Scotland

One idea would be to drive north to Glamis Castle (pronounced glams) which is home of the Queen's mother. It's quite impressive. It's north of Dundee. From there you can go west to Perthshire. The little town of Dunkeld has good B&B's, small hotels and a Hilton if you're feeling the urge. Also, in Dunkeld there's a wonderful pub called the Music Bar where there are frequently music sessions. From Dunkeld you can either explore northward to Pitlochry, west to Loch Tay, or south to Perth. You could then take a scenic route or the A9 and some M roads to Glasgow. The Perthshire area is beautiful. There is one area just south of Pitlochery called the Queen's View because Queen Victoria admired it so much.

Pam

Here's an idea if you can change the order of things a bit. From Glasgow, it's an easy drive to Oban, which is a convenient base for exploring the islands. Bowman Tours offers a one-day excursion to Mull and Iona and one to Mull, Iona and Staffa. We just got back from Scotland and did the Mull, Iona and Staffa tour and loved it. We also took a ferry to Kerrera, which is very close to Oban -- five minute ferry. This is a great place to walk -- there's a 6-mile circuit. Or you could just walk 2 miles to the ruined castle and back (another 2 miles) to the ferry. There are other islands you can ferry to from Oban. Also, Oban is near Glencoe, which is one of the most beautiful places in the highlands. This way you could see a bit of the highlands and islands. It would be a shame to go to Scotland and without seeing both.

We spent a week in Aberdeenshire, home of some of the best castles in Scotland (Glams is not far). Also the statue of William (Braveheart) Wallace. The castles are mostly in "working" order, but my favorite were 2 that were less than glamorous: Dunnottar castle, the spot that Mel Gibson filled his HAMLET and was part of the Jacobeen revolt as well as the castle/hotel that inspired Bram Stocker to write DRACULA (yes, in Scotland). Check them out at undiscoveredscotland.co.uk. You might also want to consider a stop at Caithness glass factory out side of Perth just off the motorway from Glasgow to Aberdeen. All this puts you 2 hours or so north of St. Andrews making it a shorter drive to the next thing. Glasgow to Aberdeen is about 3 hours but we spent 3 at the Caithness factory making it most of a day. You'll have a great time whatever you decide!

Thanks for the suggestions. I check out the website.

Deb - are you going to the Edinburgh Tattoo whilst in Edinburgh? If you haven't thought about it, I would HIGHLY recommend it. Also - keep in mind if you are there during "Festival Time", traffic in the city will be nightmarish. The Royal Mile closest to the Castle will be closed for vehicles as there are sooooo many tourists.
You can eat here - off the beaten path, but fun!
http://www.frankenstein-pub.co.uk/eat.html
While in Edinburgh, get an idea of the time of sunset and head to Calton Hill to watch the sun set over the city. Be sure to bring a camera. Its stunning. FWIW - No toilet access on Calton Hill. Its also cold up there! (Yes, in August)
Oh - if you're planning on going to Britannia, try to get your tickets in advance. During August you will wait for a long time to get on board.
http://www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk/plan-your-visit/visitor-info/ticket-information/

Notice the information for August booking!

Enjoy your trip!

Well we've decided to stay 2 nights around Oban. May take the boat trip to the islands if time permits. Any suggestions of B&B's around that area?
Planning to see the Glamis castle and the glass factory, do you think it's realistic to fit Stirling and the Falkland Wheel in there too?

Glamis Castle is a great stop. You might want to look for Scotland magazine in your local bookstore. Borders and Barnes adn Nobel carry it here in Wisconsin. the online site is http://www.scotlandmag.com, Stirling is a great castle. You can see why it was so strategic in Scottish history as you approach it. Then, when you're visiting the castle you can see the country side all around it and understand the strategic importance even further. They are doing a lot of work at Stirling right now, but the there is lots to see. I like Argyll's Lodging as well.

Pam

I would do these castle if you have time:
Glamis
Scone
Blair
Sterling
Have a wonderful time

I would second the recommendation of the 3 Isle Tour. We did it earlier this month and loved it. Staffa was a highlight of our trip. NOt only was Fingal's Cave a lot of fun, but the puffins were delightful. Even my teens were impressed with Staffa. Also the Glencoe area and the drive from Glasgow via Loch Lomond, Rannoch Moor & Glencoe Pass was incredibly scenic. This whole area is definitely one we will return to.