Design my Scottish Hollyday

Right, well I have this route more or less

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?sadd...TaSj55SDGp3BMC_bqtUQ&oq=Dornie&t=h&mra=ls&z=7

There is a bit or variation, I may well do Tobermory on the first day to do something a bit more like this:

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?sadd...WTaSj55SDGp3BMC_bqtUQ&oq=Leeds&t=h&mra=ls&z=7

To stop confusion, they aren't all stopover points, just so the route properly lays itself out. Stopover points will be Glasgow and Inverness (although I'm yet to secure accommodation for Inverness, I'll just have to hope there is something on the day :p) leaving Edinburgh for Leeds in the evening.

I'm tending towards the latter, partly because I'd rather have more time in Edinburgh than Glasgow. Glasgow really is just a stopover and visiting a few pubs and hope we don't get begbie'd :p Either way though both trips will be 12 hours of driving on either the first day or the last. When I get into Glasgow I'll know whether doing Tobermory on the first day is feasible or not. Both middle days are about 8 hours of driving however I don't expect to get into Inverness until late because there isn't going to be much going on there I don't imagine.

Unfortunately with only 3 days and 2 nights there is a lot to cram in although hopefully I'll be able to visit the bits I miss with a better planned visit next year (this is kind of spur of the moment only agreed upon a little while ago).
 
That looks like a lot of driving and not a lot else!

I've heard Inverness is a good night out, but probably not great to get steamin with all the driving the next day.

To be honest, if you're planning on coming back next year for a longer period, I'd book a couple nights in Edinburgh and stay there the whole weekend.
 
tobermory just seems a bit of a sidestep..on a tight deadline you are having to time ferries, spend time at sea and hope for no bad weather of cancellations

and pray for no accidents..crash on the a82 when we were driving to oban meant about a 60 mile detour when they closed the road!
 
Yes, it might possibly be too much driving. I've only got Glasgow booked on the Friday, everything else is completely flexible. I'm not even really tied to Edinburgh, and I don't have to see Tobermory, these are just the things that seem like good ideas, that and Loch Ness, I mean, who goes to Scotland without seeing Loch Ness lol. I'm only preliminarily going up to Aultbea because they look like awesome roads, but as you mention, it's a lot of driving and I won't be the only one in the car, while I might be enjoying the roads my mates might be dead bored. Inverness to Edinburgh is not really that far 9-12 then wouldn't need to leave Edinburgh until 9ish, that's 9 hours to stop off on teh way down such as the cairngorns and also spend a fair amount of time in Edinburgh.

perhaps something like this would be a bit more suited to a 3 day trip and in the long run be more enjoyable allowing more stoppages:

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?sadd...6V7o_ymZvWTaSj55SDGp3BMC_bqtUQ&t=h&mra=ls&z=7
 
pity your route is missing out Aivemore very beautiful part of the country.

btw if you decided to change your northerly route past inverness and go over the cromarty bridge you'll see a fantastic view of Ben Wyvis a nice perk when i have to go to inverness and see it on my way home.
 
Seems a bit of an odd trip. What do you want from the trip?

You're trying to see far too much, and not realising the distances involved. A lot of the roads in the places you are going to won't allow much more than 50mph. Going to Tobermory, from Glasgow, and not staying there is just bonkers. Book into a B&B and enjoy the island. You are skirting Speyside so it would be a sin not to go for a distillery tour.

If I were you I'd go to Glasgow, Tobermory and the Trossachs. That way you get the city atmosphere (Glasgow is a great, fun, city with a lot to do. Great museums, culture and architecture). Tobermory gives you the rugged Scottish countryside. If you fancy, the drive to Fort William isn't that far from Oban but be warned that Fort William is a dump. The cable car on Nevis is probably worth it for a wee walk around.
You can then head down and stay in the Trossaschs and get the Loch experience with Loch Lomond and a few others. There are some awesome drives, as well as views, in the area. Throw in the Auchentoshan or Glengoyne distillery for a quick tour when you're in Glasgow/Trossachs area.
A drive up to Loch Fyne and Inverary is recommended. Fantastic fish restaurant on the lochside as well as Fyne Ales brewery. Inverary is quaint but nice.

I can't stress how much of a dump Fort William is though. Oban isn't great either. And before the East coasters get up in arms, Glasgow isn't as pretty as Edinburgh but there is more to do, and it's much more vibrant (and welcoming) than Edinburgh.
 
