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The Highlands
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"Hello 
we're thinking of coming to the highlands on holiday May 2021. Where would you suggest? "
There are some lovely beaches around Nairn, Findhorn is beautiful
Depends what you’re looking to do, Wester Ross has amazing scenery and great mountains to climb  |
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"I think you can end up travelling huge amounts - and visiting the over popular places...
Are you wanting to tour, or base yourself in one/two places?
"
We're undecided. Two places possibly. We don't want to travel too much, we couldn't be much further away to start with. |
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Remember the insect repellent the midges have Jaws like Staffys.
There are loads of places to see and try a whisky trail if yous like a dram.
Hopefully you get the weather and enjoy your time in the Highlands |
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"I think you can end up travelling huge amounts - and visiting the over popular places...
Are you wanting to tour, or base yourself in one/two places?
We're undecided. Two places possibly. We don't want to travel too much, we couldn't be much further away to start with. "
Have sent you a pm |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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The western isles. Ferry Ullapool to Stornoway. Drive down through the whole chain down to Barra. Then the ferry back to Oban from Castlebay. Great beaches and scenery, lots of wildlife, bring a good pair of binoculars. |
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I've worked all over Scotland and oban by far is the nicest place I have been too. Although cities Inverness, Perth and Stirling nice to go to. Also Elgin is good too and if you want a 3 hour drive from Inverness to wick, wick can be nice too but mind the thermals and thats just for summer lol |
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"Hello
we're thinking of coming to the highlands on holiday May 2021. Where would you suggest? "
Well it involves a fair bit of travelling but its worth it ..I'd recommend Skye ... the scenery is spectacular... lots of great restaurants (check out the three chimneys) ... fab walks ... the _iews are worth the travelling for .... |
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"Remember the insect repellent the midges have Jaws like Staffys.
There are loads of places to see and try a whisky trail if yous like a dram.
Hopefully you get the weather and enjoy your time in the Highlands "
Midges! I'll bring a ton of repellent lol.
Thank you |
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"The western isles. Ferry Ullapool to Stornoway. Drive down through the whole chain down to Barra. Then the ferry back to Oban from Castlebay. Great beaches and scenery, lots of wildlife, bring a good pair of binoculars."
We'll research that. We need to get an idea of distances etc. We'll have to get the dogeared road map out of the car |
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"I've worked all over Scotland and oban by far is the nicest place I have been too. Although cities Inverness, Perth and Stirling nice to go to. Also Elgin is good too and if you want a 3 hour drive from Inverness to wick, wick can be nice too but mind the thermals and thats just for summer lol"
OK, thanks. We'll check all those places out |
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"Hello
we're thinking of coming to the highlands on holiday May 2021. Where would you suggest?
Well it involves a fair bit of travelling but its worth it ..I'd recommend Skye ... the scenery is spectacular... lots of great restaurants (check out the three chimneys) ... fab walks ... the _iews are worth the travelling for .... "
I've always wanted to visit Skye since learning about bonny Prince Charlie. |
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By *iewMan
over a year ago
Forum Mod Angus & Findhorn |
"Hello
we're thinking of coming to the highlands on holiday May 2021. Where would you suggest?
There are some lovely beaches around Nairn, Findhorn is beautiful
Depends what you’re looking to do, Wester Ross has amazing scenery and great mountains to climb "
Findhorn is fab |
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"Hello
we're thinking of coming to the highlands on holiday May 2021. Where would you suggest?
There are some lovely beaches around Nairn, Findhorn is beautiful
Depends what you’re looking to do, Wester Ross has amazing scenery and great mountains to climb
Findhorn is fab "
It's on the list |
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By *iewMan
over a year ago
Forum Mod Angus & Findhorn |
"Hello
we're thinking of coming to the highlands on holiday May 2021. Where would you suggest?
There are some lovely beaches around Nairn, Findhorn is beautiful
Depends what you’re looking to do, Wester Ross has amazing scenery and great mountains to climb
Findhorn is fab
It's on the list "
The Foundation is worth a look and The Kimberley has great homemade Chicken Tikka |
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"Hello
we're thinking of coming to the highlands on holiday May 2021. Where would you suggest?
There are some lovely beaches around Nairn, Findhorn is beautiful
Depends what you’re looking to do, Wester Ross has amazing scenery and great mountains to climb
Findhorn is fab
It's on the list
The Foundation is worth a look and The Kimberley has great homemade Chicken Tikka "
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Midges definitely worse on the West Coast but the scenery is spectacular. The islands are truly beautiful but a long way away from you &, apart from Skye, would involve ferry crossings.
East Coast has more sandy beaches. The East Neuk of Fife has lots of very quaint seaside villages & is close enough to Edinburgh if you wanted to experience the capital.
