Hey there! If you want to choose Scotland for your next adventure, you found the right place. I completely fell in love with this beautiful country and I can’t wait to go back.
I spent 2 days in Edinburgh before hiring a car and going on a road trip in the Highlands and on the Isle of Skye. If you’re an Outlander fan or you just love fairytale castles, hairy cows and beautiful landscapes, continue reading and book a ticket to Scotland immediately!
A NOTE ON SCOTTISH WEATHER
I went to Scotland in August, but don’t expect to wear shorts. The week before it was 30°C, when we went it was 10°C and raining all the time. The weather is highly unpredictable so make sure to pack a raincoat and some waterproof clothes, especially if you want to hike. While hiking at the Fairy Pools it started raining and it’s not great when you’re wearing jeans.
DAY 1 & 2: EDINBURGH
We landed in Edinburgh around 8 am, so we had lots of time to wander around. It’s also very easy and cheap to get to the city centre via bus. In summer you can stay in a college accommodation, it’s usually cheaper and our stay was completely fine. Our accommodation was in Fountainbridge, about 10 minutes from the centre by foot, so we took the bus only a few times late at night or to go on the outskirts of the city.
The first thing we did was walking around Old Town. You can stop at this viewpoint to get a beautiful picture of the castle before going to Grassmarket Square, which is full of pubs and colorful shops. You can find the most famous pubs in Edinburgh here: Maggie Dicksons, The Last Drop, Beehive Inn and The Wee Pub (the smallest pub in Scotland, allegedly. Then you can continue walking up Victoria Street, where you’ll find the famous Harry Potter shop, Museum Context. This is a must if you’re a Pottermore! From the street you’ll reach the famous Royal Mile and you can decide which way you want to go. We explored St Giles’ Cathedral and then we walked to Edinburgh Castle, although it’s much more beautiful seen from Princes Street Gardens. You can reach the gardens by walking to New Town and passing by the Scott Monument.
The next day we visited Greyfriars Kirkyard, where you can find Tom Riddle’s grave and also the grave of Greyfriars Bobby, the famously loyal dog. Then we decided to walk the other half of the Royal Mile to reach the Scottish Parliament and the palace of Holyroodhouse. We didn’t go inside the palace but I highly suggest visiting the Parliament if you’re passionate about architecture.
For dinner we decided to venture a bit further towards the sea to Teuchters Landing, a traditional Scottish pub with and amazing atmosphere. Get the fish and chips and the Cullen skink (smoked haddock, potato and leek soup, so good).
DAY 3: ROAD TO LOCH LOMOND
On the third day we went back to the airport to pick up our rental car and start our road trip in the Highlands. We visited quite a few places and every stop was pretty short. The direction was Loch Lomond National Park, where we stopped to sleep for the night. The first stop was Midhope Castle, aka Lallybroch if you’re an Outlander fan. We then moved to Linlithgow, where we stopped to have breakfast at a lovely cafè called The Park Bistro. Once in town we walked around for a bit before visiting Linlithgow Palace, birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots.
Before moving on to other castles, we stopped in Falkirk to visit the Kelpies, two 30-metre-high steel sculptures of the mythical Scottish water horses. The park has quite a few trucks and cafes where you can stop and eat or drink something. The next castles in our itinerary were Stirling Castle and Doune Castle. The latter is Outlander’s Castle Leoch, but to be honest I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit it again.
Our last stop before heading to our accommodation was the village of Luss. The village can be accessed only by foot and is famous for its cottages and breathtaking views of Loch Lomond. I definitely recommend visiting, it was quite foggy when we went but it just added some extra atmosphere!
For the night we stopped at Inverardran Guest House, a lovely place surrounded by mountains and with an amazing breakfast. I got both the porridge and the Scottish breakfast because I couldn’t resist. The owner is a lovely man and I highly recommend this guest house if you’re visiting the area!
DAY 4: FORT WILLIAM AND JACOBITE STEAM TRAIN
On day 4 we booked the Jacobite Steam Train aka the Hogwarts Express from Fort William to Mallaig. The train was at 12 pm so we had a bit of time to see something else along the way. After leaving the guest house we stopped at Kilchurn Castle, which is one of my favorites in the entire trip, and then at St Conan’s Kirk.
