victoriainwanderland

About us:

• There'll be three of us visiting Scotland for the first time in mid-late June 2025, my sister and I (20s) and our mother (late 50s). We'll be travelling by car.
• We'd love to see the beauty Scotland has to offer (and its wildlife!) but are not big on activities like hiking which we appreciate is a big draw to the Isles for other travellers. Otherwise, we love our food and are huge history buffs
• We're from Australia so driving 2+ hours at a time is totally normal for us as is 4-5 hours of driving in a day

Itinerary:

We're currently planning for 2 nights in Mull (staying in Tobermory) and 3 nights in Skye (staying in Portree). We will be breaking it up with an overnighter in Glencoe between the two Isles. This is what our itinerary loosely looks like:

• (Day 1 Mull) Arrive in late afternoon
• (Day 2 Mull) Staffa and Treshnish Isles boat tour, free time in Portree
• (Day 3 Mull) Drive to Iona, spend a few hours on Iona, continue on to Glencoe for the night
• (Day 4 Glencoe) Free time in Glencoe and surrounds, see Jacobite Steam Train cross @ Glenfinnan viaduct, continue to Skye
• (Day 5 Skye) Neist Point, Dunvegan Castle and nearby village, Fairy Pools
• (Day 6 Skye) Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls, Duntulm Castle, Uig Village, Fairy Glen
• (Day 7 Skye) Elgol village, boat tour of Loch Coruisk, drive to Inverness (stopping at Eilean Donan and Loch Ness Viewpoint)

I'm hoping to get some guidance on:

• Noting that we aren't the biggest of physical adventurers, would it be worth adding an extra day on Mull? I like the idea of doing one of the guided wildlife tours but otherwise expect we'd use the extra day to maybe see some of the waterfalls and beaches or use it as a buffer to have some flexibility with weather
• As Mull and Skye are reasonably sizeable, are what I've outlined manageable with the time?
• Anything else to see or do that is worth recommending based on our interests? I know there are a few other castles in the area (like Duart Castle on Mull) but haven't listed them given we'll see so many on the trip.

Any other general feedback is greatly appreciated!

janisj

A lot to absorb but a few random initial comments ( its 3 AM here and why the heck am I still up?? )

"We're from Australia so driving 2+ hours at a time is totally normal for us as is 4-5 hours of driving in a day"

4 to 6 hours driving isn't a big deal in the wide open spaces of OZ or California . . . but it is a sorta huge deal in Scotland. You definitely do have the advantage of already driving on the left. That will help. But the roads are narrow, sometimes extremely narrow, and often one lane. Not one lane for each direction - but one lane for both directions.

2 nights on Mull and 3 nights on Skye isn't a horrible plan -- however because of the time it takes to get to both islands, and the extremely slow driving on each -- you won't net very much time on either one. Essentially 1 full day on Mull and 2 full days on Skye. So yes, an additional night on both islands would help.

Your Day three is difficult Tobermory to Fionnphort, foot ferry to Iona, a few hours on Iona, drive to one of two possible ferry ports, ferry ride and drive to Glencoe will easily be a nine or ten hour day -- six hours in the car.

Day seven is also tough. Portree to Elgol alone is close to a 2 hour drive. Then the boat tour is about 3 hours and Elgol to Inverness is a 3 to 3.5 hour drive (longer if this is a weekend).

Now I really REALLY need to get some sleep. More later . . .

victoriainwanderland

Those are the days I’m most concerned about too.

I’m thinking on day 3 we maybe stop in Oban for the night instead of Glencoe and just taking it slow on day 4 to drive up to Skye.

I think for day 7 we either will need to make it a whole day in Skye or cut out the time on Loch Coruisk, hmm.

victoriainwanderland

Ok, thought about it some more and to spread out the driving a little better. The first night we had planned for Mull will instead be an overnighter in Oban (we'll be coming up from Glasgow so expecting around 3.5 hours of driving as we'll break it up along the way, including to do a short cruise of Loch Lomond from Tarbet). I think stopping in Oban for that first night will both make the drive from Glasgow less of a stretch but also make the detour to Iona easier and hopefully less stressful.

We'll add an extra day in Mull doing a nature tour (to give us a break from our own driving / see more of Mull) and also now thinking that we'll stop in Mallaig overnight between Mull and Skye instead of Glencoe. Will do Elgol village on day of arrival on Skye (and do only that before heading to accommodation in Skye) instead of on the last day on Skye on our way out.

