Sarah Armstrong's Guest House

The flat is very handy for shops, restaurants, sights etc and of course us! The only warning is lots of stairs. Bedrooms and bathroom are upstairs and you’ll remember there are a couple flights of stairs to get up to our balcony level. Do you think your knees are ok with that?

Hadrian’s Wall was wonderful but I will say it’s not very convenient for those with mobility issues - the paths are rocky and steep in places and Bill could only manage small bits of it (he had a chest infection but think he found it hard on his knees as well). There are lots of cute villages and pubs and one main visitor centre but I’d say it might be more focused on hikers and walkers. It’s under two hours from Glasgow if you do go.

But there’s so much to do in Scotland and you’ll have plenty of time to plan itinerary. Lindsay and I would be happy to help out and figure out some good outings.

Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile

The stone towers and walls of Edinburgh Castle have dominated the Edinburgh skyline since the 13th century. Perched atop black basalt rock, it offers magnificent views of the city and a trip through Scotland's tumultuous history. Highlights are the spectacular Crown Jewels; the famous Stone of Destiny (the Stone of Scone); and St. Margaret's Chapel, built in 1130 and the oldest building in Edinburgh. Enter the castle over a drawbridge across an old moat from the broad Esplanade, where the famous Edinburgh Military Tattoo is held every August. Bronze statues of legendary heroes William Wallace and Robert the Bruce seem to keep watch over the castle gates.

Loch Lomond

Idyllic Loch Lomond, just a short drive northwest of Glasgow, is Britain's largest lake and, according to author Walter Scott, "The Queen of Scottish Lakes." With plentiful trout, salmon, and whitefish as a lure for anglers; the loch for watersports; and plenty of open space for hikers; this beautiful corner of Scotland is also a favorite day trip from the city. Boat trips are always popular, as are lakeside rambles and longer treks up majestic Ben Lomond (3,192 feet), with its spectacular views across the Trossachs National Park. Loch Lomond is a good first stop on a tour from Glasgow along the Western Highland Way through the Argyll countryside to Fort William. Savor the romance of a Scottish country estate at Cameron House at the south end of the loch, where you can enjoy a wide range of outdoor activities that include its lakeshore golf course.

Cruising Loch Ness and the Caledonian Canal

Think of Loch Ness, and you'll probably picture the mythical monster that, according to legend, has made this 23-mile-long loch home for countless centuries. The largest body of water in Scotland's Great Glen, Loch Ness is part of a waterway connecting the east and west coasts of Scotland. It and three other lochs are joined together by the Caledonian Canal, which you can cruise on short excursions, or on a six-hour voyage from one end to the other, through the canal locks that adjust the varying water levels.

The canal and each of the lochs is surrounded by some of the most beautiful highland scenery, but no part is more scenic than Loch Ness itself, with the romantic ruins of Urquhart Castle on its hillside above the water. The center of many ancient myths, the 12th-century castle fell victim to a fire some 500 years later. The best views of the castle are from the water, and you can arrive by boat or drift past on a Loch Ness cruise. Fueling the Nessie legend with exhibits and accounts of sightings, Loch Ness Exhibition at Drumnadrochit Hotel also has interesting information on the geological formation of Loch Ness and the surrounding area. The castle, the canal, and Loch Ness are easily accessible from Inverness.

The Royal Yacht Britannia, Edinburgh

For more than 40 years, the Royal Yacht Britannia was a floating royal residence, traveling more than 1,000,000 miles around the world. Glimpse the life of the royal family, their guests, and the crew as you explore Britannia's five main decks with an audio tour, visiting the Bridge, State Apartments and Royal Bedrooms, Crew's Quarters, and Engine Room. You can also see the Rolls-Royce Phantom V that used to travel onboard, and stop for tea and cakes in the Royal Deck Tea Room.

Stirling Castle - Childhood Home of Mary Queen of Scots

he palace of James V and childhood home of Mary Queen of Scots, Stirling Castle is one of the best-preserved Renaissance buildings in the UK. Its grand halls and rooms are carefully restored and furnished to its 1500s appearance, even to painstaking reproductions of its tapestries. Costumed interpreters interact with visitors to bring the castle and its history to life, and History Hunter programs on weekends are designed for young explorers.

Ideally situated between Edinburgh and Glasgow, Stirling is famous for the Battle of Bannockburn, which saw Robert the Bruce defeat the English invaders in 1314, as well as the Battle of Stirling Bridge, a victory for Scottish independence secured by the legendary William Wallace. The splendid Bannockburn Heritage Centre offers excellent displays and exhibits regarding this important era. Between Stirling and Bridge of Allan stands the majestic Wallace Monument, a spectacular 246-step tower with incredible views of the area, as well as artifacts said to have belonged to the great Wallace himself.

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow

Since a fire devastated much of the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh at the Glasgow School of Art, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum has become the primary destination for admirers of the Glasgow Style, a distinctive part of the Arts & Crafts movement and Art Nouveau styles of the early 20th century. Created and opened shortly before the fire, the Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Glasgow Style Gallery includes several entire Mackintosh rooms, as well as works by other prominent artists of the movement. Along with other notable treasures - a Van Gogh portrait, Bronze Age tools and jewelry from Arran and Kintyre, a 1944 Mark 21 Spitfire, and a magnificent 1901 organ used for daily free concerts - one of the museum's most popular exhibits is Salvador Dali's Christ of St. John of the Cross.

Riverside Museum and Tall Ship, Glasgow

One of Scotland's most visited attractions, the free Riverside Museum in Glasgow gathers together the history of transportation by land and water in an eye-catching new venue. See trams, locomotives, buses, horse-drawn carriages, and vintage cars, along with ships and other models. A highlight is the authentic reconstruction of 1938 Glasgow streets, with shops you can enter and platforms up to all the locomotives. More than 20 interactive displays and 90 large touch screens add images, recollections, and films that bring added meaning to the collections. Outside on the River Clyde, you can board the S. S. Glenlee, a tall ship built in 1896 and the only floating Clyde-built sailing ship in Britain.

Robbie Burns Country: The Burns Heritage Trail

No visit to Scotland is complete without visiting at least one or two sites associated with the country's most famous son, poet Robbie Burns. A great way to experience a little of Burns' life and times - as well as seeing some of the most beautiful parts of the country - is along the Burns Heritage Trail. Start at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway, on the outskirts of Ayr, where you'll find the perfectly preserved thatched house where the poet was born and spent much of his childhood. After visiting other Burns-related landmarks - including a monument and gardens created to commemorate his life and time in Ayr, a collection of his most important writing, and the 16th-century Auld Kirk where his father is buried - this circular tour heads south to Dumfries, with the excellent Robert Burns House where the celebrated poet spent the last four years of his life (he died here in 1796, aged just 36). Now a museum displaying Burns-related memorabilia, this attraction portrays a vivid portrait of his life, and his final resting place is just a short distance away in St. Michael's Churchyard.

More Must-See Destinations in Scotland - If you have the Time

As you tour around Scotland, there are places you'll want to spend more time, digging deeper into the country's fascinating culture and seeing more of its top attractions. You could spend an entire vacation in Edinburgh without seeing everything, with a full day exploring just its castle, or in Glasgow, with its art treasures and music scene. Both lovely Loch Lomond and fabled Loch Ness have more things to do around their shores, and the Scottish Highlands are filled with places to pursue outdoor sports. There's more than golf around St. Andrews, and you can island-hop through the Hebrides by ferry and bus.