Planning our first trip to Scotland - Need your help!

[Phil]

Train and bus travel between the main cities is good and frequent but if you plan to visit smaller out of the way places a car is essential. There are direct transatlantic flights into both Edinburgh and Glasgow (Continental from Newark) and plenty of car rental firms in either city. Just because Scotland appears fairly small on a map don't be misled into thinking you can cover it all in a couple of days. Also the main cities, Edinburgh and Glasgow, have enough sightseeing to take a few days each, depending on what you want to see. Dont plan on driving in Edinburgh as it is fairly compact and virtually everything is within walking distance or reached by an excellent bus service. Glasgow is more of a "working" city and although it has some excellent museums and art galleries is not really in the same historic league as Edinburgh.

[Pleater]

A sat nav will help with finding your way about, and so save time, both driving and walking.

I was surprised by how much time it saved finding places to park, places of interest, petrol, - once I got used to using it.

It does need to be up to date - my son failed to do that and was directed into a mid town area that had been pedestrianized, twice.

When hiring a car some places will provide a can for fuel - if you request it, as they have an interest in getting their vehicle back on time.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[BEEDEE]

Consider a rental RV. Jude and I got one in Glasgow for two weeks. Campgrounds averaged 25Stg a night. We had a unit with shower and toilet and good kitchen. Saved a bundle on meals and could change our itinerary on a whim.

Brian

[Darkislander]

I have heard that the best month to visit Scotland is February - it can only rain 28 days!

Yeah, but one month rolls into the next. I must say that any time I visit other places in Scotland I have yet to come across crowds. Nothing would compare to London where people constantly bump into you, they'd probably even walk over you if you were lying there.

[Pleater]

One thing that can be a shock is the cost of fuel here - I think that average prices in the US are less than half what we pay - and it is going up.

Just as I was typing that, the news is that petrol goes up 2p per litre from midnight.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[MacKay71 Wife]

Y'all have no idea how much we appreciate all this info!!! This is fabulous and makes us wish we could leave tomorrow!!!
Our target date is May or August/September. I am allergic to sustained cold. I know, sounds like a joke, but I'm serious! Also, for all of June and most of July, I work summer camp at a Boy Scout camp. So, from what we're hearing from y'all, those seem to be the best times to shoot for.
We are very definitely listening to your advice about getting out of the cities as that is what we enjoy anyway. Even when we go to "touristy" places, we try to get as much local flavor as possible. We are around crowds of people so much in our everyday lives (Delta Airlines, scout camp, my large family, our kids and their assorted friends, etc., etc., etc.,) we try NOT to do too many crowds on our rare breaks!! Don't get me wrong, we love all the kids, but.........

Potentially silly question about B&B's in Scotland, but I find it better to ask than get surprised later. I know some of this would probably depend on the individual place, but generally, what kind of privacy and toilet facilities are there? And, I have heard that the rental cars are relatively small compared to most American cars. (I drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee.) Is this true?

[MacKay71 Wife]

Oh, and, DUH about the pictures!!!

Scott is a great photographer, so you can look forward to some fabulous pics - sorry you're gonna have to wait!!!!

[Jock Scot]

Y'all have no idea how much we appreciate all this info!!! This is fabulous and makes us wish we could leave tomorrow!!!
Our target date is May or August/September. I am allergic to sustained cold. I know, sounds like a joke, but I'm serious! Also, for all of June and most of July, I work summer camp at a Boy Scout camp. So, from what we're hearing from y'all, those seem to be the best times to shoot for.
We are very definitely listening to your advice about getting out of the cities as that is what we enjoy anyway. Even when we go to "touristy" places, we try to get as much local flavor as possible. We are around crowds of people so much in our everyday lives (Delta Airlines, scout camp, my large family, our kids and their assorted friends, etc., etc., etc.,) we try NOT to do too many crowds on our rare breaks!! Don't get me wrong, we love all the kids, but.........

Potentially silly question about B&B's in Scotland, but I find it better to ask than get surprised later. I know some of this would probably depend on the individual place, but generally, what kind of privacy and toilet facilities are there? And, I have heard that the rental cars are relatively small compared to most American cars. (I drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee.) Is this true?

I drive a Jeep Cherokee. Jeeps would be regarded as moderately large here, by most people and certainly judging by the cars that people hire, when they fly up to see us, it would be larger than any hire car that I have seen.

I think it is fair to say most(not all I am sure) B&B facilities are very modern and at a guess, en suite facilities could almost be considered as the norm these days. I think there is some sort of star system handed out by the Tourist Boards that classify the quality of the B&B. Be warned! The water in parts of the highlands is brown! Well OK, a distinct brown tint to it. It is fine to drink and bathe in, but it can be a little disconcerting to run a bath and see peat stained water for the first time!

[ChubRock]

Our B&B experience was a little more homey. Common, but clean bathroom and shower. Our rental car was a Fiat Punto. Smaller than our Dodge Durango here, but fine for us (and we are bigger people.)

[Phil]

If you haven't already then look at this website - http://www.visitscotland.com/ which should give you some ideas and also has lists of accommodation. Don't worry about toilet facilities, most places in Scotland do have indoor ones nowadays so you don't need to nip behind a hedge at the foot of the garden anymore. No worries about privacy then. They also usually have bathtubs and washbasins and some even have showers. These have two taps (faucets), one for hot and one for cold water. Some may still have a shared bathroom but most have ensuites nowadays as well as tea/coffee making facilities in rooms.
Car rental companies have a variety of vehicle sizes and I am sure some will have Jeeps for hire if you want. Remember that many roads here are narrower and some have lots bends in them so you might be better with a European-type car which is more suited to cope with the different style of driving. They also use less petrol (gas) which at current prices varies between £1.05 and £1.15 a litre ($1.70-$1.86) compared with something like £0.45 in the US and is due another increase next January when VAT goes back up to 17.5%. Petrol is also more expensive in remoter areas of Scotland so fill up in cities when you can.