Revised itinerary thus far:

• (Day 1 Mull) Morning ferry to Craignure, drive to Fionnphort, afternoon in Iona (estimated arrival 12pm) at leisure, drive to Tobermory in early evening
• (Day 2 Mull) Sleep in! Staffa and Treshnish Isles boat tour, free time in Portree
• (Day 3 Mull) Wildlife tour with Nature Scotland
• (Day 4 Fort William/Mallaig) Drive to Fort William via Lochaline and Corran, free time in Fort William, see Jacobite Steam Train cross @ Glenfinnan viaduct, overnight in Mallaig
• (Day 5 Skye) Ferry to Armadale, drive to Elgol village, free time in Elgol + boat tour of Loch Coruisk, arrive in Portree early evening
• (Day 6 Skye) Neist Point, Dunvegan Castle and nearby village, Fairy Pools
• (Day 7 Skye) Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls, Duntulm Castle, Uig Village, Fairy Glen
• (Day 8 Transit) drive to Inverness (stopping at Eilean Donan and Loch Ness Viewpoint)

bilboburgler

just another thought on the drive. Not only are roads often single lane, but blocked by caravans. Patience is something you may have to pack in big quantities.

victoriainwanderland

Yeah I’ve heard that - I’m trying to account for it by estimating generous drive times, ie if Google says it’ll take 30 minutes, I’m estimating 45 minutes, or if it says 1hr15 I’m estimating 1hr45 etc. It still may not be accurate but I figured better we build in buffer times into our itinerary.

bilboburgler

I always put 40% on Google times in the south. You might need to be a bit more generous on these roads.

janisj

"also now thinking that we'll stop in Mallaig overnight between Mull and Skye instead of Glencoe. "

Oh -- please don't! Glencoe is iconic, and really a must, as is the adjacent Glen Etive . While there is a bit more to Mallaig then in the past.- there are now several places to eat for example. I'd think long and hard before choosing Mallaig over Glencoe/Ballachulish.

Late June is not yet high season because UK schools are still in session. But it IS still a busy time and tourism hotspots like Skye will be crowded. and ESPECIALLY on weekends the roads and limited parking simply can't cope.

Most roads on Mull are single track as are several on Skye. Both islands are large and absorb the people, however the infrastructure is a different matter. Parking is quite limited at the main scenic spots (Fairy Pools, all around the Trotternish Peninsula, etc.). Even on the two lane roads -- just one caravan (travel trailer) or oil tanker, or group of cyclists and you are suddenly lucky to make 20 mph. Neither island is a place to tick off boxes -- so yes - pack PLENTY of patience.

BritishCaicos

I may have missed this ….where are you flying into ?

BritishCaicos

Bilbo is very correct , our dreams were destroyed by inconsiderate drivers on single track roads - a long story but if they won’t move over, your journey times could quadruple.

Hello Janis
Hello Bilbo

btw

bilboburgler

Ça va British?

janisj

Long time no see are you settled in your idyllic new place? (Though I personally think your old place was my kind of idyllic)

victoriainwanderland

@Janisj - to fit in Glencoe (and to also maybe give us a breather before an intense few days of driving on Skye) I'm thinking maybe we drive up to Glencoe from Mull and spend a day there (likely arriving mid-morning) and then the next day continue up to Skye arriving in the evening as we'd probably turn the day into one at leisure with a few stops on the way at Fort William and Glenfinnan Viaduct. It likely means we'll need to cut out a cruise on Loch Coruisk but seeing that we'll already be doing a number of other boat trips (i.e. Loch Lomond, Staffa and Lunga, possibly the seal tour from Dunvegan Castle etc) I think it'll be ok, especially if we will get views of the Cuillins on the drive from Armadale anyway.

Can I kindly ask your advice on:

• as you'll know, our options to get from Tobermory to Glencoe require us to either ferry to Lochaline and then again to Corrain, or the slightly longer route via Oban driving up along Loch Linnhe - any suggestions as to which route to prefer since the timing seems more or less the same?
• what are your suggestions for Glencoe noting that we aren't a family of hikers? we'd see the visitor centre and likely drive to Glen Etive but wondering what else may be ideal to add to the list having regard to our lack of interest in hiking (if we do Glencoe we will stay at the Clachaig Inn)
• any suggestions what else we can see on our way from Glencoe up to Portree? on the list thus far are seeing Neptune's Staircase in Fort William (I'd hoped to see the West Highlands Museum but it'll likely be closed assuming we do this part of the trip on a Sunday as I expect we will) and the Jacobite steam train crossing at Glenfinnan Viaduct

janisj

1). -- There is absolutely no reason at all to stop in Ft William. Just hope to get through as quickly as possible without some sort of traffic jam.

2) - "As you'll know, our options to get from Tobermory to Glencoe require us to either ferry to Lochaline and then again to Corrain, or the slightly longer route via Oban driving up along Loch Linnhe - any suggestions as to which route to prefer since the timing seems more or less the same?"

I sort of prefer the Lochaline > Corran route but really 6 of 1/half a dozen of the other. Both have advantages and disadvantages (no real disadvantages really)

3) - "What are your suggestions for Glencoe noting that we aren't a family of hikers? we'd see the visitor centre and likely drive to Glen Etive but wondering what else may be ideal to add to the list having regard to our lack of interest in hiking (if we do Glencoe we will stay at the Clachaig Inn)"

OK -- Glen Etive is a real time commitment. It isn't a place to 'drive to' but a road one drives the length of and retrace back to the starting point. Well worth it but the drive alone will take 2 hours minimum. For Glencoe - the Visitors Centre, driving east a bit and seeing the views of the mountain and Ranoch Moor, and maybe a short walk will cover the basics.

