Scottish & Irish Dream — Self-Launched: Glasgow to Dublin in 14 Days

Fly or train into Glasgow and check into a hostel around Argyle Street or the Merchant City. Spend the afternoon on a free self-guided loop of the West End: Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum (free entry, only the blockbuster exhibitions are ticketed — book a slot online if one is on), the University of Glasgow cloisters and Ashton Lane. Evening: a pint and live folk session in a city-centre pub rather than a hotel welcome drink — try the Ben Nevis or Sandyford area.

🚌Arrive by plane (Glasgow Airport bus Aiport Express 500 to city centre ~£9) or by train to Glasgow Central/Queen St. All sightseeing on foot or by subway (~£1.90 single).

🛏Hostel dorm or private twin in central Glasgow (e.g. a Merchant City or Argyle Street hostel), £16–25pp

• →Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum (free)
• →University of Glasgow & West End walk
• →Ashton Lane / Merchant City evening

Take the early Citylink 976/915 coach from Glasgow Buchanan Street up the A82 along Loch Lomond — sit on the right for the water views. Hop off at Balloch for a short Loch Lomond cruise (book via GetYourGuide or Sweeney's Cruises directly, ~£15) or take the waterbus to Luss village. Continue to Inveraray: Inveraray Castle is a 20-minute walk from the bus stop and entry is ~£17 booked online. Then push on to Glencoe for the classic Three Sisters viewpoint (the coach stops at the Glencoe visitor centre) and overnight in Glencoe village or Ballachulish.

🚌Citylink coach Glasgow–Balloch (~£5), Balloch–Inveraray (~£10), Inveraray–Glencoe (~£9). Total ~£24. Buses run limited times — check the Citylink timetable and book seat reservations for the 915 in summer.

🛏Independent hostel or B&B in Glencoe/Ballachulish, £22–32pp

• →Loch Lomond cruise from Balloch (~£15)
• →Inveraray Castle (~£17)
• →Glencoe Three Sisters viewpoint & visitor centre

Take the morning coach north via Fort William to Kyle of Lochalsh — a photo stop at Eilean Donan Castle is easy on foot from the bus stop on the A87 (castle entry ~£12 if you want inside; the classic shot is free from the bridge road). Cross the Skye Bridge to Broadford and Sligachan, where the old stone bridge and Cuillin views are a 10-minute walk from the bus stop — lunch at the Sligachan Hotel is the obvious (and only) option. If you have time, take a local bus to Portree for an hour. Then coach back east along Loch Ness shores to Inverness or Nairn for the night.

🚌Citylink/Stagecoach Glasgow–Fort William–Kyle (~£22), local bus or Citylink across Skye (~£6), Skye–Inverness coach (~£16). Long day — leave early.

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Inverness or Nairn, £22–30pp

• →Eilean Donan Castle photo stop (or entry ~£12)
• →Sligachan Old Bridge & Cuillin Hills walk
• →Loch Ness shoreline drive

Local bus from Inverness to Culloden Battlefield (bus 11/11A, ~£3.50 each way). The National Trust for Scotland visitor centre is ~£14 and the moorland walk is free once you're through. Back in Inverness for lunch, then either a hire car for the afternoon or a taxi (shared, ~£15 each) to a working farm sheepdog demonstration — book a farm visit directly (e.g. Leault Farm or a Highland sheep farm experience via GetYourGuide, ~£18–25). Evening: live music on Inverness High Street.

🚌Local bus Inverness–Culloden ~£7 return; shared taxi to the farm ~£15pp. Alternatively take a half-day small-group Highland tour (~£40) that combines Culloden + a farm.

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Inverness, £22–30pp

• →Culloden Battlefield visitor centre (~£14)
• →Sheepdog herding demonstration (~£20)
• →Inverness old town & riverside

ScotRail from Inverness to Pitlochry (~£14, ~1h45) — a gorgeous line through the Drumochter Pass. Drop bags at a Pitlochry guesthouse, then local bus or a 50-minute walk to Blair Castle (entry ~£16). In the afternoon do the Blair Athol Distillery tour in Pitlochry itself (~£18, book direct or via GetYourGuide; the 'Taste of Atholl' tasting is worth the upgrade). Evening: the Fish Ladder and Pitlochry's Festival Theatre if something's on.

