2 weeks in Scotland what to keep and what to drop?

[Left-Moment]

Lots of good advice. I can only reiterate book any accommodation of whatever type you want a soon as possible.

The comment about not driving too far is spot on. Scotland is a deceptively large country from a driving point of view. Years ago we spent two weeks camping in Scotland and did an average of 100+ miles a day and we felt afterwards we had missed quite a bit through being in the car so much. I can understand wanting to pack a lot in, but the hills will be there next year.

I haven't read every post here so apologies if this has been mentioned already but the roads from Inverness west (to Gairloch) or north west(to Ullapool) give the shortest distances from the west to the east coast. As the weather is often quite different from west to east these roads give you some flexibility. Both are excellent and quick roads(unless you catch traffic just off the ferry at Ullapool)

Wherever you go I'm sure you will have a great time but this year in particular it could be very busy.

Dave

Thanks Dave I appreciate your comments and thoughts. We actually did the same on a West Coast USA trip and although it was amazing we felt we were speeding by the best bits quite often so I think fewer places well is better than lots of places shallow. I am thus revising this route and parring it down quite a lot.

[Left-Moment]

To me, the itinerary you sketched ending in Aviemore slightly lacks logic because you criss-cross the country.

From Fort William (west coast) you head up the Great Glen to Inverness(east coast). From Inverness you go back across to the west coast and end up in Kyle of Lochalsh. It makes more sense to do this loop in the opposite direction, but if Inverness is a fixed point it makes some sense. From Kyle of Lochalsh you then head to Aviemore in the east highlands. This requires either going up to Inverness and south on the A9, or to Spean Bridge, across to Kingussie and approaching Aviemore from the south only to return south on the A9.

From your posts, it sounds like the two places you're most keen to go to are the Trossachs and Torridon.
If that's the case, why not book the accommodation in Inverness and Torridon?
Week 1 start somewhere near Callander or Killin for a couple of days, and then look at the weather and head to Inverness via either Fort William or Aviemore depending on where the weather is better. From Inverness head across to the west coast and work your way down to Torridon and then Kyle before driving home from there?

Hey Dave, thanks again for all of your input. Yes you are right, the second option lacks a feeling of flow and certain sense. Inverness is not a fixed point (yet) it just has better bricks and mortar options for the day when we really need to be inside with good wifi.

Thanks for your suggestion and consideration of my previous posts. In actuality I think I overstated my partner's desire to go to Trossachs, i think she just liked the look of the campsite and the feel of it, but that is only going on the internet and nothing more. It also looks rainy next Monday night and so camping might not be as good there. I mentioned Torridon so much as I have heard great things about it and had to cut a trip short last March due to Covid, so there is something of the unfinished business about it! I will certainly take a good look at that suggestion but like the flexibility it provides.

Thanks for all of your help with this, you have been so kind and generous with your input!

[Left-Moment]

Last question, what weather service/provider do people think is best for the highlands? I have been using BBC for the nearest towns/places but is there anything better?

[Tringa]

I use BBC, Met Office(even though I think the BBC get their forecasts from the Met Office their forecasts are not always the same) and MWIS.

If you are prepared for all weathers and flexible in what you do, you should be OK

Dave

[Mal Grey]

I use BBC, Met Office(even though I think the BBC get their forecasts from the Met Office their forecasts are not always the same) and MWIS.

If you are prepared for all weathers and flexible in what you do, you should be OK

Dave

I use these and, as the locals seem to like it, XC weather. Also the Midge Forecast from Smidge!!! BBC no longer get data from the MetOffice, hence they can be more different now. Last week, which was good weather, XC was reliable.

[jmarkb]

I use BBC, Met Office(even though I think the BBC get their forecasts from the Met Office their forecasts are not always the same) and MWIS.

The BBC have not used the Met Office forecasts for some time now - their service now comes from MeteoGroup. The Met Office does a specialist mountain forecast https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/specialist-forecasts/mountain which is not easy to find on their website and not available on the phone app.

[jmarkb]

Last week, which was good weather, XC was reliable.

XC Weather is OK - like the majority of free web forecasts it is based on the American GFS model output.