Is this itinerary for Scotland pushing it?

I won't comment on your itinerary as I am making my first trip to Scotland in May. But I was curious why you are choosing to keep your rental car through your last day (at least, that's what it looks like). It would be a lot easier if you turned it in after Stirling (maybe on your way to Glasgow) and use public transportation to get between Glasgow and Edinburgh and to the airport, especially since you're doing an outlander tour in Glasgow where you won't need a car.

I can speak from experience here when I say that I hate driving a rental car in any foreign city - been there, done that and will never do it again.

Hello and thank you for posting. The rental car needs to be turned at the same location we are renting it from (EDI). The difference in price between the 2 rental car periods is only about $100 for me, as I am using a corporate rate. Parking is free at the place we are staying. By the time we pay for train tickets, taxis to and from the airport, it's basically a wash. Plus, I don't want to waste any of my limited time, dropping off a car at the airport, when I am going there in a few days. Also, I like the idea of being able to leave for the airport when I want to go. Good thinking, though.:)

Have you got accommodation in Edinburgh sorted during The Festivals?

There feel like a lot of one nighters, and I wonder why you are moving from Portree to Glendale, on Skye.
I just hope you are picking the car up on Day 2, not 1- due to jet lag.
I don't think it's "pushing it", it feels quite very fast paced and something of a taster menu but if that's your travel style and you're happy with it then I'm not going to criticise. But no one day is unmanageably too far in my opinion. Goodness knows I have been known to move at a pace which makes this look pedestrian.
My only real thought, perhaps concern, is Ellon. Have you given your self enough time for your family history? Is there anything more you would like to find out, having come all this way. Any more record sets you want to see. Are you going, or do you need to visit the graveyard?

Or is this just to see the town and a couple of addresses? The sightseeing is fine, but I wouldn't want you to go home and later realise there was something personal you had missed.

Hi, Kimberly,

This is a really good itinerary. You don't have too much driving on any one day. It appears to be well thought out.

On day three, I'd recommend taking the A90 Aberdeen bypass when you leave Stonehaven. It's relatively featureless, but it saves driving through Aberdeen, which can be very time consuming. The bypass will dump you out on the main Aberdeen to Peterhead A90 road, just south of Ellon.

If you're not in a hurry after leaving Ellon, you could take the A920 through Oldmeldrum, to join the A96 for Inverness. About five miles out of Ellon on the A920 is Pitmedden Gardens. I don't think that the gardens will be as brilliant in late summer as they would have been earlier, but you could stop by to have a look.

Again, if you have time, and bypass Pitmedden, you could take the A947 from Oldmeldrum to Fyvie Castle, which is about six or seven miles north of Oldmeldrum. Fyvie is one of the most beautiful castles, inside and out, in Northeast Scotland. The paintings and tapestries alone are worth the price of admission. Although there are back roads which will take you across to the A96 from Fyvie, they are not well signposted. Unless you have a satnav (GPS) in the car, your best bet would be to backtrack to Oldmeldrum and get back on the A920.

If you're planning to visit the western part of Cairngorms National Park, Aviemore would make a better base than Pitlochry, unless you were planning to make a day trip from Pitlochry up to Aviemore on day nine.

This may be your dream trip of a lifetime, but I don't think that it will be your only trip to Scotland! I've said this before, but trips to Scotland are like potato chips. You can't have just one!

