Hi, now it's decided ... This summer vacation will be held in the UK!

 

We arrive in Newcastle, coming with the ferry from Amsterdam, June 29th. Will then continue up north to Aberdeen and depart there July 1st for Kirkwall, Orkney Islands.When returning to Aberdeen a few days later we plan to continue along the coast up north in Scottland until we start going south again along the western coast. Apart from Highland Park Distillery in the Orkney's and Arbeg, Lagavulin and Laphroaig Distilleries at the Island of Islay no more distillery visits are planned. We are also looking for natural wonders, wildlife, castles and other things we find along the route down the west coastal areas as well as the southern parts back to Dover where we take tunnel car train back to France, then we drive up through Denmark and back to Malmö where we live in the southern part of Sweden.

 

My thought's are that maybe some of you can point out a few nice places to see or things to do that are not mentioned in all the tourist books? We are not city people so anything in or close to bigger cities goes away directly, to visit small villages will however be on the todo list ... ;-)

 

Any thoughts or ideas are welcome!

 

Have a nice day!

Dunotter Castle very close to Aberdeen is very nice

http://www.dunnottarcastle.co.uk/

 

Lunan bay is a cracking beach if you're lucky with the weather.

http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/montrose/lunanbay/

 

South Queensferry is just north of Edinburgh, very picturesque and you can go on a boat trip under the two (and a bit) bridges

 

The Caterthun Iron age forts near Brechin, not much there but free and nice for a picnic

http://www.britainexpress.com/attractions.htm?attraction=4370

 

All East coast BTW.

Dunotter Castle very close to Aberdeen is very nice

http://www.dunnottarcastle.co.uk/

 

Lunan bay is a cracking beach if you're lucky with the weather.

http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/montrose/lunanbay/

 

South Queensferry is just north of Edinburgh, very picturesque and you can go on a boat trip under the two (and a bit) bridges

 

The Caterthun Iron age forts near Brechin, not much there but free and nice for a picnic

http://www.britainexpress.com/attractions.htm?attraction=4370

 

All East coast BTW.

 

Thank you Aspman for your suggestions, will add them to my list now.

 

However, I totally forgot to mention our interest in motorcycles and auto's, mainly V8's but everything is actually of interest ...

 

Have a nice day!

If you have time the the Isle of Skye is a wonderful place with the Talisker distillery and for Natural wonders the Old man of Storr on Skye has to be seen.

The ride down to Fort william and Ben Nevis from Skye takes in some wonderful countryside and great roads.

Skye, Skye, Skye, Skye, Skye, Skye.   Anywhere on the island. Remarkable scenery akin to Norway, very wild.     Haven't been to Norway but that's the way I imagine Norway is.

Hi guys, definitely added Isle of Skye to the list!!

 

Thanks for all suggestions so far ...

Ok, I know you said "no more distileries planned", but Oban and, since you'll be in Orkney anyway, Scapa go nicely with the 4 (or 5) already cited IMO.

 

Are you doing the long sail out of Oban or the short one from Kennacraig to get to Islay? I've got a couple of possible ideas, but which makes more sense depends on your route.

Take mozzie repellent for the west coast or you'll get eaten alive.

Ok, I know you said "no more distileries planned", but Oban and, since you'll be in Orkney anyway, Scapa go nicely with the 4 (or 5) already cited IMO.

 

Are you doing the long sail out of Oban or the short one from Kennacraig to get to Islay? I've got a couple of possible ideas, but which makes more sense depends on your route.

 

Hi, Oban is not one of my favorites but will look into Scapa ...

 

We will sail from Kennacraig to Islay and back the same way, hope that will fit any of the ideas you were thinking of  ...

Take mozzie repellent for the west coast or you'll get eaten alive.

 

Thanks! Read about them but forgot, a repellent will be bought ... asap.

Hi, Oban is not one of my favorites but will look into Scapa ...

 

We will sail from Kennacraig to Islay and back the same way, hope that will fit any of the ideas you were thinking of  ...

I think Scapa is "like Highland Park but nicer".

 

Depending on your ferry times and previous or next overnight stay, there's a nice botanic garden on Gigha (served by Ferry from Tayinloan, a few miles South of Kennacraig) or you can do a circular tour of Kintyre (obvious using a UK road atlas that shows our B-roads) in a morning.

I think Scapa is "like Highland Park but nicer".

 

Depending on your ferry times and previous or next overnight stay, there's a nice botanic garden on Gigha (served by Ferry from Tayinloan, a few miles South of Kennacraig) or you can do a circular tour of Kintyre (obvious using a UK road atlas that shows our B-roads) in a morning.

 

Hi again!

 

The tour around Kintyre is now on the todo-list, let's just hope that we have time for everything we like to do ... ;-)

 

Thanks!

If your ferry plans are not fixed another option is to get the ferry from Orkney (St Margaret's Hope) to Gill's Bay (close to John O'Groats).  The drive from there down to Inverness is great and loads of little villages to on the route, or if you are really adventurous you could go round by Cape Wrath.

If your ferry plans are not fixed another option is to get the ferry from Orkney (St Margaret's Hope) to Gill's Bay (close to John O'Groats).  The drive from there down to Inverness is great and loads of little villages to on the route, or if you are really adventurous you could go round by Cape Wrath.

