Edinburgh Castle 2. A beautiful castle and on your way to Neist Point, Dunvegan Castle was originally constructed in the 13th century but was remodeled in a medieval style in the 1800s. Wow, what a lot of great info! You can walk in the steps of Robert Burns and Walter Scott, or discover the places that feature in classic Scottish novels. Like most in Scotland, expect a very muddy trail. I’ve also included a suggested number of days for each leg of the journey, though this is entirely up to you. Anyone who is not confident/experienced driving in the UK, Visitors with longer than 10 days in Scotland. Here I recommend the best things to do in each destination, where to stay, and where to eat and drink. First, parking is extremely limited! If photography is your goal, you may want to note this as a good end-of-day option. The most famous name in all of Scotland belongs to Loch Ness, due primarily to the folklore that surrounds it. Created by a user from Canada. These summer months are the most popular time to visit Scotland, and with good reason. We found parking lots and other roadside pull offs to stay in. Even without being able to access the castle, I loved the way it looked against the fall colors from the road and felt like that was the best vantage point for photos anyway. For the city lovers, your next stop will be a 1.5-hour drive to Glasgow; a city paradoxically known as the murder capital of the United Kingdom, as well as Europe’s friendliest city! Thanks . If you are not comfortable driving a large vehicle in a foreign country, stick to a compact. Charlotte, NC, USA. Frequent clouds blocked most of the light during sunrise and sunset. As most camper vans don’t have room to cook inside, this can be a huge problem. We are spending 10 days in Scotland and would like to have no more than 2 or possibly 3 cities to be home base. If you prefer hotels or B&Bs and don’t mind being confined to a preset schedule based on reservations, then this is the way to go! Also, be aware that it is common to encounter deer, sheep and other animals on the road in rural areas. However, as always the images you got are amazing. Keep your eyes open and camera ready! If traditional Scottish castles do not hold great appeal to you, you may want to spend your extra time on the North or East coast instead of following this route. However, you will need to keep walking to the OTHER side of the water, where you will see another sign and entry point. Instead, take the route the buses go, circling the north of the peninsula. All purchases or bookings you make through We Dream of Travel come at no extra cost to you. Please select Yes to allow this. You are able to climb to the top of this fairly easily by taking the path from the car park. Despite being only the remains of a castle, Dunalasatir Castle was my favorite in Scotland. Our goal is to create helpful & inspiring travel guides that combine our passion for photography with our insatiable desire to explore. There are, however, numerous campsites all over Scotland so I can’t imagine you’d have an issue finding somewhere each night, but during peak season may need to book in advance. If your version of the best Scotland road trip itinerary features the NC500, you will simply need to alter the FOURTH LEG (orange pins above) to drive from Eilean Donan Castle to Inverness via the north coast. 2020 Taste of Scotland & Ireland – 10 Days / 9 Nights / 16 Meals. You will have to pay £12 to enter, and unlike many castles, you will not be able to explore after hours. Assuming you came in on the B834, you will park and begin your walk by making a LEFT onto the A809 (heading south toward Craighat). These photos are captured at the Glenfinnan Viaduct, which will be on your way to the Mallaig ferry, or a slight detour for those driving to the Isle of Skye. I’ve followed you for a while and to find out you came to my village, Aberfoyle, and what’s even worse is you were disappointed. We Dream of Travel is also a participant with the Booking.com and GetYourGuide Affiliate Programs. Many photographers prefer the view on the far side of Loch Awe, shooting back across the water and Kilchurn Castle. You can enjoy that thrill again and again with our Island Adventure tour plan which hops up the west coast from Arran to Mull and then to Skye. The Scottish highlands and scenery en route to Glencoe is hands down the most beautiful part of the country, though its microclimate also makes it one of the most challenging in terms of weather. Of course, you always have the more traditional option of doing your Scotland road trip by car! I can only imagine how much of his days are spent with strangers poking around, having picnics, and even peeking through windows. Thank you on a detailed impressive guide! For a relaxed 9 day North Coast 500 itinerary, you schedule a tour as follows:    >>> READ MORE, To comply with data protection regulations (2018), we are unable to store and use your information unless you give us your permission. See the best 10 day tours through Scotland. If you are partial to whisky then it’s worth stopping