ljfinch4828

HI All -Traveling to Scotland with our 12 year old son. I will be touring for one day, the town/church/gravesites of my ancestry (Ritchies) in Stevenston, Ayrshire dating back to the 1700's (prior to that in Perthsire). Then, we'll be traveling on to see a bit of Scotland. We will have a rental car. Here is the intinerary:

Day 1: Arrive in Glasgow around 10am, get rental car and drive to the Ayrshire area (any recommendations) we will be visiting Stevenston.
Day 2: Visit anything we didn't get to see on arrival day, and then drive up to Inveraray for the night. (what should we visit on the way from Ayrshire to Inveraray?)
Day 3: Drive to Kilmarten Glen area -and see the sight around there. Then drive up to Glencoe for the night.
Day 4: Glencoe are hike of some sort (1 or 2 hours) and then drive to Isle of Skye (for 3 nights)
Day 5: Skye
Day 6: Skye
Day 7: Drive back toward Edinburgh (should we drive straight to Edinburgh so we have more time to explore? Or stay somewhere in-between en route? And if so, where?)
Day 8: Edinburgh -check into hotel
Day 9: Edinburgh - 1 full day in Edinburgh
Day 10: flight back home

janisj

Welcome to Fodors.

Are you flying in long haul?? If so do not drive the first day. Quite dangerous. Stay at least one night in Glasgow to recover and collect the rental car the next day. OR -- Stevenston is a 40 minute train ride from Glasgow Central. So you could easily visit the town without driving.

When is the trip and have you already booked accommodations on Skye??

Say you have booked in Portree . . . Portree to Edinburgh is a loooooong drive - close to 7 hours butts in seats w/o a single stop. So I would break up the drive -- but that leaves you scant little time in Edinburgh drive.


There are many places to break the drive but first we need to know if Skye is already booked because there are other easier/more logistically doable places.

nyse

I will enter my regular plea to Moderators to have posters include their location - state, country, continent -
anything would be helpful. If the system can keep track of so many other statistics, it could surely include a ‘residence’ field.
Please and thank you.

Jean

AFAIK, posters have to voluntarily (and purposely) put that info in their member profile. I know my profile doesn't indicate where i live.

But it would be nice if people gave a bit more detail in their initial posts to preclude the inevitable background questions.

Jean

If I have the location of Stevenston correct, it's less than hour's drive from Glasgow airport.

ljfinch4828

Hi All,
We will be coming into Glasgow from France and already on the time zone. Flight arrives in the morning -so there's enough time to get the car and get on the road to Stevenston. The trip is in June. We will be visiting the family gravesite that afternoon when we arrive and will stay the night in Stevenston.
Then Inverary 1 night, Glencoe 1night, and I had thought Skye might be nice for 3 nights (just so we can stay put for awhile and enjoy a breather from all the changing of accommodations). Then, from Skye back to Edinburgh, it does seem to be a very long drive (so thought to break up the drive somewhere- not sure where). Leaving only a small amount of time in Edinburgh (which is a shame).

As we have our 12 year old son, I thought he might enjoy Skye because of all the lore and stories. I do wish there was more time in Edinburgh, so if cutting off one night in Skye is the way to go, we will do that.

janisj

OK -- great -- no jet lag and driving will be fine and you won't kill anybody However you won't be on the same time zone -- there is an hour's difference between the two countries.

From your latest post it seems you have yet to book accommodations - that is especially important on Skye.

I might suggest you consider doing your three (or two even) nights on Mull instead of Skye. Ferry from Oban which would be a lot more convenient for Inveraray/Argyll. Then from Mull you could take the Fishnish > Lochaline ferry and the Ardgour > Corran ferry which would place you right at Ballachulish/Glencoe. Then driving from Glencoe to Edinburgh is a lot more doable.

Skye is lovely but it isn't the only lovely island.

Travel_Nerd

Not to hijack this thread, bit REALLY wish they would put sticky as "please provide helpful information" guide, especially since new posters have limited initial posts.

ljfinch4828

Thank you. This actually makes a lot more sense -and especially now that I'm seeing pictures of the throngs of people on Skye in Summertime. Thanks for the tip.