familyvac

Hi, Our family will be traveling to Scotland in August. We have a few days in Edinburgh to start and end with some in Glen Eagles to relax. Can anyone recommend how to spend 4 days in between? Kids are 10, 13, and 15. I'd like to see as much as possible without spending hours every day in the car. Debating St. Andrews and Aberdeen area or Culloden area or Skye area or some combo of these. Thank you.

janisj

I assume you already have your accommodations in Edinburgh . . . ? That part of your itinerary will be very (<B>VERY</Bcrowded and very busy. Are you going to the Tattoo?

Are you staying AT Gleneagles (one word BTW) or nearby? It is an <u>amazing</u> property.

With 4 days in between

I would consider one of these:

1) The Borders and Northumberland. Bamburgh Castle, St Abbs Head, the Border Abbeys, Alnwick (especially if there are Harry Potter fans) and a bit of Hadrian's Wall

2) Fife and up the coast a bit. St Andrews, the fishing villages, the Isle of May, Glamis Castle, Dunnottar Castle, the Scottish Deer Park.

3) The Trossachs and a bit afield: Stirling, Doune (MONTHY PYTHON), Inchmahome Priory, Loch Lomond, Killin/Falls of Dochart, Glencoe.

4) Argyll and Mull: Oban, Kilchurn, Mull/Iona, Kilmartin Glen, Glencoe.

My favorite would probably be #3 -- but that covers some similar territory as around Gleneagles.

Really any of the four would be great for a family.

xcountry

If your kids like to cycle look at spending a few hours cycling along the north shore of Loch Katrine near Callander. You can rent bikes at the Trossachs Pier. The route should be car free (the very odd one comes along but slowly) and the views are spectacular. You can also combine the bike ride with a boat cruise.

Lots of videos available online.

janisj

Just an FYI - xcountry's recommendation would fit in #3 of the proposed options above. Loch Katrine is lovely, there are lots of lochs/waterfalls in the Trossachs including

Bracklinn: http://coopercottages.com/wp-content...der-crages.jpg

Falls of Leny: https://www.visitscotland.com/wsimgs..._663141533.JPG

Loch Katrine: http://crianlarich-hotel.co.uk/image...e.jpg?sfvrsn=0

Loch Voil: https://www.natureflip.com/sites/def...e-scotland.jpg

and lots more

familyvac

Thank you for the ideas. We are thinking of staying up in Inverness and doing the battlefield, Cawdor castle and then the next dayheading down to LochNess, Eileen Donan Castle and Urquhart Castle and onto Skye. I'm wondering if we should stay in the Inverness area or Fort William area. I realize Inverness is closer to the Battlefield but wasn't sure which area might be nicer and which the kids might like more. Any thoughts are appreciated.

janisj

>>I'm wondering if we should stay in the Inverness area or Fort William area.<<

I personally would not stay in EITHER Inverness or Ft William. Near one or the other -- would be OK. But I would still travel to other areas.

Just how important is Culloden to you? That would determine if you want/need to go north. Cawdor is a perfectly fine castle but there are many other/better options.

Loch Ness is . . . well, mainly famous for Nessie . . . it is FAR from the most scenic loch.

historytraveler

While I agree with janisj's comments, I will add that IMO Inverness is a better choice than Fort William. I stayed one night at the Glen Mhor Hotel in Inverness last summer, and it was a very pleasant stay. The hotel is located across from the River Ness and has a good pub/ restaurant. Inverness has long been considered a rather dull and dreary place, but it has improved greatly in recent years. While I can't particularly recommend the town itself for an overnight there are a few good spots.

The area around Fort William gets full marks, but I'd never stay in the town.

I agree that Loch Ness is a bit of a ho- hum compared to many of Scotland's lochs.

Culloden is an excellent idea and something I think your kids would enjoy but, perhaps, head west from there. The Crannoch Center near Aberfeldy is another good stop for kids. I would also recommend Castle Doune. Don't get too caught up in the have to visit Skye syndrome. Consider instead the places janisj mentioned in her first post. Any of these would make a very good itinerary.

paulg

Doune is good, nay GREAT if you're a Monty Python fan, but if their kids don't know MP then it's just another castle IMO. Keep in mind that it was my favorite castle out of 15 or so because of MP. And my kids knew enough of it because of the ridiculous amount of MP movie quotes I've peppered them with over the years.

That said, with 4 days I would do Stirling (stop at the Kelpies first), Trossachs, Loch Lomond, Glencoe. It's not enough time to get to Skye and back and do it justice. And that would also be preferable scenery-wise to the Inverness area, though I really did like the history of Culloden.

familyvac

Thanks for the replies. We're not big MP fans so that would be lost on the kids. I am getting wrapped up in the 'must visit Skye' and it seems to be making things more challenging. I've also no idea where to stay if we want to see Portee and the Fairy Pools. Any ideas? I've also heard it's bumper to bumper. Is that accurate? If so, maybe will need to skip. Favorite Lochs?

historytraveler

<< I am getting wrapped up in the must visit Skye and it seems to be making things more challenging >>. Reread my post. Skye is great, but there are many, many areas in Scotland every bit as wonderful. Reread janisj's suggestions. Perhaps the Trossachs?

Favorite lochs: Loch Tay, Loch Shiel, Loch Etive, Loch Rusky (near Loch Lomond) to name just a few.

janisj

no, Skye is not bumper to bumper. But the travel is extremely slow due to mostly single track roads, so you would need 3 nights on-island to give you about 2.5 days. Still not enough time to see everything. Plus understand you can't be guaranteed seeing much. My first two visits I really didn't see a darned thing because of the weather. BUT - my third trip was fabulous.

They don't call it the 'misty isle' for nothing . . .

historytraveler

Skye can get crowded. I've been going there for nearly 25 years and the number of tourists has increased considerably. Not bumper to bumper but crowds are likely during the summer months. I was staying in Portree in 2015 and couldn't get into a restaurant until 8:30 pm.

BigRuss

Inverness is near Dunrobin Castle, which is great. Your odds of seeing an immense water reptile in any of Scotland's various lakes is slim.

BritishCaicos

http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/event/t...urge-775024651

Syke this August was bumper to bumper. Just book early.

historytraveler

Forget Scotland. Go to Iceland!

BritishCaicos

Iceland was even worse in the bloody "Golden Circle", overrun with cruise ship parties.

Head for Senja Island, Norway.

Or

The Southern Lofotens in winter.

historytraveler

Oh, I agree. I love Scotland and find the huge influx of tourists may not bode well for its future. It's already having an impact as places that once only had a few hardy souls are now inundated with tourists. My suggestion of Iceland was a bit ironic. I've been there and probably won't get back, and it too is immensely popular causing many of the same problems that Scotland faces.

paulg

It seems everyone I know has gone to Iceland in the past two years, or has plans to go in the next year. They have done a bang-up job with their tourism advertising.

cocinator5000

Hi! I'm planning a trip with teens for this coming summer and am feeling like Skye is a must but a long drive from Edinburgh. I'm curious what your family did on your trip. Please share your itinerary.
Thanks!

janisj

Welcome to Fodors cocinator500. You have tacked on to a year old thread. I know you are asking about familyvac's itinerary . . . But you will get more and better advice/feedback if you start your own, new thread with your own specific questions. There are many Scotland experts among Fodors members.

When you do re-post, include details like how many days you have for the trip, where you are flying in to/out of, etc.