in here for a Scottish whisky tour at Ben Nevis distillery. If you need to take another day from your trip, you can slash Stirling Castle and Glengoyne, or couple one of those with a half day in Glasgow, leaving you with seven days. The scenery around Gairloch is stunning and Mike rates it as his favourite place in Scotland. Despite more foul weather than I would have liked, I absolutely loved the Fairy Glen and its strange, otherworldly feels. >>> READ MORE, A visit to the Scottish Islands is a special experience, but Lewis & Harris offer something extra special. It is an absolute must during your 10 days in Scotland! These are perhaps the best months to schedule your 10 day Scotland tour. In 2019, the best 10 days in Scotland for leaf chasers occurred from Oct 15-Oct 25. Thank you for all this amazing info! 48 10 Day Scotland tour packages with 109 reviews View Map. Your email address will not be published. With all that said, please make sure you are extremely confident driving UK country roads and understand passing culture if you choose this option. The only thing to note before beginning the hike is that you need to stay right at every loop and trail fork to walk the most direct route to the iconic view, looking back across the Old Man. We recommend you allow 9 - 10 days in Scotland for a satisfying tour of the country’s diverse scenery and history. Well, not when you have decided to rent a car and drive around the entire Island(s). The unofficial capital of the highlands, Inverness felt like a big city (and it is by highland standards), but it is only the 13th most populated city in Scotland. During my visit, there were literally dozens of waterfalls streaming down the sides of the mountains in every direction. This 19th-century priory has all the feelings of a haunted house… and legend has it that it just might be! For a road trip of 9 days in Scotland, we suggest this schedule:   >>> READ MORE, The “Classic Scotland” tour plan features all the iconic places that Scotland is best known for. Or alternatively, look into staying in a highland bothy for a unique Scotland adventure. There are not a ton of stops in this region, which is why I suggest assessing the available days you have left at this point and deciding if you feel ahead of, or behind, schedule. We plan on driving to Lake District in England after Scotland so that is direction we will ultimately be heading to . The new requirement was announced just hours before it entered into force at 4am on Monday. READ MORE: Top 20 Best Castles in Scotland. Another little gem that has become increasingly popular (and still difficult to find) is the incredible Finnich Glen! There is a parking area that is free, but it will be full by sunrise. I was told that the fall colors would be brilliant here, particularly in the Aberfoyle area and Queen Elizabeth Forest Park. I arrived after closing, which meant I couldn’t enter the castle itself, but I was free to roam the grounds. Click here to check campervan availability in Scotland. In addition, passengers who have travelled to Scotland from Dubai after January 3 are also being asked to isolate for 10 days from the date of their arrival in the country. It was bigger than I expected, but still very walkable, with lots of bars, restaurants, and cafes. To be honest, I was not overly impressed by the scenery of Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park, especially as the foliage had yet to turn. Finally, don’t forget to check out our other blog posts on Scotland to help you plan the perfect Scottish vacation: This looks wonderful! I absolutely recommend a motorhome if you are planning a road trip during off-peak seasons, and loved my experience with Spaceships UK. If you make a booking or purchase through one of these links we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Maybe fit in a day in Glasgow which is quite a contrast compared to Edinburgh. So we returned again to explore its collections. Start your 10-day Scotland road trip in the “Gateway to the Highlands,” Inverness. Visit Edinburgh Castle for a majestic tour like no other. As for the scenery, the lake drive is sort of pretty, especially in the fall, but the only item that really makes the itinerary is Urquhart Castle that sits at its base. Perhaps the biggest consideration you will have when planning a trip to Scotland is the type of vehicle you chose. Likely to fly into Glasgow. Visited everything from Edinburgh Castle, to Arthurs Seat, to new Town.The Double Decker tour buses are a great way to see a little of everything and then stop to explore a place you want to see more of. I’m just wondering where you park and sleep each night and do you need a hookup for the camper? Jump to bottom. The autumn season is arguably the best time for trips to Scotland. The only one I would really recommend to the photographers is Dunalastair Castle; this was my absolute favorite castle in all of Scotland! Parking is plentiful but comes at a small fee. Please don’t be one of those people. This almost slipped under my radar, but I am so grateful I learned of it because