Scottish Suggestions....?

jalapeno

I'm weary of plane travel right now but have a couple of weeks spare from mid-september. Thought I might drive up from here (Cornwall) to Scotland for a tour of the west and/or islands. After some recommendations really, good place to start/finish that's safe to leave the car etc etc.
Grateful!
(Oh, and in return - if you're coming to Cornwall drop me a line and I can help you out with ride ideas...)

amaferanga

Last August I did a 10 day trip starting at Alness. Headed up to Durness through Bonar Bridge, Lairg, Altnaharra, then left just after Altnaharra on the wee road past Ben Hope. Up to Cape Wrath (camped for a night at the lighthouse) then down the west coast, keeping to the coast as much as possible, through Drumbeg, Stoer and Lochinver, through Ullapool, Gairloch and Kinlochewe, round the coast to Applecross, over Bealach na Ba and onto Skye, lap of Skye before heading back across to Inverness on the A87, A887 and A82.

Absolutely stunning part of the world. I thoroughly recommend it.

jalapeno

thanks for the info, I just ordered a map so will bear your idea in mind. I'm looking forward to not mucking about with airlines!

andymiller

Have you thought about the train? the sleeper service from London to Scotland is excellent and if you book ahead it can be really good value (ie £28 each way). It also gives you the advatage of being able to do an A-B journey rather than a loop. OK so you have to get to London first, but it's still got to be easier ancd cheaper (not to mention better for the environment) than driving.

jalapeno

probably stupid but have always avoided 'perceived' hassle of bikes on trains. here ya on environment tho so will go talk to the ticket office at my local station.

andymiller

Here's a page with loads of useful information (and pictures to let you know what you're letting yourself in for).

http://www.seat61.com/CaledonianSleepers.htm

It's easiest to book online:

http://www.firstgroup.com/scotrail/cont ... /index.php

this link goes direct to bookings for Bargain Berths

Hairy Jock

andymiller wrote:

Have you thought about the train? the sleeper service from London to Scotland is excellent and if you book ahead it can be really good value (ie £28 each way). It also gives you the advatage of being able to do an A-B journey rather than a loop. OK so you have to get to London first, but it's still got to be easier ancd cheaper (not to mention better for the environment) than driving.

You can get a train from Penzance to Inverness. If you want to go to the western Isles change in Glasgow and take a train to Mallaig, leave the car at home.

From Mallaig catch the ferry to Armadale on Skye then cycle north to Uig and catch the ferry to Tarbert on Harris. From Tarbert you can either go north to Stornaway and take a ferry to Ullapool, then cycle to Inverness and the train home. Or you could go south down through the Uists and catch a ferry to Oban and the train back, or you could do a loop round Harris and Lewes before reversing your outward journey through Skye to Mallaig and the train back.

jalapeno

Hairy Jock wrote:

andymiller wrote:

Have you thought about the train? the sleeper service from London to Scotland is excellent and if you book ahead it can be really good value (ie £28 each way). It also gives you the advatage of being able to do an A-B journey rather than a loop. OK so you have to get to London first, but it's still got to be easier ancd cheaper (not to mention better for the environment) than driving.

You can get a train from Penzance to Inverness. If you want to go to the western Isles change in Glasgow and take a train to Mallaig, leave the car at home.

From Mallaig catch the ferry to Armadale on Skye then cycle north to Uig and catch the ferry to Tarbert on Harris. From Tarbert you can either go north to Stornaway and take a ferry to Ullapool, then cycle to Inverness and the train home. Or you could go south down through the Uists and catch a ferry to Oban and the train back, or you could do a loop round Harris and Lewes before reversing your outward journey through Skye to Mallaig and the train back.

sounds wicked, thanks. Is 2 weeks a good amount of time?
can I book bikes online?

Moose11

Ten years ago when i was 15 I went on a Tour of the Scottish islands with my dad. We started in Campbelltown after taking a boat over from Northern Ireland. Unfortunately that boat doesnt run now but a pretty good starting point might be somewhere like Ayr or Troon.

We headed up over Mull on up to Skye and over it and eventually up over the Hebrides and then across to the mainland and down to Inverness then down to Fort William were we trained back to the ferry. It took us a week and covered about 350miles or so.

andrew_s

I've done a nice 2-week tour of the western isles from Oban
(Oban -> Barra -> Butt of Lewis -> Skye -> Mallaig -> Ardnamurchan -> Mull -> Oban)
I just parked in the cark park by the swimming pool (also used by local residents, and seemed better than the options closer to the ferry). Oban is also available by train.
Note that cheap train tickets are for fixed journey times, without much flexibility. They can be very good value though. I did Cheltenham to Aberdeen (Shetland ferry) for £25 each way last month, which is about half what the petrol would have been.