4) - "Any suggestions what else we can see on our way from Glencoe up to Portree? on the list thus far are seeing Neptune's Staircase in Fort William (I'd hoped to see the West Highlands Museum but it'll likely be closed assuming we do this part of the trip on a Sunday as I expect we will) and the Jacobite steam train crossing at Glenfinnan Viaduct"

Neptune's Staircase is fascinating IF it is nice weather and you can walk up past a 2 or 3 of the locks and watch boats navigating them. If its nasty weather -- don't bother. There is more to Glenfinnan then just the viaduct/Jacobite - the views of the monument and loch are spectacular. Once you are on Skye -- just get to Portree as quickly as possible -- it is a long drive from Armadale - you'll be lucky if your can do it in an hour.

victoriainwanderland

Thank you! Will maybe re-jig it so that we get to Glencoe by mid morning so that we can spend the day there and maybe a bit of the following morning (might take a walk in the early morning before we set off). I'll look into what else there is around Glenfinnan along the way. My sister is insistent on at least seeing the Jacobite steam train cross the viaduct so will have to make that stop en-route anyway.

janisj

There are no sites/places 'around' Glenfinnan'. It is on the road to Mallaig with amazing scenery on all sides but no villages or 'sites' (castles etc.). You will will stop for photos all along the whole route and maybe at he beaches at Morar just before you get to Mallaig. You will definitely want to pre-book the ferry so how many stops/detours and beach combing you do will depend on your progress and the timing of the ferry.

victoriainwanderland

Noted! Yes, we will definitely be pre-booking the ferry. It won't be the thick of peak season but being mid-late June, expect it will be busy enough as is. Will also be booking our accommodation per earlier recommendations of yours as soon as we have our dates locked in.

If I can pick your brain for one other thing, if time permits, other than cruising on Loch Coruisk from Elgol, any other suggestions for what to do in the south parts of Skye? or are the bulk of things to see and do up north? I can't seem to find much on what there is in the south but you are such a wealth of knowledge I thought you'd be the right one to ask.

janisj

Armadale castle (Castle ruins, gardens, museum, Clan Donald centre) is well worth a stop.

Just about every corner of Skye is glorious and the SE corner is no different. However if it was me . . . I'd probably skip Loch Coriusk, Elgol and the rest Not because they aren't worth it, they are. But because you really only have 2 full days plus a few hours on Skye and that is not much time. As I mentioned, the driving will be very slow and there is soooooo much to see up north/NW.

If I had 4 or 5 days on Skye then I'd plan on a split stay - 3 or 4 nights up north (Portree or Sligachan) and at least 1 night down around Armadale/Elgol/Isleornsay. But as it is IMO you don't have enough time to explore the south.

bilboburgler

there are some midge apps you may want to look into and perhaps a midge hat. My friends up there are saying the midges are very bad in 24

Gardyloo

I'm probably coming a bit late to this conversation but of course there's lots of time between now and a June/July 2025 visit, so nothing lost I suppose.

Glen Etive and Glen Coe are such compelling destinations that including them is something of a "must" in my view. HOWEVER, the manner in which they're visited is important. Geography becomes important in how you order things and how much time you spend.

Both Glen Etive and Glen Coe are valleys that start at a relatively high elevation (well, high for Scotland) at the Rannoch Moor, then descend over some distance to sea level; Loch Leven (a sea loch) in the case of Glen Coe, and Loch Etive (another sea loch) in Glen Etive's case.

The landscape and landforms change dramatically over the course of the two glens' descent to the sea. For visitors in cars, it's this transformation that provides much of the appeal of visiting the two glens. You can't stop in one place, or stay in Glencoe village (which is at the bottom of Glen Coe) and get the full impression of the glens; it's a more dynamic visual experience, often one which goes something like oh, oh, OH, oh...

In the case of Glen Coe, in my view (I think widely shared) it's the east-to-west "downhill" experience through the glen that provides the greatest drama. In the case of Glen Etive, because the road is a cul-de-sac, it doesn't matter because you HAVE to see both the downhill and uphill views.

So what does this mean? Well, it MIGHT mean that the best way for someone coming from Glasgow (or Edinburgh for that matter) en route to Mull is to visit the two glens en route to Mull rather than backtracking from a base in Glencoe village or some such.

It's not super out of the way to do so, as this map suggests: https://maps.app.goo.gl/wEbdVmeBefXWemTW8

The map ends at Oban, but depending on time and ferry schedules, if needed it could be extended to Tobermory or some other place on Mull, albeit resulting in a VERY long day. You could stop in Glencoe village of course, then proceed to Mull by a couple of alternate routes the next day, your choice.

Approaching the two glens from the east (on the A82 from Crianlarich) is spectacular and MUCH better (IMO) than approaching from the west up the valley to the moor.

Approaching the Glen Etive road from the south



Buachaille Etive Mohr seen from the top of the Glen Etive road



Roadside view of the Three Sisters, halfway down Glen Coe



So I'd look at revising the schedule so that you include the two glens on the way to Mull, rather than backtracking to them.