If you are catching the train make sure to arrive early because it was quite difficult to find a parking spot. The steam train is definitely an experience, but honestly I don’t think it was worth 60€. In the end, it’s a regular train where they sell Harry Potter merchandising. The only special part is when the train crosses the Glenfinnan viaduct and releases steam. Also, Mallaig, which is the town where the train stops for 2 hours, is quite deserted and there’s nothing to do. If you want to watch the train cross the viaduct I suggest you watch it from a viewpoint. Then, you can use the extra time to visit the city of Oban or the beautiful area of Glencoe.
Another place where you can stop if you don’t catch the train or the morning after is Eilean Donan Castle. It’s on the road to Skye and is incredibly beautiful. You only have to pay for parking, like most castles in this trip.
DAY 5 & 6: ISLE OF SKYE
Over the sea to Skye! These two days were filled with breathtaking landscapes, panoramic views and lots of cute animals. Keep in mind that the only thing you can do in Skye is drive around, hike and explore the amazing nature of the island. There are no museums or big cities, every point of interest is part of the outdoor ecomuseum of Skye. But don’t be afraid, the things you’ll see will amaze you nonetheless.
Skye basically has only one road that goes around the island. In the center you have Portree, the capital, which is where most B&Bs and hotels are. Our AirBnB was near Portree so we decided to explore the southern and western part of the island on the first day and the northeastern part on the second. The first places where you can make a stop are two viewpoints where, if you’re lucky, you can find the famous hairy cows. The first one is near Old Church B&B and the other one is in Sconser. Then you can procede to Sligachan Old Bridge where you can admire the incredible landscape.
We then went to the Fairy Pools, which is a hiking spot. You pay for the car park and then you start your hike to the waterfalls. The hike is at least an hour long, but it depends on where you want to stop, because the waterfalls go on for quite a while. On our way back it started raining, so it wasn’t the best, but the scenery makes up for it. After the hike we visited Dunvegan Castle, home of Clan MacLeod, which has a giant garden, really worth visiting. If you want to and have time, after the Fairy Pools you can also stop at Talisker Distillery and enjoy some Scottish whiskey.
For food, the best solution is to bring packed lunch for the day and have dinner in Portree or buy something at a supermarket before going back to your accommodation. Both nights we stayed at a lovely AirBnB pod in Borve and we also prepared a Scottish aperitivo on our personal terrace outside the pod. Highly recommend!
On the second day that we spent on Skye we explored the northeastern part of the island. We hiked to the Old Man of Storr, where you’ll see some of the most spectacular views of your life, and we drove around the Quiraing reserve. There we stopped at Kilt Rock waterfall and then at the Fairy Glen. It’s a short and easy hike and it’s one of my favourites of the entire trip.
DAY 7: LOCH NESS AND INVERNESS
It’s time to leave Skye, unfortunately. At this time, we still hadn’t seen any hairy cows, so we decided to stop at Redburn Cafè for breakfast before heading to Loch Ness. On the other side of the road you can find lots of beautiful hairy cows and you can also feed them.
Next on the list is the notorious Loch Ness. We stopped first at Urquhart Castle, which was the only castle where we had to pay a ticket because you couldn’t see it at all from the street. We also stopped at Loch Ness Exhibition Centre, but I must say it was kind of a waste of money. The loch is beautiful so take a moment to really observe and soak it all in.
After visiting Loch Ness we headed towards Inverness, where we stopped for the night. We visited Culloden Battlefield before exploring the city a bit and having dinner. Keep in mind that pubs and restaurants close very early for food (8 pm max).
DAY 8: BACK TO EDINBURGH
Unfortunately, our flight was moved to an earlier time so we had to go straight back to Edinburgh. However, if your plane is in the evening, you still have time to see a few things before returning your car and flying back home. Our original plan included the villages of Pitlochry and Falkland, but you can also take the long way to Aberdeen and Dundee if you have time.
SAVE THE ITINERARY!
If you liked this trip, you can have a look at my Scotland itinerary on the Wanderlog app. It’s super easy to create travel itineraries and add flights, accommodation, places to visit and restaurants. It even tells you how many miles and hours you have to drive during the day so it’s super convenient.
I really hope you enjoyed the post and that you’ll visit Scotland in the future. It’s definitely been one of my favorite trips ever and Scotland has become one of my favorite countries. I can’t wait to go back, but in the meantime it’s been nice to revisit everything with you. Hopefully I gave you some inspiration for your next trip!
Enjoy some bonus animals from the Scottish highlands!
