Honeymoon in Scotland, trip suggestions

[tpa]

A Scottish friend from Texas, who visits Scotland most summers, sent this advice for NPG at my request and, although he has it by PM, I thought it also worth posting here for other potential visitors:

Twenty-one days sounds a long time for a trip to Scotland, however, although it may seem a small country, there is a lot to see. Also it takes longer than you think getting out to the islands and spending some time there.

Orkney is fascinating with so many ancient places to visit. However you really need about a week in Orkney to do it justice. It is also a long way from the Western Isles. If you are visiting mainland Scotland, Skye, perhaps Mull, and the Outer Hebrides that is probably enough for one trip. Ferries to Orkney and the Outer Hebrides are both expensive, especially if you are taking a car over. It would be difficult to get around without a car.

I thought that I would start with some general advice for planning your trip.

Information is readily available on the Internet and it is worth checking out car hire, accommodation and places of interest so that you can plan out a trip for the time available. A map, Google or otherwise, gives you an idea where places are situated. You can fly into Glasgow or Edinburgh – whichever flight is at the best price. Routes can vary, usually via New York or London Heathrow or Gatwick or even Dublin or Amsterdam.

You seem to want to see quite a lot on the mainland. Some of your places of interest can be included on your way to the islands, but places like Dunottar Castle are kind of away in the opposite direction.

I would suggest that you don’t plan to visit before June when the hills start to green up after winter. Earlier than that and it can look more like Afghanistan! June is marginally quieter and cheaper in that the Scottish school vacations start at the end of June. The weather in June could be glorious or awful! You will have very long hours of daylight at that time of year – from about 3am until 11pm.

B & B accommodation is cheaper than hotels and you get to meet the owners of the places you stay at. Many have family rooms, which is cheaper than two rooms. Unless you don’t mind sharing a bathroom with others, look out for the phrase “en-suite bathrooms” That will give you your own bathroom off the bedroom. Breakfasts are large and included in the price.

It is advisable to start early booking accommodation. I suggest starting around late January/ February. It is worth looking for accommodation this summer in the places you want to visit in order to see the cost of rooms etc. Sometimes the B & B’s are closed over the winter and so it is worth getting an idea of places to stay and prices during this year’s season, if you have the time, so that you have an idea of where you want to book early next year. Plan also to book ferries by March/April so that you can be sure of getting a crossing when you want. Remember it is a short tourist season, so good places get booked up quickly.

It is possible to visit Skye and then go on from there to Lewis and Harris. The ferry departs from Uig in the north of Skye to Stornoway, or you can travel from Ullapool on the mainland to Stornoway.

Skye, Lewis and Harris are bigger islands than they seem to be on the map and take time to explore. (It is also expensive to get there so you want to spend a fair amount of time out there.) Harris has the most wonderful beaches on the west coast and the east coast looks like the surface of the moon! Lewis has amazing places like Gearrannan – a blackhouse village, the standing stones of Callinish and the ancient Broch of Dun Carlow. Don’t expect much to happen in the Outer Hebrides on a Sunday!

For wildlife there are lots of boat trips where the owner knows where to go to see puffins, dolphins, golden eagles, sea eagles etc. Misty Isle Boat Trips in Elgol, Skye go out to the Isle of Canna and stop there for an hour or so. They know where to find the wildlife like dolphins and puffins. They also take people across to Loch Coruisk in the heart of the Cuillin Mountains, which is a shorter trip. Also, in Kyle of Lochalsh, on the mainland right next to the bridge over to Skye, Seaprobe Atlantis have wildlife boat tours with a glass bottomed boat .

If you considered visiting the Isle of Mull, the Treshnish Islands off the west coast have colonies of puffins that can be visited close up. This is sometimes combined with a boat trip to Staffa. Fingal’s Cave on Staffa is stunning. There are also other boat tours to see sea eagles etc. All these boat tours add to the cost of the holiday, but they are worth it if you want to have any chance of seeing wildlife.

Mull also has a very short ferry journey to Iona with its abbey, the island where Christianity was brought to Scotland by Saint Columba. It also has white beaches and green sea (when the sun shines!)

Ferries go out approximately hourly from Oban on the mainland to Craignure in Mull. That ferry is not so expensive.

As for the mainland, Edinburgh needs a couple of days. There is a lot to see. If you are planning to visit Doune Castle, you are only about five miles away from Stirling Castle, the ancient royal castle. They have just spent 12.5 million GB Pounds restoring the Royal Apartments to the way they were in the mid 1500’s. They have done an excellent job – well worth a visit. Also included in the ticket is the Argyll Lodging, just down the hill from the Castle – the townhouse of the Duke of Argyll when the court was in residence at the castle. Both Edinburgh and Stirling Castles are not cheap – about $20 each, but well worth visiting.

These are just some initial ideas based on your indication of when you want to travel and where you want to visit. I am happy to supply more detail if you wish. Please bear in mind that nothing in the UK is cheap. Meals, fuel accommodation and tourist sites are all at least one and a half to two times that in the States.'