Gujju Diary

UK road trip

Scotland & London

Ten days of single-track roads, castles and weather that changed every twenty minutes, then a train south to London. Pack an umbrella. Then pack another one.

April 2023

Duration
16 days, 15 nights
Season
April, spring
Driving
About 600 miles
Getting around
Rental car, then train
Stays
Glasgow, Oban, Skye, Loch Ness, London

The route

We flew into Glasgow, picked up a rental car for the Highlands and the Isle of Skye, came back via Loch Ness and Inverness, then took the train from Edinburgh to London for the last five days.

Scotland by car

  1. Glasgow 3 nights, day trip to Edinburgh
  2. Edinburgh castle, Falkirk Wheel, Kelpies
  3. Loch Lomond boat tour and Luss
  4. Oban 1 night
  5. Glen Coe Three Sisters viewpoint
  6. Isle of Skye 2 nights
  7. Loch Ness 1 night, Fort Augustus
  8. Inverness 1 night
  9. Glasgow 1 night

Train from Edinburgh Waverley to London King’s Cross

London

  1. London 5 nights

How the trip went

If you only read one part of this page, read this. The full day-by-day table is below it.

Days 1–3
Glasgow, Edinburgh

Two cities and a lot of rain

Scotland eases you in. We gave Glasgow its first full morning for the Science Centre, with Kelvingrove and the Botanic Gardens as extras if the day allowed.

Day three was Edinburgh: the castle on its rock, the Falkirk Wheel lifting boats like a giant rotating arm, the Kelpies, two enormous steel horse heads standing over a canal, and the Forth Bridge. It was also the day we picked up the rental car for the next week.

Draft note for Manan: first impressions of Edinburgh, or driving on the left for the first time.

Days 4–5
Loch Lomond, Oban, Glen Coe

Lochs, then the road north

We followed the A82 to Loch Lomond for a boat tour and a walk around the village of Luss, stopped at the Rest and Be Thankful viewpoint, and carried on to Oban by the sea for the night.

In Oban we walked up to McCaig’s Tower and along the promenade, then drove 34 miles to Glen Coe. The Three Sisters viewpoint is the kind of valley that makes everyone in the car go quiet. Neptune’s Staircase, a ladder of canal locks, was our last stop before Skye.

Days 6–7
Isle of Skye

Skye: two days are not enough

Skye got two full days. The first took us up the east coast: Lealt Falls, the Quiraing (a tough drive and a very photogenic one), the short climb to the Old Man of Storr, and Dunvegan Castle.

The second was the west and south: the Fairy Glen and Fairy Pools, the drive out to the lighthouse at Neist Point, and Eilean Donan Castle on its little island. Skye is where we learned the rules of single-track roads: pull into passing places, wave a thank-you, and never trust the forecast.

Draft note for Manan: Neist Point or the Quiraing. Which view stayed with you?

Days 8–10
Loch Ness, Inverness

Monster hunting, then back south

From Skye it was 102 miles to Loch Ness. We stayed by the water, walked around Fort Augustus, and kept an eye out for Nessie.

Inverness was a slow day to recharge. Then came the longest drive of the trip, 190 miles back to Glasgow, and the end of our time with the car.

Days 11–16
London

Five days in London

We took the afternoon train from Edinburgh Waverley to King’s Cross, which is an easy, scenic way to cross the country.

London was a change of pace: Sky Garden views and London Bridge, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour for Harry Potter, a day out at Box Hill, and the classic Buckingham Palace and hop-on hop-off finish before the flight home.

Draft note for Manan: the Harry Potter studio tour, in a line or two.

Day-by-day itinerary

Distances and drive times are the ones we planned with. Optional extras are highlighted like this.

Day Route and travel Sightseeing Stay Distance
Scotland
Day 1 Arrive in Glasgow Settle in Glasgow
Day 2 Glasgow Glasgow Science Centre (morning) Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Botanic Gardens Glasgow
Day 3 Glasgow to Edinburgh and back, pick up the rental car Edinburgh Castle, Falkirk Wheel, the Kelpies, Forth Bridge Victorian Necropolis Glasgow Car
Day 4 Glasgow to Loch Lomond, then on to Oban (follow the A82) Loch Lomond boat tour, walk around Luss, Rest and Be Thankful viewpoint Conic Hill climb, kayaking in the Trossachs Oban 107 miles
Day 5 Oban to Glen Coe, then towards Skye McCaig’s Tower and Battery Hill, Oban promenade, Glen Coe Three Sisters viewpoint, Neptune’s Staircase Pulpit Hill 34 miles to Glen Coe
Day 6 Isle of Skye, north and east Lealt Falls, the Quiraing (a tough but beautiful drive), Old Man of Storr (short hike), Dunvegan Castle Coral Beach, Talisker Distillery Isle of Skye
Day 7 Isle of Skye, west and south Fairy Glen, Fairy Pools, Neist Point lighthouse, Eilean Donan Castle Isle of Skye
Day 8 Skye to Loch Ness Fort Augustus, a walk along Loch Ness Loch View Lodge, Loch Ness 102 miles
Day 9 Inverness A slow day in the Highland capital Jacobite steam train Inverness
Day 10 Inverness to Glasgow The long drive south Glasgow 190 miles
London
Day 11 Train from Edinburgh Waverley to London King’s Cross (1:30 pm) London Train
Day 12 London Sky Garden, London Bridge Trafalgar Square, London Eye London
Day 13 London IKEA, Warner Bros. Studio Tour, The Making of Harry Potter (2 pm) London
Day 14 London Box Hill, local roaming London
Day 15 London Buckingham Palace, hop-on hop-off bus tour London
Day 16 Fly home Flight

What has changed since our trip

  • Visas: Indian passport holders still need a UK Standard Visitor visa. Apply well ahead of travel.
  • Skye: Accommodation on Skye fills up months ahead in spring and summer. Book early.
  • Prices: Those from 2023 are out of date, so we have left them out.

Last checked: November 2026

If you are planning this route

  • Always carry an umbrella and a good jacket. The weather changes every twenty minutes, even on a sunny morning.
  • Ask for still water. The default is often sparkling.
  • Shops close early. Small shops can shut by 5–6 pm and supermarkets by 8–10 pm. Keep a meal deal and snacks in the bag.
  • Keep the fuel tank full. Petrol stations are far apart in the Highlands and on Skye.
  • Carry your own veg food. We were disappointed by Indian restaurants. Instant noodles and ready-to-eat packets saved us; egg-free and vegan options were limited.
  • Follow the A82. It is the classic road from Glasgow past Loch Lomond and Glen Coe towards Skye.