Aug 22 – Sep 6, 2026 · 16 days

Scotland

Edinburgh · Perthshire · Skye & the Highlands · Glasgow
Aaron (solo on both flights) & Tamar (joins in Edinburgh; flies on to Singapore after). All ground bookings for two.

⚑ Needs attention

The itinerary

verified against confirmations & travel-label bookings
Sat 8/22

Depart NYC — redeye

JFK Terminal 4 → Edinburgh
Fly
9:25p
Delta DL0208 JFK→EDI, Premium Select, seat 21E. Conf H4B33H — 1 passenger (you). Tamar makes her own way to Edinburgh.
Sun 8/23 – Fri 8/28

Edinburgh — the Fringe

Gleneagles Townhouse · shows booked by Tamar, dinners by Aaron
City
Sun · Aug 23arrival day
AM
Land EDI 9:20am, customs, check in / shower, light exploring.
5:30–7:30p
After Party booked
Traverse Theatre
8:00p
DogStar — dinner booked · ref BLHMKVQX
Leith · tight hop from Traverse (West End) — ~20 min, leave promptly at 7:30
Mon · Aug 24
11:05–12:05
Rose Matafeo: Work in Progress · Monkey Barrel
midday
Lunch, explore, nap.
5:30–6:30p
Dracula: Lucy's Dream · Pleasance at EICC (Lennox)
eve
Dinner & drinks — open
9:20–10:30p
Garry Starr: Classic Penguins · Pleasance Courtyard (Grand)
Tue · Aug 25
12:40–1:40
Blackbox · Underbelly, Cowgate
midday
Big/late lunch, nap.
3:20–4:20p
Sofie Hagen: I Think Some of This is My Fault tentative · Monkey Barrel — ticket is for today; overlaps Kearns, so duck out of one early or skip
4:15–5:15p
John Kearns: Tilting at Windmills · Monkey Barrel
5:45–6:45p
Prophets · Assembly Roxy
eve
Drinks & snacks dinner — open
9:50–11:10p
Stamptown · Assembly George Square Gardens
Wed · Aug 26Summerhall all day
11:45–12:45
Adam Riches: The Captain · Summerhall
3:40–4:40p
Turn Your F*cking Phones Off · Summerhall
5:50–7:00p
Roleplay · Summerhall
7:45–8:45p
Man Sings the Same Song…for an Hour · Summerhall
9:10–10:10p
Bigfoot Ripped My Dog in Half I Saw It · Summerhall
Thu · Aug 27opera night
11:30–12:50
Bog Witch booked · Traverse Theatre
afternoon
Lunch, explore, nap/change before the opera.
early eve
Dinner near the opera — open
7:00–10:00p
Verdi's A Masked Ball EIF · booked
Festival Theatre
Also on the docket: hold slots for the Edinburgh Comedy Award shortlist (~Aug 13–14). Fringe master sheet & full recs in the shortlist ↗. Open dinner slots on Mon/Tue/Thu — pick from Edinburgh recs.
Fri 8/28

Edinburgh → Gleneagles

~1 hr drive · pick up Enterprise hire car
Transit
AM
Check out of the Townhouse, collect the Enterprise car (Downtown Edinburgh, conf 2111268641), drive up. Plan to arrive early afternoon — in time for tea. Bring the physical license, passport & a credit card in your name.
3:00p
Gleneagles Hotel check-in opens (Estate Double Room, conf 416971110).
3:00p
Glendevon — afternoon tea, 2 guests. booked
8:00p
Birnam — dinner, 2 guests. booked
Fri 8/28 – Mon 8/31

Gleneagles Hotel

Auchterarder, SW of Perth · "The Glorious Playground"
Country
Sat 8/29
Full day at the estate — golf, falconry, gundogs, grounds.
Sun 8/30
Spa — 2× recovery massages, 2:30pm. booked
Sun 8/30
Strathearn — dinner, 2 guests, 6:45pm. booked
?
Andrew Fairlie (2-Michelin) — booking requested, awaiting reply.
Mon
Checkout 12 noon, then push north.
Mon 8/31

Perthshire → Upper Ardelve

~3.5 hrs · Glencoe is the natural scenic stop
Transit
Drive
No slack for a long lunch detour if you want to arrive comfortably. Stop for Glencoe.
4–11p
57 Nord — Sky House check-in window (conf 5362252). Grab groceries en route — nearest is Coop in Kyle of Lochalsh; big shop is Tesco / M&S in Inverness.
Mon 8/31 – Fri 9/4

