This is a continuation post from (Sample Trip Agenda Edinburgh)
Day 4: (Edinburgh/Inverness) - Sunnyish weather
• Arrive Inverness 5:30pm via train from Edinburgh (which only ran with second class coaches).
• Hertz has a “meet and greet” service that sent the driver to pick us up at the station and drive us to the airport to pickup our car. Hertz is generally expensive, but I’m brand loyal to them and I rented a large Volvo, automatic, with fancy GPS system in dash. As suggested on their web site, I called them about 1/2 hour before the train arrived so they could be waiting for us upon arrival.
• After leaving airport Hertz rental center, stopped for dinner at just outside battlefield.
• Post diner, drive to Best Western Plus Inverness Lochardil House Hotel - Inverness
Day 5: (Inverness) - Cloudy/Driving Rain/Sunny (all in one day)
8am - Isle of Skye Bus 12-Hour Tour - WOW Scotland (Weather = driving rain). PLENTY of parking in the bus station parking garage to park and catch the bus. WOW Scotland - Great tour. I paid extra for front seats, which was a great idea in many ways. The four of us had head-to-toe rain gear, so we actually enjoyed the peacefulness of some of the stops standing in the sideways driving rain without many other people around. Other breaks in the rain set us see some cool sites too. Drivers/guides on this tour where outstanding (Bill and Dougie) and did their best to show us things that could be seen in the rain. Stopped at Lochness on return journey from Skye (it had stopped raining by then). Treated us to a shot of whiskey and my daughter decided Scotch is not her thing (18 is drinking age in Scotland).
Day 6: (Inverness) - Sunny and cloudy but rain free
• Relaxed, slept late.
• Drove downtown and parked in the bus station garage again. Walked around city, saw sights (highlighted in guide books), did some shopping (antique shops, charity shops, outdoor gear shops), ate in pubs.
• Afternoon did an AWESOME River Ness walk from City Center down past Bught Park. This was the best river walk I’ve been on. Very cool. I highly recommend it. Walking back to town the way we came, we found our car drove back to Hotel.
• Proclaimers Concert - 6:30pm walked down from Hotel to Bught Park and attend the Proclaimers concert until 11pm. Then walked back to our hotel. The two young adults decided to come to the show (even though this was to them an “old person concert”, but my wife and I loved it. Turns out my years of listening to them in the car paid off as they actually new some of the songs.
Day 7: (Inverness to Fort William) - blazing sunshine - 65 degrees
This was supposed to be a day off/late start day, but with perfect weather had us adjust our plan. We left our hotel early, drove to our next hotel at the foot of Benis Nevis (Achintee Farm, Glen Nevis, Fort William, PH33 6TE) and hit the trail for the 10.5 mile roundtrip climb up Ben Nevis. Breathtaking views. Perfect weather. Hike took from 10-6 (with a leisure break for lunch at Summit)