Scotland 2018 Planning

[Denali]

This showed up in the mail last night, I guess planning for our 2018 trip will soon begin.

Some say, 14 nights in Scotland is too much.... they havent met my husband.

 

[Flashback]

This showed up in the mail last night, I guess planning for our 2018 trip will soon begin.

Some say, 14 nights in Scotland is too much.... they havent met my husband.

If you're spending any time in Edinburgh and enjoy a bit of Scotch Whisky, there's a fantastic little bar just opposite the DoubleTree that has staff who know their stuff (and have a good selection to try).

 

[Denali]

If you're spending any time in Edinburgh and enjoy a bit of Scotch Whisky, there's a fantastic little bar just opposite the DoubleTree that has staff who know their stuff (and have a good selection to try).

Yes to Edinburgh and hubby wants to visit the Glenfiddich plant and do a immersion tour. I think hes going to be a bit smashed after drinking both of our drinks.

Current plan is to go anti clockwise from Edinburgh and also spend most of our time in the Highlands, North, Isle of Skye ect. I dub it the, Not Another Bloody Castle Tour.

 

[JohnK]

Some say, 14 nights in Scotland is too much.... they havent met my husband.

Or me. Although I wouldn't be wasting my time visiting castles unless they were part of a golf course.

 

[Hvr]

Or me. Although I wouldn't be wasting my time visiting castles unless they were part of a golf course.

Like this?

 

[TheRealTMA]

Yes to Edinburgh and hubby wants to visit the Glenfiddich plant and do a immersion tour. I think hes going to be a bit smashed after drinking both of our drinks.

Current plan is to go anti clockwise from Edinburgh and also spend most of our time in the Highlands, North, Isle of Skye etc. I dub it the, Not Another Bloody Castle Tour.

See the site on the North Coast 500 for suggested itineraries. We did the trip clockwise around the top in around 7 nights. Do go to The Torridon - stay o/n 1/2 days (https://www.thetorridon.com/). The bar has more than 300 single malts to try, which is whay you need to stay for a few days. One day over the Applecross pass or Bealach Na Ba. Highest road in Scotland. (Applecross Peninsula and Bealach na Ba - Pass of the Cattle – Scotland Info Guide)

Stopped at several distilleries near Pitlochry - Definitely recommend The Edradour - Edradour Distillery, and very close is Blair Athol - https://www.discovering-distilleries.com/blairathol/

Little further north - Dewars (Grants) Aberfeldy Distillery. Then the 'home' of whisky in Speyside at Duftown.

Glenfiddich Distillery (Visit the Glenfiddich Distillery. Fully Explore Single Malt Whisky.) and Balvenie Distillery(https://www.thebalvenie.com/) and Glenfarclas (Glenfarclas) on the way. (Dufftown's Distilleries)

If you get over to Sky then definitely do the tour of Talisker. https://www.malts.com/en-gb/home/. Perhaps stay and eat at Three Chimneys. (The Three Chimneys, Skye)

The Diageo group also have a whisky passport, available free at their distilleries, which gives you free tastings and free tours at other distilleries.

Ref: https://www.visitscotland.com/see-do/food-drink/whisky/distilleries/

This place in Edinburgh is worth a visit - https://www.scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk/

I recommend you consider staying at Fonab Castle (Pitlochry), The Dornoch Castle Hotel, Ackergill Castle (North Highlands) and if money is no object, Inverlochy Castle. (GIYF - Scottish Castle accommodation - list of castle hotels in Scotland)

MODS: Suggest that we need a new thread for Scotich trips.

 

[Denali]

See the site on the North Coast 500 f........

Many thanks and greatly appreciated! Will come back to look at this info after March.

 

[straitman]

Or me. Although I wouldn't be wasting my time visiting castles unless they were part of a golf course.

...and I wouldn't waste my time visiting golf courses unless they were part of a castle.

 

[JohnK]

...and I wouldn't waste my time visiting golf courses unless they were part of a castle.

Yes but you can't play golf.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Yes but you can't play golf.

Isn't that the point?

 

[Flashback]

Yes to Edinburgh and hubby wants to visit the Glenfiddich plant and do a immersion tour. I think hes going to be a bit smashed after drinking both of our drinks.

Current plan is to go anti clockwise from Edinburgh and also spend most of our time in the Highlands, North, Isle of Skye ect. I dub it the, Not Another Bloody Castle Tour.

Drop me a PM with dates, if it's one of my Scotland weeks then can find somewhere for a meal and a drink if it all matches up.

 

[TonyHancock]

Some say, 14 nights in Scotland is too much....

The Duke of coughberland spent several months there in 1746 and apparently had a marvelous time.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Many thanks and greatly appreciated! Will come back to look at this info after March.

Let us know if you need more info. Perhaps I should do a new TR.

 

[Skyring]

I've done a couple of road trips through Scotland over the past few years. Fourteen days is definitely not too long. There's an amazing amount of things to see, and even a random place in the Highlands is going to be ridiculously scenic.

