Please help me with my Scotland itinerary

[MrsXx4]

Hi all,

I am visiting Scotland soon and wonder if anyone can help with my plan. I have put a draft in place and a few things that I need to work around which I have already booked up.
Itinerary as follows:

Thursday - Lake District (already in place)

Friday - Lake District (already in place)

Saturday - Loch Lomand - ETA Noon. If I head straight out as soon as I drop my bags off will there be enough time to go on a water tour and see what its all about or should I also have the following day to explore Loch Lomond?

*If I need another day then I will miss out my Sunday plans.

Sunday - Oban - Get the ferry to Mull at 11am and return to Oban at 19.00.

Monday - Head to Fort William as we have booked the HP train ride.

Tuesday - Head to Ben Nevis to explore and stay in Fort William that night.

Wednesday - Aviemore - Trip on the Funicular Railway.

Thursday - Should we have another day in and around Aviemore or head to Loch Ness? I feel as I am in Scotland and soooo close I should go and see Loch Ness! please tell me if it is worth the visit. My other option for Thursday is Glencoe. So what is better Loch Ness or Glencoe?

Friday - I think we will start to head home and might try to make it as far as Windermere in the Lake District which we are very familiar with.

Sarturday - The final leg of our journey back down south.

This is very much a driving holiday and realise it may not seem like much of a holiday for some people. We have no children and are very active and enjoy the outdoors.

Thank you in advance.

Another day in aviemore - loads to do there and better than Loch Ness

Not much in glencoe to do unless you like walking. Views are superb but still better to stay in Aviemore - Loch an Eilean is nice and Cairngorm reindeer centre good too.

Wow, that is a lot of driving. Doesn't seem to leave much time for exploring, walking, hiking, looking at views or just being??

Also, bear in mind that all the roads from Loch Lomond up are either single track with passing places or very windy and slow with tourist traffic so you won't be bombing along at 70mph.

I'd stay longer in Mull. It's beautiful. While there, I'd go to Iona - a 5-min ferry. What are you planning to do there?

Glen Coe is very atmospheric and spooky with walks and climbing - www.glencoescotland.com/see-do/

Loch Ness - there are boat trips, Drumnadrochit, Castle Urquhart. I'd probably do Loch Ness... but depends what you're into!

Aviemore - you could walk round Loch Morlich, which is lovely. Or do the steam railway. Or visit the Boat of Garten RSPB reserve. Or see the reindeer herd. Lots to do.

I would amend so you see glencoe on way up the west from Oban to Fort William. It's stunning to drive along Glencoe but seems a bit silly to cross over to Aviemore only to come back across again.

You need to be careful of driving times, as what can be lovely in daylight can be very challenging in the proper pitch black, and if it's soon, be aware of sunset times so you don't get caught out. Take care with routes. It might look direct but be up and over the side of a mountain

Aviemore is great, Loch Morlich in particular (although we are usually there in summer) and if you come back down the A9 rather than back west then there are other lovely options in the Pitlochry/Dunkeld area.

Good point, plugin - you can drive from Loch Lomond via Glen Coe to Oban.

Oh I don't think I have time to do all that I want! As much as we love the driving and the walking and sight-seeing you are right that it doesn't leave time to just be or to really take it all in and enjoy! I think I am being greedy as I have wanted to visit for so long and I just want to do it all.

We have the HP train ride booked for the Monday so we have to work around that as it is fully booked all other days so we cant reschedule that part.

I feel that I am not going to have tome to go to Mull which I am really sad about.

If I went straight to Oban from The Lakes and missed out Loch Lomond I may be able to do it?

Saturday AM: Glenridding to Oban
Saturday Early PM: Oban Ferry to Mull

Sunday Late AM: Ferry back to Oban
Sunday Early PM: Drive to Fort William via Glencoe (for the views)

Monday: HP train ride and stay in Fort William overnight

Tuesday: Head to Ben Nevis for an explore

Wednesday: Head to Aviemore and have a chilled afternoon

Thursday: Stay in Aviemore and do the funicular railway

Friday: Start to head back down South.

Perhaps this is a better plan?

Well, you have to drive along the shores of Loch Lomond to get to Oban, so that would be good, just don’t stop along the loch.

Mull is much nicer!

Depending on when you’re going, snow may restrict some of your journeys. Keep an eye on the weather forecasts.

Revised plan does look more do-able!

An alternative to the Ben Nevis explore is to drive out to Arisaig area for the day. You'll pass that area on the HP train but there is loads to explore and some fantastic beaches, or if you love driving than touring round the Ardnamurchan peninsula. I couldn't tell whether you were planning to head up Ben Nevis?

What do you want to see? There are loads of standing stones and ancient graves to visit.