Tentative first draft itinerary for 23 day trip

I think one car for the trip is best for a couple of reasons. The biggest two are efficiency and convenience. Time is money -- and especially valuable when you're traveling for fun. I would rather spend time touring -- or just sitting in a pub or my accommodation and reading -- instead of dropping a car off, picking a car up, dropping a car off, etc. Additionally, you generally have a broader choice of cars at the major rental locations -- airports, primarily, but also the downtown locations sometimes, which means you're more likely to get the kind of car you want -- or even have a car available to rent at all. In the smaller places, they might be out of cars (As Jerry Seinfeld said at a car rental counter in a Seinfeld episode, "You can TAKE the reservation, but you can't KEEP the reservation!" Of course, he was standing at an AIRPORT car rental counter, which voids my argument entirely.) Lastly, it seems to me if you drop a car off on, say a Monday, you'll pay for that day -- and if you rent another car on Tuesday it doesn't seem that you're actually saving any money on the rental... But my math could be bad. I spent more time watching Seinfeld than paying attention in school.

gbrennen, that makes a lot of sense - thanks! And I loved Seinfeld as well - he always was right on point. :)

Hello Mardee
just my thoughts, but:
Day 1: Arrive in Edinburgh (2 nights)
Day 3: Train to Glasgow (2 night) - day tripping to Stirling and Loch Lomond from here - it's quite a way out of your way from Inverness and then all the way back to Edinburgh (rental car from here to see Stirling and Loch Lomond) - also, what is must see in Glasgow?
Day 5: Drive to Ardrossan and take ferry to Arran (2 nights)
Day 7: Drive/ferry to Tobermory (3 nights) - I haven't been to Tobermoray, so not sure if 3 nights too many, but I think 4 is
Day 10: Drive/ferry to Isle of Skye (Portree?) (3 nights)
Day 13: Drive/ferry to Harris (2 nights)
Day 15: Drive to Lewis (Stornoway) (3 nights) - may only require 2 nights
Day 17: Ferry to Ullapool, then drive to Scrabster (not sure of route) ferry to Orkneys (2 nights) ?
Day 19: Drive/ferry to Inverness/Culloden (2 nights) ?
Day 21: Drive to?? or add on a night or 2 somewhere in the itinerary where I may not have given you enough time. Return rental car (1 night)
Day 23: Flight home

I travel in a rather intense manner, but see and do a lot, so I may have rushed things a bit,. I also know the roads are not fast so I may have overestimated how things would unwind travel time wise, and you are waiting for ferries too. But I do think you can shave a few nights from Tobermory and Skye and add elsewhere.
Safe travels

Hi Mardee, do you like to hike? The reason I ask is Isle of Skye portion of your trip. While I think it’s the most beautiful area of Scotland, it is best appreciated by getting out of your car and doing some hikes. If you like hiking, keep itinerary as is. If not, I would reduce your stay by one night. It’s still very much worth driving around the peninsula. Don’t miss Museum Of Island Life. Also, you are going a bit early in the year, weather may be a big factor in anything outdoors. Just my thoughts.

It make sense to do Loch Lomond at the start from Glasgow and then head to Arran.

Apart from that, it looks a great itinerary and I wouldn't change any of it. You have allowed yourself plenty of time in the different places too. Keep a car all the way rather than trying to hire on each of the islands.

I can understand why you want to visit Shetland (fantastic place and very different to the other islands) but it really is too far for this trip and you won;'t have time to do it justice. Save it for another visit and link it in with Orkneys as well.

If visiting Culloden, make sure you visit Clava Cairns too. They are best seen later in the day. Not only will they be quieter, the light is better and much more atmospheric.

mmmim, thanks so much! I totally get that, but I have a tendency to race through places and I swore I wouldn't do that on this trip. Plus in reading through many of these posts, a lot of people say to add an extra day in the Highlands because of potential bad weather. But if I run out of things to do, I can always take a day trip someplace. :)

Tammy, thanks! I'm not a great hiker but I do like to get out and walk and wander. I won't be climbing Blaven, but hopefully there are some hikes that are a bit easier. :) And I get that about the weather, which is one reason I'm tacking on an extra day. I don't want to miss anything because of bad weather.

wasleys, I like the idea of going to Loch Lomond first from Glasgow, so I will change that around. And Clava Cairns looks beautiful - I followed your link and will definitely add that to the trip. Thank you very much!

