Three Weeks in Scotland and Ireland

Edinburgh and the Highlands

Edinburgh's Old Town runs down the Royal Mile from the castle to Holyrood, and Arthur's Seat gives a short hike with views over the city. August brings the Festival Fringe, when accommodation prices rise sharply. The train north to Inverness crosses the Cairngorms; Inverness is the gateway to Loch Ness and the Culloden battlefield. Coaches continue west past Eilean Donan castle to the Isle of Skye, where Portree is the main base for the Old Man of Storr, the Quiraing and the Fairy Pools.

Glasgow and Northern Ireland

The long coach ride from Skye to Glasgow runs through Glencoe and along Loch Lomond. Glasgow has a strong music scene, free civic museums such as Kelvingrove and fine Victorian architecture. The Irish Sea crossing to Belfast is by coach and ferry via Cairnryan or a short flight. Belfast's Titanic Quarter and its political murals are the main sights, and buses run up to the Causeway Coast, home to the basalt columns of the Giant's Causeway.

The west of Ireland and Dublin

From the north coast, buses run via Derry and Sligo down to Galway, a compact university city with traditional music in its pubs and access to Connemara and the Aran Islands. Further south, the Dingle Peninsula is known for the Slea Head Drive, early Christian sites and Irish-speaking communities. The route ends in Dublin, with Trinity College, the Guinness Storehouse and coastal walks at Howth. Dublin airport has wide international connections, and the route can equally be run in reverse, starting in Dublin and finishing in Edinburgh.

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Visas: the UK (including Northern Ireland) and Ireland are outside the Schengen Area and set their own rules, though they share a Common Travel Area with no routine checks between them. The UK now requires an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) from many visa-exempt nationalities; check the official UK and Irish government sources before travel. Transport: ScotRail and Scottish Citylink cover Scotland, Translink covers Northern Ireland and Bus Eireann and Irish Rail cover the Republic; rural services can be infrequent, especially on Sundays. Weather: May to September is the mildest period; rain is possible on any day, and midges are common in the Highlands in summer. Budget: the mid figure assumes private rooms in guesthouses or budget hotels, public transport, a few guided day tours and pub meals; Edinburgh in August and Dublin cost more. Two currencies are used: pounds sterling in Scotland and Northern Ireland, euros in Ireland. Safety: generally safe; mountain weather on Skye can turn quickly. Check current official travel advisories.