I am going with my husband and another couple to Scotland from Sept. 13- Sept.27. We have a general idea of what we want to do.
I finally was able to book our first 2 night in Edinburg. I have been looking at other places around Scotland like Isle of Skye and the Highlands and many of them are already booked. We had hoped after Edinburgh to book as we go or perhaps a day ahead but am concerned everything will be booked. I got an answer from this sight saying it was doable but that was in 2014. Has anyone done this more recently?
thanks
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11775 posts
September is very busy in Scotland. You might be able to find B&Bs as you go, but I would not want to waste my precious time searching at the last hour when you are tired. Book ahead.
Are you flying in-and-out of Edinburgh so you need to make a circle? A few good bases are Portree (Skye), Ft. William, and Granton-on-Spey. You can visit a lot of places while driving between these stays. We used the site Secret Scotland to help us plan routes and stops on our drives. That helped us find many places we might otherwise have missed.
Posted by
Rural Georgia
2195 posts
We went to Scotland in the spring of 2002 and had a wonderful time.
While we liked Skye, we loved the Isle of Mull! We stayed in a B&B in the small town of Dervaig. It was a great place to explore the island, including a trip to Iona.
I didn't realize September would be so busy. What kind of accommodations are you looking for? We stayed in small B&Bs. They were often nothing more than a spare bedroom in an empty nester's home. We stayed on a dairy farm and got to visit the newborn calves. We also stayed on a farm in Linlithgow that raised Clydesdales.
Posted by
Costa Mesa, CA, USA
503 posts
The other posters are right - September is a popular month the visit areas in the highlands - thus having reservations is essential. If you can't find accomodations, try looking in other areas. Although not technically in the highlands, the Speyside area is lovely and if you enjoy whisky, there are lots of distilleries to explore!
Posted by
3123 posts
Basically, the people who book ahead get the best, and you get the rest, except in the rare case of a cancellation. Skye is extremely popular (and a bit overrated, IMO), but have you tried the Dornie Hotel on the mainland, right near Eilean Donan Castle? It's affordable, nothing fancy but clean and safe, with a good pub/restaurant and helpful staff.