stut

The train journeys up to Oban, Mallaig and Kyle of Lochalah are stunning, and Arran is easily reached via the Ardrossan Harbour train. You go through spots you can't get to by road, like Rannoch moor, and can enjoy the scenery more.

But... The services are infrequent, and you're tired to limited areas and a very outdoorsy existence while you're there. Car is much easier and more flexible, even if the train has charms of its own.

VickiSoCal

@stut my non-driving (or at least non-UK driving) student and her friends were thinking about heading north for fall break leaving out of St. Andrews. Would Oban or the other places you mention be doable in 4 days by train? They are energetic and don't mind a lot of walking.

stut

Well, there's no station in St Andrew's, so they'd want to get to Leuchars first!

It's certainly doable - there's a number of rover and round robin tickets designed for this purpose. The Scotrail website is a good starting point:

https://www.scotrail.co.uk/scotland-...-rail-journeys

VickiSoCal

Yeah, she knows the Leuchars drill as we did it when visiting last year. I'll send her the link. A friend did buy her the student railcard as a going away gift, so that will help.

Giggleswick

This useful site includes journeys by bus, train, or a combination: https://www.travelinescotland.com/.

VickiSoCal

Ahhh the Harry Potter viaduct. She's trying to sell her friends on it as I type. :-)

Gardyloo

Here's a possible road trip route to consider: https://goo.gl/maps/m7H35yhjhR62 Use Google's "street view" to explore the roads - well worth your time.

It starts at EDI and travels through Stirling to Glen Etive and down Glen Coe, across the Corran ferry and through the Morvern peninsula to the Lochaline ferry to Mull. You'd visit Mull, then return to the mainland at Oban, then south to the remarkable Kilmartin Glen and village - full of prehistoric sites like standing stones - and around to picturesque Inveraray on Loch Fyne. You'd end at Glasgow airport.

This would give you a compact and pretty intense exposure to the western Highlands along with pretty villages, incredible history, castles, moors, lochs and mountains.

Examples -

Buchaille Etive Mhor, at the head of Glen Etive -



Tobermory, Mull



Duart Castle, Mull



Kilmartin



Inveraray



Use Undiscovered Scotland to research these places.

With a week I'd allocate two days to Edinburgh, four for this road trip and one for Glasgow, which could easily (and preferably) be done as a day trip from Edinburgh - the trains are frequent and cheap.

There are other options for exploring the countryside if interested.

Adam1222

Thanks for this. Where would you suggest spending nights? Tobermury and Oban?

Gardyloo

I would look at Glencoe village, Tobermory or elsewhere on Mull, depending on when you actually get there, and Inveraray. Although there's plenty of accommodation in Oban itself I'm not especially in love with the town, but depending on how much time you spend on Mull and where you end up staying, the timing with ferries could work out that Oban is the best alternative.

Use the accommodation menu at https://www.visitscotland.com/
Ferries - https://www.calmac.co.uk/

747FC

If you do go to Oban, right off the ferry landing is the Oban Seafood Hut (Green Shack). It is a must-do if you go to Oban. Bring your appetite.

HIDDY

Get yourself to Skye for at least a couple of days you won't regret it. Go via the bridge and you'll save time and money.

TheMadeTraveler

Indeed Oban is good. Apart from this, if you have a time, also visit Orkney. You will certainly feel refreshed.

farci

If you are in Oban this Three Isle Tour to Mull, Iona and Staffa is worth considering.

Mull is beautiful but Iona & Staffa are, in the often misused word 'unique'