vzteacher

Hello!
I am planning a trip to Scotland for summer 2019. My husband and I went in 2015, and we had such an incredible time, despite it raining 14 out of 16 days!! We didn't let a little rain (okay a LOT of rain) stop us!! LOL

In our previous trip, we went Fionnphort, Skye, Inverness, and Edinburgh with one-night stops in Oban and Ft. William. We really loved every place we visited, but on our next trip, I'd like to skip Edinburgh. We spent the most time there, had been there before, so we don't really feel that we need to go again.

On our next trip, I'd like to choose 3-4 places to linger; maybe spend 5-6 days or more in each spot. In your opinion, what are some of the best places to stay and really get to spend time with the locals? We love meeting new people and going to out-of-the-way places to truly experience where we're visiting.

Any ideas will be GREATLY appreciated!
Thanks so much!

janisj

For multi-day stays (and excluding Mull/Skye/Edinburgh) I'd consider any of the following:

1) the Trossachs somewhere around Callander. This would be a base for everything from Stirling to Loch Lomond to Killin to Perth to Glen Coe.

2) Somewhere in the Borders (Melrose or a bit east - for the Border abbeys, St Abbs Head, Floors, even a bit into Northumberland - Lindesfarne, Bamburgh, Alnwick.

3) Deeside - near Ballater for all of Aberdeenshire including the Castle Trail, the coast, Dunnottar

4) Near the coast in Dumfries/Galloway for Threave, Ayrshire/Culzean, bit of Hadrian's Wall

5) One of the fishing villages in Fife for St Andrews, the Isle of May, Falkland etc.

6) On the far NW coast Ullapool/Gairloch etc. This is a more remote area and travel is slow but some terrific scenery -- Or -- on the northern coast near Dunrobin or Dornoch.

MmePerdu

An out-of-the-way area where I've spent some time and liked very much is Argyll, west of Glasgow. There are ferries to cross the water or you can drive around the long way. Tarbert & Dunoon are nice towns and I stayed in Tighnabruaich on the Kiles of Bute with a friend.

I enjoyed visiting gardens
http://www.gardens-of-argyll.co.uk/index.php

and especially Auchindrain Township
http://www.auchindrain.org.uk/

The landscape is beautiful, of course, with the islands and water, hard to beat.

MmePerdu

Oops, make that "Kyles" of Bute.

MmePerdu

There's a fun movie, 'I Know Where I'm Going' (1945) with a young Wendy Hiller that is set in the area. Featured is the Whirlpool of Corryvreckan, a phenomenon formed by tides at, I believe, the north end of Jura. Having just watched the movie I was surprised to learn it's a real thing and located not far from where I was.

janisj

I've spent a lot of time in Kames/Tighnabruaich and yes that would be another good base to get away from it all and if you wanted more west coast time. It is really rural.

eastenderusvi

Aberlour
Arran
Crinan

To name a few...

sugarmaple

Badachro near Gairloch
Dornoch
Callander
Ballater

vzteacher

Thank you all so much!! I appreciate your help!