Hairy Jock

jalapeno wrote:

Hairy Jock wrote:

You can get a train from Penzance to Inverness. If you want to go to the western Isles change in Glasgow and take a train to Mallaig, leave the car at home.

From Mallaig catch the ferry to Armadale on Skye then cycle north to Uig and catch the ferry to Tarbert on Harris. From Tarbert you can either go north to Stornaway and take a ferry to Ullapool, then cycle to Inverness and the train home. Or you could go south down through the Uists and catch a ferry to Oban and the train back, or you could do a loop round Harris and Lewis before reversing your outward journey through Skye to Mallaig and the train back.

sounds wicked, thanks. Is 2 weeks a good amount of time?
can I book bikes online?

Above are a just a few possibilities, two weeks is a good amount for any of those, allowing plenty of time for sight seeing. Not sure if you can book bike place on line, First ScotRail have a fairly positive attitude towards cyclist, but I think you have to book by phone (see link).

For info on ferries see the CalMac website, you don't need to book bikes in, but be aware of the quirks in the timetables.

Also things in the Isle can be very different from the mainland, expect everything to be closed on Sundays, although so places maybe open don't rely on it.

Also I have just remember a tour I suggested on the old C+ forum which went like this:

From Glasgow a train to Ardrossan then the ferry to Brodick, ride north to Lochranza (first point of interest). Then the ferry to Claonaig and the road south to Campbeltown, there is the odd hill on the way so by the time you get there you will have worked up a thirst for the next point of interest. Follow the A83 north to Kennacraig where you take the ferry to Port Ellen.

From Port Ellen, it is just a couple of miles to Ardbeg, not forgetting to stop off at Laphroaig and Lagavulin along the way, then back to Port Ellen. Next head north to Bowmore, then round Loch Indaal to Bruichladdich, from here you can continue on down the Rhinns of Islay if you enjoy cycling into the wind or go back up the road then turn right on to the B8081 then take the first left and left again to visit Rockside. Then back to Bridgend, from there follow the A846 to Port Askaig, turn left and keep going until you reach the end of the road at Bunnahabhainn. On the way back you can stop off at Caol Ila, before returning to Port Askaig for the ferry to Jura. Navigation on Jura is simple, there is only one road, a stop in Craighouse is recommended, then nip up to the end of the road and back to clear the head.

Returning to Port Askaig, then another ferry gets you back to Kennacraig, from there take the B8001 to Claonaig and reverse you outward journey to the station at Ardrossan. This tour can be comfortably accomplished in 10 days and takes in (at my count) 12 distilleries. Slainte

jalapeno

Thanks so much chaps! Distilleries sound ace......

lloyd_bower

andrew_s wrote:

....I've done a nice 2-week tour of the western isles from Oban
(Oban -> Barra -> Butt of Lewis -> Skye -> Mallaig -> Ardnamurchan -> Mull -> Oban)
....

I'd agree that's a cracking route, did pretty much the same somewhile ago

Captain Fagor

Hmmm - I lived in Stornoway for just over a year, and am not sure if I'd recommend cycling there. It's nice cycling territory in the right weather, but that doesn't happen too often. The highest temperature I saw (June '96 to July '97) was 19 degrees centigrade! It's also VERY windy. And then there's the "Wee Free" to contend with, which wipes out Sundays on Lewis.

For what it's worth, I like amaferanga's route. It gets into the north western tip of the mainland, which for me is the most scenic place in Scotland.

Cunobelin

I would certainly go for the sleeper.

If you get a prebooking or cut price its cheaper than driving as well!

This is one of the most "bike friendly" services I have been on . The advantage of getting to your destination fresh, raring to go and out of the city before the Rush Hour cannot be over emphasised!!

I have done the Lochs and Glens. The only problem is that my "cycling time" is in March!

I spent a week on Lewis earlier this year which was actually Ullapool with about 20 hours on Lewis due to bad weather and the ferry not running. I did get to see Callanais though!

I may have looked silly doing low hill walking in cycling gear (good boots and waterproofs) but it was still an enjoyable week!

Rodgoodfellow

You can book an advance purchase rail ticket on line (National Rail Enquiries) but you still have to book a cycle ticket later with each train company making up part of the journey,either by phone (lots of waiting) or at a local station booking office.I have just booked Preston to Inverness for 21GBP with no hassle for September.

al_yrpal

Use the Caladonian Macbrayne Hopscotch tickets - excellent value , bike goes free.

Heres my blog from last year of the Southern Hebrides If you time it right you can do the Islay Jazz Festival in September http://alyrpal.blogspot.com/

and, in that sunny period in April we did the Oban - Barra - Harris - Lewis, Skye, Malaig and byroads to Oban in 9 days - magic http://www.flickr.com/photos/alyrpal/se ... 189381316/ The 6 or 7 ferries cost just £42 on the Hopscotch

Have a great time

Al

jalapeno

cheers Al!