Glasgow to Inverness via Tobermory in a day is a bit ambitious.

Even if you attempt it you may struggle getting a spot on the Oban-Craignure ferry without a reservation. Last time we went to Mull we just showed up and had to wait half a day with no promise of a spot on the last sailing, luckily they managed to squeeze us on.

For scenery, the best road that I've traveled on up that way is the A87 across to the Skye bridge. I would skip Inverness and take a leisurely drive to Skye and stay there the night. Better roads than on Mull and no boats.
 
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I assume your going to go to glasgow then up the a82/85 into fortwilliam via try drum/Oban etc lovely part of the world don't skip glasgow it has a few good points depending on what yo ur into
 
The cabin crew suggested we all go out and club it. I had no option. It was that or one of their B&Bs. I figured it'd be safer on the streets. For the first time ever I saw the Scotch in their natural habitat, and it weren't pretty. I'd seen them huddling in stations before, being loud but… this time I was surrounded. Everywhere I went it felt like they were watching me; fish-white flesh puckered by the Highland breeze; tight eyes peering out for fresh meat; screechy, booze-soaked voices hollering out for a taxi to take 'em halfway up the road to the next all-night watering hole. A shatter of glass; a round of applause; a sixteen-year-old mother of three vomiting in an open sewer, bairns looking on, chewing on potato cakes. I ain’t never going back… not never.
 
I've done a Scottish Lowlands / Highlands roadtrip with the wife and it was brilliant. Driving around. Beautiful scenery. Hamish the Higland Coo..

The Ben Nevis range cable car was good.
 
We liked most of the above places and also visited St. Andrews (if you're into golf it's worth a visit for that alone) and also the Edradour Distillery was fascinating (and tasty!).
 
That's a lot of driving on not very quick roads, personally I would just pick 1 place you really really want to visit and spend the weekend around there. Loch Ness you can do Glasgow then Inverness. Inverness to Edinburgh might not look far but it's the A9 so I would never think it will be straight forward.
 
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dalin80 said:
The cabin crew suggested we all go out and club it. I had no option. It was that or one of their B&Bs. I figured it'd be safer on the streets. For the first time ever I saw the Scotch in their natural habitat, and it weren't pretty. I'd seen them huddling in stations before, being loud but… this time I was surrounded. Everywhere I went it felt like they were watching me; fish-white flesh puckered by the Highland breeze; tight eyes peering out for fresh meat; screechy, booze-soaked voices hollering out for a taxi to take 'em halfway up the road to the next all-night watering hole. A shatter of glass; a round of applause; a sixteen-year-old mother of three vomiting in an open sewer, bairns looking on, chewing on potato cakes. I ain’t never going back… not never.
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haha, belter - love a bit of darkplace!

op, you are trying to do too much in the time scale, for a trip like that you should be taking more than a week!
Glasgow to Tobermory is the best part of a day. the road to oban is a nightmare with tourists toodling, so add a chunk of time on to that drive, then you need to be there at least half an hour before the ferry (assuming you've booked it) - then it'll be another hour or so driving to Tobermory (so you're around 5 hours of travelling without any stops apart from the ferry)
you would be best staying on mull and then leaving the next morning for inverness - or just staying on mull for your whole trip and seeing the place - or miss out the island altogether and just drive through glencoe to ft William from Glasgow...
 
If you need somewhere to eat and can spare the time I'd highly recommend Inver Cottage (http://www.invercottage.co.uk/) been there a couple of times and the atmosphere is excellent, especially when musicians get going :)

Personally I prefer Stirling Castle to Edinburgh castle, so if that's what you're headed to Edinburgh don't bother :P Stirling is vastly better.

The fringe is on which is both a good and a bad point with regards to Edinburgh, it's busier than normal but at least you can see some good stuff!
 
Also remember you have 3 ferries to Mull.

Oban, Lochallan and Kilchoan

I suggest you go over by Oban and come back by Kilchoan, maybe even go to the most westerly point at Ardnamurchan and then to Fort William.

Its not far from Lochallan to Fort William if you take the little Corran Ferry (£7)


So, the route would be:

Glasgow
Lochgilphead
Oban - ferry to Craignure
Tobermory - ferry to Kilchoan (cheap)
Kilchoan - ferry at Corran (cheap)
Fort William

Its a better circle to take. The roads from Kilchoan to Corran are signle track 50% of the time but the views are amazing over to Rhum, Eigg and Muck.
 
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