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Suggestions on accommodations for staying in small towns

Posted by on

Hello. I am planning a 3 week trip to drive around Scotland starting end of May 2022. My trip right looks like:
1) Leave from Edinburgh
2) Drive towards Aberdeen
3) Drive towards Inverness
4) Drive towards Ullapool
5) Drive towards Oban
6) Drive towards Glasgow
7) Drive towards Dumfries
8) End at Cairnryan to take ferry to Ireland.

I am noticing lots of sights and things to do along my route. I really don't want to stay in the towns, but would prefer to base myself in small towns along my route. I can then branch out for hiking and sightseeing. We don't mind driving for day trips.

Any recommendations or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Also any recommendations on local pubs would also be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Posted by
23266 posts

If you are going to hit a lot of little towns that will not be covered in guidebooks with recommendations, then use a hotel app like Hotel.com, or any of the other booking apps. My experience with local pub in England is that they are all about the same. Ask at your hotel for their favorite or just pick one that looks good and is busy. We have always had good luck.

Posted by
5678 posts

Have you found Undiscovered Scotland yet? If not you need to check it out. It has lots of info on small towns. I love it.

Posted by
268 posts

Two pretty highland villages in between Edinburgh and Aberdeen are Braemar and Ballater.

www.braemarscotland.co.uk

www.visitballater.com

Both have much to offer visitors and are worth at least a two night stop. Plenty to see and do in the area which is also known as Royal Deeside and they are good bases for day trip to other areas such as Aviemore, Glamis, Grantown on Spey and Dunottar.

For information about walks in Braemar and Ballater site will help

https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/cairngorms/braemar.shtml

https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/cairngorms/ballater.shtml

Posted by
3122 posts

Outside of Inverness (to the east), consider Nairn. Between Inverness and Nairn are the Culloden battlefield and Cawdor Castle.

I can recommend the B&B Tali Ayer, but there are lots of B&Bs in town. It's a real working town, not touristy, with a pleasant marina and beach. I believe there are dolphin watching tours from there.

Between Oban and Glasgow is the lovely 18th-century designed town of Inveraray. It has a beautiful castle with gardens (and a flock of black sheep -- so cute!), a historic jail, and many shops selling traditional Scottish woolens (but read the labels, as some are made elsewhere). I can recommend Brambles for lodging and daytime meals, and the George Hotel for dinner and pub.

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