From a travel point of view that isn't too much but do you want to do much in the way of visiting places (like touring a castle). That makes it harder to say because it would affect the route and then take time out of day.

to start an idea (or agrument!) off I'll chip in with this:

Day 1. Lakes to North End of Loch Lomond via Dumfries, Kilmarnock and the Erskine Bridge.

Day 2. via Glen Coe, Fort William and Loch Ness to Inverness.

Day 3. to somewhere like Stonehaven or Montrose on the coast between Dundee and Aberdeen.

Day 4. via the Tay and Forth road bridges to Edinburgh.

each leg has an easy 3- 4 hours driving so would allow time for breaks in a full day. Use small guesthouses/B&Bs to get the real Scotland.

Your big problem is the car in Edinburgh at the end, do you intend staying in the centre?

I would head through Glencoe, via Fort William and onto Skye via Mallaig. Then return by the Skye Bridge and head south to Edinburgh via Pitlochry. That way you'll see the best scenery - the north west - and also the "softer" more wooded area of Perthshire.
You could spend your first night somewhere around Glencoe, and two or three nights on Skye or nearby.

Thank you both for the messages - I suppose the first step is to get a decent map and then I can identify the places. I must admit not considering Skye as I thought it was too far up - but looking at their website it does look wonderful.

I had found a route on the following site (it costs £7.99) which I don't know whether it is worth considering or not:
http://www.link=removed.com

As far as Edinburgh goes, we will drive up in a hired car (seeing relatives on the way) and give it back to the car agency in Edinburgh - taxi in to the city for the few days and then taxi out and fly back back down.

I just hope there will be less rain this year!!!

Helen

Do I read that correctly - they charge you £7.99 for writing out the directions and giving somes tips on places to visit? Plus an extra £6 if you want an accomodation list? We're in the wrong game here!!

Get yourself a good road atlas. Go to one of the discount book chains (like The Works) and get one of the big annual atlas' that mysteriously drop in price by 75% just a couple of months into the year, the Ordnance Survey one is what I'd go for but if you can't find it the AA version will do. You'll need a map anyway, even if you pay for directions what would happen if a road was blocked?

The Scottish Tourist Board has always set the UK standard for accomodation services (my local English office still aren't up to the standard the Scots set the first time I went there - in 1976!!). Use their search option to find places. I've just done a random search for B&B in the Loch Lomond area and top of the list was this one in Tarbet (which is where I suggested for the first night).
http://guide.visitscotland.com/vs/guide/5,en,SCH1/objectId,ACC61194Svs,curr,GBP,season,at1,selectedEntry,home,topNav,1/home.html - it's just an example but it shows how well designed the site is, the blue menu at the left gives a good access map and clear info on what you get and how much it costs.

If you do head for Skye via Mallaig don't forget you'll have to tie your itinery in with the CalMac ferry timetable. http://www.calmac.co.uk/

If you choose to drive from Dundee/Angus to Edinburgh, when you cross the Tay bridge, head for St Andrews rather than driving straight down the A92 and drive round the coast through St Andrews and the East Neuk fishing villages. The harbours at Crail and Pittenweem are gorgeous and there are lots of pubs and restaurants selling very fresh local fish. You can follow the A917 from St Andrews right round the coast to Upper Largo where it becomes the A915 and that will take you back to the A92 at Kirkcaldy which will take you south to the Forth Bridge and Edinburgh. When we were in the East Neuk in October we saw lots of dolphins/porpoises in both the Forth and the Tay.

Elaine is right about the East Neuk of Fife. It's a really unique area and well worth a visit.
I would also be wary of paying for an itinerary. You can do it yourself for free and it's fun to plan.

Thank you for all your advice - I photocopied our road atlas section of Scotland today and pinpointed all the places you suggest and visited the web-sites. I am going to plan out a route and will post it when finalised.

Glen Coe and Fort William look very impressive, equally Crail and Pittenweem very pretty - photo opportunities abound!!

Thank you about the ferry link to Skye - I hadn't accounted for that - but as seasoned Greek Island visitors - that should hopefully not faze us!

I also thought Pitlochry looked really interesting to visit - also it carries the possibility of maybe a "castle-like" hotel to stay in!

Once again, thanks for your recommendations - if anyone needs advice on the Greek Islands, please ask!!!

Helen

Just one other question ..... is it worth staying in Glasgow for a night? If so, any recommendations for a particular district?

Thanks. Helen

My favourite road is the A82 up the side of Loch Lomond, to Glencoe via Rannoch moor, on to Fort William and then carry on up to Inverness. The scenery is STUNNING almost all of the way. The Grampian region is worth visiting and also Pitlochry.

