Scotland in a few days?

EvilRob · 2 Jun 2025 at 00:03

We're planning a 5 night trip on the August bank holiday weekend and slightly worried this is a terrible idea, but we've wanted to go for years and it works out.

I think we might base ourselves somewhere like Oban or Inveraray for 3 nights and then head to Edinburgh for a couple of nights. We very much travel for food, so looking forward to some great seafood as well as the natural beauty and some good but not too strenuous walks. We'll have the car.

Any advice/other suggestions gratefully received!

FBi7 · 2 Jun 2025 at 00:33

Depending on the exact dates in Edinburgh, you might struggle to find any/sensibly priced hotels as that is right at the end of the Fringe Festival.

Quartz · 2 Jun 2025 at 00:39

EvilRob said:
I think we might base ourselves somewhere like Oban or Inveraray for 3 nights

How do you get on with midges? At that time of year you want the east coast, not the west. The best time to visit the west coast is early May. Instead, try the Black Isle / Inverness and environs. Cromarty is very beautiful and the Emigration Stone poignant. Take the Nigg ferry and visit the church for some ancient stones and head up the coast for the Mermaid of the North. Cawdor Castle has a nice garden. And you can head to the far north and the Castle of Mey. And, of course, there's the whisky, and more castles than you can count.

EvilRob said:
and then head to Edinburgh for a couple of nights.

That's not going to be cheap!

EvilRob · 2 Jun 2025 at 14:10

Quartz said:
How do you get on with midges? At that time of year you want the east coast, not the west. The best time to visit the west coast is early May. Instead, try the Black Isle / Inverness and environs. Cromarty is very beautiful and the Emigration Stone poignant. Take the Nigg ferry and visit the church for some ancient stones and head up the coast for the Mermaid of the North. Cawdor Castle has a nice garden. And you can head to the far north and the Castle of Mey. And, of course, there's the whisky, and more castles than you can count.

Good food for thought - thanks!

booyaka · 3 Jun 2025 at 08:41

EvilRob said:
We're planning a 5 night trip on the August bank holiday weekend and slightly worried this is a terrible idea, but we've wanted to go for years and it works out.

I think we might base ourselves somewhere like Oban or Inveraray for 3 nights and then head to Edinburgh for a couple of nights. We very much travel for food, so looking forward to some great seafood as well as the natural beauty and some good but not too strenuous walks. We'll have the car.

Any advice/other suggestions gratefully received!

If you get decent weather - one of the most beautiful places you'll ever see is the Highlands/Islands of Scotland

Inveraray Jail is cool, Loch Fyne Hotel is lovely for a stay, Plenty of brewery / whiskey tours etc. If you get the weather, just go for some nice walks etc - Remember in Scotland you can basically walk anywhere you wish under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

Edinburgh is obviously massively touristy and can be very expensive for hotels etc...Depends what you want from Edinburgh - August will be VERY expensive as that's generally the Festival time so everything is ramped up in terms of the tourist numbers and also the hotel costs. Even a basic Travellodge will be around £200 a night in August time.

Quartz · 3 Jun 2025 at 11:37

booyaka said:
If you get decent weather - one of the most beautiful places you'll ever see is the Highlands/Islands of Scotland

Absolutely.

booyaka said:
If you get the weather, just go for some nice walks etc

Do make sure you are properly attired. Walking boots and such. I attended a talk given by the head of a local mountain rescue team and he said that the number one injury for people walking up Bennachie is a twisted ankle, mostly from inadequate footwear.

Some pictures to whet your appetite from the Black Isle and north of Nigg:

Celtic stone

The Emigration Stone (Cromarty)

The Mermaid of the North (Balintore)

The Miller Memorial (Cromarty)

EvilRob · 8 Jun 2025 at 13:08

We decided to skip Scotland for this year and go when we have enough time to spend a week or two doing the NC500. Just going to head to Norfolk for a few days instead.

shroomz · 11 Jun 2025 at 22:24

EE-Usk in Oban is great but I can't echo enough what other posters said:
1. If it's not windy, you'll get eaten alive by midges. The heat wave drove them wild earlier this year and it's the worst year I can remember for this time of the midge season.
2. Edinburgh will blow your wallet in August and everything will be heaving, be prepared.

