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Organizing my trip.

Posted by (Virginia ) on

Hello! I am planning my first trip to Scotland this fall. I am in the early stages of planning so all I basically have are points of interest. I am hoping that you all can help me with organizing what is close to what.

Places of interest include: Inverness, Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness, Culloden Battlefield, Clara Cairns, Edinburgh Castle, Arthur’s Seat, Eilean Donan Castle and other Skye sites, as well as the Jacobite train, and the Callanish Stones.
I will be a solo traveler with no car. I am open to doing some tours/day tours if there are any suggestions for ones that are budget friendly. I am also fine with going at my own pace if that is possible.

Also if you have any insider tips or suggestions on seeing these sites would be appropriated as well.

Posted by
4299 posts

You need to start your planning with the RS Scotland guidebook. His suggested tour itineraries are very helpful. Rabbies day tours are very popular with travelers on this site.

Posted by
3207 posts

Lonely Planet has always been helpful to me as it covers most of a country, but I've never used the Ireland one. I'd suggest you check out numerous guidebooks for information. The more sources that you have, the better.

Posted by
22 posts

We are also are beginning to plan our first trip to Scotland this fall. I got the LP Scotland book for Christmas, and it looks like it will very helpful. My old RS Ireland book doesn't have anything about Scotland, so I plan on getting the RS Scotland book also.

Posted by
1376 posts

Hi, Jessie,

Just about everything that you want to see is doable by public transport, with maybe a couple of taxi rides thrown in for good measure.

Good on you for wanting to see the Callanish Standing Stones. They are atmospheric, especially on an overcast day, and very evocative. The stones will probably take the longest to get to, and the easiest way to get there is after your visit to Skye.

You'd need to take the ferry from Uig to Tarbert, then a bus (Western Isles Buses, W10) from Tarbert to Stornoway. You can then take the W2 (West Side Circular) bus from the bus station in Stornoway to the stones. The bus runs about eight times a day (not on Sunday), so you should have no trouble getting there, spending some time with the stones, then getting back to Stornoway.

After Stornoway, you'd have the option of returning via Tarbert and Skye, or taking the ferry back to Ullapool on the mainland, then the bus back to Inverness.

You should also check out the Dun Carloway broch while you're on Lewis. It's one of the best preserved brochs in the islands.

While you're on the ferry from Uig to Tarbert, there's no harm in striking up a conversation with some friendly looking people to find out if you can hitch a lift to Stornoway from Tarbert.

Slainte!

Mike (Auchterless)

Posted by
3122 posts

Another good source of ideas and suggested itineraries is the Secret Scotland website. They have advice and itineraries you can browse for free, and they will also make a custom itinerary for a fee.

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