K
|
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"Hello
we're thinking of coming to the highlands on holiday May 2021. Where would you suggest?
Well it involves a fair bit of travelling but its worth it ..I'd recommend Skye ... the scenery is spectacular... lots of great restaurants (check out the three chimneys) ... fab walks ... the _iews are worth the travelling for .... "
You been to the fairy pools on Skye? I've never been, but hoping to take my family there some time. Pictures look amazing. |
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Travelling up on Thursday, cannot bloody wait to get away from the southern madness for a week. Sadly I'll be working on sorting out the jungle aka back garden... no euphemism... but least I'll outside... midgie fodder |
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Oh I love highland holidays.
I was born in Orkney and spent a lot of time with my grandparents just outside Inverness and over the years used that as a base for discovering more. I had serval memorable holidays in Tongue (never mind midges, it’s the clegs you need to watch for!) and Gairloch (tho I was stung by a jellyfish here!)
Whatever the scottish 500 is officially called, is lovely. The run along the northern coast is amazing, definitely check out Smoo Cave (You can take a boat trip inside too) and the surrounding beaches. The north west coast is stunning and almost like a Star Trek set in parts! I just love it.
We have amazing beaches, amazing food and beautiful scenery right on our doorstep and love when people realise how lucky we are. |
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Moray upwards is stunning. Beautiful beaches, woodland, great places to eat and drink, and friendly Fab locals!
Definitely book soon though, it’s always busy up this way and next year will be even more so. |
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Considering OP
State the journey it self will be a killer coming up from hastings and they're therefore looking to minimalise driving when they get there..
Taking into account other factors in that if first time to Scotland it could well be a shock to the system that when they get beyond glssgow and loch lomond how greater the distances are between communities never mind between villages and between towns.
In my humble opinion I think fort William to be a good option for first timers as a base.
They've hinted that the journey itself will be hard enough.
F.W. can offer a good few days respite before considering using the car again.
There no doubt be walks of various degrees. Travelling by train and bsck to mallaig...a cruise on the loch.
When ready to face the car again there can be a number of drives.
Though they'll realise due to access you're limited to only a few roads so a lot of double use....
Ok that just leaves the hotels...
Who is going to break the news on that front re quality and standard
( I know theres some very nice ones out there..but with s few they'll be s shock to the system to some southerners) |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Wick and Elgin are dumps 
Golspie/Brora/Dornoch are an hour north Inverness. You can then do the west circular of Lairg, Assynt and Durness in day from there. Then down to Dingwall, across to Westee Ross.
A lot of the roads On west Sutherland are single track So factor that into timings for driving. |
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I'd suggest a travel up and stay in Ayr overnight. Catch the ferry out to Arran, back onto mainland and stay a week in / a round Oban. Loads of coastal forests, stunning beaches, wee day trips on foot by ferry to Mull, to small isles like Seil, Lismpre and Lung, ancient monuments at Kilmartin and Beavers towards Tayvallich.
Week 2, go up to Ft William to stay. You've some fekkin big mountains around Glencoe and ftWilliam (take the cable car up!) , empty lochs and beaches around Ardgour and Strontian. There needs to be a 70 mile day out to Ardnamurchan and singing sands OR get train to Mallaig.
Return back through Glencoe and stop at Stirling Castle.
There's your two weeks sorted  |
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"I'd suggest a travel up and stay in Ayr overnight. Catch the ferry out to Arran, back onto mainland and stay a week in / a round Oban. Loads of coastal forests, stunning beaches, wee day trips on foot by ferry to Mull, to small isles like Seil, Lismpre and Lung, ancient monuments at Kilmartin and Beavers towards Tayvallich.
Week 2, go up to Ft William to stay. You've some fekkin big mountains around Glencoe and ftWilliam (take the cable car up!) , empty lochs and beaches around Ardgour and Strontian. There needs to be a 70 mile day out to Ardnamurchan and singing sands OR get train to Mallaig.
Return back through Glencoe and stop at Stirling Castle.
There's your two weeks sorted "
Please please please dont mention strontian still get shivers thinking about the place.
As a kid had a family camping holiday there. Had driven up overnight (pre m74)..pitched the tent about lunchtime on the Saturday.
About 4pm that afternoon it started raining it didnt stop for a whole week. By about Tuesday a ditch had to be dug through the the kitchen yawning extension to help water drain off. You were literally stepping over a brook to get into the tent. |
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"Midges definitely worse on the West Coast but the scenery is spectacular. The islands are truly beautiful but a long way away from you &, apart from Skye, would involve ferry crossings.
East Coast has more sandy beaches. The East Neuk of Fife has lots of very quaint seaside villages & is close enough to Edinburgh if you wanted to experience the capital.