it ended up being my favorite sunrise destination in all of our 10 days in Scotland! As Urquhart Castle is on your most natural route to Inverness, you may as well stop in. How much of this you get through will depend on the pace at which you prefer to travel. There are many very small roads, and understanding the passing places and road etiquette will make for a much more enjoyable trip. *Pro tip: While you can catch the train on its return journey in the afternoon, the morning photos will be much better. However, spring visitors will definitely want to budget some extra time here as it receives new life this time of year when over 100 varieties of daffodils carpet the scene! It is easily one of the most breathtaking waterfalls in Europe. The best way to plan a North Coast 500 itinerary is to schedule in lots of 2 night stays so you have time to explore the quiet corners. You … Thank you! Scottish people are literally the nicest I have encountered anywhere in the world, and Edinburgh was just as friendly despite being a big city. They say good things come in threes! If you are hoping to cover the NC500 route as part of your 10 days in Scotland, you should consider skipping Neist Point and the northwestern peninsula altogether. Your email address will not be published. Visit Scotland. A massive cascade spills over a sheer rock edge, plummeting directly into the ocean below. As I had elected to spend the majority of my time in Glencoe and the Isle of Skye, I was relegated to skip the NC500 and take a more direct line to Inverness. If you would like to visit Balmoral, be sure to book your tickets ahead of time and plan accordingly; the castle tour is among the most popular of the Scotland tours available, and books out well in advance. B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner. For this guide, I have attempted to provide only the pertinent information on Scotland’s major points of interest, while providing some suggestions for time-efficient routes. With the weather relentlessly rainy, we opted to save the time and miles and head around Loch Lomond to Luss instead. You saved me a lot of researching , I really hope you make it over soon – let me know if you do! There is so much more to share, so I will get to work on the details. Posted by Toni. In order to truly be the best Scotland road trip itinerary, this stop needs to be on your route! With that said, here are few more castles you could visit on your way back to Edinburgh, if you have the desire. Both Glasgow and Inverness are good points to stop and start a tour of the Scottish Highlands. Google will take you to the car park and walk-in entrance to the castle grounds. It would have meant another slight detour which I simply did not have time for, but Bow Fiddle Rock is an interesting sea stack on the northeast coast of Scotland that is popular for photographers. It is very pretty, but not as grand as some of the other sunrise destination in Skye. I have seen some neat photos at sunrise or sunset, but unless you really get some sky fire you won’t be able to capture much color in your frame. READ MORE: Camera Gear for the BEST Travel Photos. Maybe next time. Highlights along this route are Stirling Castle, Blair Castle, Crathes and Castle Fraser, Cawdor Castle, Dunrobin, Eilean Donan, Castle Stalker and Inveraray. Yes,… Some are designed for first time visitors and cater for the tourist that wants to experience all that makes Scotland memorable. Starting off in Glasgow, we’ll be checking out the major sites such as Glasgow Cathedral and Kelvingrove Art Gallery. You will have no trouble finding this one, and it is absolutely worth a stop. Also, be warned that driving a motorhome or oversized vehicle here is very difficult, and parking it is near impossible without a lot of luck! A campervan is a great option for road trippers who don’t mind small spaces and want the ability to sleep nearby to shooting locations, but anyone spending more than 7 days in Scotland should consider a motorhome. I was surprised at how many of Scotland’s points of interest did not have facilities. This is a good itinerary for a road trip in Scotland if you want to see places that are not on the mainstream tourist trail. From here, you can either head northeast toward Portree and the iconic Old Man of Storr, or northwest toward Neist Point. Second, this was the only time in my first week in Scotland that the rain let up and I saw some sunshine! Note: This will largely depend on whether or not you plan on including the NC500 (North Coast 500) route to your 10-day Scotland travel itinerary. We had the iconic Ben A’an viewpoint as a sunset destination on our road trip itinerary. 2 days in Edinburgh walking the historical streets and enjoying the cosmopolitan buzz. An itinerary for 9 days could be paced as below. Authorities said it introduced the rule after "a number” of positive cases were detected in travellers flying into Glasgow since the start of the new year. Luss is a charming old town tucked against the impressive Loch Lomond. 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