirling. (BTW on the north side of Loch Tay is the road to Glen Lyon, one of the more beautiful glens in Scotland. ) Or you can go over the mountain to Loch Rannoch on a marvelous single track road north of Aberfeldy. Then drive back east and look back at Queens View as you then head back down the A9 to Dunkeld.
Pam
Posted by
3124 posts
I agree with Pamela about the zigzagging. Unless you really love being in the car and navigating road signs, I'd say to choose either St. Andrews or Stirling, not both. St. Andrews is out to the east whereas Stirling is west.
St. Andrews is charming whether or not you're a golfer, but more so if you want to play the Himalayas, take the walking tour of the Old Course (warning: it's mostly standing around on the 1st/18th holes and listening to a lot of golf jargon and name dropping of famous players), and visit the British Golf Museum. Or if you want to experience the North Sea coast, head further out to the east from St. Andrews. To get there from Braemar you can drive due south through Blairgowrie (which has a helpful Tourist Info office on the high street), then a ways eastward to Glamis Castle (have lunch and take the tour) and south through Dundee over the bridge and out to St. Andrews.
Alternatively, from Braemar head south and west to Pitlochry and then through Perth to Stirling.
In Edinburgh I would drop off the car the night before, then relax in a hotel near the airport and use hotel shuttle or a taxi to get to your flight. You can search hotels near the airport on Booking.com here << http://www.booking.com/airport/gb/edi.html >>
Posted by
OP
Placitas, NM, USA
178 posts
Thank you for the advice and help with the planning of our trip. I appreciate the input.