Ensure you can take the rental car on the ferries. There may be rental company imposed restrictions or you may need special insurance.

We usually rent from Hertz - taking the car on ferries has never been a problem. This trip we rented from Arnold Clark and I recommend them. Uig ferry port is supposed to be closed for a while for refurbishing - check it will be available again when you are travelling.

If you are interested in Orkney, you can take a (very long) day trip there from Inverness. We did that several years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. The trip went to Skara Brae, Ring of Brodgar, the cathedral, and several other locations. It did not visit Maes Howe. We don't usually do organized tours, but we did enjoy that one.

Between Inverness and Edinburgh, you might check out Pitlochry. I just drove through but it’s a cute town of manageable size, and there are lists of walks (not hikes) that sounded nice. It also has a couple distilleries that look walkable if you’re in to that.

Your itinerary looks good to me. I just have a couple of comments. I would keep Arran at 3 nights and not reduce it to 2. There's alot to do and see on Arran, including some lovely light hiking. I would take the ferry from Ardrossan to Brodick but when leaving, take the ferry from Lochranza to Claonaig on the Kintyre Peninsula and continue on to Tobermory. Arnold Clark allows you to take their cars on to the CalMac ferries. I was on Barra in 2019 and had hoped to go to Lewis and Harris in 2020. We know what happened to that trip. I hope you have a great time. By the way, while in Barra we were hit with the tail end of an Atlantic hurricane so CalMac cancelled all the ferries for 2 or 3 days. We had flown - and Logan Air's planes/pilots are amazing - so we were fine. But those who had driven on to the ferry were beside themselves because they couldn't leave. Odds are it won't happen to you on Lewis/Harris but it might be something to consider. And yes, we continued to hike and have a good time in the wind and rain. It actually didn't seem that different from the usual Highland weather. :-D

Oh Mardee, please do resist the temptation to "race through" your travels through such beautiful scenery!! I admit that I am a "slow" (by some people's standard) traveler, preferring to savor a region rather than to fly through several regions in as many days. So take all this into account.
* I was on Skye in May a few years ago, and had to take it on faith that I was actually on an island. Ground fog prevailed all three days of my stay. I did not see the ocean, let alone the mainland or nearby islands, at all during my stay. I do not rent cars overseas and you do, so you'll have more flexibility about where to be, when (reservations notwithstanding). There are certainly walking opportunities on Skye, but if you're not into hiking, I think two nights are probably enough.

* I second Tammy's recommendation to check out the Museum of Island Life. Very well done.
* Agree with Wasleys' suggestion to save Shetland for another time. It (and Orkney) deserve their own visit, combined or separately!
* Arran was good enough for 2 nights; in fact, one night and two days would have been enough for me. I confess I felt weirdly self-conscious as a tourist there (and I was an independent solo traveler). I'm a low-key, blend in as much as possible solo traveler, so it was an unexpected feeling. After the daytrippers left I felt somewhat more comfortable, but never enough to feel at all welcome. YMMV.
I hope you'll want to post a trip report. I'm especially keen to hear what you did on Lewis and Harris!

jaimeelsabio, it sounds like taking rental cars on ferries won't be a problem but I will double check that - thanks!

Cynthia, thank you for the rental car info - I have heard other good things about Arnold Clark so will definitely check into them. I've always gone with AutoEurope before (I used Avis this year in Germany through AutoEurope) but have no problem going with another company. But I do think I'm going to give up on the idea of Orkney this trip and save it for later, when I can add on the Shetland Islands with it. It will be a good reason to go back to Scotland!

KC, Pitlochry sounds very nice! I will definitely be looking for some ideas of places to visit on the last few days heading down to Edinburgh. Thank you!