🚌ScotRail Inverness–Pitlochry ~£14; local bus to Blair Castle ~£3; everything else on foot.

🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Pitlochry, £25–35pp

• →Blair Castle (~£16)
• →Blair Athol Distillery tour & tasting (~£18)
• →Pitlochry dam & fish ladder (free)

Hire a car for the day (or use the bus 57 from Blairgowrie to Glamis) — Glamis Castle is otherwise awkward by public transport. Entry ~£17 and the gardens are included. Drive or bus on to St Andrews (~£12 by bus via Dundee), walk the Old Course and West Sands, and see the Royal and Ancient Clubhouse from the outside (free). Train from Leuchars to Edinburgh Waverley (~£10). Evening: a proper Scottish pub dinner with a folk session in the Grassmarket or Leith instead of the tour's 'Scottish evening' show.

🚌Day car hire ~£45 total (~£12pp if shared 4 ways) + fuel ~£10pp; or bus Pitlochry–Dundee (~£10), Dundee–Glamis (~£5), Dundee–St Andrews (~£5), Leuchars–Edinburgh train (~£10).

🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel in Edinburgh Old Town/Leith, £22–40pp

• →Glamis Castle (~£17)
• →St Andrews Old Course & West Sands walk (free)
• →Evening pub session in Edinburgh

Full day on foot. Pre-book Edinburgh Castle online (~£21) for a 9.30am slot and walk down the Royal Mile via Gladstone's Land and St Giles' Cathedral (free), across to the Georgian New Town for the Princes Street Gardens view. Afternoon: a free walking tour (tip-based, ~£5–10 tip) or climb Arthur's Seat for sunset (free, ~45 mins up). If you're travelling in August, book the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo months ahead (~£45+).

🚌All on foot; a Lothian bus day ticket is ~£5 if you want to reach Leith or Arthur's Seat by bus.

🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel in Edinburgh, £22–40pp

• →Edinburgh Castle (~£21)
• →Royal Mile & New Town self-guided walk
• →Arthur's Seat hike (free)
• →Optional: free walking tour (~£8 tip)

Train from Edinburgh Waverley to Ayr/Glasgow then a coach to Cairnryan, or take the Citylink/Stena express coach from Glasgow Buchanan to Cairnryan (2h30), then the Stena Line ferry to Belfast (~£25–30 all-in if booked as a through ticket; the ferry itself ~£20 foot passenger). In Belfast, leave bags at the station lockers and walk 20 minutes to Titanic Belfast (~£20, book online) and the Titanic slipways. Then the Enterprise train Belfast–Dublin Connolly (~£20, 2h15) and a Dublin bus/Luas to your hostel in the city centre or Ballsbridge.

🚌Edinburgh–Cairnryan coach + Stena ferry ~£30; Titanic Belfast on foot; Enterprise train Belfast–Dublin ~£20 (book ahead for cheaper fares); Dublin Bus/Luas ~£2.

🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in Dublin city centre, £22–35pp

• →Stena Line ferry crossing to Belfast
• →Titanic Belfast (~£20)
• →Titanic slipways & dock walk (free)

Do Dublin your own way: the DoDublin hop-on hop-off bus is ~£22 for 24h, but honestly the centre is walkable. Pick one big attraction — Guinness Storehouse (~£25 booked online, includes a pint at the Gravity Bar), Jameson Bow St (~£20), Teeling (~£16), EPIC (~£17) or the GPO Museum (~£12). Add the Little Museum of Dublin (~£10) and Trinity College's Book of Kells (~£18 if you want it). Evening: skip the tour's pub show and go to a free traditional session — the Cobblestone in Smithfield or O'Donoghue's on Merrion Row.

🚌On foot or by Luas/DART (~£2 per trip). Hop-on hop-off ~£22 if you prefer.

🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in Dublin, £22–35pp

• →Hop-on hop-off bus (~£22) or self-guided city walk
• →Guinness Storehouse or Jameson Bow St (~£20–25)
• →Little Museum of Dublin (~£10)
• →Free trad session at the Cobblestone

Take the early Dublin Heuston–Thurles train (~£12) or the Expressway bus to Cashel (~£15) for the Rock of Cashel (~£9 entry, one of the best sites in Ireland). Continue by bus/train to Cork (~£10) and the 215 bus to Blarney Castle (~£4 return) — grounds entry ~£18, and yes, you can kiss the stone, but the gardens are the better reason to come. Evening bus or train Cork–Killarney (~£10–15) and check into a Killarney hostel.

🚌Irish Rail Dublin–Thurles ~£12, bus Thurles–Cashel ~£4, bus Cashel–Cork ~£10, Cork–Blarney bus ~£4, Cork–Killarney train/bus ~£12. Day total ~£42.

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Killarney town, £20–30pp

• →Rock of Cashel (~£9)
• →Blarney Castle & gardens (~£18)
• →Killarney town evening

Skip the coach loop: hire a bike in Killarney (~£18/day) and ride the Gap of Dunloe — or take the jaunting cart/shared boat combo through the lakes (~£25). For the full Ring of Kerry, the Local Link bus 280 does a scheduled circuit of the Iveragh Peninsula for a few euro, giving you Waterville, Derrynane and Valentia Island without a tour bus. The Skellig Experience on Valentia is ~£7. Back in Killarney for a pub dinner and music on Plunkett Street.

🚌Bike hire ~£18 or Local Link bus 280 (~£8 day of hops); Gap of Dunloe boat/cart combo ~£25 if chosen.

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Killarney, £20–30pp

• →Gap of Dunloe bike ride or boat trip (~£18–25)
• →Ring of Kerry by Local Link bus (~£8)
• →Skellig Experience, Valentia Island (~£7)

Train or bus Killarney–Tralee–Limerick (~£15), then the bus to Tarbert and the Shannon Ferry foot passenger crossing to Killimer (~£5, 20 mins) — a lovely shortcut the coach tours use too. From Kilrush/Killimer take the bus towards Ennis and then the 350 to Doolin and the Cliffs of Moher (~£12 total). Cliffs visitor centre entry is ~£10 and the cliff walk from Doolin village is free. Night in Doolin (music pubs are legendary) or Limerick.

🚌Bus/train Killarney–Limerick ~£15, bus to Tarbert ~£6, Shannon Ferry ~£5, bus Killimer–Doolin ~£12. Total ~£38. Check the 350 timetable — last buses are early.

🛏Doolin hostel or Limerick budget guesthouse, £22–32pp

• →Shannon Ferry crossing (~£5)
• →Cliffs of Moher & visitor centre (~£10)
• →Doolin cliff walk & pub music (free)

Morning bus from Doolin or Limerick to Galway (Bus Éireann 350 or 51, ~£10). Wander the Latin Quarter, the Spanish Arch and the Claddagh, and walk the Salthill promenade — Galway is best done on foot with a coffee and a free walking tour if one's running. Afternoon train or bus Galway–Dublin (~£18 by Expressway bus, ~£25 by Irish Rail, 2h30). Final night in Dublin: Temple Bar for the atmosphere (prices are steep) or better value pints and music in Stoneybatter or Wexford Street.

🚌Bus Doolin/Limerick–Galway ~£10; Expressway bus or Irish Rail Galway–Dublin ~£18–25.

🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel in Dublin city centre, £22–35pp

• →Galway Latin Quarter & Spanish Arch (free)
• →Salthill promenade walk (free)
• →Temple Bar or Stoneybatter evening

A slow final morning: the Iveagh Gardens or St Stephen's Green, a proper Irish breakfast, and last-minute shopping on Grafton Street. Dublin Airport is 30–45 minutes from the centre by Aircoach (~£8) or Dublin Bus 16/41 (~£2.50), or you can fly out of Shannon if you ended there instead — a common criticism of the coach version is the wasted final day back in Dublin, so consider booking your flight home from Shannon or Galway if the fares work.

🚌Aircoach to Dublin Airport ~£8 or Dublin Bus ~£2.50. If flying from Shannon, Bus Éireann Expressway from Limerick/Dublin takes 2h30–3h30 (~£15–20).

🛏None (departure day) — or add a final hostel night ~£25

• →St Stephen's Green / Iveagh Gardens (free)
• →Grafton Street & Irish breakfast