Self-Launched Orkney & Scotland's Northern Coast — 5 Days from Edinburgh
5 days · Scotland (Highlands, Orkney & North Coast 500)
Rabbie's charges £1,280
No-markup version: ~£580 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 5-day DIY version of the small-group minibus loop from Edinburgh through the Highlands, over the Pentland Firth to Orkney, and back down the North Coast 500. Instead of a guided coach, you'll use Scottish Citylink coaches, local buses (Stagecoach, Orkney's X1/2), the NorthLink/Pentland Ferries crossing and your own feet — hitting the same headline sights (Glencoe, Loch Ness, Dunrobin, John o'Groats, Skara Brae, Maeshowe, Smoo Cave, Culloden) at your own pace. Note Orkney is genuinely tricky without a car: book a local Orkney day tour (several operators run 1-day archaeology tours from Kirkwall) or hire a bike/car for Day 3. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget-hostel estimates in GBP and will rise sharply in summer.
Day-by-day
Edinburgh → Inverness via Loch Lomond, Glencoe & Loch Ness
Edinburgh to Inverness
Early Citylink coach (or train) west to Glasgow/Loch Lomond, then the scenic route north. The most practical DIY option is the Citylink 978/915-style Highland service or, simpler and faster, the direct Citylink coach Edinburgh–Inverness (~3h45, ~£20–30 booked in advance). To get Glencoe and Loch Ness in en route, break the journey: coach to Fort William via Glencoe (~4h, ~£25), a couple of hours for the Ben Nevis area and a loch-side viewpoint, then the coach/train up the Great Glen to Inverness (~2h, ~£15). A short local bus or walk out to the Falls of Foyers (by Loch Ness) gives you the waterfall stop. Evening in Inverness: riverside walk and a pub dinner.
🚌Citylink coach Edinburgh–Fort William/Glencoe ~£25; coach Fort William–Inverness ~£15; local bus to Falls of Foyers ~£4
🛏Inverness hostel dorm (e.g. a city-centre independent hostel or SYHA), £20–28/night
- →Glencoe viewpoint stop (bus/train window or short walk)
- →Ben Nevis area and Fort William wander
- →Falls of Foyers waterfall walk
- →Loch Ness viewpoint at Dores
- →Inverness riverside evening
Inverness → John o'Groats → Orkney (Kirkwall)
Inverness to Kirkwall
Long travel day — start early. Take the train or coach north from Inverness towards Thurso/Wick (train Inverness–Thurso ~4h, ~£25–35; book ahead for cheap advances). Break at Golspie for Dunrobin Castle if the timings work (castle entry ~£14, seasonal). Continue to John o'Groats for the classic signpost photo, then the local bus or taxi to Gills Bay for the Pentland Ferries crossing to St Margaret's Hope (~1h, ~£18–22 foot passenger). From St Margaret's Hope the local bus (Stagecoach X1) runs to Kirkwall (~40 min). If time, hop off at the Churchill Barriers and walk to the Italian Chapel (free entry, donations). Evening in Kirkwall.
🚌Train Inverness–Thurso ~£30; local bus Thurso–John o'Groats ~£6; Pentland Ferries Gills Bay–St Margaret's Hope ~£20; Orkney X1 bus to Kirkwall ~£5
🛏Kirkwall hostel/guesthouse dorm or budget room, £25–35/night
- →Dunrobin Castle and gardens (optional, ~£14)
- →John o'Groats signpost and cliffs
- →Pentland Firth ferry crossing
- →Churchill Barriers walk
- →Italian Chapel visit
Orkney: Heart of Neolithic Orkney
Orkney (Mainland)
The big sightseeing day. Without a car, join a local Orkney day tour from Kirkwall (several operators run small-group archaeology tours, ~£60–75 including Maeshowe and Skara Brae entry) — or hire a bike/car in Kirkwall for full independence. Cover Skara Brae (prehistoric village), Maeshowe chambered tomb (guided entry, book ahead — it sells out), the Ring of Brodgar stone circle, and Stromness harbour for lunch and a wander. Optional: Kirbuster Museum (free, a traditional Orkney farmhouse) and the tidal island of Birsay if you have wheels. Back in Kirkwall for an evening of Orkney ale and traditional music in a local pub.
🚌Local Orkney day tour ~£70 (or bike hire ~£15/day, car hire ~£45/day shared)
🛏Kirkwall hostel/guesthouse, £25–35/night
- →Skara Brae entry (~£10)
- →Maeshowe guided tour (~£10, book ahead)
- →Ring of Brodgar stone circle (free)
- →Stromness harbour walk
- →Kirbuster Museum (free, optional)
- →Kirkwall pub music evening
Kirkwall → Ullapool via North Coast 500 & Smoo Cave
Kirkwall to Ullapool
Ferry back to the mainland (Pentland Ferries to Gills Bay or NorthLink to Scrabster), then head west along the north coast — this is the North Coast 500. DIY transport here is the hard part: the local bus network is sparse, so the realistic options are (a) the Inverness–Ullapool coach via a connection, or (b) a shared/budget car hire for the day, which is far more rewarding. With wheels, stop at Smoo Cave near Durness and the Assynt Mountains, and view Ardvreck Castle on Loch Assynt. Arrive Ullapool for a fish-and-chips dinner on the harbour and a pint at the Ceilidh Place.
🚌Pentland Ferries back to Gills Bay ~£20; day car hire (shared) ~£25 pp, or coach connections ~£25–35
🛏Ullapool hostel dorm (e.g. independent harbour-side hostel), £22–30/night
- →Smoo Cave stop (free; boat tour ~£10 optional)
- →Assynt Mountains drive/walk
- →Ardvreck Castle viewpoint
- →Ullapool harbour evening
Ullapool → Culloden → Edinburgh
Ullapool to Edinburgh
Morning stop at Corrieshalloch Gorge for the short forest walk to the River Droma waterfall (free), then coach east. Break at Culloden Battlefield for the museum and battlefield walk (entry ~£14) and, if time allows, the nearby Clava Cairns (free) — the real-life inspiration for Outlander. Continue via the Cairngorms, optionally stopping at the Highland Folk Museum in Newtonmore (free entry, seasonal) and Dunkeld for the cathedral and pretty streets. Final leg by coach or train (Perth/Aviemore–Edinburgh advances from ~£15) arriving Edinburgh evening.
🚌Local bus to Corrieshalloch ~£4; coach Ullapool–Inverness–Edinburgh ~£30–40 or train from Aviemore/Perth ~£20
🛏Edinburgh hostel dorm or your onward booking, £25–40/night (not included in total)
- →Corrieshalloch Gorge and Falls of Measach walk
- →Culloden Battlefield and museum (~£14)
- →Clava Cairns (free)
- →Highland Folk Museum, Newtonmore (free, optional)
- →Dunkeld cathedral and town
Self-launched vs. Rabbie's
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Rabbie's | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£580 | £1,280 |
| Duration | 5 days | 5 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £700 per person (55%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Rabbie's-style trips? Check them out here.~£580
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Orkney & Scotland's Northern Coast — 5 Days from Edinburgh cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £580 per person for 5 days in Scotland (Highlands, Orkney & North Coast 500). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Rabbie's?+
Yes — Rabbie's charges around £1,280 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £580 — a saving of roughly £700 (55%) per person.
How long is the Scotland (Highlands, Orkney & North Coast 500) trip?+
This itinerary runs 5 days, covering 5 day-by-day stops through Scotland (Highlands, Orkney & North Coast 500).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, hiking trip through Scotland (Highlands, Orkney & North Coast 500), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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