Rare Eli_6 Posted November 10, 2023 #1 Share Posted November 10, 2023 We will be in Scotland for 5 nights/4 days. I am spending 3 nights/2 days in Edinburgh for prior commitments. I have been to Stirling, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and St. Andrews before...and some of the Northern Isles. What should I do with the remaining time? I thought about going to Loch Ness and Inverness and trying to see some of the highlands as I have never been up that way. I am just a little concerned that it isn't enough time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cotswold Eagle Posted November 10, 2023 #2 Share Posted November 10, 2023 I’d go West and I’d go by rail on the sensationally scenic West Highland Line. You could end up in Mallaig (having done the ‘Harry Potter’ steam train, the Jacobean) or Oban or Fort William and on to Skye. https://www.scotrail.co.uk/inspiration-hub/great-scenic-rail-journeys/west-highland-line-glasgow-oban-and-fort-williammallaig 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cotswold Eagle Posted November 11, 2023 #3 Share Posted November 11, 2023 (edited) Sorry, the steam train is the Jacobite, not the Jacobean. I’m blaming autocorrect 😀 https://westcoastrailways.co.uk/jacobite/steam-train-trip Edited November 11, 2023 by Cotswold Eagle 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fruitmachine Posted November 11, 2023 #4 Share Posted November 11, 2023 (edited) 13 hours ago, Eli_6 said: We will be in Scotland for 5 nights/4 days. I am spending 3 nights/2 days in Edinburgh for prior commitments. I have been to Stirling, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and St. Andrews before...and some of the Northern Isles. What should I do with the remaining time? I thought about going to Loch Ness and Inverness and trying to see some of the highlands as I have never been up that way. I am just a little concerned that it isn't enough time. In Edinburgh, if you've not already seen: The Georgian House Gladstone's Land Holyrood Palace The Real Mark King's Close St Giles Cathedral Royal Yacht Britannia From Edinburgh, but not in Edinburgh: The Falkirk Wheel The Kelpies Rosslyn Chapel Culross New Lanark Further afield: Glen Coe Loch Ness (but you see very little from the road, get on the water) Inverness I'd concentrate on Edinburgh & Edinburgh area, but consider dray trips, either driving yourself or on organised tours for anything outside the city unless it's so far you'd have to overnight elsewhere. Edited November 11, 2023 by fruitmachine 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare gnome12 Posted November 11, 2023 #5 Share Posted November 11, 2023 1 hour ago, fruitmachine said: The Real Mark King's Close Should be The Real Mary King's Close. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fruitmachine Posted November 11, 2023 #6 Share Posted November 11, 2023 (edited) 4 minutes ago, gnome12 said: Should be The Real Mary King's Close. Ooops!! I must improve my proofreading. I can't even blame auto-correct! Edited November 11, 2023 by fruitmachine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinburgher Posted November 11, 2023 #7 Share Posted November 11, 2023 5 hours ago, fruitmachine said: I am spending 3 nights/2 days in Edinburgh for prior commitments. Have you visited the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh, or even S Queensferry or Cramond Village? Or Dean Village? All are interesting to explore on foot, no tour necessary. And the historic area of S Queensferry has the added bonus of wonderful views of all three bridges. I would spend the extra days in Edinburgh and as already suggested, look at day trips as there is a good selection to choose from, easily found if you google something like "day trips from Edinburgh". I think you might be surprised and pleased with some of the options which will appear in the results. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John Bull Posted November 13, 2023 #8 Share Posted November 13, 2023 If you are prepared to rent a car and spend one of your nights away from Edinburgh you would dramatically broaden the sights that you could see. For example this route https://maps.app.goo.gl/d6uxDf8FeQNGghhVA includes a waterside drive along Loch Lomond (take a boat ride on the loch from Balloch ?), the Pass thro Glencoe (scene of a massacre), Fort William (perhaps a return ride from there on the Jacobite steam train ride mentioned by @Cotswold Eagle if the timing is suitable), past Ben Nevis, a lochside drive the length of Loch Ness (include a stop at Urquhart Castle) to Inverness, self-styled capital of the Highlands. Perhaps overnite here, then return to Edinburgh on the fast A9 through the foothills of the Grampians and the ski-ing resort of Aviemore.. Total of about 9 hours driving over two days, almost all of it scenic. If you're more adventurous and have the time, peel off the A9 and take to the B roads thro the Grampians - the Speyside towns & villages famous for whiskey, Balmoral (Queen's favourite palace, though you can see precious little of it) and Braemar (home of the Braemar Gathering). That would add something under an hour to your journey. Then the M90 over the Firth of Forth on the Queensferry Crossing If renting a car doesn't appeal, try the railway's West Highland line It means a long day - train from Edinburgh at 07.15 to