Isle of Skye & the Highlands

57 Nord, Upper Ardelve · ~10 min from the Skye bridge
Country
Base
Self-catering. Welcome hamper on arrival. Explore Skye; assess the NC500 as a day loop. See Highlands notes.
Tue 9/1
Raasay day — Sconser ferry, Isle of Raasay blending session (ref h7srm5m1), circular walk, last ferry off Raasay 18:05. Scorrybreac — dinner, 6:30pm, ref BCFD4ZPR, table back by 8:30. booked · Portree
Wed 9/2
Fairy Pools (~1hr drive) — short walk, wild swim, possibly extending into the Coire Lagan hike (~4hrs round trip, still confirming with Tamar). Lunch in Carbost on the way back. Clachan Pub, Dornie for dinner — casual, ~5 min from base, worth booking ahead but likely walk-in-able.
Three Chimneys Fine Dining (ref BXTNNA9P) was cancelled — 2hrs each way plus a late drive home on rural roads after wine wasn't worth it.
Thu 9/3
tentative Point of Sleat or Camas Daraich walk late morning → Torabhaig Distillery Warehouse Tour, 1:00pm (premium tour, cask tastings, ~7 max — book ahead) → Kinloch Lodge dinner, 6:00pm, ref BG4ZW9VM, ~40 min from base — the one Skye splurge dinner.
Plan gets revisited after Tue's Raasay day plays out.
Option
Eolach private chef — £800/2, 7-course tasting or foraging + lunch. Call +44 7862 240629 (10a–5:30p UK) to hold a night.
Fri
Checkout 10am. Drive south to Glasgow (~4 hrs).
Fri 9/4 – Sun 9/6

Glasgow

Kimpton Blythswood Square · West End & city
City
Stay
Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel & Spa — in 9/4, out 9/6. booked Conf 69859263.
Do
Kelvingrove, Botanic Gardens, West End food & bars. Day to be built out.
Sun 9/6

Fly home

Glasgow → Edinburgh airport · return the car
Fly
AM
Drive Glasgow → EDI (~1h15), drop the Enterprise car.
2:05p
Delta DL0209 EDI→JFK, arr 4:50pm, seat 21B. Conf JLNMEG (you only). Tamar flies onward to Singapore separately.

Meals by day

dinner focus · what's set vs. what to book
5
nights set (booked)
6
to book / decide
3
happy by ear
2
self-catered / travel
Day
Dinner plan
Status
Sat 8/22
Redeye out — dinner at JFK or on board
Travel
Sun 8/23Edinburgh
DogStar, 8:00pm · Leith
Booked
Mon 8/24Edinburgh
Dinner & drinks between shows — pick from recs; book if you want a nicer sit-down
By ear
Tue 8/25Edinburgh
Drinks & snacks kind of dinner — densest show day
By ear
Wed 8/26Edinburgh
Late-night bites after Summerhall — grab whatever's open
By ear
Thu 8/27Edinburgh
Early pre-opera dinner near Festival Theatre — pre-theatre slots go fast; reserve
Book ahead
Fri 8/28Gleneagles
Glendevon tea 3:00pm + Birnam dinner 8:00pm
Booked
Sat 8/29Gleneagles
Estate dinner — decide: Andrew Fairlie (requested) or another Gleneagles table
Decide / book
Sun 8/30Gleneagles
Strathearn, 6:45pm · spa massages 2:30pm
Booked
Mon 8/31→ 57 Nord
Arrival night — self-catering; groceries en route (Inverness / Kyle)
Self-catered
Tue 9/1Skye
Scorrybreac, 6:30pm · Portree, ref BCFD4ZPR
Booked
Wed 9/2Skye
Clachan Pub, Dornie · casual, ~5 min from base — Three Chimneys cancelled
Planned
Thu 9/3Skye
Kinloch Lodge, 6:00pm · ref BG4ZW9VM, ~40 min from base — needs confirm click
Tentative
Fri 9/4→ Glasgow
First Glasgow night (Friday) — reserve somewhere in the West End
Book ahead
Sat 9/5Glasgow
Last dinner of the trip — book a spot; day still to be planned
Book ahead
Sun 9/6
Fly home — breakfast in Glasgow, then EDI
Travel
Lunches are largely by-ear throughout (see Edinburgh and Highlands recs). The six amber days are the ones worth a reservation — Skye and Highland restaurants and Gleneagles fill up, and 57 Nord specifically advised booking ahead.

