Two Weeks in Scotland's Highlands

Thanks, Erik. I appreciate the suggestions. I suspect I'll stay to the west and north. Trying to decide if I want to stay someplace new each night, or base myself for a few days each in a few locations.
 
wgerrard said:
Trying to decide if I want to stay someplace new each night, or base myself for a few days each in a few locations.
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Dear Bill,

The former is more fun (it's what Frances and I normally do) but you waste more time looking and have to start looking earlier. You can buy a B&B guide and 'phone ahead but you don't get to see the room before you take it...

You may find the following (about what to look for in a room, and one night versus three) useful, or possibly just amusing:

http://www.semiadventuroustraveler.com/semi look at room.html

And if there are Loch Fyne kippers for breakfast, go for 'em.

Cheers,

R.
 
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I'm leaning to the "base myself somewhere for a few days" notion. Primarily because I am prone to spending too much time in the car, just driving. I've put off this trip for several years specifically because I was worried I'd just drive and drive and drive.

Skimmed your article, and now settling in to read it all. The bit about parking is important to Americans, who are used to seeing anything and everything surrounded by acres of parking.
 
wgerrard said:
Booked an automatic....
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Wise man. I didn't. And using the left hand on the stick was an adventure.

Memory: After visiting Culloden, I took a left out onto a main thorough-fare and ended in the right lane (instead of the correct left lane). A truck was coming head on and our lives flashed in front of us. As the truck horn blared and my passenger and I screamed, I did an emergency u-turn to get going in the 'right' direction. This of course, took me into the right lane going the opposite direction. Now a car was coming directly towards us and my passenger screamed again. Luckily the two other drivers had quick reflexes. I pulled over onto the dirt and we laughed like crazy since no one was hurt and our whole lives had flashed in front of us. We consumed scotch and Guinness for the next 48 hours or so.

If you like people, I agree about spending less time in the car. I had a great time meeting folks from all over and walking the West Highland Way (years later my feet still remember hiking on granite). As for the midges, just stay low and keep moving.
 
The Isle of Skye oughtta be on the list of the top ten landscape photography opportunities in the world...and where there is a great landscape you will find great people!
 
wgerrard said:
I've driven a lot in the UK, but not for 20 years. Booked an automatic, and Inverness is the biggest town I'll be in. I should be OK. (Lesson I learned on my first trip, to Wales: Get to your destination before dark.)
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It's always 'dark' in Wales
 
dazedgonebye said:
Bring a rain coat...and an umbrella.
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On the islands an umbrella is going to last about 5 seconds.
Not during the summer, but I've seen the wind rip the door off a telephone box in Lerwick.
I've also lost count of the number of times, were I struggled to open the car door due to the wind.

A Gore-Tex Jacket is a good investment - and one with a storm hood helps keep the midges at bay.
 
Most of Scotland is covered by Google Earth and Streetview. Have a look at the sort of scenery you will see and note the types of roads you will be driving on. North of Inverness many of the minor roads in the interior are single track with passing places and roundabouts are a rarity.
 
Richard C said:
Most of Scotland is covered by Google Earth and Streetview. Have a look at the sort of scenery you will see and note the types of roads you will be driving on. North of Inverness many of the minor roads in the interior are single track with passing places and roundabouts are a rarity.
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Dear Richard,

Lovely quote from a remote Highland crofter to a friend of mine some 40 years ago: "Aye... I suppose there must be quite a lot of double-track roads in England...?"

Cheers,

R.
 
wgerrard said:
I suspect I'll stay to the west and north.
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Then Sandwick's suggestion of Ullapool/ Lochinver is one to take seriously.

I'd suggest another might be around the Arisaig/ Mallaig area, from which you can access Skye as well as Morvern, Ardnamurchan and the Small Isles of Eigg, Rum, Muck & Canna (do all four on the Saturday afternoon Calmac boat out of Mallaig - the best value short cruise you'll get anywhere I'd say).

Not sure how long you're here for, but those two will fill up a week and give you most of the best of the West Highlands, though not Glencoe & Rannoch Moor, which would take you further south, but you could head across Glen Lochy and down to Oban, then back up to Mallaig... I could go on

PM me if you want more detail - maybe see you around here
 
Take the road north from Inverness to Beauly, about 30mins drive. Visit this place
http://www.ffordes.com/contactus

Best camera shop in UK. Gallery and cafe also, huge selection of new and used.
Easy parking outside, building is an old kirk (church )
A trip up nearby Glen Affric in the Fall is superb.
 
