Help with upcoming Edinburgh/Highlands itinerary

I see nothing seriously wrong with that plan but have two questions

Arrive in Edinburgh, finish London. Is there something else happening in connection with this plan or just some odd flight bookings?

Pick up car Inverness airport - why? It is obviously some distance from the city centre, Arnold Clark/Celtic Legend are based close to the centre in Harbour Road - in fact the listing for their "airport" branch says it's actually a shuttle back to Harbour Road (25 minutes they say). Who have you booked with?

With the family the car is not a terrible idea, make sure you inform the company about age/height of the youngest in case a booster seat is legally required. The roads are narrower than USA because tradtionally european cars were smaller - unfortunately the big manufacturers now think there is a "world car" which works everywhere. Note that on Arnold Clark's webiste a Skoda Octavia Estate (staion wagon) is classed as large but Wikipedia say it is small!

You don’t say what time of the year you will be going. We were there (Portree) for 2 nights in September and the hot spots were jammed up. We did a majority of of the sights listed Rick’s Isle of Skye “At a Glance” list. If you decide to split the time and head towards Glasgow then you should stop in Oban and hit Mull & Iona. We spent 2 nights there also. Whatever you do, if you’re there in prime season make sure you get dinner reservations especially in Portree. We got lucky one night and was able to snag a table after an hour. The next night we just grabbed some sandwiches and crisp’s for our dinner. Anyway it was a great trip! “Enjoy”

I agree that your itinerary looks fine. I think it's better to have too many days than too little in Portree, and there's a whole lot to see and do on that island. I was there for four nights and found plenty.

You might like to make a day trip to the Isle of Raasay, which is a 10-minute ferry ride from Skye (out of Sconser). It's a charming small island and is usually very secluded, which makes it a great place to get away from the crowds you will find on Skye. It has a lovely little country store there, a distillery where you can sample some wonderful whiskey, and a very nice inn where you can get lunch or a snack in the afternoon. The scenery is lovely and you can get in some light hiking if you like really enjoyed visiting there for the day. If you do go there, make sure you read about Calum's Road, and if possible, come and visit it. It's really an incredible story.

Don't worry about driving on the left. After the first few minutes, it will seem as natural as eating pancakes. It is a little bit more difficult driving down the single-track roads, but if you just apply common courtesy and check the etiquette rules before you go, you'll be fine. Here is a video that can get you started. Driving on Single Track Roads. Keep in mind that while there are plenty of single-track roads on Skye, there are also plenty of roads with two lanes, including the road from Armadale up to Portree.

I really enjoyed Glasgow and would certainly suggest a visit there if you have the time. You could go there on a day trip from Edinburgh if you have the time. That said, I would also leave room to make a day trip to Stirling Castle and the town of Stirling, which is pretty wonderful. I loved my visit there, and it's such an incredible castle with a beautiful view of the countryside. The town of Stirling is also very charming, with a lot of history there.

And your idea of heading to Glasgow and returning the car there would also work. That way you wouldn't have to take any time away from Edinburgh, which is always a plus. Inverness is nice, but most people really just use it as a base to see a lot of the Highlands. You might have to pay a small extra fee for dropping it off at a different location, but it shouldn't be much. I did that when I was there a few years ago, and I think it was only around £25.

One thing I did want to mention is that while you are on Portree, make sure you make reservations at restaurants for both dinner and lunch. Lunch you probably only have to make the reservations a couple of days ahead of time, but if there are any particular restaurants you really want to eat at, make sure you make reservations a couple of weeks ahead of time.

For what it's worth, it would help to know what time of year you were going. I'm assuming it's late spring or summer since you're anxious about the time frame. Don't worry about finding a place in Glasgow if you decide to stay there. Both of the cities should have a decent amount of hotel rooms available. It's the islands and the Highlands that will be booked up.

As you’ve already booked your accommodation I’d say stick with it. I’m not sure there’s much to do in Inverness without a car. The town is not that attractive to tourists. You could take the bus out to Culloden to the battlefield and visitor centre if the history interests you.

Plenty in Skye to see for a week or more so you will be fine for the time you have. And Portree is a good central location from which to explore. Your kids might enjoy the dinosaur museum and hunting for dino prints on Staffin beach. Book evening meals as everything in Portree gets very busy. Gasta at Skye candles visitor centre has great pizza

I don’t think you have time for Glasgow, especially as you’ve not identified specific things you would want to do there. But dropping the car there and getting the train there would enable you to see Glencoe and loch `Lomond on the way south.

Jacqui (skyegirl)

driving on left and the one-lane roads.

The great thing about driving on the one lane roads is that you are driving on the right and the left at the same time. Arnold Clarke are a great option. Don’t worry about getting the smallest car possible. It’s a myth that roads are too small for large cars. If you are on a road that is too small for any vehicle you are likely to hire then you have driven onto a footpath. Fire trucks and ambulances get down those roads.