K
"
We're starting to get a feel for the geography. The seaside villages sound lovely |
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Thanks everyone. I've read all your posts and noted the suggestions.
We'll probably fly up to Inverness, we don't want to drive up really.
You've all been very helpful, more suggestions always welcome |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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If your fascinated with bonnie prince Charlie then Inverness is definitely a good first stop as it has Culloden Battlefield. On a morning you can get a train to Kyle of Lochalsh and then a tour from there that can take you around Skye.
The scenery on the train is amazing and almost as spectacular as the Glasgow to Fort William line. But a good bit shorter.
Lots and lots to do around here for visitors. |
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"If your fascinated with bonnie prince Charlie then Inverness is definitely a good first stop as it has Culloden Battlefield. On a morning you can get a train to Kyle of Lochalsh and then a tour from there that can take you around Skye.
The scenery on the train is amazing and almost as spectacular as the Glasgow to Fort William line. But a good bit shorter.
Lots and lots to do around here for visitors."
I'm very interested in the history of the monarchy but Mr not so much. One trip wouldn't hurt though |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Hello
we're thinking of coming to the highlands on holiday May 2021. Where would you suggest? "
Loads of places, Applecross is top of my list, the very North coast is worth a visit. Wester Ross and Torridon are stunning. |
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Love a walk along Lossie Beach. Findhorn is close to my heart  I don't spend enough quality time up there, always having to work and I don't always drive up there, so no car, but I would love to see more before my visits stop  |
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I can do folkstone to glasgow in roughly nine hours
Traffic permitting
borders= east central coast is nice selkirk hawick kelso all good stopovers
dumfries galloway west wards to newton stewart kirkcudbright have nice locations for staying over
Trossachs is worth the round trip from aberfoyle to killin theres a reason Queen Victoria visited it.
Arran is a must with the ferry to kintyre driving north to Tayvallich up to Oban and of course onwards to Forts Augustus and William
Western isles great for seeing with a special trip to St Kilda a must. Skye Mull and of course Iona all time well spent special mention to Juira and Barra a seperate holiday in itself.
the north coast 500 has captured Rosshire and Sutherland, from inverness to Aberdeen has its moments yet the grampians with Braemar are nice to tour.
Pitlochry Aberfeldy and of course kinlochrannoch deserve visiting
You could spend a month touring everywhere, fife has its places to explore from falkland place to loch leven with Glencoe a must too
One thing though waterproof jackets and mige cream be it skoosh or skin so soft |
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"Hello
we're thinking of coming to the highlands on holiday May 2021. Where would you suggest?
Well it involves a fair bit of travelling but its worth it ..I'd recommend Skye ... the scenery is spectacular... lots of great restaurants (check out the three chimneys) ... fab walks ... the _iews are worth the travelling for ....
You been to the fairy pools on Skye? I've never been, but hoping to take my family there some time. Pictures look amazing. "
yes been to the fairy pools ...definitely worth a visit if you are in Skye ...can get quite busy though as it's very popular |
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If you'd like a base, Fort William's good. day to get there via Loch Lomond and Glencoe. Day loops to Skye, Loch Ness, Oban/Argyll, all very doable. Back south via Newtonmore, Perth and Forth Bridges. Great variety of scenery with weather options.
Ceud mìle fàilte. |
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Came to holiday in highlands 16 years ago never went home except to sell my house .moray /highlands has many stunning places you will be spoilt for choice but a good base is the holiday park in nairn and explore from there |
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Calling good folk of moray..
Some questions if I may..
Time Inverness to banff ...?
See its 60 milessprox would 2 hrs be an estimate.
Remembering it's not the speed you can do..but the you're governed by the speed of the vehicle in front.
What would be must see places along that route...
Eg baxters at focherbers if a foodie for example
Thanks for suggestions.. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Lots and lots personally I would highly recommend the trossachs area but skye and mull fantastic beautiful scenery, if you have time plot the journey it'll be worth it, remember the midgy spray or cream, top tip |
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By *ikilovesCCouple
over a year ago
village life, closest main town inverness |
"Came to holiday in highlands 16 years ago never went home except to sell my house .moray /highlands has many stunning places you will be spoilt for choice but a good base is the holiday park in nairn and explore from there "
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That "never went home again" story is quite a common one in the highlands isn't it lol 
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Would agree that Nairn is a good place to base yourself
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Haven't seen it mentioned but Plockton is a beautiful and friendly little place to visit or stay in,
Skye is on your doorstep, not too far to...
Glenfinnan for Bonnie Prince Charlie (if you're in any caves keep an eye out for s missing gold coins) lol,
Mull and if you do go there, Iona and Fingals Cave are well worth a day trip
Arisaig/Morar for quiet stunning beaches and coves (camusdarach beach is just beautiful) or a game of golf even lol |
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