8 Days in Scotland: Edinburgh, Loch Ness, Skye and Glencoe by Car

I spent eight days driving around Scotland in September with a friend: two nights in Edinburgh, one on Loch Ness, three on the Isle of Skye, two in Fort William and a final night back in Edinburgh before an early flight.

The short version: Skye is the reason to go, the weather decides how good it is, and the castles aren't worth the money.

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The route at a glance

• Nights 1–2: Edinburgh — Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle, Victoria Street, Arthur's Seat
• Night 3: Invermoriston, Loch Ness — the Hermitage, Queen's View on Loch Tummel
• Nights 4–6: Isle of Skye — Old Man of Storr, Quiraing, Fairy Pools, Neist Point, Kilt Rock and more
• Nights 7–8: Fort William — Glenfinnan Viaduct, Camusdarach Beach, Glencoe, Glen Etive
• Night 9: Edinburgh — Devil's Pulpit, lunch in Glasgow

I landed late on the first evening, so the eight days are really eight full days on the ground.

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What it cost: around €1,200 per person

That's €1,200 each, all in — flights, car, fuel, hostels and food.

• Flights from Germany were the biggest single cost.
• The rental car was second, but split between two people it wasn't much each. If you're travelling solo, this is the line that changes the most.
• I stayed in hostels every night. Nothing memorable, nothing to complain about — they did the job, and in the Highlands they're the easiest way to keep the budget sane.
• We didn't pay for any castles after Edinburgh. More on that below.

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Getting around: rent a car, but not for Edinburgh

We picked up the car on day two as we left Edinburgh and dropped it at Edinburgh Airport on the last day.

You don't need a car in Edinburgh — everything worth doing is walkable. But beyond it, a car isn't optional. Skye, Glencoe and most of the stops in this itinerary aren't realistically reachable any other way, and half the best moments of the trip were valleys we pulled over in that aren't on any list.

A lot of the Highlands is single-track road with passing places. It's slower than the map suggests, so don't pack the days too tight.

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Day 1: Edinburgh

A full day on foot:

• The Royal Mile, from top to bottom
• Edinburgh Castle
• Victoria Street — the curved, colourful street everyone photographs, and it's worth the detour
• Arthur's Seat — an easy hike right in the city, with the best view of Edinburgh you'll get

On castles

Edinburgh Castle was the only castle we paid for on the whole trip. After it, we decided to skip the rest — including the big-name ones on the road north and to Skye. They're expensive, and for me they didn't come close to being worth it compared to what the landscape gives you for free.

If castles are your thing, budget for them properly. If you're on the fence, do one and decide from there.

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Day 2: Edinburgh to Loch Ness

Car day. We collected it and headed north, with two stops that break the drive up well:

• The Hermitage near Dunkeld — a short, easy forest walk along the river. A good leg-stretch after the first stint of driving.
• Queen's View on Loch Tummel — a quick viewpoint just off the road, looking straight down the loch.

We spent the night in a hostel in Invermoriston, right on Loch Ness. It's a good base because it puts you on the road towards Skye the next morning.

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Days 3–5: the Isle of Skye

Three nights, and I wouldn't do fewer. Skye was the best part of Scotland by a distance.

We did almost everything on the usual list:

• The Quiraing — the best thing on the trip
• The Old Man of Storr
• The Fairy Pools
• Neist Point
• Kilt Rock and Brothers' Point
• The Fairy Glen
• Portree
• The Fairy Bridge and Sligachan Old Bridge

The Quiraing felt like we were on a different planet. Part of that is that we got good weather there, which you can't plan for — but it's the one I'd go back for.

The Fairy Glen was the only one that didn't impress me. Everything else was amazing.

All the hikes on Skye are easy — bad weather is what makes them hard. Wind and rain turn a gentle walk into something much less fun, so keep your plan flexible and move the big viewpoints to whichever day is clearest.

I've written a separate guide with how to split the three days, which stops are worth it and where I flew the drone: 3 Days on the Isle of Skye.

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Days 6–7: Fort William, Glenfinnan and Glencoe

Day 6: Glenfinnan Viaduct and the Road to the Isles

The Glenfinnan Viaduct is overrated — but as a Harry Potter fan I still wouldn't skip it.

The one tip that matters: don't stop at the viewpoint next to the car park. Walk past it and take the trail to the viewpoint behind the bridge. It's a short hike, and it's the best view of the viaduct by a long way.

After that, we drove out to Camusdarach Beach. The weather was bad and the beach itself is just okay — but the road there is amazing. Do it for the drive, not the destination.

Day 7: Glencoe, the Hidden Valley and Glen Etive

Glencoe in the morning, with the Hidden Valley hike — the best walk in the area and not a hard one.

In the evening we drove into Glen Etive. The weather was so bad we saw nothing at all, which is the honest risk of this part of Scotland. On a clear evening it's supposed to be one of the best drives in the country.

Full details: Fort William and Glencoe: 2 Days Around the Western Highlands.

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Day 8: back to Edinburgh via Glasgow

The drive back makes a decent last day:

• Devil's Pulpit — a narrow, mossy gorge with red water. It was a nice stop and breaks the drive.
• Lunch in Glasgow.
• Drop the car at Edinburgh Airport, then back into the city for souvenir shopping.

We had an early morning flight the next day, so spending the last night in Edinburgh rather than out in the Highlands was the right call.

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Flying a drone in Scotland

I flew in a lot of places on this trip — random Highland valleys, the Quiraing, the Fairy Glen, the Fairy Pools, Neist Point, Brothers' Point, Kilt Rock and around Glencoe.

• Register your drone in the UK before you go.
• Check for restrictions and NOTAMs before each flight.
• Legally, you can fly in most of the Highlands. Avoid national parks and anywhere it's clearly not allowed.
• If there's a "no drones" sign because it's private property — like at Glenfinnan — ask. With a small donation they'll usually let you.
• In Glencoe, flying in the main valley isn't allowed. I took off from the side of the road away from the main valley.

The weather grounded me at the Old Man of Storr and at Glenfinnan, which is going to happen to you too at some point.

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What I'd tell you before you go

• Three nights on Skye, minimum. It's the highlight, and the weather will take at least one viewpoint from you.
• Don't pay for castles unless they're genuinely your thing.
• Take the viewpoint behind the Glenfinnan Viaduct, not the one by the car park.
• Keep days flexible around the weather. The same hike can be easy or miserable depending on the day.
• Waterproofs, properly. Not a light jacket — actual waterproofs.
• Split the car if you can. With two people it stops being a big cost.

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Related reading

• 3 Days on the Isle of Skye
• Fort William and Glencoe: 2 Days Around the Western Highlands
• 4 days in London — the rest of the UK, if you're adding a city break
• 7-day South Iceland itinerary — another weather-dependent road trip with the same kind of landscapes