Just take note; with a stop at Durness (visit Smoo cave, one of the biggest sea caves you can visit dry-footed and maybe the craft village) and a lunch stop, a practical drive from Gill's Bay or Scrabster to Ullapool is about as much as you'll want in a day. Username Kit has parents there so he'll can recommend a hotel and restaurant in Ullapool.

Do ensure you call in to Nick & Julie's place (username SolwayBoy) in Dornoch www.thewatersiderooms.co.uk a lovely place in a great location.

When you're heading towards The Channel Tunnel, give me a shout. I know a really good hotel for a stop over

Just take note; with a stop at Durness (visit Smoo cave, one of the biggest sea caves you can visit dry-footed and maybe the craft village) and a lunch stop, a practical drive from Gill's Bay or Scrabster to Ullapool is about as much as you'll want in a day. Username Kit has parents there so he'll can recommend a hotel and restaurant in Ullapool.

Gill's bay ferry always used to be the cheaper but is not as swept up as the Scrabster vessel.

 

Good point about the stop around Ullapool.  The A9 down to Inverness is a nice and very scenic road but you have to concentrate on it.

Just take note; with a stop at Durness (visit Smoo cave, one of the biggest sea caves you can visit dry-footed and maybe the craft village) and a lunch stop, a practical drive from Gill's Bay or Scrabster to Ullapool is about as much as you'll want in a day. Username Kit has parents there so he'll can recommend a hotel and restaurant in Ullapool.

 

Thanks for the info. And yes, I do believe that it is easy to be overly enthusiastic when planning and how much you can really du in one day. I found Smoo Cave and it is now plotted into the todo list at Google Earth.

 

Have a nice day!

If your ferry plans are not fixed another option is to get the ferry from Orkney (St Margaret's Hope) to Gill's Bay (close to John O'Groats).  The drive from there down to Inverness is great and loads of little villages to on the route, or if you are really adventurous you could go round by Cape Wrath.

 

Hi! No, they are not fixed and the Gill's Bay to St. Margaret's Hope really would make more sense since it is both cheaper and faster. I was not sure if they took cars but now found that they do so change of plans ... And we were planning to take the route around Cape Wrath but will look into it again, think the small villages will be more to our liking really ...

 

Thanks!

Do ensure you call in to Nick & Julie's place (username SolwayBoy) in Dornoch www.thewatersiderooms.co.uk a lovely place in a great location.

When you're heading towards The Channel Tunnel, give me a shout. I know a really good hotel for a stop over

 

Hi, made a note about The Water Side Rooms, it is just along our route but right now it is hard to decide an exact date and I believe bookong in advance is required ... Will give them a call later when we've planned some more ...

 

Will pm you when we get down south ...

 

Thanks!

Gill's bay ferry always used to be the cheaper but is not as swept up as the Scrabster vessel.

 

Good point about the stop around Ullapool.  The A9 down to Inverness is a nice and very scenic road but you have to concentrate on it.

 

Hi!

 

Yes, the Gill's Bay ferry it will be, it will save us a lot of money compared to the Aberdeen-Kirkwall idea I had before ... and I will probably have to concentrate even harder being used to drive on the right side of the road ... ;-)

 

Thanks!

Enjoy yourself,

and other than ferry and accommodation bookings, do not plan too much would be my advice,

travel ad-hock because there is so much to see, as you travel and stop.

 

One Man Made place to try to see that i recommend is 'The Falkirk Wheel.

& take the trip on the Boat on the Wheel.

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/272714-summer-tour-of-scotland

 

If you wanted on your way to Aberdeen & have a couple of hours extra,

& you are passing Forfar on the A90, or going up the coast.

I will happily take you to the Angus Glens or to a few places that might not show on Visit Scotland Guides.

Just PM and give a few hours notice.

It is easy to take a choice of 3 very scenic routes to Aberdeen from Dundee or Perth.

 

george

A couple of places I'd want to (re)visit in Scotland would be Glencoe (for a bit of a walk and some climbing) and Callanish, as well as the Isle of Skye.

One Man Made place to try to see that i recommend is 'The Falkirk Wheel.

Hi George!

Thanks for all the ideas and offers, we might just come by, depends on time and possibilities ... The Falkirk Wheel is probably a must do, it was really my cup of tea ... Have never heard of it before ...

A couple of places I'd want to (re)visit in Scotland would be Glencoe (for a bit of a walk and some climbing) and Callanish, as well as the Isle of Skye.

 

Hi and thanks! Made a note about Glencoe but is Callanish the place on the Isle of Lewis?

 

Have a nice evening!

This is good

http://www.seafari.co.uk/oban/Whirlpool.html 

between Oban and Kennacraig where you may get the ferry to Islay,

You may not miss much if you choose not to go further south down the Kintyre peninsular

Come back to "mainland". Scotland via Arran

 http://www.calmac.co.uk/tickets/island-hopping/hopscotch-5-arran-and-kintyre.htm

 

Drive down to Stranraer or Troon and hop across to N Ireland, North Antrim Coast Bushmills and the Giants causeway.

 Plenty of golf courses all the way if you are that way minded.

I would advise against travelling ad hoc. Looking for last minute accommodation can waste time and cause great stress.

I live in Castle Douglas the SW Corner of Scotland often passed by by tourists, excellent mountain biking, hill walking, castles, brewery on the route from NI ferry back to Newcastle

Edinburgh would be on my list but that would make a good city break another time.