Heading to Scotland in July for Sat/Sun at the Open Championship at Royal Troon golf course. Have 6ish days before the tournament to spend elsewhere in Scotland. Flying in/out of Edinburgh (free tx), but I have already spent a week there on a previous trip, so not looking to spend much time here this time.
One caveat - hubs has hip/back/knee issues so hiking and long walking tours/museum visits are out this time around. We need to look for things where we can be dropped off close and/or see well from a distance. We won't have a car, so will be using taxi, train, and hire private car/guides for the big things.
Here's what we are thinking so far - welcome suggestions for can't miss places and restaurants.
Day 1: Arrive Edinburgh. Airport pickup 1/2 day driving tour of Edinburgh (castle, Holyrood, Arthur's Seat, Royal Mile, Princes Street, Greyfriars, pub lunch...). Dropped at Waverly train station for train to Inverness.
Day 2: Inverness. Driver/guide for Speyside whisky tour + Culloden Battlefield and bit of Cairngorms. Would make a big circle out of Inverness on A96 to Elgin, Dufftown, and then follow along the River Spey on the A95, cut into a little of Cairngorms, and then back to Inverness on the A9. More interested in tastings than tours at the distilleries and more interested in tasting things we can't buy in the USA.
Day 3: Inverness. Depending on the weather and how ambitious we feel, considering train to Dunrobin Castle, and/or Dornoch for lunch, golf course shop, and beach. Would need combo of train and taxis to get there/back. This might prove too complicated without a car. Other option would be the Kyle Line to Kyle of Lochash and Eileen Dornan and return. Or if the weather is bad, we may just make it a lazy day in Inverness - sleep in, pub hop, etc.
Day 4: Depart Inverness for Oban. Private car/guide pickup at hotel. Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle quick photo ops. Could wind our way down the coast to Oban. Could do Eileen Dornan/Kyle of Lochash if we didn't do it the previous day. Or make beeline for Oban and then go on to Isle of Mull/Tobermory. Driver leaves us in Oban for the night.
Day 5: Oban. Train from Oban to Glasgow. Can take morning or afternoon train depending on if we want more time in Oban or to go to Mull, Argyll or somewhere else.
Day 6: Glasgow. No ideas yet. May be a slow day.
Day 7: Glasgow. Train to Troon for Open Championship.
Day 8: Glasgow. Train to Troon for Open Championship.
Day 9: Glasgow Edinburgh Airport for Return to USA.
One caveat - hubs has hip/back/knee issues so hiking and long walking tours/museum visits are out this time around. We need to look for things where we can be dropped off close and/or see well from a distance. We won't have a car, so will be using taxi, train, and hire private car/guides for the big things.
Here's what we are thinking so far - welcome suggestions for can't miss places and restaurants.
Day 1: Arrive Edinburgh. Airport pickup 1/2 day driving tour of Edinburgh (castle, Holyrood, Arthur's Seat, Royal Mile, Princes Street, Greyfriars, pub lunch...). Dropped at Waverly train station for train to Inverness.
Day 2: Inverness. Driver/guide for Speyside whisky tour + Culloden Battlefield and bit of Cairngorms. Would make a big circle out of Inverness on A96 to Elgin, Dufftown, and then follow along the River Spey on the A95, cut into a little of Cairngorms, and then back to Inverness on the A9. More interested in tastings than tours at the distilleries and more interested in tasting things we can't buy in the USA.
Day 3: Inverness. Depending on the weather and how ambitious we feel, considering train to Dunrobin Castle, and/or Dornoch for lunch, golf course shop, and beach. Would need combo of train and taxis to get there/back. This might prove too complicated without a car. Other option would be the Kyle Line to Kyle of Lochash and Eileen Dornan and return. Or if the weather is bad, we may just make it a lazy day in Inverness - sleep in, pub hop, etc.
Day 4: Depart Inverness for Oban. Private car/guide pickup at hotel. Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle quick photo ops. Could wind our way down the coast to Oban. Could do Eileen Dornan/Kyle of Lochash if we didn't do it the previous day. Or make beeline for Oban and then go on to Isle of Mull/Tobermory. Driver leaves us in Oban for the night.
Day 5: Oban. Train from Oban to Glasgow. Can take morning or afternoon train depending on if we want more time in Oban or to go to Mull, Argyll or somewhere else.
Day 6: Glasgow. No ideas yet. May be a slow day.
Day 7: Glasgow. Train to Troon for Open Championship.
Day 8: Glasgow. Train to Troon for Open Championship.
Day 9: Glasgow Edinburgh Airport for Return to USA.