Remote Scotland

Scotland in 7 days

A week lets you add the islands of the west coast. This route goes out by Loch Lomond and Oban, crosses to Mull and Iona, then heads north through Glencoe to Skye and back via Loch Ness.

Iona Abbey and its tower on the Isle of Iona
Iona Abbey. Photo: Akela NDE, CC BY-SA 2.0 fr, via Wikimedia Commons

Last checked 11 November 2026. Timetables, prices and opening dates change: check the operator before you travel.

At a glance: Edinburgh (1) → Oban (2) → Portree, Skye (2) → Inverness (1) → Edinburgh. Ferries: Oban–Craignure return, Fionnphort–Iona return, Mallaig–Armadale. Book vehicle space for summer.
  1. Day 1: Edinburgh. Castle (book a timed ticket), the Royal Mile, a museum and a walk up Calton Hill or Arthur's Seat.
  2. Day 2: Edinburgh to Oban. Stirling Castle (50 min), then via Callander and Lochearnhead to Loch Lomond or straight to Inveraray on Loch Fyne for lunch (about 1 hr 45 min from Stirling via Crianlarich and Glen Kinglas). On to Oban (1 hour).
    Driving about 3 hr 45 min; day about 9 hours.
  3. Day 3: Mull and Iona. Early ferry to Craignure (about 45 to 50 min). Drive the single-track road to Fionnphort (1 hr 15 min), foot ferry to Iona (10 min), two to three hours on the island and at the abbey. Return the same way for an evening ferry to Oban.
    A long day of about 10 hours, but much of it on ferries. Check the timetable the day before. If you can, stay a night on Mull instead.
  4. Day 4: Oban to Skye via Glencoe and Glenfinnan. North past Castle Stalker to Glencoe (1 hour), a short stop, then Fort William (30 min) and Glenfinnan (30 min). Mallaig (45 min), ferry to Armadale (45 min), drive to Portree (1 hour).
    Driving about 3 hr 45 min plus ferry; day about 9 to 10 hours. If time is tight, keep the Glencoe stop short, or drive to Skye by the Skye Bridge instead of the Mallaig ferry.
  5. Day 5: Skye. Trotternish: the Storr, Kilt Rock, the Quiraing and the Fairy Glen. Or, in poor weather in the north, the Fairy Pools, Talisker and Dunvegan.
  6. Day 6: Skye to Inverness. Skye Bridge, Eilean Donan, Glen Shiel, Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle to Inverness.
    Driving about 3 hr 30 min; day about 9 hours.
  7. Day 7: Inverness to Edinburgh. Culloden and Clava Cairns, then the A9 south with stops at Aviemore and Pitlochry.
    Driving about 3 hr 45 min; day about 9 hours.

Variations