Itinerary Feedback - 2.5 weeks in Scotland

Exactly when? You do know that the Fringe Festival takes over Edinburgh for most of the month of August, right? It's the largest performing arts festivals in the world. I love it, but it does make the town rather busy. Have a great trip!

It is nice that you're staying put for several nights in each area.

Without knowing your driving routes and what you plan to see, here are my comments.

Your missing the entire spectacular northwest coast of Scotland. Maybe consider going to Scarfskerry before Inverness so you're not backtracking between the 2 places. But, I would throw in an overnight stop on the way north from Skye to break up the drive. We drove from Portree to Bettyhill (with their fantastic Strathnaver Museum) with an overnight in Scourie in 2023. Beautiful views!

Also, keep in mind driving times will take longer than the Google maps estimates, especially when your around the coast. And driving on the "opposite" side of the road can be exhausting even if you've done it before.

What are your plans for Scarfskerry? There is not a lot happening around there.

I know you're planning on staying in Airbnbs, but don't overlook all the wonderful accomodations in Scotland. We've stayed in castles, in beautiful rooms over the pub enjoying an evening with the locals and a farmhouse with sheep in the meadow and stunning views of the North Sea.

You're going to have a wonderful time in Scotland!

Although it's hard to go wrong with any itinerary in Scotland, I agree with jeanm about the northwest coast. It's stunning, and it makes more sense to make a loop from Skye around to Inverness. Also, I suggest that from Inverness, instead of driving all the way down the A9, take a drive through Speyside. Head to Tomintoul, then down to Balmoral, through Braemar, and down the A93 to Perth. Scone Palace is nearby for a healthy dose of history. Perth is a lovely city (my favorite in Scotland) and has a newly renovated museum. If there's time, Dundee is worth a quick side visit.

Scotland is a dramatic and magical place--you wont be disappointed with whatever you decide.

Oban certainly allows you to make the drive south to the Kilmartin area which is excellent and has one of the richest concentrations of prehistoric monuments and historical sites in Scotland.On that drive south, the Loch Melford hotel is a gem and worth a stop for lunch or tea and cake.It is also right next door to the gorgeous Arduaine Gardens which also offers wonderful views down the coast to Scarba and Jura and myriad other little islands and islets.Classic west coast!

However, my own preference would be to go over to Mull for 2 nights at least, certainly for scenic beauty and also historical sites such as Duart Castle and of course the Abbey buildings and Celtic crosses of Iona.

I would drop Inverness and Scarfskerry and make sure you enjoy , as suggested, the magnificent scenery from Kyle of Lochalsh up through Torridon and Applecross, Loch Maree and Ullapool and all the way to Durness.It's a LONG way without an overnight stop and you will be racing through some of our finest landscapes.

Is your plan to do an Orkney day trip from the north coast?

I've not yet been to Scotland. Just wondering, is Glasgow not an interesting stop?

Jules m, Glasgow has several wonderful museums and interesting architecture. However, IMO, it lacks the natural beauty that Lisa is looking for.

Have you thought about heading to Scarfskerry after Skye - Drive there up the northwest coast along the NC500 (It is going to be a full day drive and you may want to break it up with an overnight around say Ullapool. Then head down the east coast to Inverness and back to Edinburgh.

Thanks everyone! This is really helpful. I appreciate your insight!

Helpful, thanks, Jean. I'm anxious to get to Scotland. Is there a time of year with pleasant weather and fewer tourists?

Julesm, my two trips to Scotland thus far have been in late June 2023 (right after the summer solstice) and in mid May 2024. The weather is never predictable, but I had nearly perfect conditions for my May visit—just one rainy day out of nine days there.

The even greater advantage of late spring/early summer is the long hours of daylight. I’m sure autumn in Scotland is beautiful too, but it gets dark very early, which can limit your sightseeing plans.

Jules m, We've usually traveled in August and September with nice weather, minimal rain. However, our 2023 trip was the last half of September with more rain, but not enough to change our plans.

As Nancy G, pointed out, you'll have more daylight from May to July. You don't want to be driving on Scottish roads in the dark. So be sure to factor sunset when choosing accommodations and dining outside of larger cities.

As far as crowds, there is so much more to Scotland than the the usual suspects of Skye, Loch Ness and the Harry Potter/Outlander sites. Find those places and crowds won't be a problem. The OP, Lisa, is heading to the beautiful North Coast, an area most visitors to Scotland never explore.

Julesm--my first trip to Scotland was early May, and it was unusually warm (85 degrees in Durness!) But since, I've come to prefer mid-late October to early November. The colors are amazing, and while the weather is unpredictable, the drama adds to the natural beauty. It's not as crowded then, though the English and Scottish October half-term student breaks may increase crowds a bit. The major downside is daylight--morning light starts a bit after 7am and you'd want to be back at your accommodation by 5pm. I've found that the beauty during that time of year outweighs the amount of daylight. If you want to maximize the distance you can travel in a day, then the summer months are the obvious choice. You can't go wrong with whatever you decide.