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Seeking feedback on 1 week itinerary

We are a group of three adults planning to visit Edinburgh and Isle of Skye for one week in early May. I would love feedback on this itinerary. Are we attempting too much? Are drive times on Google Maps accurate or should we allow more time? Thanks in advance.

Day 1: Arrive Edinburgh from U.S. 4:40 p.m.

Day 2: Edinburgh

Day 3: Edinburgh

Day 4: Depart Edinburgh by car, stay overnight in Pitlochry or Glencoe

Day 5: Continue to Isle of Skye

Day 6: Isle of Skye

Day 7: Depart in evening for Inverness, via Kyle Line (return car in Kyle)

Day 8: 10:30 a.m. departure from Inverness airport

Posted by
2880 posts

Have you checked you can hire a car in Edinburgh and return at Kyle of Lochalsh? As fafr as I'm aware none of the major car hire firms have a depot there. You may have to drive to Inverness and drop the car off there.

Posted by
1825 posts

As mentioned, there are no car rental companies near Kyle/Portree for a drop off.

Have you booked your rooms on Skye? Lodging is in high demand (as are restaurant reservations).

Definitely add time to the Google Maps drive times. You'll want to stop along the way for ruins, a beautiful view, maybe a waterfall, ...

If you decide not to visit Skye, there are plenty of other places in Scotland worthy of a visit.

Posted by
1075 posts

As a pretty experienced Scotland driver, Google times are accurate IF you drive at the posted speed limit (sometimes a little difficult) AND you don't run into coo, sheep, tractors, or other tourists. I add 25% to Google times for planning, and we usually manage to stay on schedule. Skye can be worse than the "mainland".

I don't think you're spending enough time on Skye, or Edinburgh, for that matter. Traversing the entire country for a one week trip is sort of aggressive. You'll get to Pitlochry/Glencoe in the afternoon, and have to leave early to get any time on Skye, so you won't see much of either. Depending on resolving the car problem, you may have to leave Portree pretty early, as well if you have to get there by closing. The passengers will at least enjoy the views.

Don't forget all those routes from town to town are littered with castles, abbeys, scenic lochs, waterfalls, and cafes.

There's also a Bank Holiday the first weekend in May, so expect some traffic if that overlaps your dates. We were headed from Glasgow to Oban and we ran into a massive traffic jam at Loch Lomond that luckily was in the other direction. Literally miles of stop and go.

Sorry for what seems mostly negative feedback.

Posted by
12 posts

This is actually very helpful. Thank you. I suspected this itinerary was too much, but I am traveling with other people who have other opinions so we all have to compromise a bit.

We've at least agreed to depart for the airport very early in the morning on Day 8, rather than spending the night in Inverness. So we will get a little more time in Skye. And we will take the train from Edinburgh to Pitlochry and then on to Kyle, so that we avoid the hire car issue and can rent in Kyle instead.

Anyway, I'm still apprehensive about the amount of ground we're attempting to cover, but I appreciate everyone's feedback. I think it's helped us to at least make a few small tweaks. Thanks all.

Posted by
1583 posts

If your flight departs from Inverness at 1030 in the morning then I would be very surprised if you can get by train from Kyle to Inverness in time leaving Kyle on the morning of day 8. On the current winter timetable there is an 0545 train from Kyle to Inverness that gets to Inverness at 0829 but then you still have to get to the airport. Cutting it way too fine for my liking. Also if for any reason your train gets cancelled then you are 'stuffed'. I often have to fly out of Inverness and always stay the night before in the airport hotel.