August 2017 Trip to Scotland

**Livingston** · 13th December 16, 02:46 PM

My wife and I had planned to travel to Scotland in spring 2017 but are changing to August. We will be in Edinburgh for the Tattoo the 19th but want to see much more. We will fly into Glasgow, rent a car, and travel up the west coast to Oban. We will spend a few days on Lismore then continue through Port Appin, Ballachulish, to Ft William before heading to Edinburgh. We would like to visit Culloden and ???? Any suggestions for places to see/visit? We like to do simple hikes, visit a few distilleries, museums, etc. The Falkirk Wheel is on my list also. Plans are to arrive in Glasgow on 9 August and leave there on 28 August. Dates other than the Tattoo can change. Thanks for your suggestions.

**fflex** · 13th December 16, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by Livingston

My wife and I had planned to travel to Scotland in spring 2017 but are changing to August. We will be in Edinburgh for the Tattoo the 19th but want to see much more. We will fly into Glasgow, rent a car, and travel up the west coast to Oban. We will spend a few days on Lismore then continue through Port Appin, Ballachulish, to Ft William before heading to Edinburgh. We would like to visit Culloden and ???? Any suggestions for places to see/visit? We like to do simple hikes, visit a few distilleries, museums, etc. The Falkirk Wheel is on my list also. Plans are to arrive in Glasgow on 9 August and leave there on 28 August. Dates other than the Tattoo can change. Thanks for your suggestions.

While in Falkirk you must stop and see The Kelpies, absolutely awesome sculpture. Callander House is also in Falkirk, you can see remnants of Antonines wall there. Wallacestone is only 10 minutes from the Falkirk Wheel, this is where William Wallace commanded his men in his last battle, it also offers an amazing view of the Forth Valley. The Wallace Monument and Stirling Caslte are a short drive. Linlithgow Palace is nice to see (birth place of Mary, Queen of Scots)(that's my avatar).The Forth Bridges at South Queensferry are not too far off and well worth seeing (3 bridges crossing the River Forth, built in 3 different centuries). I'll be home in Falkirk at that time and plan to go to the Tattoo on the 19th too....

**California Highlander** · 13th December 16, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by Livingston

My wife and I had planned to travel to Scotland in spring 2017 but are changing to August. We will be in Edinburgh for the Tattoo the 19th but want to see much more. We will fly into Glasgow, rent a car, and travel up the west coast to Oban. We will spend a few days on Lismore then continue through Port Appin, Ballachulish, to Ft William before heading to Edinburgh. We would like to visit Culloden and ???? Any suggestions for places to see/visit? We like to do simple hikes, visit a few distilleries, museums, etc. The Falkirk Wheel is on my list also. Plans are to arrive in Glasgow on 9 August and leave there on 28 August. Dates other than the Tattoo can change. Thanks for your suggestions.

Sounds like a lovely trip!

Near where you'll be is Glencoe, which is quite beautiful. Glenfinnian is also near Ft William.

Culloden is near Inverness, which is a bit shy of a 2 hr drive north of Ft William. You could then come back through the Cairngorms the next morning on a leisurely trip to Edinburgh (depending on how you drive and how often you stop). I stayed at a lovely B&B "Sealladh Sona" and highly recommend it. The hosts were great, food was great, and it's right on the Calendonian canal, so you see all sorts of boats yet it's an easy walk to town.

Not sure what you like to see/do, but Clava Cairns are very close to Culloden and quite impressive. I also think the Tarbat Discover Center (Portmahomack, Tain) is really well done and not well known, and more people should visit. The same can be said for Groam House. I enjoyed the entire Pictish trail + Pictish stones & places a bit further afield, so that area was very fun for me to visit.

Distillery tours that were amazing were Old Pulteney in Wick and Glendronach, near Huntly. Neither near where you'll be, but if you do get nearby, you must go!

**John_Carrick** · 14th December 16, 12:28 AM

If you do go to Inverness to see Culloden, you could also take in Fort George, which was the government's response and is still an actual military base (for the time being) as well as a tourist attraction. Maybe a touristy trip on Loch Ness (possibly include Urquhart Castle). Inverness is a pleasant visit too.
John

**Kiltedjohn** · 14th December 16, 03:26 AM

There are so many possibilities. You will get lots of suggested places, and the danger is that you will want to visit all of them! Be careful not to have such a big itinerary that you spend too much time on the road - more time travelling form place to place than actually being there. I recently spent a week in Edinburgh, and that wasn't enough time to do everything even in that locality!

Whatever you decide, I hope you have a great trip!

**Jock Scot** · 14th December 16, 04:41 AM

Crikey where do I start? In seventy something years, I still have not seen all that Scotland has to offer! You have had good suggestions already.

At Port Appin the Pierhouse Hotel is well worth a visit for a first rate meal, it will not be cheap!

At Ballachulish you could take a minor diversion to see Glencoe and then perhaps a slightly longer diversion to see the splendid scenery across Rannoch moor(about 20 miles),then about turn and head to Fort William(FW).

