Itinerary feedback, please

That is quite busy, indeed. I do feel it is whistle stop, but you have said that works for you. With this rushing itinerary and not much specifics on what you will do at what time each day, I can't really weigh in. What I found to be most helpful with my Scotland travels was to note what day of the WEEK each travel day fell upon and then see what the opening times were.

You mention picking up a car, but then ask about a train, have you not sorted where you have to drop it? I traveled by public transport for 2 months without incident, but does it does eat up time you could use with this schedule. I would urge you to take the train from the highlands back to Edinburgh because the views are amazing.
Book your castle tour, though October is too far away, it is also not terribly busy as the summer
1 night in glasgow would not be enough for me, go to the Kelvingrove & Huntarium if you are keen on art (I am)
Ft. William is a bust for me unless you're walking, in which case go do a section of the WHW and train back to Ft. William.
You will Def. need a guide for Skye to make the most of your time there. Traffic won't be as bad in October and there is an established route clockwise or counterclockwise for Skye sight seeing and walks.
I ADORE Inverness and spent hours walking the paths along the river, the castle is OPEN now. Please go and report back what the experience is like. The interior has been completely refitted, it is a history experience and not a castle experience.
My must sees in Edinburgh are not the castle (Stirling is 200% fave, throw it in the mix with the Kelpies, that town gets a day trip) National Portrait Gallery, Natural Museum and Princes Street gardens. Dine at Magnum, Kitchin in Leith &/or Scran and Scallie.

Hi, Globug17,

I think you will love Scotland—it's one of my favorite countries. A couple of thoughts:

First, I would wait to pick up your car until you are leaving Glasgow. There is really no reason to have a car and it will be an encumbrance while you're in the city. You can get to the Kelpies by public transport, but if possible, I would add Stirling (the town) and Stirling Castle to the mix. It's wonderful and well worth a visit. And I enjoyed Stirling Castle much more than Edinburgh Castle, FWIW.

With regards to Mull, is there some reason you are staying in Craignure, as opposed to Tobermory? That's fine if there's a reason, but Tobermory is really a gem, and a wonderful place to spend a few nights. I think you will miss a lot of the atmosphere on Mull if you stay in Craignure. In Tobermory, there is plenty of parking available on the harbor, and it's such a joy to wake up in the morning, wander around the harbor, see the boats, stop in one of their cafes. I love this little town! Plus it's easy to get to sites like Calgary Beach. You don't say what you are seeing while you're on Mull, but there is always the Isle of Iona, which is a wonderful place to see some fascinating historic buildings and have a peaceful hike on the island.

With regards to music, in Edinburgh you can find music at Sandy Bells, near Greyfriars. It's small and crowded, though. Another possibility is Diggers Bar.

On Skye, the Edinbane Inn sometimes has live music, and that is certainly suitable for kids. You just need to check ahead. It's a wonderful place to have dinner, too, and there is a lovely pottery shop called Edinbane Pottery that is worthy a visit.

@leftoutknitter - thank you for your comments. Right now, we have booked the car hire to return in Inverness, and thinking about taking the train back. However, we're open to driving back to Edinburgh if there are sites we want to visit along the way. I would just need to adjust our booking. We've been debating visiting Stirling Castle, but that seems like a lot to do the drive from Inverness to Edinburgh with a stop at the castle (and we'd want to visit the Wallace Monument, too). We may be able to give up something to be able to do a proper day-tour in that area.

@Mardee - Thank you for the recs for where to find live music! We chose Craignure for our stay based on the Isle of Mull Hotel & Spa there, plus it's really close to the ferry for an early morning departure. Is there an accommodation in Tobermory that you'd recommend? I'm open to changing what we have.

What a wonderful trip.

Keep in mind sunset will be around 6:30ish, so try plan your dinners so you're not driving in the dark.

Also, especially on Skye, book your dinner ahead of time, even at a pub. There seems to be more diners than tables.

If your driving between Edinburgh and Glasgow another modern stop of interest is the The Falkirk Wheel not far from the Kelpies.

If your going to Glenfinnan Viaduct to see the train as it passes, arrive early. Parking is limited.

Eilean Donan looks good from the outside, but there are far better castles to tour.

There are a lot of distilleries near Speyside Cooperage. Since your not whiskey drinkers, choose one who's history and setting catches your eye. We had an excellent tour at Cragganmore Distillery in 2023. There are several with interesting stories and buildings and settings. There are also a few castles and ruins within 15-30 minutes of the Cooperage that may interest you.

Highland cattle can be found in quite a few places. You'll probably see some Hairy Coos on Mull. The village of Duirinish, not far from the Skye Bridge, is another area, also, the Glencoe Valley.

And yes to another trip exploring the NC500. our first time on the North Coast was way before it became a thing. It's still beautiful even with more cars and caravans.