Planning our first trip to Scotland - Need your help!

[ChubRock]

Mrs. Chub Rock and I landed in Glasgow, immediately took a train to Edinburgh where we stayed in a lovely Bed and Breakfast for five days. The B&Bs are very affordable and give you a chance to work on your understanding of regional Scottish accents. We did the entire Edinburgh thing including walking, taxis and a local daily bus pass to get all around the area outside of tourism spots.

We then hopped a train to Inverness. That train ride was beautiful! Once in Inverness we rented a car and drove to the castle we were staying in near Loch Ness. The Glengarry Castle provide us a huge beautiful room which included delicious four-star meals and service. It wasn't cheap, but it was our anniversary treat for three nights. We rented a car to explore the Highlands the all south and west from there.

We then drove down to Glasgow, returned the car there, and took bus tours of the city.

We rented a car so we could go around and visit castle ruins, which we did and enjoyed. We didn't spend time souvenir shopping, you can get that stuff online, but we did spend time on the Royal Mile looking for great food and to explore the closes. We used that time instead in the highlands to see Eilean Donan Castle, Castle Urquhart on Loch Ness and many many other ruins.

All in all in eleven days we discovered the following:

1) B&Bs are affordable and a great way to experience Scotland.
2) We wish we had gone to the eastern and northern coastal areas.
3) We wish we would have spent more time in and north of Inverness.
4) GlenGarry Castle is a great vacation spot.
5) I can eat tons of different varieties of shortbreads without getting full.
6) Get out of the cities and check out the lovely country.
7) It takes planes, trains and automobiles to see what you need to see.

We are now considering a month long stay in a cottage near Inverness to get away from it all.


Hope that helps!