join the West Highland train at Glasgow. A scenic 5-hour train ride to Mallaig - the last part, from Fort William, the same route as the Jacobite steam train but massively cheaper. Return same-way , back in Edinburgh at 10.30pm.. Total cost just under £80 per person (one of the vagaries of UK train fares s that on this route buying one-way tickets in advance is cheaper than return tickets 🙄) https://www.scotrail.co.uk/inspiration-hub/great-scenic-rail-journeys/west-highland-line-glasgow-oban-and-fort-williammallaig#:~:text=Loch Nan Ceall-,The route,or Fort William and Mallaig. JB 🙂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Globaliser Posted November 13, 2023 #9 Share Posted November 13, 2023 On 11/11/2023 at 4:43 PM, edinburgher said: I would spend the extra days in Edinburgh and as already suggested, look at day trips as there is a good selection to choose from, easily found if you google something like "day trips from Edinburgh". I think you might be surprised and pleased with some of the options which will appear in the results. The National Museum of Flight at East Fortune: https://www.nms.ac.uk/national-museum-of-flight/ - including a chance to visit the most beautiful airliner ever made (or ever likely to be made). 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Harters Posted November 13, 2023 #10 Share Posted November 13, 2023 On our last week-long trip to Scotland, we went north along the Western route - Loch Lomond, through Glencoe to Fort William (stopping for lunch at a pub at the Bridge of Orchy), then along Loch Ness to Inverness. We came back along an eastern route - through through Braemar to Pitlochy (a lovely large village, where my partner spent a holiday when she was a child, staying with her uncle who worked there for the Forestry Commission). and then through Stirling back to Cumbria. Fantastic scenery all the way. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinburgher Posted November 13, 2023 #11 Share Posted November 13, 2023 (edited) On 11/10/2023 at 9:28 PM, Eli_6 said: What should I do with the remaining time? Eli_6 you have been given some excellent suggestions so hoping at least a few of them might tempt you. Is there anything standing out for you at the moment? Or do you need a few more suggestions? Edited November 13, 2023 by edinburgher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Eli_6 Posted November 13, 2023 Author #12 Share Posted November 13, 2023 On 11/11/2023 at 1:56 AM, Cotswold Eagle said: Sorry, the steam train is the Jacobite, not the Jacobean. I’m blaming autocorrect 😀 https://westcoastrailways.co.uk/jacobite/steam-train-trip That looks amazing, but is it still running? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cotswold Eagle Posted November 14, 2023 #13 Share Posted November 14, 2023 (edited) 3 hours ago, Eli_6 said: That looks amazing, but is it still running? It’s seasonal, so not running at the moment. You didn’t say when you are travelling. As JB mentioned you can take an “ordinary’ train service along the same route. Edited November 14, 2023 by Cotswold Eagle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Eli_6 Posted November 14, 2023 Author #14 Share Posted November 14, 2023 9 hours ago, Cotswold Eagle said: It’s seasonal, so not running at the moment. You didn’t say when you are travelling. As JB mentioned you can take an “ordinary’ train service along the same route. Sorry. I apologize. I am traveling at the end of November...leaving the US next Tuesday and coming back the following Monday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyLynnP Posted November 14, 2023 #15 Share Posted November 14, 2023 We had a few days in Scotland on a cruise at various ports, but we found the company Scottish Terrier Tours that offers multiple day trips to various places.They have a wide array of choices, and we liked the company. Didn't know about the direct booking discounts or the multi option for the day tours. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fruitmachine Posted November 14, 2023 #16 Share Posted November 14, 2023 (edited) 10 hours ago, Eli_6 said: Sorry. I apologize. I am traveling at the end of November...leaving the US next Tuesday and coming back the following Monday. Don't forget that the days are short, and a lot shorter if you head north of here. Edinburgh next week has sunrise at 8am and sunset at 4pm, getting worse by the day. Inverness will be 20-30 minutes less daylight. That would make me suggest even more that you should concentrate on locations in or near Edinburgh. Edited November 14, 2023 by fruitmachine 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatalinaUK Posted November 15, 2023 #17 Share Posted November 15, 2023 I would not stay on the East Coast. Two days/two nights are more than enough to enjoy the Isle of Arran which is a short drive from Glasgow. Arran is known as "mini-Scotland" because you get all different kinds of scenery and landscape in one place. There's a whisky distillery at the north tip of the island, Highland-style glen and mountains, a picturesque fishing village on the west of the island, and standing stones at the southern tip of the island. Highly recommended - even this time of year when you don't get many hours of sunlight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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