Yes, another Itinerary Review please? could really use some help! Portree to Inverness to Edinborugh

Posted by mckennag on 04/26/17 02:47 AM

I googled the driving time, but need real time feedback from my fellow travelers please?!?

Leaving Portree after a 2 night's stay on Skye (having driven and ferried from Mallaig), we want to visit Kyle of Lochalsh, then Eilean Donan Castle, Urquahart Castle, Loch Ness and Culloden Battlefields, ending in Inverness for the night. Is this doable with all the stops and driving?

The next day, we want to drive to Edradour Distillery and then Sterling Castle before dropping car at Edinburgh airport, then train into Edinburgh to stay for 2 nights.

Please let me know what you think, and if there are other suggestions on where to stay instead of Inverness for the night? Are we missing anything that would be more memorable along the way than the stops we're making?

thanks!
gayle

Posted by Laurel

Forest Grove, OR

04/26/17 03:52 PM

11315 posts

We did that drive in reverse, Edinburgh to Portree in one day with many of the same stops. Easily done Portree to Inverness.

Posted by MC-Glasgow

Glasgow, Scotland

04/26/17 04:58 PM

1642 posts

You might want to consider Culloden for the following day, both days might be a bit cramped if you are looking at two hours in each location.

Posted by epltd

04/26/17 06:45 PM

3122 posts

We did some of what you're listing, and it was a pretty full day in itself. That is:

Left from Dornie with a short stop to photograph Eilean Donan Castle in morning light.

Drove to Urquhart Castle, took walking tour (about an hour), then onward to Loch Ness Centre & Exhibition which took about an hour.

Drove to Culloden Battlefield (did not stop in Inverness), ate a very late lunch there. I think it was about 4 PM by then.

Stopped briefly at Cawdor Castle to take photos with the "highland coos" and look at the outside grounds, then drove to our B&B in Nairn.

If we had taken the time to tour Eilean Donan Castle that morning (we'd already done so the previous afternoon), that would have added about 2 hours to the day. And your starting point is not Dornie but Portree, so you have to factor that in as well.

You could say "Yes, but I'm going to drive fast" which is all very well until you get behind a slow vehicle on a narrow road. Have you driven Scottish roads before? Much of the route here is mountainous: lots of hairpin turns & up/down, not to mention scenery that you really can't enjoy if you're maxing out your speed.

As you plan to sleep in Inverness, how about visiting Culloden next morning before you head to Edradour & Sterling?

Posted by mckennag OP

04/26/17 11:14 PM

18 posts

Thank you for your replies! this is just what i needed to hear! i was thinking of doing culloden the following morning, so we're not rushed. just worried that we'll then be rushed the following day, going to edradour, sterling, then having to drop our car at the airport before taking train to edinburgh.