Hello Everyone,
My wife and I are planning a trip to Scotland, flying in April 3rd on Good Friday and staying for nine days for our 25th Anniversary. I've come across some info online that April is a great time to visit EXCEPT if it's during Easter. The info I found said it is actually incredibly crowded throughout the western part of the country due to the four day weekend. I was hoping to verify whether this was true or not. I really don't want to spend half our trip bogged down in traffic and crowds; that's exactly what we are hoping to avoid by visiting in April!
Many Thanks!
Chris Ross
Posted by
Minnesota🌲
10881 posts
A lot depends on where you're staying. What is your itinerary and the dates?
Posted by
OP
Virginia
3 posts
Hi Mardee,
We are tentatively planning to fly in Friday, April 3 and out on the following Saturday or Sunday. My plan is to head west once we land. We both have a bit of Scottish ancestry (Ross, McLachlan, Campbell) and wanted to visit Old Castle Lachlan, Inveraray, over to Oban, Glencoe and up the coast to the Isle of Skye. We plan on traveling up the west coast and then down through the center of the country toward the end of the trip.
Thanks Again!
Posted by
Isle of Skye, Scotland
1551 posts
Well it won't be as busy as high summer, but will be a school holiday period so you can expect it to be busier than other parts of April. You will need to book accommodation and dinners in advance especially in Skye.
Posted by
OP
Virginia
3 posts
Thank you Skyegirl. We will definitely arrange accommodations ahead of time!
Posted by
Mountains of S. Oregon
1021 posts
The recommendation to book ahead is already due. With the internet booking age, we make our bookings as soon as we book our air travel, typically 330 days in advance of our flight home. I book lodging in the next few days after that. There are some places that only open for bookings on Jan 1, which can be hard to distinguish from already fully booked - if their calendar is completely grayed out, if's worth an email. We traveled with no bookings or itinerary at all in 1997, but not since!
Posted by
Minnesota🌲
10881 posts
We traveled with no bookings or itinerary at all in 1997, but not since!
jjgurley, I remember those days. I think that was the last year I traveled without making a booking also. I do miss those days.
Chris, you will love Scotland but definitely follow Skyegirl and jjgurley's advice about booking as soon as possible.
Posted by
Washington DC
29894 posts
You may also need dinner reservations on Skye, though that is not something you need to worry about now (unlike lodgings).