Scottish Elises

How do you follow an awesome honeymoon? This is the question that has been vexing us of late and i suggested we do a week on scotland and then a week later on in france.

Basically it struck me that ive seen some amazing parts of this country but I'm usually with middle ages men, and sometimes dressed in leather. This sometimes spoils the view. Mrs Donkey gets car sick, so cant come on our runs and hasn't seen many of these places.

So we've come up with a provisional route and im looking for feedback. Im not really going for a great driving holiday so not too bothered how good the roads are....i womt be able to attack then and ill probably be in the ctr.....im more concerned about how good the views are.

Day 1 - Go to cruachan (never been) then stay somewhere around kinlochleven

Day 2 - Ft william to malliag train cos of harry potter n that and stay in Applecross

Day 3 - Stay in applecross, get drunk, walk, chill out etc

Day 4 - Explore Skye

Day 5 - Boat to north uist / harris and stay there

Day 6 - Go to oban ish and find somewhere nice to stay

Day 7 - home

Im thinking the above strikes a niceish balance between amazing scenery and not too much driving but id be really keen for ideas about anywhere we must go. Applecross is a must for me and the harry potter train is a must for mrs donkey but everything else is up for grabs.

Accommodation we are thinking anything from proper camping, glamping and b&bs.....but not wanting to camp every single night.

Ideas welcome!

I could quite happily spend the week in the Applecross Inn..........

North from Applecross at Gairloch they used to do quad bike trips up in to the hills with the gamekeeper. You can book by going in to the Post Office at Gairloch.
We've been a few times and it's a great trip, the gamekeeper is a bit of a character and you get to cover a fair bit of ground, best quad bike trip I've ever done.

Wrap up warm though!

Up from there Inverewe Garden is well worth a visit, not sure what they're opening hours are at this time of year though.

I think next year I'll have to visit Islay.

Congratulations when it comes, hope it's a good trip round.


We stayed up near Oban at a house that was great - http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/oban/268121


The driveway was *just* elise friendly and no more!

We've done west coast and skye twice for about 4/5 days each time. Mix of camping and b&b's etc so bit like what you were thinking. Eilean Donan Castle is well worth a wee stop, I really like sea kayaking out of Ballachulish ( with a company called rock hopper) which is a good wee day trip south of Fort William.

In Kinlochleven we stayed in a smartie tube ( micro lodge) at Blackwater hostel, mrs was actually impressed with it ( £35 a night for the two of us) good location but maybe not quite honeymoon material!

Harris has some great bits, Luskentyre is a must. If you're venturing up onto Lewis the very north at Port Ness is nice. Again on a good day.

Meant to add, if you're staying near Oban, the Seafari trips out to Corryvreckan Whirlpool are superb.

We left from Isle of Seil, take the 'Bridge over the Atlantic' South of Oban to get there, well worth the trip.

Cheers all - should say it's not the honeymoon but the "we spent all our money last year"

Cheers for all the suggestions so far - does anyone have a preference of Harris over Lewis? Not sure we'd do both justice so probably thinking one or t'other

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We stayed in Stornoway a couple of years ago and managed to cover all of Lewis and Harris in a week.
The roads are fantastic as is the scenery.
If you're looking for great scenery, the west coast of Lewis and the south of Harris are amazing, dramatic coastlines and miles of golden beaches - maybe not ideal beach weather at this time of year though
If you get good weather, a Seatrek boat trip is a great day out - anything from a couple of hours to a whole day (if you fancy going to St Kilda).
Another must is the Abhainn Dearg distillery - I believe it's still the youngest and certainly smallest in Scotland. Run by Marko (worth a visit just to meet him ).
Just remember everything's closed on Sundays (except churches).

Applecross inn is great, you can stay at the inn.

bit more up market but worth the extra coin for a special night, 3 chimneys on Skye

http://www.threechimneys.co.uk/

I go to Wester Ross every year and have tried a few locations (mostly hotels as it's walking with me dad and he doesn't do camping )

Best place (for niceness,value and a great pub - former Pub of the year in fact) is the Torridon Inn (and you don't have to stretch to Torridon House for Mrs D....)

http://www.thetorridon.com/inn/

Accommodation is converted stables of the big hoose and is just lovely, much cheapness, and the staff are a great laugh. Plus you have some of the bet scenic roads right beside it (Loch Torridon - Lower Diabeg is the steepest in Scotland; Torridon to Kinlochewe 10 miles past Liathach and Beinn Eighe one of the most dramatic)

Echo Scotty for the Three Chimneys, 7 Seas of Skye taster menu is one of the best meals I've eaten in Scotland

My father in law's name is "Wester Ross"

GraemeLotus wrote: Echo Scotty for the Three Chimneys, 7 Seas of Skye taster menu is one of the best meals I've eaten in Scotland

And a snip at £100 with the cheeseboard Graeme.

tut

tut wrote:

GraemeLotus wrote: Echo Scotty for the Three Chimneys, 7 Seas of Skye taster menu is one of the best meals I've eaten in Scotland

And a snip at £100 with the cheeseboard Graeme.

tut

Plus wine, we thought it was good value for money. Sunset at neist point lighthouse is a must

tut wrote:

GraemeLotus wrote: Echo Scotty for the Three Chimneys, 7 Seas of Skye taster menu is one of the best meals I've eaten in Scotland

And a snip at £100 with the cheeseboard Graeme.

tut

the quote didn't say "the cheapest meal I've eaten in Scotland....." - last time I was there was 2010, back in the days when I made a proper wage

These days it's all cheese rolls from the Norwich branch of Friendly Farmer.

Must be tough Graeme living on a pittance, explains why you can not spend too much time in the UK and have to slum it up abroad.

tut