Glasgow International Airport (GLA) is 1.5 hours from Castle Lachlan

Edinburgh International Airport (EDI) is 2.5 hours from Castle Lachlan

Both are wonderful cities to travel to, but we live in Edinburgh so we are biased!

Public transport is great in Scotland. The bus, tram, and train are all easy ways to get around in general. If you need to get from your chosen airport to your accommodation, public transport is easy and you can set your Google or Apple Maps (we recommend Google Maps for more accuracy in Europe) to public transportation mode. All public transport takes credit card and you can either buy the ticket at the station / stop or on the bus.

The following are options within the UK for ride-sharing: Gett (app), local Taxi/Cab (takes credit card inside) and can be called by phone or on side of the road, Uber, Bolt (app), City Cabs Edinburgh (app). We recommend those in that order.

Renting a Car: Not as bad as it sounds! It is much, much harder to drive in the US than in the UK. Although it is the opposite side, the roads in the UK are calmer and quieter and there is signage everywhere for which lane to be in.

More to come on help getting from your chosen accommodation to Castle Lachlan.

Weather: The daytime temperatures mid-July can range from 60-75 °F. Night time can range from 50-60 °F, but don't worry - Scotland has long days and short nights in July. Expect the sun to set around 10pm during your trip. We would recommend peeking at the weather app before your travels!

UK Currency: Pounds. You can exchange dollars from the airport or most credit cards will just do the currency conversion. Some do charge an convenience fee for it, so check yours! Best bet to get best rates is to exchange money at your US bank before hopping on your flight. If you are traveling elsewhere before and after, keep in mind - different countries use different currencies.

UK Plugs: The UK has different plugs to US and the rest of Europe. There are adapters that can accomodate all plugs and transition from one to another.

UK / EU Voltage: Check your hair straighteners, blow dryers, shavers, etc! If you do not have an adapter and convertor OR if your electronic does not convert (says it on the label), then you shouldn't plug it in as it can fry it. RIP to many Dysons far and wide.

3 Day Castle Lachlan Itinerary to come so you can pack accordingly!

We recommend Booking.com or AirBNB for your accommodation needs in the UK or Europe.

Be careful to ensure whatever you book has a shower head, not just a tub.

The major airports in Europe include: London, Paris, Amsterdam, Germany. They may be the cheapest to book round trip flights in and out of, depending on where you'd like to go and for how long.

Bags: Keep in mind if using European Airlines, baggage and suitcase size allowances are smaller and are mostly not included in the ticket. If you need to leave anything at our place, you are welcome to. Most travelers bring backpacks to travel within Europe with RyanAir or EasyJet.

Cell Service: May be worthwhile checking with your provide information on international service. Download WhatsApp for free text and calls. iMessage is free when on WiFi because you are using Internet instead of texting. Facetime Video or Audio is free when on WiFi with the same reason.

Our highest recommendation for your trip is to spend time in Scotland, but we are happy to help in your planning for wherever! There is so much nature and history to see in Scotland. Depending on how much time you have, here are our favourite spots and our recommended timeframes fom them:

1. Edinburgh and/or Glasgow (2-3 Days) - If you love big cities, architecture, and history. Good thing to explore on the front end or back end of your trip since there are international airports in both cities. The two cities are easy to get to one another by public transport if you want to do both (bus).

2. Isle of Mull (2-4 Days) - If you love nature and quiet, this island off the West Coast is perfect. You have to get to it by ferry via the city of Oban, but it is an easy trip. You do have to book the ferry ahead of time, but can book your car to go on as well. It is very easy to drive in Mull and is the best, relaxing holiday. You can get to multiple other islands once on the Isle of Mull via ferry (Isle of Iona - our VERY FAVOURITE, Isle of Staffa, and Isle of Ulva). We have camped in Mull many times and would highly recommend!

3. Glencoe (2-3 Days) - Off the West Coast of Scotland and full of nature, waterfalls, great hikes.

4. Inverness & Highland Tour from Inverness (2-4 Days) - If you love nature and small cities. Highland tour you have to book via Trip Advisor. Most include the gorgeous Isle of Skye which is famous for its formations and nature. You can also book a Highland Tour from Edinburgh or Glasgow.

5. NC500 (5-9 Days) - This is done via car and is the entire North Coast of Scotland (500 miles). It is GORGEOUS. If you visit https://www.lovefromscotland.co.uk/north-coast-500/ there is a great guide with an interactive map to help you along the way, whether you are starting from the West or East of Scotland. If you have less time, you can do the West of the NC500 and Isle of Skye within 3-4 Days. Or one or the other within 2-3 Days. You could also spread your time out and relax more to do Isle of Skye within 4-5 Days etc. Depends what pace you like to travel at!

6. London - You may find it cheapest to fly in and out of London, stay a couple days to explore, and take a smaller round-trip to EDI or GLA. London is like NY on steroids so if you're a big city person, it's perfect for exploring before or after your trip or BOTH! There are so many different areas to see within London.

If you want to stay around the area of Castle Lachlan the entirety of your trip, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park is amazing and within 1 hour of Castle Lachlan (depending on where you go within the park). Our favourite hike in the area is Ben A'an. It is steep with steps but short and has gorgeous loch views at the top. We recommend the Three Lochs Forest Drive in the area. It is a 7 mile drive that has beautiful views of the lakes. There is more than enough on the West Coast to fill a weeks worth of activities so if you'd like a more relaxing, nature-filled holiday, we would recommend you stay and wander!

We recommend www.walkhighlands.co.uk for any hikes or walks you'd like to plan. We are happy if we can help with your travels in any way, don't hesitate to ask!