subirnag1965

Hi all, I am from Kolkata, India. We will be visiting the UK next year (2024) in May.
We plan to visit Scotland for 6-7 days.
I have made an itinerary and seeking feedback and suggestions from the forum.

13-May-24, Monday
- Travel to Edinburgh (Fly from London)
- Spend the rest of the day in Edinburgh/ Edinburgh HOHO Bus
14-May-24, Tuesday
- To St Andrews, play a round somewhere in Fife
- Evening - Spend the night in Edinburgh
15-May-24, Wednesday
- Leave for Glassgow
- See Glasgow, HOHO Bus, evening
- Stay the night in Glasgow
16-May-24, Thursday
- to Glenfinnan, Fort William and Glencoe Adventure (Bus Tour)
- Stay the night in Glasgow
17-May-24, Friday
- Leave for Inverness (by Bus)
- Chill in Inverness
18-May-24, Saturday
- Isle of Skye (incl Talisker) and Eilean Donan Castle Day Tour from Inverness (incl Loch Ness) (Private Car Tour)
- Spend the night in Inverness
19-May-24, Sunday- Travel to Edinburgh/ Glasgow and leave for London by air

How does this itinerary look?
I am not sure if we should spend a day in Inverness but I cannot see how else to schedule.
Also, I was wondering if I rent a car for the full trip or just for the St Sndrews days and from Glasgow to Inverness and back?

Would be grateful to receive suggestions.

bilboburgler

I would avoid the HoHO bus especially in Edinburgh. I'd take the train from London to Edinburgh, the view from an aircraft is terrible and what with security etc it takes about as long as the train.

seat61.com
nationalrail for timetables etc

J62

plus the train is more eco-friendly!

AJPeabody

Considering jetlag from the trip from India to London, are you planning time in London before heading to Scotland? Otherwise your first day in Scotland will not necessarily be pleasant.

Madam397

Agree that the train ride from London to Edinburgh is the way to go, although we did in the reverse but the ride is comfortable and scenic and you arrive in the central location with easy access to many hotels and restaurants as well as walk up to the Royal Mile

janisj

Welcome to Fodors.

I tend to agree with bilboburgler's comment about H-o-H-o buses in general but disagree abut them in Edinburgh. You have almost no time in Edinburgh so really only enought time to explore the Royal Mile/Old Town on foot. So riding at least part of the H-o-H-o through New Town will give you a good feeling for the layout of the city. I'd take the H-o-H-o first noting the route so you ride through the New town and then up the hill to the Castle -- then hop off and explore the Old town on foot. I would not bother wih the H-o-H-o in Glasgow.

Having said that -- I would not enjoy your itinerary at all trying to cram in far too much and doing it very inefficiently with hub and spoke bus tours and private drivers. And I wouldn't spend a day of such a short visit in Inverness.

I would consider dropping Glasgow, refocusing on just Edinburgh and taking one of these three 3 or 4 day tours with Rabbies starting and ending in Edinburgh::

https://www.rabbies.com/en/scotland-...kye-3-day-tour

https://www.rabbies.com/en/scotland-...nds-4-day-tour

https://www.rabbies.com/en/scotland-...f-jamie-claire

I would probably take the train to Edinburgh -- UNLESS you are heading straight north from Heathrow. If you are arriving at LHR and immediately going to EDI -- then I would fly. If your will have been in London for a few days -- ten take the train. You could take the train one direction and fly the other depending on your itinerary as a whole.

wasleys

This is rather a vague statement and I wonder if you have gone into the logistics of it. I assume you won’t have golf clubs with you so will be looking to hire them? Although there are several courses at St Andrews you have prebook or for some, like the Old Course, need to to enter a ballot to play on them and you also need to have a partner. You can’t just turn up and expect to play a round of golf, except at the Balgove Course which doesn’t require an online booking.

I do wonder if this is the best use of time in such a short visit?

I also find it a disjointed itinerary and I’m not entirely sure what you are trying to achieve and what your objectives are. I’ve a feeling you may end up disappointed. I would also agree with janisj’s suggestion of booking one of the short tours with Rabbies

subirnag1965

Great feedbacks. Very valuable. Thank you all so much!

We will be in the UK for a month. So will have enough time for the jetlag to subside before we start for Scotland.

Got the point about the train. I guess we'll have to book much in advance so as not to pay high fares. Will try to do that.

Will check the 3-4 day bus tours. But I was also hoping to drive around a bit.

