Planning our first trip to Scotland - Need your help!

[MacKay71 Wife]

Okay, guys! Gather the tourist info I'm really looking forward to your answers!!!

Scott and I are planning our first trip to Scotland in 2011. (I know it's a long time from now, but in order to do it right, we have to have a lot of advance planning and saving!)
1. When is the best time to go (although we would have loved being there for the Gathering, and other than Games and Festivals, we don't generally like huge crowds.)
2. What are your top five items on your must see and/or do list?
3. What's on your "don't bother, huge waste of time/money" list?
4. Where are the best places to eat and stay and why?
5. Any further advice?

[Jock Scot]

Okay, guys! Gather the tourist info I'm really looking forward to your answers!!!

Scott and I are planning our first trip to Scotland in 2011. (I know it's a long time from now, but in order to do it right, we have to have a lot of advance planning and saving!)
1. When is the best time to go (although we would have loved being there for the Gathering, and other than Games and Festivals, we don't generally like huge crowds.)
2. What are your top five items on your must see and/or do list?
3. What's on your "don't bother, huge waste of time/money" list?
4. Where are the best places to eat and stay and why?
5. Any further advice?

Gosh! I actually think that a local is the last person to ask! May/early June and September/early October, would be the best months,not so many people and I think Scotland looks at its very best during those months.

If you like being away from the crowd, and it is something I do when we have visitors, is find a glen, any glen, Glen Roy is my favorite, go at dawn or an hour before dusk and sit and watch and listen. The silence can be deafening and I have always had smiley faces at the end! Providing the midgies keep away.

Four vital bits of equipment! Warm waterproof coat, hat, camera, pair of binoculars.

Be warned! Some(a few), not all by any means, Scottish hotels can be ruinously expensive!

If I can help further please ask. The Highlands are my speciality, I am not too hot on the rest of Scotland apart from shooting and fishing.

[cessna152towser]

Definitely come in spring, summer or autumn. Many tourist attractions are closed from the end of October through to Easter.
Do visit Glasgow which has some lovely parks and buildings, a nice waterfront and great shopping.
Do visit the rolling southern uplands of the Scottish Borders.
I can recommend Dumfries as a place to visit, both for its Burns heritage and for excellent value for money at Ferintosh Guest House.

[ForresterModern]

I can only speak from my limited one trip 11 day experience in Scotland last year at the end of may and early June. Most of that was spent in Edinburgh where there is a lot to see, but which probably only requires at most 4-5 days to see most of it and get your fill. The interesting stuff is in the countryside and Highlands. I recommend making your plans include a regional highland games so you can see how the real scots do it, rather than our sometimes over the top americanized versions. WE spent most of our non-Edinburgh time in the Grampian highlands/Aberdeenshire and along the coast from St Andrews to Aberdeen, a beautiful drive with lots of lovely villages to stop in and great history, if you know what to look for. We centered for three nights and 4 days around Huntly in Aberdeenshire, staying at the stately Castle Hotel there and using it as a base of operations. Lots of castles, distilleries, neat little villages to see, taverns and restaurants to visit, and easy access to both the eastern coast and northern coast of the central highlands as well for visits to those lovely villages. In my opinion best place to get your fill of scotch distilleries if that is up your alley.

Cannot speak to the Glasgow area or western coast, islands or northern highlands as we had no time to get there----fodder for a future return trip.

One tip would be to really try to research your trip, routes, sites and events along the way, as unfortunately many of the more interesting things to do and see are not well marked, and you would drive right by them without even knowing it. Not many big advertising signs to lure in sight seers in rural Scotland---to my view it looks a lot like it probably did a hundred years ago except for the better roads and associated facilities. Get a few books that describe things you might like to do or sites you might like to see then try to plan a rough route to cover those areas, leaving time for Jock's suggested stops along the way to smell the roses---strike that, the heather. Enjoy.

[Jimmy]

Probaby you could not do any better than look at Mael Coluim's thread about his very recent holiday in Scotland, there's plenty in it for anyone visiting Scotland

[Jock Scot]

I am not going to say "this" bit of Scotland is better than "that" bit if Scotland; all of it has its merits.What I have noticed though, is that the huge area,in Scots terms, North of the Great Glen(Inverness on the East to Fort William on the West) is often missed, which is a real shame. The Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland are well worth a thought too.

[Bruno]

Watch your tartans in Glasgow. Last time I was having a dram in Glasgow I went out to have a cigar (damned smoking ban).

I noticed a guy in Celtic tartan and his mates attempt to enter a rangers pub. The fight piled into the street. Dozens of fans appeared as did all the pub doormen and police. Chairs were used as weapons bottles thrown etc. Just be aware that Irish national looks very much like Celtic colours, while rangers are in a mainly blue tartan. Word to the wise wearing a different pattern could save you a trip to hospital in the wrong area.

[rab _]

I agree that coming outside of July/August time is a good idea to avoid the "worst" of the crowds. That said the atmosphere in Edinburgh during the festival (August) is very special.
I recommend a trip to Skye, hiring a car and driving via loch lomond and up the west coast (assuming you will arrive in Edinburgh/Glasgow). The scenery is fantastic and if you give yourself a few days you will have plenty time to stop off, Scotland is pretty small so it's no problem getting around if you have a car.
The 3 chimneys is a very well thought of restaurant on Skye, unfortunately I had to to cancel my booking so haven't got to try it yet, but friend's have recommended it highly.
I should admit I am an Edinburgh boy, but you should at least give yourself 3 full days there, there is an incredible amount to see.
The witchery is a good bet for a special dinner or restaurant martin wishart, which is probably the best in Scotland. These aren't cheap, mind you!
Another thing you could consider is a trip during the 6 nations rugby tournament at the beginning of spring time, Edinburgh really comes alive and there will be plenty kilts on show

[wvpiper]

Travel by rail and bus,get a Britrail pass commensurate with the number of days you'll be traveling.

[Bruno]

Travel by rail and bus,get a Britrail pass commensurate with the number of days you'll be traveling.

Rail and bus is fine in some parts but if you get into the more remote areas they are useless. Some areas have no buses on the Sabbath while in other areas you need to use a post office van for transport as they have no bus services.. If you have a reliable car or can hire one you will have more freedom to get around and stop and explore. I have travelled from London by train and it can take 12 hours on the overnight.

If you just want to visit the cities use the bus and train but anything more adventurous get a car. I have travelled by bus coach and car and to be honest nothing beats stopping on a remote road with the old field glasses at dawn to watch a couple of deer wandering out of the mist...a thing no train or coach can do.