Scottish locals?

[Arkhangel]

My friend and I are looking for a nice 2-3 day hike (or walk, I guess, Scotland's relatively flat compared to Switzerland) somewhere in Scotland. We're not bringing tents, so needs to be somewhere with a hostel or B&B at the end of the day. We're thinking of going to Ireland after, so ending up somewhere where it's not too hard to reach a ferry or cheap flight would be brilliant. I've never been to Scotland, so any suggestions for specific walks or general areas that we should be looking at?

[Which Tyler]

I'm not Scottish, though I've been many times.
I'd always gravitate to the Isle of Skye; and if you like that sort of thing, a tour of the Talisker distillery is essential whilst there.

Oh, and take Midge repellent (Avon's "skin so soft" moisturisers are the best in my experience)

[Derfel Cadarn]

The West highland Way. Various hostels along the way (I recently stayed in the Drovers Inn, a reqlly old inn Rob Roy once visited).

[A wilding]

Weather in Scotland can be very unreliable, so I would suggest staying at a single base and doing day walks.

Don't underestimate the mountains. Despite their relatively low height, the weather makes them dangerous and, as there are no marked paths, you need to be good at navigation. Also watch out for the midges - Avon so soft might help to repel them but they can get very nasty at this time of year.

Skye has the best mountains, but takes a while to get to. (2-3 days is not very long for Scotland!) The best reasonably close mountains (if that is what you are looking for) are probably in Glencoe (which has a hostel). Glen Nevis hostel near Fort William is also a possible. If you don't want to go too far North then maybe consider the Loch Lomond area.
 

[Hereward]

Glencoe is beautiful. I went through there on my holiday last month. Fort William is kind of a dump, though. I'd suggest Argyll, which should be more sheltered than somewhere like Glencoe.

 

http://www.aboutargyll.co.uk/en/index.html/

[S John]

If you don't have a lot of time, maybe Goatfell on the Isle of Arran.  Can ferry there, walk the hill, and then get back to Glasgow all in the same day.  Glasgow is a pretty cheap/easy hop to Ireland.

 

eta- re-read and saw you have a few days.  2nd west highland way in that case.  

[Arkhangel]

Thanks guys, a lot of cool suggestions here :) I think A wildling makes a good point about the weather, plus basing in one town would mean we'd have to carry less during the day which is always great. Glencoe and the Isle of Arran look especially beautiful.

[Zoë Sumra]

When two of my friends did the West Highland Way, they did the whole thing and took a week. A few bits could be done in two days.

If you have any interest in Neolithic architecture I would suggest walking right across mainland Orkney. You can't move for 5000 year old remnants, and getting in at Stromness and out via Kirkwall or vice versa is sensible travelling. It's very flat, though. If you want more verticality, I second the Glencoe suggestion, or the Black Cuilin on Skye (some bits are a walk alone and others require rock climbing skills).