Tour Scotland by Car - Self Drive Holidays in Scotland

TOUR SCOTLAND BY CAR ON YOUR SELF DRIVE HOLIDAY IN SCOTLAND

Best Western The Crianlarich Hotel is the perfect base to Tour Scotland by Car on your Self Drive Holiday in Scotland. 90% of Scotland’s “must see” and most popular destinations and visitor attractions are within a 120 minute drive of the hotel!

See Scotland in a Week!

We’ve put together a fantastic itinerary for a tour lasting anything from 3-7 days - simply fly into Glasgow or Edinburgh Airport, pick up your hire car, follow the directions below to Best Western The Crianlarich Hotel and then chose your itinerary options for each day of your stay with us. Each of the excursion options will involve a round trip of no more than 4 hours of driving per day from your comfortable base at Best Western The Crianlarich Hotel and promises you day after day of unforgettable experiences in Scotland.

OPTION 1 - FROM GLASGOW

Day 1:

Glasgow Airport to The Crianlarich Hotel

48 miles / 77 km – direct drive time 60 mins

From Glasgow Airport take M8 North-west bound following signs for Erskine Bridge.

On crossing Erskine Bridge follow signs to Crianlarich A82.

Options en route:

40 minutes into your journey, stop at the beautiful village of Lusson Loch Lomond side - filming location for Scottish soap opera ‘Take the High Road’
After 45 minutes stop at Tarbet and take a cruise on Loch Lomond Cruises

OPTION 2 - FROM EDINBURGH

Day 1:

Edinburgh Airport to The Crianlarich Hotel

75 miles / 120 km – direct drive time 95 min

From Edinburgh Airport take M90 West bound following signs for Stirling.

At junction 10, take A84 to Crianlarich.

Continue to Crianlarich on A84 / A85 / A82

Options en route:

20 minutes into your journey, stop in Falkirk to see the famous Falkirk Wheel
After 35 minutes stop in medieval city of Stirling to visit Bannockburn, the famous Stirling Castle and Scott Monument
After 60 minutes stop for refreshments in the popular market town of Callander

Below are our suggestions for one day excursions that can be completed in any sequence. Each excursion should involve no more than 4 hours of driving (2 hours in one direction and 2 hours back). Some of the routes are circular. All offer outstanding scenery and stop at many of Scotland’s most famous attractions.

Excursion 1: Glencoe, Loch Etive, Fort William & Ben Nevis

Distance: 125m, excursion time: 5-8 hours

Soak up the haunting beauty of Glencoe, just 30 minutes’ drive from the hotel
At the Kings House Hotel in Glencoe, turn off on a small road that runs south for approx. 12 miles to Loch Etive, one of Scotland’s most scenic drives
From the main road, carry on to Fort William, a busy town nestled at the foot of the UK’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis

Excursion 2: Loch Awe, Inveraray & Loch Fyne

Distance: 72m, excursion time: 3-6 hours

A circular route past some of Scotland’s largest and most picturesque fresh water and sea lochs
20 miles after leaving the hotel, take the A819 towards Inveraray, enjoying the views of Loch Awe to your right
At Inveraray take some time to visit our sister hotel The Inveraray Inn, also the Castle (used in the Downtown Abbey Christmas special) and the village’s famous Jail (now a museum)
Your return route to Crianlarich takes you along the shores of Loch Fyne, famous for its kippers (herring) and oysters
You will also pass through the “Rest and be Thankful”, the notoriously steep mountain pass and scene of many an over-heated radiator in years gone by

Excursion 3: Oban & the Isle of Mull

Distance: 82m, excursion time: 6-10 hours

The sea-side town of Oban is a bustling fishing port and the gateway to the Western Isles
The drive to Oban will take no longer than one hour and will take you past Loch Awe, the world famous trout fishery
The beautiful island of Mull is a short ferry journey from Oban and is home to Tobermory, renowned for its colourful buildings and stunning views
In Oban you can enjoy a trip to the Oban Distillery which is one of the oldest in Scotland

Excursion 4: Harry Potter & Bonnie Prince Charles

Distance: 136m, excursion time: 5-8 hours

A 68-mile drive from the hotel along the A82/A830, via Glencoe and Fort William, lies the beautiful Loch Shiel, location of the Glen Finnan viaduct – made famous by the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter film franchise!
A drive to Loch Shiel also permits a visit to the Glenfinnan Monument, commemorating the site where Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his royal standard in 1745

Excursion 5: Killin, Loch Tay, Aberfeldy & Perth

Distance: 121m, excursion time: 5-8 hours

Trace the river Tay from its headwaters at Crianlarich, through the beautiful craft village of Killin, alongside Loch Tay itself and on to the cosmopolitan city of Perth, Scotland’s Fair City on the banks of the river herself
En route visit the charming village of Aberfeldy and wonder at Wade’s famous bridge

Excursion 6: Lochearnhead, Comrie, Crieff, Stirling & Falkirk

Distance: 104m, excursion time: 5-8 hours

A circular route passing through the historical conservation village of Comrie as well the beautiful market town of Crieff (home to the Caithness Glass museum), en route to the spectacular attractions of Stirling and Falkirk
In Stirling you can while away a few hours visiting the famous medieval castle, the Wallace Monument and the site of the battle of Bannockburn where the Bruce defeated the English in 1314
A trip to Falkirk before heading back to Crianlarich will reward you with a fascinating visit to the Falkirk Wheel, a boat lift that represents a truly remarkable feat of modern engineering and which now links the Forth and Clyde Canals