At Fort William, there is the Jacobite steam train trip to Mallaig and back(stunning scenery). Also, in the centre of town is the small but extremely interesting West Highland Museum.

If you want a fairly energetic 7/8 hour(there and back) stroll, there is a reasonable path up the UK's highest mountain, Ben Nevis. Please take sensible clothing and footwear as the weather can change at a blink of an eye to harsh conditions---even in August.

Some 12 miles out of FW, heading for Mallaig, is Glenfinnan. On the way out/back you will pass over the Caledonian Canal with a masterful example of water engineering of a series of locks called Neptune's Staircase and well worth a look

On the road (A82) out of FW, heading towards Inverness is the Commando Monument at Spean Bridge.Well worth spending half an hour there for the view alone.

Of course you (anyone else too) could give Jock Scot a shout too!

On the way up the Great Glen, Nessie might be sighted( don't blink or you will miss it!

) A boat trip on Loch Ness is a thought, as is a stop at the ruins of Urquhart Castle .

At Inverness, you are spoilt for choice, but you have Culloden, Clava Cairns, Fort George(a must see in my opinion) a superb museum is within and the dolphins are usually to be seen from the ramparts, and Cawdor Castle are all within a twenty mile radius of each other.

Should you wish to head back to Edinburgh from Inverness down the A9, then look out for the ruins of Ruthven Barracks at Newtonmore, on down the road the Dalwhinnie Distillery, a few miles on is Blair Athholl(a must see) and a very nice shop just before it, the House of Bruar, that might on its own, take you all day to get round. They do a nice lunch too. Be Warned, that shop could cause the credit card to melt!

I think I had better stop there!

**neloon** · 14th December 16, 06:01 AM

You can't do everything, of course, but don't forget the Northeast
https://www.visitscotland.com/destin...en-city-shire/

Alan

**Kiltedjohn** · 14th December 16, 10:04 AM

(In spite of my earlier comment...)
If you are at Blair Atholl, you are very close to the legendary "road to the isles", passing Loch Tummel and Loch Rannoch. Very scenic, particularly the famous "Queen's View" at Loch Tummel, which has been much photographed.

**cessna152towser** · 14th December 16, 02:24 PM

Everything you suggested, Oban, Fort William etc. sounds good, except Edinburgh which is the one place I would rather avoid especially at Festival and Tattoo season, much too touristy. If you do decide to visit Edinburgh, a day trip by train from Edinburgh into the Borders will give you a brief taste of our beautiful scenery and Border Reiver history and you will also catch views of Borthwick Castle and Crichton Castle from the train, and if I am free I will meet you for a coffee. The train journey takes just under an hour each way.
Glasgow in August, you might time it right for the week long Piping Live Festival which immediately precedes the World Pipe Band Championships.
My wife and I spent a week based at Fort William earlier this year, from where we made day trips to the Isle of Skye and the Isle of Mull, Aviemore and Cairngorm Mountain and also did the train trip to Mallaig. Letterfinlay Lodge is under a half hour drive from Fort William and offers excellenty cuisine, me met up there with Jock Scot.
If you are fit, Ben Nevis is a good full day trek. On the one occasion I did it, the cloud rolled in and it was misty on top. Better perhaps to ride the mountain gondola on the Aonach Mor, one of the lesser mountains of the Nevis Range, which gets you up there much quicker and offers good views.
Oban has memories for me as I worked there for a time in the nineteen eighties and had my career turned out differently I may have settled there as it is a town which has all the facilities you could wish for. Tommy's Barber Shop on Stevenson Street still does cheap hair cuts for men just like when I used to go there in the nineteen eighties but the barber is a younger man nowadays. A nice day out for a road trip, taking in the Isle of Mull could use the coast road from Oban to Fort William, take the Mallaig road and turn off at Lochailort for Acharacle, then down the Ardnamurchan peninsula to Kilchoan, car ferry to Tobermory, drive along the Mull coastline to Craignure and then the ferry back to Oban.

**ThistleDown** · 14th December 16, 03:21 PM

Inverness and district: Culloden, the Clava cairns, Fort George and the Royal Regiment Museum, Inverness Botanic Garden, the Wardlaw Mausoleum if you are an Outlander fan (or a Fraser), and if you are there August 4 and 5 come out to Moy and say 'hello' at the Field Sports Fair. Then if you go down from Inverness to Edinburgh on the A9: Tomatin distillery, Newtonmore's Macpherson Museum and open-air Highland Folk Museum (more than a half-day in itself), as well as Ruthven Barracks. A bit further is Dalwhinnie distillery, at Blair Atholl is Blair Castle, just before Pitlochry is Killiecrankie battlefield, at Pitlochry itself The Moulin Inn & Brewery (try their Vale of Atholl), Edradour distillery and the Explorers' Garden, and at/near Perth are Huntingtower Castle, Scone Palace, Balhousie Castle and the Black Watch museum, and Elcho Castle. Most of these you can search online for more info.