Scotland travel advice

[northchesterforest]

I'm going to a wedding in Loch Lomond next month and things about staying on for a week for a holiday. I've never been to Scotland before but keen to do see some beautiful rural spots as we are up that way. We also love cute towns and historic places. Any advice on where to stay or visit would be most appreciated!

Speaking as someone sitting in the fog in my caravan, just outside North Berwick the 1st thing I'd say is that it's VERY weather dependent.
Fwiw my list is
North Berwick
Little Sparta (a gardens outside Edinburgh)
The Burrell Collection in Glasgow
Great Cumbrae
Stirling Castle
Kirkcudbright
Sorry, probably not great as they are scattered so widely. But I would choose places that aren't remote (like Skye) so that there are things to do if the weather's crap.
Not Princes Street in Edinburgh. We were there yesterday and it's very sad now, but the Museum of Scotland is tremendous.

You should get some beautiful autumn colour around Perth/Pitlochry area.

If you're going to Loch Lomond you're well placed to see some fabulous places. A week's not long so I'd not be too ambitious on distance.

Luss is pretty and has a little beach.

You could continue north up to Glencoe (Great food at the Bridge of Orchy hotel!)or go west to Oban (seafood on the pier!).

Head over to Stirling for the Castle (much better than Edinburgh's 😁) and climb up the Wallace monument. Take a drive out to Aberfoyle and over the Duke's Pass to Callander.

Drive out to Inverary for a walk about then stop off at the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar for lunch.

Park at Stirling station and train into Glasgow or Edinburgh for the day.

If you drive to Stirling it's well worth stopping off at the Woodhouse at Kippen or the Smiddy at Blair Drummond for a coffee or lunch.

I'll pray for decent weather for you!

Wow these are fabulous recommendations thank you! Yes let's pray for good weather haha

Oban and Inveraray are a must.

Loch Katrine for a sail on The Sir Walter Scott.

Aberfoyle for the Three Lochs Drive.

Callander, bit touristy but ok.

North from Callander up to Killin then along Loch Tay to Kenmore and Aberfeldy. You will pass some amazing scenery.

At this time of year I would definitely go to Dunkeld, Birnham wood and the Hermitage. In a good year it can rival New England for ‘Fall’ colours. Google Big Tree Country Scotland for some ideas.

If the weather is favourable it’s a great time to visit Scotland. Less tourists and no midgies.

I would probably stay somewhere in the Trossachs of maybe towards Stirling. You could always go north after the wedding for a few days and include Glen Coe, Fort William area. Then back down towards Stirling for the rest of your stay.

This assumes you are coming from down south by car of course.

I’d whizz back down SW to Galloway, 2 hrs drive. Fab coast, hills, historic towns, ruined castles. Bonus the Gulf Stream warms and your some of the way back home, so more time to spend in Scotland.

Don't travel too far - from Loch Lomond you are spoiled with fabulous places.

How about a real adventure with some ferries? I find a ferry really makes a trip special...

From Loch Lomond head over A83 down the Mull of Kintyre. So much to explore in that area which would fit with your nice places and historic - from Inverary, to Crinan, Tayvallich and Tarbert. There are some castles (Inveraray), lovely autumn colours starting, the Faerie Islands, good seafood, huge woodland walks and waterfalls, some really out the way places but within 30 miles of Glasgow as the crow flies.

From near Tarbert you can get the Claonaig-Lochranza ferry onto Arran. Arran is stunning, and you can easily lose a few days there - from Brodick castle & gardens, through to lovely villages, great beaches and really, really stunning rocky mountains. Even if you are not hillwalkers, a walk up Glen Rosa is just amazing to see the views and hear the stags rutting calls.

Lots of accommodation options on that loop as well, it is relatively toursity.

Then main ferry from Brodick to Ardrossan back to mainland, and home through Ayrshire roads.

OR,

Stay inland and head east - so from Loch Lomond head to Pitllochry via Loch Tay. Pitlochry is a great base for an autumn week - there are the biggest trees in the UK, high mountains, the remote and wild (and my favourite place in autumn) Loch Rannoch, the Falls of Bruar, Coronation bridge and walk from Pitlochry, the longest Glen in Scotland (Glen Lyon) with the best cafe in Scotland, 'easy' hill such as Ben Vrackie, Dunkeld is rammed with history, and you get to drop into Stirling on the way home which has a fabulous castle and history.

Great area.
Arran is worth a visit whilst in the area
www.donthibernate.co.uk/summer-trip-to-the-west-coast-of-scotland/