Scotland-anyone been?

[notasheep]

Plan to get in the car drive there with tent and stop as and when to camp,caravan or b an b for 2 weeks all very independant and go as we please.

Could this end up being a nightmare?

dd6 ds1

Baby lily your timing must be good if you can get around Loch Katrine with hardly anybody there. Most weekends it is very busy and the car park fills up very quickly. But it is lovely and the boat is good too.

Haven´t read all the messages so sorry if it´s a repeat, but we went last year and had a fab time on the west coast, just driving around. As we left, found a book on youth hostels - the scottish ones generally look incredible, lots of facilities for kids, some in really wild and wierd places, foot only access, huge castles etc. Was dying to go but ran out of time. Maybe worth a look?

Midges are a total nightmare. Really. You just end up inhaling the little buggers.

How 'bout the Borders? Lots of castles, abbeys, beaches, hills and less of the midges and over-developed-can't-move-for-tourists (not to suggest that the rest of Scotland is. Just Fort William. And John O'Groats. And other places mentioned below )

We are still hoping to go-but feel spoilt for choice with all this great info from you mums

My suggested West Coast itinery would be:

Drive to Oban
Ferry from Oban to Mull (Craignure)
Explore Mull and Iona
Ferry from Tobermory (Mull) to Kilchoan (Ardnamurchan)
Drive to Arisaig
Camp at Arisaig - amazing beaches
Ferry from Mallaig to Armadale (Skye)
Explore Skye
Drive from Skye via Skye bridge
Explore Fort Willian Glencoe area and then back south.

From Skye you could get the ferry from Uig to Tarbert (Harris) or Lochmaddy (South Uist) and explore the western isles - though you would probally need longer than 2 weeks.

If you are getting more than one ferry you are cheaper to buy a Hop Scotch ticket - full details are on the Calmac website \link{http://www.calmac.co.uk/hopscotch-rover.html\here}

There will be lots of midges though - Ardnamurchan is especially bad!