Why not go see Orkney, or Inverness area. Though, the food can be more hit-or-miss around Inverness and you may have to manage your expectations, but maybe I've just not had much luck whenever I've gone to Inverness.

Quartz · 11 Jun 2025 at 23:26

EvilRob said:
We decided to skip Scotland for this year and go when we have enough time to spend a week or two doing the NC500.

Go early and use a travel agent to book hotels. And if you want to do the Applecross pass then make sure your tyres are in good condition.

Barry Smalley · 12 Jun 2025 at 06:42

Inverary is a great place to base yourself. From there, you could see loads in those five days and it’s not to far to travel to.

200sols · 12 Jun 2025 at 09:03

I stayed here last year https://kingairloch.co.uk/

Wonderful estate, great restaurant as well which is pretty rare to find in the middle of absolutely no where. We mainly go for the walking which was excellent and unlike some other areas you wont see another soul on the hills. Day trip to mull etc. We spent a second week on the way back in the borders and went to Edinburgh one day, I don't know what you plan to do there but avoid the tourist areas especially the royal mile. Its just rows of shops selling overpriced tat to tourists.

Nabinium · 7 Mar 2026 at 00:13

shroomz said:
1. If it's not windy, you'll get eaten alive by midges. The heat wave drove them wild earlier this year and it's the worst year I can remember for this time of the midge season.

When is the best time to visit to avoid midges? Planning to go to Scotland around June this year, but not sure if that's ideal with midges.

shroomz · 7 Mar 2026 at 05:52

Nabinium said:
When is the best time to visit to avoid midges? Planning to go to Scotland around June this year, but not sure if that's ideal with midges.

May is your best bet to catch Scottish summer and be before the midges really get going. Maybe first couple of weeks of June but that's pushing it. Look out for bad weather where you are and more often than not it seems swapped in NW Scotland. Earlier the better you can make it basically. April is hit or miss for weather but we pretty consistently get a couple of really nice weeks in May.

Nabinium · 7 Mar 2026 at 10:20

shroomz said:
May is your best bet to catch Scottish summer and be before the midges really get going. Maybe first couple of weeks of June but that's pushing it. Look out for bad weather where you are and more often than not it seems swapped in NW Scotland. Earlier the better you can make it basically. April is hit or miss for weather but we pretty consistently get a couple of really nice weeks in May.

That makes sense! How long is midge season? May to October I'm guessing?

shroomz · 7 Mar 2026 at 11:03

Nabinium said:
That makes sense! How long is midge season? May to October I'm guessing?

Gets better in mid September basically as soon as it cools down. Still warm during the day but it does start to get cold outside in the evenings. First frost is usually mid October and they're done by then. You can still find ticks through to Xmas though.

Nabinium · 7 Mar 2026 at 11:14

shroomz said:
Gets better in mid September basically as soon as it cools down. Still warm during the day but it does start to get cold outside in the evenings. First frost is usually mid October and they're done by then. You can still find ticks through to Xmas though.

These midges are really good at stopping us tourists from visiting eh :cry:

Out in full force in the better months!

mid_gen · 7 Mar 2026 at 11:55

As mentioned the midges can be brutal in August. I would be looking to spend time on the West coast where you’ll more likely catching a sea breeze, only need a few mph to keep them away.

If you’re planning walks then make it along coasts, ridges and hills rather than valleys.

Rob_B · 7 Mar 2026 at 11:58

Nabinium said:
When is the best time to visit to avoid midges? Planning to go to Scotland around June this year, but not sure if that's ideal with midges.

Where are you headed? They're not going to bother you if you're visiting Edinburgh for example.

Nabinium · 7 Mar 2026 at 12:04

Rob_B said:
Where are you headed? They're not going to clutter you if you're visiting Edinburgh for example.

Not properly planned yet, but likely all over. Maybe a couple days in the Highlands then a couple days in Edinburgh or somewhere south towards the end of our trip.

shroomz · 7 Mar 2026 at 14:02

Nabinium said:
Not properly planned yet, but likely all over. Maybe a couple days in the Highlands then a couple days in Edinburgh or somewhere south towards the end of our trip.

Then start west and move east as you go, there's hardly ever any on the east coast and as long as you're somewhere there's a breeze you'll be fine