Itinerary Help - Highlands - All suggestions welcome

Posted by acebaguette on 08/04/25 03:49 PM

Hi all -

I’m planning a two week trip to Scotland for late September - early October. Most of it is set but I’m having trouble filling two days of it. Here is a summary:

I am flying into Glasgow and spending the day there.
The next seven days will be spent hiking the West Highland Way.
I will then spend four days in Skye (one in Elgol and 3 in Portree).
** two days somewhere**
Then three days in Edinburgh

I don’t know where to station myself between Skye and Edinburgh. I will have a car. It will be in early October at this point. I love nature and atmosphere and cozy settings. Scenic and beautiful driving is also of interest. I’m thinking between Inverness and Glencoe (or someplace differently altogether) but not sure if there will be overlap from the WHW hike and Glencoe.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Posted by Lane

Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico

08/04/25 04:21 PM

2126 posts

You don't say how you are planning to travel from Portree to somewhere to Edinburgh. I'll assume bus and/or train. You can take a bus from Portree to Inverness (2 1/2 hours), to Aviemore (4 1/2 hours), to Pitlochry (5 1/2 hours) or to Oban (almost 6 hours including a change).

Inverness itself is not very appealing in my opinion, but from there you can visit Loch Ness and the Culloden battlefield.

Aviemore isn't very appealing either, but from there you can explore Cairngorms National Park.

Oban is nice. There's not a lot to see there, but you can take a ferry to the islands of Mull, Iona, and Staffa, which makes for a very pleasant day. Or if you're not tired of hiking, you can also take a short boat ride to the Isle of Kerrera and walk to the southern end to see Gylen Castle.

Pitlochry is a pleasant town in Perthshire, which is a beautiful, very scenic area.

I hope that gives you a few options to consider.

Posted by acebaguette OP

08/04/25 04:23 PM

9 posts

Thank you for your reply. My apologies I wasn’t specific - I’ll have a car. You’ve definitely given me some options to explore.

Posted by Mardee

Minnesota🌲

08/04/25 04:33 PM

10182 posts

I loved the Isle of Raasay, which is a tiny island about a 15 minute ferry ride from Skye (at Sconser). There aren't a lot of service places—the Raasay House, and the Raasay Distillery are the only two places for lodging and there is a little community general store that I fell in love with. But mostly people go there for the hiking and the solitude. It really is wonderful: https://raasay.com You can hike out to Calum's Road, which he built by himself as the council wouldn't allow funds for it. It took him 10 years.

You also might consider the Isles of Mull or Arran. Both are wonderful; Mull is one of my favorites and relatively easy to get to from Skye. Arran is a bit farther south, but closer to the mainland. it's frequently called Scotland in Miniature because it has all the scenic features of the country; such as gorgeous beaches, mountains, castles, ruins, distilleries, and much more.

Posted by isn31c

Lake District, England

08/04/25 04:44 PM

10337 posts

At Oban you can also take the car ferry over to Lismore, which is a very good walking island, and also visit St Moluags Church- the quire of the former Cathedral (and Monastery), unlikely as that sounds.
Or drive up to Port Appin, and take the far more frequent foot ferry over. A lot of locals have a beat up car on the island, take the foot ferry over and have a good car on the mainland.
The pier house at Port Appin is also a very good seafood restaurant and hotel.

Posted by scotlandmac

Glasgow

08/07/25 06:31 PM

114 posts

With a car, after Skye, it has to be Torridon and Applecross.Absolutely magnificent areas, very different again to where you will have been.As said, these drive to both (including the coastal road to Torridon) is to me, probably the finest drive we have; certainly no drives are better.
For my own more detailed write up on the area, if of interest:

https://annestravelsandhikes.com/torridonwhat-to-do-and-see/

….and for hiking (Torridon is hiker’s heaven, one of the most famous areas in Scotland for superlative walking options)

https://annestravelsandhikes.com/2019/04/28/best-walks-in-torridon/

Another option is the magnificent Isle of `Harris in the Outer Hebrides , if you do have 2 full days (ie 3 nights.) Very easily reached from Skye but ferry needs booked well in advance.