Holiday in Scotland

avi_3

Hi - Any suggestions as to where to visit on a 5 day vacation in scotland from 9th july. I plan to drive from manchester with my wife.
Thank you

tonys_3

C'mon Avi-give us a clue.Have you been there before?Have you got accomodation sorted,and if so is it in one place?
Are you going there for the scenery,golf,fishing,hill/mountain climbing,distillery visiting,
castles,photography,history,visiting Skye,Iona etc etc.
Anything in particular you want to see or do?
You are a bit early for the grouse season,but you will be arriving bang in the middle of the haggis hunting.If you wanted,I am sure one of the locals could point you in the direction of an estate that is looking for beaters if shooting isn't your thing.

Whatever you decide,I hope you enjoy yourselves and the weather is kind.For instance,I have been on Skye twice and have yet to see the Cuillins because the mist was down on both occasions.However I always feel that Glencoe is improved when the weather is bad as it seems to increase the sense of foreboding that surrounds the place.

Smiley_Mum

Plockton on the West coast is very nice, will probably be very busy but lovely little village. Dun Eilean castle is on the way there too. There was a TV series filmed there with Robert Carlyle, he was a policeman in it with a little terrier. Can't remember the name of it. When I was there last Summer there was a lovely looking little B&B called, "The Sheiling", don't know what it was like with regards the accommodation available, meals etc but it looked absolutely lovely from the outside, very well looked after and very colourful flowers, well manicured garden. Lovely looking.

You could do the whisky trail on the way through to Aberdeen, visit Royal Deeside etc and see Balmoral (but only when the Queen isn't in residence). Stirling is nice too.

Glen Affric, near Beauly is really nice and scenic, nice walking area. There are plenty castles etc to visit along the route from Nairn to Inverness, Castle Stuart, Cawdor Castle, Brodie Castle etc. Good golfcourse at Nairn too and some nice places to stay/eat out etc.

Then there's Loch Ness etc and the Exhibition centre etc too on the way to Drumnadrochit, Urquhart Castle etc.

Check out www.multimap.com for distances etc between places to give you an idea of travel time etc. I would avoid Edinburgh around the time you are going, isn't that when all the stuff with G8 and the marches etc are kicking off and the blowback from it will probably last for a while.

Ayr/Alloway - Where Rabbie Burns was born, you can visit his birthplace etc, Brig a doon, There is Ayr racecourse if you fancy a day at the races.

Dumyat

You could head to Glasgow (up M6)...up past Loch Lomond..head for Fort William (takes in Glen Coe etc). From there Loch Ness to Inverness and head south again through Aviemore to Perth and Stirling. This could be easily acheived with a night in each big town and would give you some stunning scenery and there are lots of touristy things to do at all these stops. Lots of hotels and B&B's depending on your budget. There is a website..I think its visitscotland with lots of info.

avi_3

Thanks Every1. I haven't got anything sorted yet. Bt the advise is very useful Will look up the visitscotland website. Do you recommend booking hotels or B&B before i travel or just turn up at these places?

albalad

have a look at this thread also

Do you recommend booking hotels or B&B before i travel or just turn up at these places?

If you plan to stay anywhere near Perth , you have probably left it too late to book anywhere - most of them have been booked for about a year ! G8

Allexie

This is a fabulous drive through the most stunning scenery! (Fort William to Mallaig)

http://www.road-to-the-isles.org.uk/

Smiley_Mum

I'd book up now, if you can, book direct instead of through a tourist office, that way the proprietor doesn't lose out with the commission that the tourist office takes.

Try this site for accommodation info -

http://www.stilwells.co.uk/

If you are able to post up a rough intinerary before you go, perhaps we could recommend places along the way that you must see etc, tips etc to get the most from the trip.

Check out the freebies board for info on places that are free to visit throughout Britain etc.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=56228

and also the free info hunt thread which is on the freebie board also.

albalad

Just found this site , might be quite useful to you
it lists accomodation by area , what's on etc

HTH

Becles

Allexie wrote:

This is a fabulous drive through the most stunning scenery! (Fort William to Mallaig)

http://www.road-to-the-isles.org.uk/

Or you can do it by steam train :cool: It leaves every morning from Fort William station and you get free time in Mallaig before returning.
http://www.westcoastrailway.co.uk/

I took this from the back of the train
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v196/becles/train.jpg

Edinburghlass_2

Becles wrote:

Or you can do it by steam train :cool: It leaves every morning from Fort William station and you get free time in Mallaig before returning.
http://www.westcoastrailway.co.uk/

I took this from the back of the train
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v196/becles/train.jpg

Lots of filming for Harry Potter was done up this way, the train to Hogwarts goes over the viaduct that this train takes.