A Visit To Scotland - brainstorming

The Clyde islands Arran and Bute. Both are beautiful. The gardens of Mount Stewart House are worth visiting.
Both Edinburgh and Glasgow are good for shopping and a visit to the Glasgow Necropolis is really interesting with a guide to tell you about all the burials. Not what a lot of people would think of doing.

We have never been but were just talking about going to the Highlands or Isle of Skye so will look forward to what is recommended.
We just love fantastic scenery really

Apart from Edin/Glasgow, Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire are lovely, especially if you’re into castles and gardens. Beautiful coastal areas, too.

The Outer Hebrides. If you start from Glasgow you can get a plane to land on the beach at Barra - an experience not to be missed. You can pick up a hire car there and then gradually make your way up through the Uists (South and North) , Harris and Lewis. Why would I recommend it? Because it's an adventure which needs planning carefully (ferries, accommodation etc.) and I just love islands.

Depends what you want. Culture, shopping and cafe society, go to Edinburgh. Scenery and the great outdoors, the Cairngorms, the Northwest coast, and the inner isles. If you're a whisky fan, tour Speyside and do the odd distillery tour. Inverness and Loch Ness also worth a visit.

If you're lucky with the weather and in rude health and fitness, a day spent scrambling up Ben Nevis rewards the effort with magnificent views. A less strenuous option is to take the Cairngorm mountain railway. Pleasant cafe/restaurant at the top.

A wee word of warning which, not surprisingly the Scottish tourist board don't mention, avoid the mountains and the west coast from June to September, as you're likely to be eaten alive by midges. If you must go then, pray for a breezy day.

SueDonim

Apart from Edin/Glasgow, Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire are lovely, especially if you’re into castles and gardens. Beautiful coastal areas, too.

Agreed. There are also a lot of distilleries in Moray. 😉

Glen Coe is very atmospheric.

Depends what you are looking for, to be honest. Everyone talks about the Highlands and beyond and yes, they are definitely worth visiting, but places such as the Scottish Borders, Dumfries and Galloway and the Lothians are often overlooked and have plenty to offer as well. Same with Fife, especially the East Neuk. And yes, as a proud Scot, I am biased, but Scotland as a whole is beautiful. Wherever you end up, I'm sure you will enjoy it.

I agree *Blondiescot". Dumfries and Galloway is lovely as are parts of Fife and Lothian. Skye is packed out with tourists. The Outer Hebrides are interesting but there seem to be problems with ferries at present. Wait a year or so for them to be sorted out. Island hopping takes a bit of planning. Edinburgh will be diabolically busy for the next couple of months. It's much nicer in the Spring and Autumn.

You do need to be aware that you can't "do" all of Scotland in one visit. It is bigger than you think, and travel from one wonderful place to another can take some time. You are best to choose one region and really explore that. You can always come back again!

VisitScotland website (Scottish national tourist board) offers excellent advice re midges, ticks and other intermittent pests. They don't like wind, rain or sunshine so aren't as great a problem as people believe. If caught in a swarm it is unpleasant but the vast majority of visitors (and residents) haven't experienced this. There are plenty of repellents available. If they were as bad as being suggested how would the indigenous population cope!

I know I am biased but I love St. Andrews, having been brought up near there. I love the sandy beach and the shops. Times have probably changed but it used to be possible to buy 100% woollen cardigans and jumpers for a lot less than eg London prices.

I agree, lovely as Edinburgh is, it will be hell on earth there at this time of year.

In Fife, so close to the sea, fish suppers to die for, so fresh.

I have only been to Glencoe in the middle of winter so cannot comment.

I love the Black Isle, the East Neuk, and the Machar, although not all in one trip!

