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Itinerary Help. driving!?

Hello. Planning a first anniversary trip to Scotland and not sure if we’re being too ambitious. Also any trips to avoid driving ourselves for the long stretches would be helpful! Very anxious about this.

Scotland Anniversary Trip

July 23 – August 2

July 23 (Thursday)

Arrive → Glencoe

Drive: ~2 hr 30 min

  • Arrive in Glasgow
  • Pick up rental car
  • Scenic drive through Rannoch Moor
  • Check into hotel
  • Easy walk around Glencoe Lochan
  • Dinner at a local pub

Stay: Glencoe

July 24 (Friday)

Glencoe

Choose one hike depending on weather:

  • Pap of Glencoe (challenging, incredible views) or
  • Lost Valley (moderate, historic, beautiful)

Optional:

  • Three Sisters viewpoint
  • Glen Etive scenic drive

Stay: Glencoe

July 25 (Saturday)

Glencoe → Isle of Skye

Drive: ~4–4.5 hours

Stop at:

  • Eilean Donan Castle (30–60 minutes)

Continue to Portree.

Dinner by the harbor.

Stay: Portree

July 26 (Sunday) – Anniversary ❤️

Sleep in.

One adventure:

  • Quiraing

Return to Portree.

Browse shops.

Nice dinner.

No rushing.

Stay: Portree

July 27 (Monday)

Relax on Skye

No itinerary.

Ideas:

  • Boat trip to Loch Coruisk
  • Fairy Glen
  • Relax in Portree
  • Scenic drive
  • Read at a café

Stay: Portree

July 28 (Tuesday)

Skye → Speyside

Drive: ~3.5–4 hours

Take time driving across the Highlands.

No scheduled stops.

Arrive in Speyside.

Dinner.

Stay: Speyside

July 29 (Wednesday)

Speyside

Completely free day.

Ideas:

  • Aberlour
  • Craigellachie
  • Riverside walk
  • Local cafés
  • Independent shops

Stay: Speyside

July 30 (Thursday)

Another slow day.:
* One small distillery
* Easy countryside walk
* Picnic

Stay: Speyside

July 31 (Friday)

The Macallan

Taxi.

Macallan Mastery Experience.

Celebration dinner.

Stay: Speyside

August 1 (Saturday)

Speyside → Edinburgh

Drive: ~3.5 hours

Return rental car.

Walk:

  • Royal Mile
  • Victoria Street
  • Grassmarket

Dinner.

Stay: Edinburgh

August 2 (Sunday)

  • Edinburgh Castle

Otherwise:

  • Relaxed breakfast
  • Tram to airport
Posted by
1743 posts

Hello
Are you planning this trip for this year? If so I hope you have your accommodation booked, as choices at this stage will be extremely limited and very expensive. In addition to the points already made I will concentrate on Skye as I live here. I agree with your driving estimate from Glencoe to Skye as you will want to stop periodically to take photos and because with traffic it will be slow. Indeed if you are the car with no traffic in front of you and a long line behind you, please find a spot to pull over and let everyone else pass. Locals have appointments to get to, shopping to get, hospital visits etc, and we tend to drive towards the speed limits where safe and possible.

Eilean Donan castle is really not worth paying to go inside. It was reconstructed in the early 20th century, so is not an authentic castle. You can get a good photo from the community centre car park, which is just past the castle.

In Skye you definitely need to book evening meals or you will either be unlucky at not get a table, or you will be in a long queue outside. There are no good restaurants by the harbour in Portree. There is also a lot of construction work happening by the harbour at the moment, so it's not a peaceful place to be. The best restaurant in Portree by some distance is Scorrybreac and you need to book that well in advance. All the other places in the village centre are mediocre. You can get very good pizza at Gasta @ LAS, which is located in the Skye Candle visitor centre just south of the village centre. Or a picnic from the COOP.

I suggest you adopt a flexible approach to your days in Skye, because everything is weather dependent. Boat trips need to be booked in advance (Bella Jane and Misty Isle operate out of Elgol, and you'd need to allow a minimum of 90 minutes to get there from Portree and get parked). Their trips are spectacular and I would recommend a trip with either of those companies to the island of Canna, but even their trip to Loch Coruisk is great. They refund if trips are cancelled due to weather.

It will not take you long (less than an hour) to browse the shops in Portree. They are also less likely to be open on Sunday. But to be honest I can't think of any shops (apart from Skye Skyns - for sheep skin products and other nice gifts and Skye soaps - hidden slighly off the main street) in Portree where I would want to shop if I was a tourist. Mostly it's over priced 'tourist tat' (as my dad would have called it).

There is, however, a really excellent jewellery shop in Broadford on the main road just near the COOP supermarket but on the other side of the road. It's called Love from Skye and they make all their items right there in their workshop. Nothing from China there! Another good place to visit if you want sheep skin souvenirs or indeed other good quality things is the Skye Skyns factory and shop, which is in Stein/Lochbay on the Waternish peninsula. It's also fun to check out the 'honesty boxes' that people put out at the end of their driveways, with homemade goodies for sale. The absolute best one is "Donnie's Tablet Shed" in Geary also on the Waternish peninsula.

I think you also need to look at a map of Skye. The Quiraing and the Fairy Glen are very close to each other so it makes sense to see them on the same day. Loch Coruisk is miles away and if you do a boat trip you will find other things to occupy you in the south of the island, so it doesn't work to try to see the Fairy Glen on that day.

I'm also confused by your item 'read at a cafe' in Portree. You will certainly not be encouraged to linger as there will likely be a queue outside the cafe! It'll be a case of get your drink and slice of cake, eat them, pay and leave. There is however, a very nice cafe called Amy's Place at Torrin on the way to Elgol for the boat trips. If they are busy and there's no scope to linger inside, then they have tables outside with a wonderful view!

Posted by
13100 posts

what do you mean by to avoid driving ourselves for the long stretches ? Are you thinking that you can find somebody else to actually drive?

me.crewe, it sounds to me like the OP was asking for advice on places to stop so that they avoid driving for really long distances; not for assistance getting a personal driver.

And greengirl106, if you like to hike and want to get away from the Skye crowds for a bit, you might want to take the ferry over to the tiny island of Raasay, which is a 10 minute ferry ride from the Sconser ferry port on Skye. It's really lovely and very few people make their way over there. There is a distillery where you can get a dram if you enjoy whisky, and a nice cafe at the inn that serves good food. There is also a fun country store to explore. And of course the miles and miles of hiking or driving to see some of the lovely scenery (if you go, look up the story of Calum's Road). I really enjoyed my time spent on this small island, and especially the solitude!

Posted by
2063 posts

Where are you coming into Glasgow from? If it’s a long haul flight then you really do not want to have a long drive north immediately you land. Especially the section of the main road along the north side of Loch Lomond, which is not ideal for anyone not confident.