I hired cars through Avis Prestige, whose prices are pretty good, especially if you can get a special deal, which they do from time to time. Got to say that driving through Scotland in a Jag is a lot of fun.

Thonk about getting over to the Orkneys. Can be done as a day trip. There are two distilleries near Kirkwall - Highland Park and Scapa - and the ancient Skara Brae village which is spine-tingling.

Get an audiobook of Iain Banks' book Raw Spirit, about Scotch, driving in Scotland, science fiction, history and everything else. Atmosphere and laughter.

Ah, it's impossible not to enjoy Scotland, especially if combined with a search for the perfect dram. Have fun, and write a trip report when you sober up.

 

[TheRealTMA]

I've done a couple of road trips through Scotland over the past few years. Fourteen days is definitely not too long. There's an amazing amount of things to see, and even a random place in the Highlands is going to be ridiculously scenic.

I hired cars through Avis Prestige, whose prices are pretty good, especially if you can get a special deal, which they do from time to time. Got to say that driving through Scotland in a Jag is a lot of fun.

Thonk about getting over to the Orkneys. Can be done as a day trip. There are two distilleries near Kirkwall - Highland Park and Scapa - and the ancient Skara Brae village which is spine-tingling.

Get an audiobook of Iain Banks' book Raw Spirit, about Scotch, driving in Scotland, science fiction, history and everything else. Atmosphere and laughter.

Ah, it's impossible not to enjoy Scotland, especially if combined with a search for the perfect dram. Have fun, and write a trip report when you sober up.

Agree on Avis prestige, they are excellent. Nice that they deliver and pickup from your hotel.

Just be careful if you use them that they charge in UKPounds. Last trip they charged my QF Cash card in A$ despite my telling them to charge in pounds. Cost me over £120 pounds in DCC fees (we had pounds on the card but no A$ so we were hit for double currency conversion. Several forceful emails and referral to ACCC finally got the fee reimbursed by Avis and MasterCard.)

Good side of Avis Prestige is they have great range of cars - have hired two Jags, an XE and XF S 3.0. MrsTMA still has sore neck from the XF. But the XE is lighter and handles better, although the XF is no slouch. Will be using them again with the DCC caveat.

 

[LittleFokker]

Keep in mind the Scottish "summer" is about 2 days, not necessarily together (or even in the same year). And midges.

I love it!

edit:

we're going in July for 12 days via an SG Suites Redemption and are planning to do the north coast 500 - I'll have to check out Avis Prestige,- somehow a Fiat 500 doesn't seem right

 

[opusman]

At least go to an island that doesn't have a bridge to it.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Keep in mind the Scottish "summer" is about 2 days, not necessarily together (or even in the same year). And midges.

I love it!

Actually, we've been in late September early October for the last two years and had just brilliant weather! Go figure.

 

[VPS]

See the site on the North Coast 500 for suggested itineraries. We did the trip clockwise around the top in around 7 nights. Do go to The Torridon - stay o/n 1/2 days (https://www.thetorridon.com/). The bar has more than 300 single malts to try, which is whay you need to stay for a few days. One day over the Applecross pass or Bealach Na Ba. Highest road in Scotland. (Applecross Peninsula and Bealach na Ba - Pass of the Cattle – Scotland Info Guide)

Stopped at several distilleries near Pitlochry - Definitely recommend The Edradour - Edradour Distillery, and very close is Blair Athol - https://www.discovering-distilleries.com/blairathol/

Little further north - Dewars (Grants) Aberfeldy Distillery. Then the 'home' of whisky in Speyside at Duftown.

Glenfiddich Distillery (Visit the Glenfiddich Distillery. Fully Explore Single Malt Whisky.) and Balvenie Distillery(https://www.thebalvenie.com/) and Glenfarclas (Glenfarclas) on the way. (Dufftown's Distilleries)

If you get over to Sky then definitely do the tour of Talisker. https://www.malts.com/en-gb/home/. Perhaps stay and eat at Three Chimneys. (The Three Chimneys, Skye)

The Diageo group also have a whisky passport, available free at their distilleries, which gives you free tastings and free tours at other distilleries.

Ref: https://www.visitscotland.com/see-do/food-drink/whisky/distilleries/

This place in Edinburgh is worth a visit - https://www.scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk/

I recommend you consider staying at Fonab Castle (Pitlochry), The Dornoch Castle Hotel, Ackergill Castle (North Highlands) and if money is no object, Inverlochy Castle. (GIYF - Scottish Castle accommodation - list of castle hotels in Scotland)

MODS: Suggest that we need a new thread for Scotich trips.

I'm heading to the UK in May for six months and I know we had a bit of a conversation about it somewhere (can't remember which thread) but I had a note to contact you in a few weeks when I finish work to pick you brains but this is a start - planning at least 10 days and hoping to spend a few days in the Orkneys

 

[Denali]

Many thanks for all the info! Will be checking back to this thread when I start planning after March. Sadly, because of work & projects ect, we are looking at April or May 2018 at this stage, but are prepared for the cold weather, at least there will be less tourists.

Im afraid to say the words car hire and Jag to my husband, and here I was thinking a Corolla or similar would do