About golf, I'm doing the research and will book in advance to play in one of the many courses in Fife, probably not in St Andrews. Can't imagine visiting the birthplace of golf and not playing a round!!

I am a bit torn between Edinburgh and Glasgow and I know both have its uniqueness.

Thank you all again. Please keep it coming. I have many days to plan this out.

janisj

OK -- no jet lag and already in London - check. So yes - take the train from London up to Edinburgh. It is actually faster than flying city centre to city centre.

I don't totally understand your comment about wanting to drive around a bit?? Do you mean self-driving? If so, the only self drive I see in your original plan is the day to Fife/St Andrews. Question -- are you limited to 6-7 days in Scotland? Since it seems to be in the middle of a London stay -- if so could you squeeze in another day or two? That would help a lot. If you are limited in time and can't fit in a 4 days tour, do look over some of Rabbies other tours -- they also have some 2 and 3 day tours and lots of day trips.

Glasgow is a great city bit IMO/IME you simply do not have enough time -- if you only have a week stick to just Edinburgh and forget about Glasgow.

As for golf -- if it is a must there are just tons of courses in Fife -- the 10 courses in St Andrews, plus Crail, Anstruther, Aberdour, Elie, Leven Links, Kingsbarns and dozens of others. If golf is a major focus then do not try it as a day trip from St Andrews. Stay the night in St Andrews or Crail or Anstruher which will give you 1.5 days so enough time for a round of golf plus a bit of sightseeing . . . there is a LOT to see and do in the area.

Rent a car for just that period -- and definitely prebook your round and club hire. The Old Course is difficult but not impossible. IF only one person is playing get to he starter's cabin very early AM (which is another reason to stay overnight) and and put your name in. The Starter will place you in with one of the day's pre-booked twosomes or threesomes . . . you will need a handicap certificate and letter from your home course.

But if you forget about the Old Course and a couple of other premier courses it will be much easier -- you'll still want to prebook but generally that isn't a problem and you wouldn't need handicap certs/letters.

bilboburgler

Glasgow or Edinburgh. My take on it is Edinburgh is built into a mini-mountain side. Glasgow is on a river bank. If you have any walking issues then Edinburgh can be a nightmare.

For unknown reasons Glasgow was one of the first European cities to be based on a grid design that the Romans didn't influence. Edinburgh is a typical confusing ancient European mass of confusing ginnels and sudden courtyards.

Glasgow centre is not really tourist driven, Edinburgh is tourism all the way down, baby.

Madam397

I enjoyed both Glasgow and Edinburgh. We spent two nights in Glasgow and five nights in Edinburgh. We flew from Gatwick to Glasgow upon arrival in the UK and had that afternoon and the following day to tour much of Glasgow although another day would have been ideal. Easy train ride to Edinburgh, like a commuter train and then five nights in Edinburgh before taking train back to London. Two for one railcard worked well and we also used it for train to Windsor and then back to Gatwick Airport for the return trip home. So much to see and do. We did a tour one day from Edinburgh that went to Rosslyn Chapel, Stirling Castle and Dumferline Abbey that got us to three different places and was definitely worth it as I doubt we would have gotten to Stirling Castle had we not taken the tour which also stopped at the battlefield memorial, so good historical overview between the two. You can get to Rosslyn on buses from Edinburgh as well but the tour stop made in very convenient. We were picked up near St Giles on the Royal Mile and were dropped off there as well.ee

janisj

Sorry, but they really do not have time for both Edinburgh AND Glasgow. You spent as much time in just those two cities as the OP plans for the entire country including Skye and golf in Fife. Yes - Glasgow is a good place to visit but not if one doesn't have the time for both.

OOPS --- noticed in my previous post "f golf is a major focus then do not try it as a day trip from St Andrews." Obviously I meant don't try it as a day trip from Edinburgh - sorry if there was confusion.

subirnag1965

janisj I took your suggestion and dropped Glasgow and was planning to take the Rabbies Tour. Received our visa yesterday, but to my shock, realised that Rabbies is full on the days we need the bookings. Any other similar (if not as good) recommendations?

Thanks,

janisj

Oh that is too bad. But not to worry -- there is another very good company -- Timberbush. Same sort of concept and almost as well respected. Hopefully they are not also booked up.

https://www.timberbush-tours.co.uk/o...from-edinburgh

subirnag1965

Thank you janisj
Booked a 3-day Skye and Highland trip with them. I was planning a 5 day Iona, Mull & Skye with Rabbies, but Timberbush does not have that. Let's see how it goes.