Edinburgh recs

for the open meal slots · red = best of the best

Dinner

  • Little Chartroom · Eleanore · Ardfern (Leith)
  • Moss (ex-Noma) · Noto · Timberyard
  • Pomelo — hand-torn noodles · Umi · Bariuma
  • Heron · Lyla · Avery ($$$$)
  • The Fish Market (Newhaven) — best fish & chips

Wine, beer & cocktails

  • The Ventoux — hip, good German bottles
  • Spry Wine · Nauticus (Leith)
  • Panda & Sons · Bramble · Lucky Liquor
  • Salt Horse · Stockbridge Tap · Newbarns
  • The Last Word — whisky, ask for recs

Lunch & quick bites

  • Singapore Coffee House — roti canai, laksa
  • Africano Wrap — order extra spicy
  • Harkness Pies · Max Bakes — sausage rolls
  • Chez Jules · La Petite Folie

Coffee & sweets

  • Fortitude · Artisan Roast · Lowdown
  • The Source · Machina · ante
  • Lannan (serious wait) · The Pastry Section
  • Mary's Milk Bar — pistachio/hazelnut gelato

Activities & walks

  • Arthur's Seat — path right of the tourist route
  • Dean Village → Modern Art 1 & 2
  • Calton Hill · Royal Botanics · Inverleith Park
  • National Museum of Scotland · Portrait Gallery

Whisky to take home

  • Cornelius (Leith) · Royal Mile Whiskies
  • Drinkmonger · Cork & Cask · Beerhive
  • Communique — wine + select local
Full detail lives in the Edinburgh Recs Doc and the Google Maps export (both in the Drive folder).

Highlands & Skye notes

57 Nord base · book food ahead

Provisioning

  • Coop, Kyle of Lochalsh — nearest shop
  • Fisherman's Kitchen — fresh seafood, Kyle
  • Lochalsh Butchers — local lamb & beef
  • Tesco / M&S Foodhall, Inverness — big shop en route

Eat & drink on Skye

  • Scorrybreac (Portree) — booked 9/1
  • Kinloch Lodge (Isleornsay) — booked 9/3, splurge night
  • Clachan Pub (Dornie) — casual, booked 9/2
  • Torabhaig Distillery café/shop — Warehouse Tour 9/3, 1pm
  • The Stein Inn · The Isles Inn
  • Café Cùil · The Galley Café

Logistics

  • Skyeways taxi +44 1599 555477
  • Eolach private chef +44 7862 240629
  • Access details emailed ~1 wk before
  • Assess NC500 as a day loop
NYT "36 Hours on the Isle of Skye" is saved in the Drive folder for day-planning.

Booking reference

confirmation numbers & contacts

✈︎ Flights

Out · 8/22DL0208 · H4B33H
JFK → EDI9:25p → 9:20a
Return · 9/6DL0209 · JLNMEG
EDI → JFK2:05p → 4:50p

⌂ Gleneagles Townhouse

Edinburgh8/23 – 8/28
PurposeFringe base

⌂ Gleneagles Hotel

Dates8/28 – 8/31
Conf416971110
RoomEstate Double
In / out3:00p / 12:00n

⌂ 57 Nord — Sky House

Dates8/31 – 9/4
Conf5362252
In / out4–11p / 10:00a
Balance due£1,725 ~7/20

⌂ Kimpton Blythswood Sq

Glasgow9/4 – 9/6
Conf69859263

♨ Gleneagles dining & spa

Glendevon (tea)8/28 · 3:00p
Birnam8/28 · 8:00p
Spa (2× massage)8/30 · 2:30p
Strathearn8/30 · 6:45p
Andrew Fairlierequested

♨ Other dining

DogStar8/23 · 8:00p
Scorrybreac9/1 · 6:30p BCFD4ZPR
Clachan Pub9/2 · casual
Kinloch Lodge9/3 · 6:00p BG4ZW9VM
Torabhaig Warehouse Tour9/3 · 1:00p

⛿ Car & contacts

Enterprise2111268641
PickupEdinburgh · 8/28
Skyeways+44 1599 555477
Eolach+44 7862 240629

Open items

time-sensitive first
Confirm Kinloch Lodge — click the confirm link, ref BG4ZW9VM.
Now
Coire Lagan hike (Wed 9/2) — decide with Tamar whether to stack it onto Fairy Pools.
Soon
Thu 9/3 plan — walk → Torabhaig Warehouse Tour 1pm → Kinloch Lodge 6pm is pencilled in; revisit after Tue's Raasay day.
After 9/1
Book Fri 9/4 Glasgow dinner — West End, still open.
Soon
Andrew Fairlie — chase the reply to Tamar's booking request, or drop it.
Soon