Jim-st said:
Then Sandwick's suggestion of Ullapool/ Lochinver is one to take seriously.

I'd suggest another might be around the Arisaig/ Mallaig area, from which you can access Skye as well as Morvern, Ardnamurchan and the Small Isles of Eigg, Rum, Muck & Canna (do all four on the Saturday afternoon Calmac boat out of Mallaig - the best value short cruise you'll get anywhere I'd say).

Not sure how long you're here for, but those two will fill up a week and give you most of the best of the West Highlands, though not Glencoe & Rannoch Moor, which would take you further south, but you could head across Glen Lochy and down to Oban, then back up to Mallaig... I could go on

PM me if you want more detail - maybe see you around here
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Thanks, Jim. I've got 12 nights. I'll plot your suggestions out in the morning, but they sound in line with my intentions. I want to base myself in 2-3 places.
 
Roger Hicks said:
Dear Richard,

Lovely quote from a remote Highland crofter to a friend of mine some 40 years ago: "Aye... I suppose there must be quite a lot of double-track roads in England...?"

Cheers,

R.
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It's been a long time, but I clearly remember remember sheep in Scotland having the good manners to stay off those skinny roads, while Cornish cattle used them for family reunions.
 
Oh man... Most everyone chimed in with my first suggestion, Skye, but all the suggestions so far are great. I did that trip a bit more than a decade ago, by bus and hitching... Lewis is great, and there was a fellow who ran these neat little tours out of Stornoway to a small nearby island, to old blackhouses and viking mills, so if you go there, find out if he's still doing it–I enjoyed that a lot.

Anyway it'll be gorgeous... enjoy your trip–I'm jealous!
 
wgerrard said:
It's been a long time, but I clearly remember remember sheep in Scotland having the good manners to stay off those skinny roads, while Cornish cattle used them for family reunions.
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Dear Bill,

It's even more interesting when you're riding your new motorcycle at night, and you come to a corner, and the cows aren' t there but the evidence is, and when you've picked yourself up, you have to ride to the next village by moonlight.

Fortunately that was almost 40 years ago.

Then again, when my first fiancée was a baby, her parants collected a Dartmoor pony with their car. It took them some time to find her -- she'd been thrown off the back seat and had rolled under the front seat. Unhurt, but they were REALLY worried for a while.

Cheers,

R.
 
All the nice places are south of the forth:D
First thing to do when you arrive is buy some 'Avon Skin so Soft' best stuff for midges and doesn't melt plastic or rubber!
 
Well, it's lovely here at the moment. The sun is almost out and little wind. Midges only in the interior too. Was pi**ing down yesterday though - but warm enough to walk on one of the many deserted beaches round here.
Plenty to photograph on the islands here - even if you don't 'do' the obvious Callanish Stones and beaches. Photo exhibitions too - one at An Lanntair at the mo.

You are very welcome to join Lewis Photographica [continuing] coffee morning at An Lanntair on Mondays at 12.30. Or just call in for a cup of tea.
 
Suggestions:

Inverness - Loch Ness - Fort Augustus - Kyle of Lochalsh - Plocton - Skye (Uig)- Gairloch - Ullapool - Achiltibuie (stay or at least dine at the Summer Isles Hotel) - boat trips to the Summer Isles - Laxford Bridge - Durness - Tongue - +++

that's not even mentioned any of the islands or Glencoe, Oban, Road to the Isles, Mull (Tobermory, Calgary), Iona etc etc etc

Have a wonderful trip!
 
I have been on Scotland highlands for the last 4 years...... (also orkney and shetland).
people are fantastic (expecially on islands) and landscapes are impressive. I hadn't seen the phantomatic midges and had none problems with the roads (considering that I'm italian and I drive on the wrong side of the road :)). You have to expect one or two showers a day ... so raincoat is reccomended!. But after rain the sun and light is incredible!.
Bring with you a wide-angle (I prefer 24 and 35mm), and if you are interested to birds... a 300mm is quite good.
Mallaig in front of the skye isle is very nice, and also the other little islands with their beautiful sands are (for example Mull and Iona). On Skye island don't forget to visit the talisker bay (and, why not, the Talisker Distillery).
At the end post your photos whe you'll came back!.
cheers

alberto
 
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