Thank you, yes, so far my route takes us up the A82 - stopping off for the night on Loch Lomond - on to Mallaig for the ferry for Skye. We will pass by Glencoe. I hope that the drive is not too ambitious from Loch Lomond to Skye in one day? Or maybe a stop in Mallaig would be better. My four days touring Scotland is becoming a little too short a time to take in everything!!!

Helen

Just one other question ..... is it worth staying in Glasgow for a night?

I may be slightly biased, but I would say yes, especially if you have an interest in museums, galleries or shopping. However, if your time is limited and your interest is more in scenery and sightseeing, then I would be more inclined to spend that time in some of those places already mentioned, going north up the A82.

David

i'd say Glasgow is a place to visit when you haven't got a car - whilst you're paying for one there's better places to use it.

And assuming you can fit in with the ferry timetable, Glencoe is more than a place you drive through, see http://www.glencoe-nts.org.uk/Visitor-Centre-g.asp

Loch Lomond to Skye is doable for one day but I wouldn't stay the night in Mallaig itself. It's not got a lot going on really.

Glencoe is awesome. Most people stop on one of the lay bys to take pictures and there's a visitor centre at the north end of the glen. Just driving through the glen gives me goosebumps. Getting up the hills even better but you probably won't have time. If you want a stop for food, the Clachaig Inn - signposted to the right halfway through Glencoe is worth a stop for lunch/coffee/dinner.

If you're concerned about the ferry carry on north to the Skye Bridge and cross to Skye there. You'll pass some great scenery.
I'd skip Glasgow. Great city but you're already spending time in Edinburgh.

I just stumbled across this website whilst researching my own holiday tour of Scotland this May.

I followed Helenaylward's suggestion and bought the Travel guide itinerary that she mentioned from xxxxxxxxx.

All I can say is WOW!

It is so much more than I expected and much more than just route directions with tips on what to do.

I've spent the last 2 weeks getting perplexed about how much I can do, what to do and where it is.

The Itinerary from xxxxxxxxxx covers it all and even has places that don't get mentioned on my road atlas (which is big).

For example it suggests a side road for a photostop overlooking Edinample Castle beside Loch Earn, and there is the really nice to know little stuff like an Art shop in Aberfeldy that specialises in paintings by Scottish artists, or a bakery in Blair Atholl that uses flour from the old watermill next door.

The route directions also give estimates of travel times and tell you what road signs to look out for and how the road junctions are laid out. Sorry to disagree with you Steve8482, BUT you just don't get that sort of stuff in a Road Atlas or Guidebook.

Apologies if this sounds like an advert, but I am really excited by what these guys are doing and I think they've got a great idea. I also think that £7.99 is a fair price, given that I have already spent £18 on a Road Atlas and "the Rough Guide to Scotland".

Just a pity that they don't do Ireland as well!

Hi,

Just been reading the information sheets in mt xxxxxxxxxxx guide about the Wallace Monument and they say that it is a bit overpriced at £6.50 when all you get to see is 3 rooms and only one is really about William Wallace.

I'd like to see the sword that they mention, but does anyone else have any opinions about whether the Wallace Monument is worth visiting?

Thanks!

Apologies if this sounds like an advert

clyro1978 alias Aurelia ... funny you should say that, because yes it does !!

Please stop making a fool of yourself by trying to mislead our members, when there is absolutely no doubt that you are connected with the business which you are mentioning in your posts.

Anyone who might consider using the services of that website as the result of any recommendations read, please take note !!!

David

Back to business. The Ordnance Survey 2009 atlas is now down to below £5 in the discount shops (I've just seen it at £1.99 if bought with any other book!). You can print off fine detail maps of local areas as needed from http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk (and if you've some basic knowledge of Windows you can stitch them together to print bigger areas!).

As an example of a place to stop off at, on the A830 to Mallaig is Glenfinnan. Lovely view to the south with Loch Sheil and the monument to Bonnie Prince Charlie raising an army in 1745 to fight the English. And looking north is the viaduct where Ron almost crashed his flying Ford Anglia whilst chasing Hogwarts Express in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets". How's that for a clash of cultures!!!

OK Hands Up it was me It was wrong of me and I'm sorry!

BUT Steve, you really got me angry by being so dismissive about what we do and you made your judgement without even reviewing our Itinerary!

Please send me an email and I will give you a free copy of our itinerary so that you can see the amount of time and effort that we have put into researching our guides.

We have driven every mile of our itineraries, visited every place that we recommend and invested over 3 years of our lives, not to mention all our savings, into the development of these itineraries.

We get great feedback from everyone that buys our tours, so it REALLY HURTS when someone can make such a smug comment without even seeing one our Itineraries!

Sorry for being stupid before, but it was done in a moment of emotion and frustration at your comments!

mmm.... is it possible I could have a free itinerary too, please, as I started this argument!!