Trotter, yes, I am planning to keep the 3 nights in Arran. And that's very good info to know about the ferries and Arnold Clark - thank you! I loved your story about the hurricane on Barro although I'm sure it wasn't lovely at the time. I was on Okinawa once during a typhoon and still remember all the wind and rain. Hopefully it won't happen during my stay but if it does, then I will deal with it. :)

bugslife, I am definitely resisting that temptation! And thank you for seconding the rec for the Museum of Island Life. I will add it to my list of places to see! I agree about on waiting on Okney and Shetland - they need more time than I can allot now. I understand what you are saying about Arran but I do think having a car will help. I was on Crete about 25 years ago without a car and because it was early in May, there was very little public transportation and it really affected my trip. At least if I run out of things to see on Arran, I can always do a day trip someplace.

Arnold Clark allows you to take their cars on to the CalMac ferries.

On the list of restrictions written into the contract I signed in June at Arnold Clark it said no car on the ferry. I questioned that and they verbally said it would be OK. They wouldn't cross it off though and I risked it. The cars can be packed in like sardines. I would email them for a response so you have backup.

I like that you are spending 4 nights on Mull but that may be one more than you need if you decide to readjust priorities. Check out the Harbour View B and B. I appreciated it because we were on the hill above the harbour where parking was easier to find.

I'm a city guy and so I'm biased, but I'd add to Glasgow. There's no real main must-see attraction and what there is too see is spread out, so 2 or 3 days is worthwhile. You can also save a day of rental car costs by making a daytrip by train from Glasgow to Stirling. By the time we were done with the Highlands part of our trip, we felt we were starting to see the same thing over and over but in different locations.

Keep in mind that the drives will take longer than you think all over. Except for the highway between Inverness and Edinburgh, our average speed was well below the posted 60 and 70 mph.

Hi Mardee,

I wouldn’t forsake Arran for the Shetlands. The Shetlands are big, largely empty and remote. And you are right the logistics of getting there in the time you have aren’t worth the hassle. Arran rightly deserves its ‘Scotland in miniature’ title and is handy from the central belt. Just make sure you have booked your ferries well in advance - there have been some issues with the Arran ferries from Ardrossan - the planned new one hasn’t arrived and they have been having reliability problems with the older ‘big’ ferry I believe. Not sure if it’s been resolved but hopefully in 2023 they’ll be back to a full service. But don’t risk it and book both ways early!

On your return the road to Loch Lomond takes you towards Glasgow rather than Edinburgh. Maybe consider Callendar/the Loch Katrina area in the Trossachs as that will point you more towards Edinburgh? Just a thought.

Hope it all pans out and that you have a great trip!

Ian

You can also save a day of rental car costs by making a daytrip by train from Glasgow.

Allan, with regards to Glasgow, I could always tack on an extra day - I haven't booked my flight yet. I've been watching Annika on PBS (also on Prime Video), which stars Nicola Walker in a Scottish crime show that is filmed mostly in Glasgow, and the city looks interesting. Have you seen it? Only one season so far - it's about maritime crimes on the water. At any rate, I'm not sure what you mean by the quote above - a daytrip from Glasgow to where?

And that's interesting about Arnold Clark and the ferries. As a retired attorney, I am always leery of verbal promises. I will definitely try and get something in writing from them.

Ian, thanks for the information about Ardrossan - I will keep that in mind as things get closer. And you are right about holding off on the Shetlands - I really want to devote time to the northern islands, so they will have to wait. And thank you for pointing out Callender and the Loch Katrina area. I will definitely check that out!

Whoops, I meant a daytrip to Stirling. I'll edit my post.

Thanks, Allan! That makes sense now. :) And I think that's a good idea to add it as a Glasgow day trip.

Clarifying Arnold Clark and ferries: Prior to arriving in Scotland I corresponded with them via email asking whether we could take one of their cars on the ferry to Arran and received written confirmation that we were permitted to do so. Since we were flying to the Outer Hebrides I did not inquire about whether they would allow us to take one of their cars on the ferry to Barra. Allan's suggestion to get written confirmation is a good one.

Thanks, Trotter - good to know!

