Scotland road trip

[myvot]

If you Google trip reports for North coast 500 it might give you some suggestions.

[Borderbairn]

What about starting in the Scottish Borders. Beautiful rolling hills and outstanding views. Lovely Border towns full of traditions like Melrose, Kelso and Jedburgh with their abbeys and historical houses and castles. Links to Mary Queen of Scots and Walter Scott. It's a shame that tourists offers miss the Borders as they hurry through to make Edinburgh their first stop if coming up the eastern side.

[bighal]

If you are a Harry Potter fan you could always visit the Glenfinnan Viaduct.

[storm]

Originally Posted by AzureSky

Dunnotter castle is worth a visit and the town of Stonehaven next to it. The harbour area is lovely. The local chip shop also claims to have invented the deep fried mars bar (it tastes much better than it sounds!). Plus the ice cream shop Aunty Betty's is a must visit ! Royal Deeside is then not far where you could visit Balmoral Castle - the queen's favourite home. Its much smaller than you'd expect but you can walk around the Balmoral estate which is stunning.

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Aunty Betty's is my local ice-cream shop. Fish & chips from The Bay chip shop, ice-cream from Betty's and a walk along the beach front looking at the view & the "stoney Banksy" models( Secret sculptor). Visit E Giulianotti an old fashioned sweet & ice-cream shop. Our Dunnottar castle & war memorial are stunning & offer beautiful views.. A walk through Dunnottar woods to view The shell house & Lady Kennedy's bath. Swim in the Heated outdoor swimming pool under the stars in the summer ( heated sea water). I love living here.

[FamilyDisney]

Originally Posted by Borderbairn

What about starting in the Scottish Borders. Beautiful rolling hills and outstanding views. Lovely Border towns full of traditions like Melrose, Kelso and Jedburgh with their abbeys and historical houses and castles. Links to Mary Queen of Scots and Walter Scott. It's a shame that tourists offers miss the Borders as they hurry through to make Edinburgh their first stop if coming up the eastern side.

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Being a Borderer myself I have to second this. Beautiful part of the country that shouldn't be missed. Would also recommend Stirling area, castle, Wallace monument, Falkirk wheel and the Kelpies.

Borderbairn I was so excited to see another borderer on here.

[aqualiv]

Love Melrose 👍🏻

[Gryff]

Rosslyn Chapel is also well worth a visit easy reach of both the Borders and Edinburgh
Glasgow also has some great attractions

[Wismgari]

Wow! So many replies - thanks everyone

Originally Posted by minnie29

Can’t give advice but I’d love to do a road trip around Scotland - so many beautiful places. Glencoe is amazing and the views took my breath away! Our youngest DD is only 3 and doesn’t like travelling in the car that much so we’ll have to wait until she’s a bit older. We do the 5 hour trip to Forest Holidays Argyll and use that as our base. The places you have on your list look great. Hope you have an amazing time

Just to add, keep Glencoe on your list! It is like another world (we went when the snow was thick all around, absolutely beautiful)

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Thanks for the information - it is definitely staying on my list!

Originally Posted by Stitch & Smudge

Being honest I’d agree on skipping John o Groats, it’s a long way up for not a lot to see. I don’t know if I’ll get shot down but unless there’s a specific reason I’d give Brodie Castle a miss as well as there are better looking castles out there. I’ve never found Fort William that interesting unless you like mountaineering shops (although it does have some fantastic views)but Inverness is quite nice down by the river and is close to the Culloden battlefield. It’s windswept and eerie and I’ve never heard a bird sing there. St. Andrews has an interesting graveyard and ruins to look around but if you’re into a faster pace head a bit further down the coast to Anstruther and take a trip on a rib to The Isle of May. (Look up The Osprey on FB) Or The May Princess for a more leisurely trip. Round it off with a visit to the Anstruther fish and chip bar but be prepared to queue. On the way back south stop off at Melrose Abbey or Jedburgh for the Abbey, castle and jail.

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Thanks for the suggestions! I had considered Inverness, so it may go back on the list Melrose Abbey and Jedburgh may not make this trip, however, they would be a possible day trip from where I live so thanks for those as well

Originally Posted by Tiggers Pal

Maybe I’m biased as I’m a local but I don’t see the Falkirk Wheel on your list - the worlds only rotating boat lift which links the Union Canal with the Forth & Clyde canal. It’s fascinating just to watch even if you don’t want to pay for a boat trip up and down. I’ve been on it a few times with my own kids as well as accompanying a school outing. Also nearby is Rough Castle Fort, a Roman fort on the Antonine Wall. It’s listed as one of the smallest but also the best preserved fort on the wall. If you’re visiting Stirling anyway then it’s not far from there to the Falkirk area to visit the wheel.