Very best wishes,

Mike (Auchterless)

Sounds like an ambitious trip. We rented a car in Edinburgh and drove the Highlands (Glencoe/Glenfinnan-Inverness-back to Edinburgh) in three days. Driving the Highlands was way more difficult than I imagined. Driving on the left was no problem, it was the narrowness of the roads that got me (and I routinely drive canyon roads in California). I mapped it out on google maps, but completely underestimated how long drives would take. Plus it was stressful as locals know the roads and drive fast. Your itinerary has a lot of driving. I might suggest staying longer in the Highland locations. There’s so much to see. Maybe stay longer in Skye and Glencoe and just take it in. Also you could do a distillery tour instead of ‘stopping on the way”. You could do a private Speyside distillery tour from Inverness (and not drive) and really enjoy whiskey and the surroundings. Good luck to you

1. Yes, I have my Edinburgh accommodations - locked down. We are missing the last military tattoo, by one day - ugh!
2. As far as the one day in Ellon, I did give that some thought. We have a relative, who has done extensive research and has located the cemeteries and home addresses from a census. It is only a 45-minute drive from our accommodations to Ellon, so I figured a morning would be enough time.
3. We have a mantra when traveling - "We can rest when we are in the grave". We have a 1 nighter the day we get in and then the next night in Stonehaven and in Ft William, the rest are 2 night stopovers. As far as Skye, I have been having difficulty finding 2 nights at the same place, in our price range, that's why I split it up. I am still looking for a good option on Skye, but as you all probably, know accommodations are limited.
   

Hi once again, Kimberly,

"We can rest when we are in the grave". Love it! Too much to see, too little time!

Get a good night's sleep (at least eight to ten hours) the first night, and you'll be good to go on day two. If the driver feels her/himself getting drowsy once you're on the road, just stop somewhere for a short walk or some tea/coffee. If you have two drivers, that would be a good time to switch.

Don't mind the naysayers. We're a helpful lot here, and just want you to be safe and enjoy your holiday.

Have a wonderful time!

Mike (Auchterless)

We travel in the same style as you - mostly one night stays with occasional exceptions. The grave comment is our polestar.

We could not do the Trotternish Loop in just one day - we hiked Old Man and Quiraing which might be more than you plan. There are just lots of stops that deserve more than a roll-down-the-car-window.

Rather than going everywhere, maybe consider leaving out a major area (Skye or Cairngorms?) and save it for you next trip. As Mike says, you'll be back! The downside of your itinerary is that you probably won't see puffins, which are a highlight for us even though we see them near home sometimes.

Your next trip can include Orkney, the northwest, Oban, Islay, maybe Shetland.

Your next trip can include Orkney, the northwest, Oban, Islay, maybe Shetland.

Steady on jjgurley, thsat is more like a month - or several trips!

For Wasleys: When you're coming all the way from the US PNW, you have to cram :-) I like to copy the old movie "Its Tueday, this must be Belgium".

Our last 3 week trip included Lewis/Harris(x3), Shetland(x3), Glasgow(x1), Oban(x2) (Lunga/Iona/Staffa), Skye(x3), Fort William, Inverness, Dunkeld, Orkney(x3), and Edinburgh(x2),and we found it totally relaxing. Of course LoganAir got their pound of flesh, but their flights are really easy and at scenic altitudes.

Our next trip will be Aberdeen(2), NE250(3), Stonehaven, Anstruther(Isle of May), Culross, Arran, Mull of Kintyre, Islay(3), back to Shetland(3) plus Unst(2) and Edinburgh(2). Another relaxed pace trip!

Hi, jjgurley,

My first trip over, I drove 4,000 miles in 28 days. I had to take a vacation afterwards! Of course, I was much much younger then, and a lot more stupid! Subsequent holidays have been taken at a much more leisurely pace. That first holiday set me up for places that I wanted to have more time to explore. Back then it was Butt of Lewis down to Lindisfarne. Now I'm concentrating on specific areas.

Mike (Auchterless)

The danger is you see a lot of not very much and then can't remember afterwards. I remember once asking a Canadian visitor on holiday if she was enjoying Scotland. Her response was "I'll let you know when I get home and look at the pictures I took'.

Sometimes it is better to slow down and enjoy an area rather than rush through looking for the next adrenaline hit. Still each to their own. Even after spending several weeks in Shetland, Orkney and Western Isles, I still haven't seen it all.

thank you everyone for all of your comments and suggestions. It gives me things to ponder. :)