Mardee, I know you live in Duluth and I lived in Hermantown for 3 years (small world). I feel like I have a pretty good idea of the landscape that you are used to in Minnesota. You may find that Loch Lomond may not be as impressive to you as it is to other people from different parts of the country.

I was so excited to see what made these "bonny, bonny shores" so wonderful. I never did find out. Don't get me wrong, it is a nice lake, but that is about the best description I can give it.

If there is another location that interests you that you are giving up to go to Loch Lomond, you may want to reconsider this part of your itinerary.

The only thing I will add is that it makes more sense, to me, to fly into Glasgow and out of Edinburgh. Or the other way around. Spending part of a day dragging your luggage onto a train only to spend one night in Glasgow is a bit of a waste of time in my opinion. Glasgow has a good museum, the cathedral is nice, it’s fun to wander Sauchihall St, and you must have time for tea at the Willow Tea Room. Sadly, the Glasgow School of art had another fire or that would have been at the top of the list of places to see. Glasgow is a city where you must remember to look up as you walk because there are a lot of architectural details up high.

Carol, wow, small world indeed! :) I see what you mean and to be honest, I was already sort of backtracking on Loch Lomond after reading something about a line of cars and tour buses driving around. The only reason I really was interested was because of the song, and that's not a good enough reason. I actually think what I would like to do is head east towards Aberdeenshire and visit Cruden Bay, Slains Castle, and that area, then head down south along the eastern coast. Thank you!!

EDIT: Carol, now I am looking at the Northeast 250, which looks very interesting and goes through some places I'd like to see. Decisions!

Anita, I am rethinking that as well and have decided to add an extra night onto Glasgow. It sounds like it deserves at least 2 nights. But I will check into an open jaw ticket. Thanks!

It’s K-A-T-R-I-N-E, not ‘Catherine’, ‘Katherine’ or ‘Katrina’. Admit it, Auto Correct, you just can’t handle Gaelic!

Ha ha! I hate it when that happens!

Just wanted to say thanks for mentioning the show Annika. I signed up for the PBS channel on Amazon for 99 cents and just started watching it. I could do without the talking to the camera, but otherwise pretty good so far. I recognized the lead actress from Unforgotten, another show available on Amazon Prime.

Looks like we’ll both be in Scotland around the same time. I’ll be in Edinburgh in early May after York, which I recently added to my trip.

Carrie, you're welcome - I gather that the talking to the camera thing is from the original radio series. I didn't like it at first but it's grown on me. And I love Nicola Walker - Unforgotten is another favorite show of mine - I'm a huge fan of British crime shows. And that's neat that we will be in Scotland around the same time - I'd love to know your travel plans once you get them settled. Mine has changed a bit from above - I'm now flying into Glasgow instead of Edinburgh. The flight was cheaper there and the times/stops worked out better. But I will be getting to Edinburgh while I'm there.

Mardee, I have my hotels booked, but not my flight yet. I’ll be in York for 5 nights and Edinburgh for 8 nights. I’m trying to decide if I want to fly into Edinburgh or London as they are about equal distance to York by train. I’m a little afraid of Heathrow, so I’ll probably fly into Edinburgh. I plan to see more of Scotland on a future trip with my sister and her husband. This will be a solo trip. I have a couple of trips before this one (Austria in Sept. and Italy in March) so I'm focused on Austria now, but doing some preplanning for York/ Edinburgh too.

Well, let me know - if our visits overlap in Edinburgh, maybe we could get together. It would be fun to meet someone from this forum on a trip. And I just realized that Siri spelled your name wrong above - I fixed it but sorry!

If it helps, Edinburgh to York is scenically much more interesting than London to York.

Mardee, no problem on the name. 😊 I’ll try to remember to get it touch when May gets closer.

wasleys, it sure does help. Thanks!! I think that is probably the last reason I need to avoid London and will focus on flights to Edinburgh. United has a seasonal nonstop from Chicago to Edinburgh starting in May, but I have zero confidence that will actually happen. They changed most of their nonstops this year to connections and didn’t actually start the nonstops until July.