Island-wise, Arran, Colonsay, and Tiree are all great, but my favourite is perhaps tiny Kerrera isleofkerrera.org/see-and-do

Dont dismiss Glasgow and the west coast.Kelvingrove Museum houses Dali's Christ of St John on the Cross,worth a visit to Glasgow just for that ,but The Burrell in Pollok Park recently won the best museum in the UK it houses an amazing eclectic collection donated to the city by William Burrell ,including a couple of Rodin sculpures all set in beautiful park .Then Loch Lomond is just 20 miles away with scenery and the Ben for climbing ,not as high as Ben Nevis but the views from the top are outstanding and the wee village of Luss on the loch shore is my favourite place I was married in the church there ,although it can be busy in summer.Stirling Castle is about 20 miles from Glasgow and has a huge place in Scottish history and its a just a few miles from the Wallace Monument ,climb to the top of that and get a certificate and great views of the surrounding countryside
Loch Awe just a wee bit further up the road has an amazing church .You can reach Oban and Fort William easily for ferries( contrary to a previous post ,ferries are running at 97% on time,the other 3% is down to weather usually. Glenfinnan Viaduct as seen in Harry Potter ,Spean Bridge Monument to the Commandos who were first trained here in WW11 ,Rob Roy Mc Gregors Grave at Balquidder he was a sort of Robin Hood character and much to much more to mention l .Enjoy it when you come and remember theres no bad weather just the wrong clothes

paddyann you must know that those stats relate only to the ones still actually sailing. Some islands and connections have been cut altogether for many weeks as various ships have to be juggled around to serve more prioritised routes.

Wow. So much fantastic information from you all. I’m really grateful, thank you.

We stayed opposite the Islands of Eigg, Muck and Rhum (sp?.). It was late July and the weather was atrocious. Could not have been worse. Poured with rain, very cold and dense fog. Lots of old cars and vans just abandoned in gardens and fields.

After a few days we were advised to move inland, went about 15 miles and the weather was better but it had spoiled our holiday and we never wanted to go back.

I’d third Dumfries and Galloway, so unspoilt. It has the same geological landscape as Cornwall and Pembrokeshire. It also benefits from the warm air of the Gulf Stream.
Loads of beautiful empty coves and beaches, fantastic walks in the Southern Upland Hills and magnificent wildlife.
Culturally, it’s the area where the Glasgow Boys spent their time living and painting. The town of Kirkcudbright is known as Scotland’s Artist Town.
The history goes well back before the 12th century, with lots of castles, defensive towers and of course Robbie Burns.

Ohh forgot the Dark Skies National Park.

J52

Ohh forgot the Dark Skies National Park.

The skies are so clear at night there without the light pollution. We sometimes stay in a little bothy which is almost out in the middle of nowhere and it's so beautiful.

Yes, totally agree. Around August 17th there’s usually a Meteor shower. Amazing sight.

Blondiescot

Depends what you are looking for, to be honest. Everyone talks about the Highlands and beyond and yes, they are definitely worth visiting, but places such as the Scottish Borders, Dumfries and Galloway and the Lothians are often overlooked and have plenty to offer as well. Same with Fife, especially the East Neuk. And yes, as a proud Scot, I am biased, but Scotland as a whole is beautiful. Wherever you end up, I'm sure you will enjoy it.

I would agree with all of these suggestions. Galloway is probably the quieter with a small distillery and good book shops in Wigtown as well as mountains a beautiful beaches.
The borders around Melrose and Kelso have lots to see and do.
East Neuk has good beaches and seafood and is very near St.Andrews.

The highlands are beautiful however ......... We love Dumfries and Galloway!! Don't miss it.

Och Aveline why would your first thought be to tell visitors that there MAY be an issue with SOME ferries.They may well not have any intention of using those ferries to get to those islands.Calmac stats this week show that ferries are running at 97% efficiency . Are you working for Wm or the Scottish unionists ANTI Scotland brigade?
Tell people whats good and there is so much that is ,be positive about the country, its people,, its culture, its vision .
I ran businesses for 45 years if I'd immediately been negative about any aspect I doubt we'd have survived for more than 5 ..

Cant you just TRY to be a positive voice for Scotland ....leaving your hatred of all things SNP out of it ? .