Hello Fellow Travelers!
I am going to travel solo to Scotland this spring for about seven days and looking for a tried-and-true itinerary. (I have reviewed the RS one as well.). My goal for this time is to enjoy sightseeing and hiking. Also, do you recommend renting a car or using public transit? I must admit, renting a car is a bit intimidating.
Thanks in advance!
Paula
It sounds like you have been to Scotland before? Maybe provide some more details of where you have already been. With only seven days having a car will be best.
My number one rule of itinerary planning is to decide which 2 or 3 sites/locations are important to me and build around that. You mention sightseeing. Which sights interest you?
I use public transport when I travel and found it was fairly easy to make it around the parts of Scotland I visited by bus and train.
My past itinerary:
I traveled with my sister this trip and we were coming North from Hadrian’s Wall Country, so we started Scotland with a few hours in Glasgow between trains before we went to an overnight stop along Loch Lomond where we planned a day hike on the West Highland Way. Perhaps I had too high of expectations here or am simply spoiled by living in the location where I do, but this stage was a bit of a disappointment. I would not stop here again. We continued on by train.
Next was three nights in Oban (two would have been enough) where we went on the West Coast Three Island tour which was one of our top three interests. Loved seeing the Puffins on Staffa! Thoroughly enjoyed the islands. Next was the train to Stirling. The goal here was really the Falkirk Wheel, but we found we very much enjoyed Stirling Castle as well. The Falkirk Wheel was one of our top interests. It probably wouldn’t be on everyone’s radar, but that is why thinking of your personal interests when itinerary travel planning is so important. On to Edinburgh where we spent one day exploring usual sites. The next day we had different interests so my sister explored textile options and I took a bus to St Andrews where I had a blast playing the Himalayas, walking the beach, etc. Our trip ended here and we flew home.
I saw only the tiniest section of Scotland, but I focused on locations that were key to me and didn’t worry about trying to see everything.
If you're nervous about renting a car, then it makes sense to use public transport. And you can always supplement that with tours, like the ones Carol mentioned. There are many tours available that will take you to the Highlands or the Scottish Isles or other places that are difficult to get to with public transport. It's a good alternative.
It would help to know where you are flying into, and if you intend to spend any of the 7 days in Edinburgh or Glasgow.
I am following this discussion with interest because I am also a solo traveler planning a Scotland trip this spring; I will use public transportation. I like Carol Now Retired's guidance to choose a few places of personal importance and build an itinerary around your priorities.
Carol NR, you mentioned that your sister "explored textile options." I would be interested in hearing more details. I like embroidery and am planning a day trip from Edinburgh to the Wemyss School of Needlework, near Kirkcaldy, which has a small museum. Perhaps I can check out the Fife Coastal Path afterward. If there are other textile/needlework ideas in the area, I would like to hear them.
@NYC Librarian: In Edinburgh, be sure to visit Dovecot Studios on Infirmary Street. There are textile-focused exhibits throughout, plus a weaving floor where you can see weavers working at giant looms. It was a highlight of my stay in Edinburgh last year.
@NYC Librarian- see also this recent thread about textile related options- https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/scotland/weaving-yarn-sheep-crofts-textile-travel-in-scotland
As an edit to a couple of the above questions, I have not been to Scotland previously. Also, I plan on visiting Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Also, if there is a tour group, who would you recommend?
Thank you all!
Thanks for coming back with the updates. Did you give any thought to what are important sights for you besides Edinburgh and Glasgow? These two cities are connected by train quite easily and if they are your focus I would definitely not rent a car.
@carol I am very open, and have identified Edinburgh/Glasgow only due to proximity. I would like to head north to both sides of the coast, and as mentioned previously, I like to hike and just spend time outdoors. Balmoral is of interest but again, looking to the expertise and experience of fellow travelers of their favorite sites!
Thank you, isn31c and NancyG!
Rabbie's Tours was very enjoyable for the three Scotland tours we chose last summer. We'll likely use them again this year.
Also, if there is a tour group, who would you recommend?
As mentioned above, Rabbies Tours get high marks from forum members here, and they have quite a few tours that start out of both Edinburgh and Glasgow. So it would be easy to base yourself in one of those cities and take some tours from there. https://www.rabbies.com/en/scotland-tours
Best of luck on your travels, Paula! @NYCLibrarian may also be interested in the Great Tapestry of Scotland at Galashiels: https://www.greattapestryofscotland.com/
I thought about combining this with a trip to Abbotsford nearby, but decided to go a different route (north and west rather than south from Edinburgh). So curious about it, though!
Paula, also solo traveler here. My trip to Scotland and a bit of London in late summer, early Fall of 2022 was a fabulous trip spread out over 3 weeks. It was mostly by public transportation with Rabbies tours added in because I did not want to drive but wanted a taste of the Isle of Skye and the Highlands. I’ll make it back to Scotland one of these days. Here is a link to my (long) trip report - it may be helpful.
Paula, here is a link to one of the Rabbies tours I enjoyed. Granted, I had more time in my schedule, but there are many one and two day tours you might think about.
Thank you, aanders! I had not heard of the Great Tapestry of Scotland.