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I had never heard of the Falkirk wheel - I just googled and now it is definitely on the list, right up our street, thanks!

Originally Posted by Scotsmomma

Come and see our Kelpies and The Falkirk Wheel.

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On the list Thanks!

Originally Posted by anniee

Have a wee look at New Lanark, you could do it on way up or back down.

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Wow, this looks amazing and exactly our sort of thing - thanks so much for the suggestion. It is definitely on the list.

Originally Posted by AzureSky

Dunnotter castle is worth a visit and the town of Stonehaven next to it. The harbour area is lovely. The local chip shop also claims to have invented the deep fried mars bar (it tastes much better than it sounds!). Plus the ice cream shop Aunty Betty's is a must visit ! Royal Deeside is then not far where you could visit Balmoral Castle - the queen's favourite home. Its much smaller than you'd expect but you can walk around the Balmoral estate which is stunning.

See more...

Thanks for the suggestions - I need to go to the place that invented the deep fried mars bar!

Originally Posted by aqualiv

Watching with interest as was thinking of posting a similar thing on here today

The only thing that concerns me slightly is the midges

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Great minds hey When are you planning to go?

[Gryff]

New Lanark is so close to us friends live there and we love a walk round and the falls of Clyde I often forget about it but well worth a visit as is Biggar

[Wismgari]

Originally Posted by HarryPotterGeek

If you’re going to be visiting St Andrews and are an Outlander fan it may be worth passing through Falkland, such a beautiful little village and Falkland Palace is there too which may be of interest (not a huge palace, but some interesting history).

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Not an Outlander fan, but looks pretty anyway, thanks!

Originally Posted by Liso2605

Watching this too, my son is doing the Scotland road trip this summer too. He has 2 young children, 6 and 4. I have been given the task to do the itinerary and plan stops. Had no clue where to start, so this has helped me a lot. There are flying to Glasgow then renting a car and will be flying back from there so it will be a round trip.

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There have been so many helpful replies haven't there? I hope your son has an amazing time

Originally Posted by myvot

If you Google trip reports for North coast 500 it might give you some suggestions.

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Thanks!

Originally Posted by Borderbairn

What about starting in the Scottish Borders. Beautiful rolling hills and outstanding views. Lovely Border towns full of traditions like Melrose, Kelso and Jedburgh with their abbeys and historical houses and castles. Links to Mary Queen of Scots and Walter Scott. It's a shame that tourists offers miss the Borders as they hurry through to make Edinburgh their first stop if coming up the eastern side.

See more...

Thanks, all of these places look lovely! I do not think I am going to have time to do everything in this trip, but I am lucky enough to live close enough to the boarders to do these in day trips/ a weekend trip at some point - I am excited to have more day trip ideas from this thread as I am pretty new to the North East

Originally Posted by bighal

If you are a Harry Potter fan you could always visit the Glenfinnan Viaduct.

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I am a Harry Potter fan and that one is definitely on the list

Originally Posted by storm

Aunty Betty's is my local ice-cream shop. Fish & chips from The Bay chip shop, ice-cream from Betty's and a walk along the beach front looking at the view & the "stoney Banksy" models( Secret sculptor). Visit E Giulianotti an old fashioned sweet & ice-cream shop. Our Dunnottar castle & war memorial are stunning & offer beautiful views.. A walk through Dunnottar woods to view The shell house & Lady Kennedy's bath. Swim in the Heated outdoor swimming pool under the stars in the summer ( heated sea water). I love living here.

See more...

Sounds amazing - I am very jealous you have all of that on your door step! Thanks so much for the suggestion

Originally Posted by FamilyDisney

Being a Borderer myself I have to second this. Beautiful part of the country that shouldn't be missed. Would also recommend Stirling area, castle, Wallace monument, Falkirk wheel and the Kelpies.

Borderbairn I was so excited to see another borderer on here.

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Thanks so much, so many great suggestions

Originally Posted by aqualiv

Love Melrose 👍🏻

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Thanks