Scottish Islands

[The Holiday Song]

On 04/06/2017 at 13:26, The Mantis said:

Oh right. Was up there last year at the famous chip shop where I had scallops  also helped lug boats up and down the place for regattas. My brother in law is big into bluegrass music and is/was one third of The Wishart Family. Amazing how many international musicians have stayed at that house over the years. My nephews are in Kansa. Had some great nights in Sandwick given that Chris Stout is from there and Gary Petersen lives there.

 

I'm from Sandwick. Sounds like you're well acquainted with my old headteacher!

Live away now (although actually back up on Thursday). I really fancy doing a tour of all the beaches over a week or so at some point, some of them are incredible and didn't appreciate them when younger. Just finding the time.

[invergowrie arab]

19 hours ago, throbber said:

Does Invergowrie Arab work for the Skye tourist board?

You are right. I should put people off and the accommodation prices might come down.

It is my favourite place on earth though and I have old family ties there. I will move there one day.

It could really do with a premier inn and park and ride at Kyleakin though. Public transport there is a fucking nonsense. Especially if you want to visit Glen Brittle in summer which literally thousands a day do.

[8MileBU]

A work colleague just sent me this five mins ago:



I've been before but still slightly jealous.

[Glens lad]

Never been to the Scottish Highlands [emoji53]

[Honest_Man#1]

I have indeed grossly underestimated the accommodation availability on Skye  

[Le Tout P'ti FC]

Just back from Inverie on Knoydart. It's an island of the mind! (Connected to the mainland only by a bloody long walk or by a wee ferry to Mallaig.)

Keeping up the theme of posting your beer...

[invergowrie arab]

3 hours ago, Honest_Man#1 said:

I have indeed grossly underestimated the accommodation availability on Skye  

I shit you not if I was planning an August visit I would book a year in advance. I'll enthrall you all one day with a paper I wrote about our rural infrastructure not being fit to cope with the demands expected of tourist income projections.

I usually go in May. Before school holidays, before the midges and usually best weather. I'll be going September this year which is also a decent option.

Plockton, Kyle of Lochalsh, Dornie etc are only a half hour drive away and sometimes give better options, you would be driving about anyway.

Often self catering cottages are just as cheap or cheaper than hotels.

 

Edited July 12, 2017 by invergowrie arab

[Honest_Man#1]

10 minutes ago, invergowrie arab said:

I shit you not if I was planning an August visit I would book a year in advance. I'll enthrall you all one day with a paper I wrote about our rural infrastructure not being fit to cope with the demands expected of tourist income projections.

I usually go in May. Before school holidays, before the midges and usually best weather. I'll be going September this year which is also a decent option.

Plockton, Kyle of Lochalsh, Dornie etc are only a half hour drive away and sometimes give better options, you would be driving about anyway.

Often self catering cottages are just as cheap or cheaper than hotels.

 

Where is best to look for self-catering cottages etc? Airbnb?

[invergowrie arab]

Yep Airbnb is cheapest. Careful what you look at though. They don't bother telling you they don't have anything in that area they just give you the nearest thing they have so you can find a great wee place and it turns out it's on Lewis ( I think it's more obvious web based but in mobile it does this)

Other ones I use are walkhighlands which has a good search facility  https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/cottages.shtml and self catering Scotland http://www.self-catering-scotland.com

If you don't find anything on Skye consider Kintail and Lochalsh as alternative base.

 

 

Edited July 12, 2017 by invergowrie arab

[stevieKTID]

We stayed at the cowshed in Uig last year, great location, can't wait to go back, Skye is one of the best places on the planet imo,

 

 

Edited July 13, 2017 by stevieKTID

[drs]

16 hours ago, Honest_Man#1 said:

I have indeed grossly underestimated the accommodation availability on Skye  

I'm going for 2 days work in early September - cheapest hotel £230 a night   and that was from going through four or five comparison sites which were all saying "98% booked for the period you are looking for, please try another date" Aye well when the Scottish Govt wants me to go is when I have to go so I'm AirBnBing a B&B at £65 a night instead.

Thinking of all you taxpayers who are funding this.

[drs]

11 hours ago, invergowrie arab said:

Yep Airbnb is cheapest. Careful what you look at though. They don't bother telling you they don't have anything in that area they just give you the nearest thing they have so you can find a great wee place and it turns out it's on Lewis ( I think it's more obvious web based but in mobile it does this)

I used the website and it gave a map with little signs at each different location telling you how much it costs, was very easy to find somewhere within a couple of miles of Portree.

[Karpaty]

I'm looking into the possibility of visiting a couple of the islands in 2018. I was looking at Shetland but I'm thinking it's maybe best trying out Orkney first instead? I'd be going by ferry so maybe that's best place to start. I'll be honest - I'm a bit of a city guy but the idea of being out in the open air, walks and the beautiful views are making want to do these trips more and more. It also saddens me I've never before looked into exploring more of Scotland than the main cities and towns. But aye, Orkney: good place to start?

[Highland Capital]

14 hours ago, Karpaty said:

I'm looking into the possibility of visiting a couple of the islands in 2018. I was looking at Shetland but I'm thinking it's maybe best trying out Orkney first instead? I'd be going by ferry so maybe that's best place to start. I'll be honest - I'm a bit of a city guy but the idea of being out in the open air, walks and the beautiful views are making want to do these trips more and more. It also saddens me I've never before looked into exploring more of Scotland than the main cities and towns. But aye, Orkney: good place to start?

I've never been but I've heard Orkney people are much friendlier than Shetlanders.

[welshbairn]

14 hours ago, Karpaty said:

I'm looking into the possibility of visiting a couple of the islands in 2018. I was looking at Shetland but I'm thinking it's maybe best trying out Orkney first instead? I'd be going by ferry so maybe that's best place to start. I'll be honest - I'm a bit of a city guy but the idea of being out in the open air, walks and the beautiful views are making want to do these trips more and more. It also saddens me I've never before looked into exploring more of Scotland than the main cities and towns. But aye, Orkney: good place to start?

I'd try to time the trip with good weather, it pissed down the whole time I was there. It's a bit like the Shire in Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, especially Skara Brae. If you want spectacular scenery I'd go to Skye, or Assynt on the mainland. Only been to the airport in Shetland.

[8MileBU]

I'm looking into the possibility of visiting a couple of the islands in 2018. I was looking at Shetland but I'm thinking it's maybe best trying out Orkney first instead? I'd be going by ferry so maybe that's best place to start. I'll be honest - I'm a bit of a city guy but the idea of being out in the open air, walks and the beautiful views are making want to do these trips more and more. It also saddens me I've never before looked into exploring more of Scotland than the main cities and towns. But aye, Orkney: good place to start?

 

Orkney is my favourite of all the islands I’ve been to so far.

 

 

I've never been but I've heard Orkney people are much friendlier than Shetlanders.

 

Orcadians are my favourite people of all the islands I’ve been to so far.

 

 

I'd try to time the trip with good weather, it pissed down the whole time I was there. It's a bit like the Shire in Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, especially Skara Brae. If you want spectacular scenery I'd go to Skye, or Assynt on the mainland. Only been to the airport in Shetland.

 

Good weather is always a plus, but I think that’s why I liked Orkney. If it’s pissing the rain there’s still plenty to do.

 

Was back up at the end of September. The day me and my workmate went to Skara Brae we got the only sunny day that week and it was about 19c. And just to sum up the nature of the Orcadians, the wee old woman at the reception in Skara Brae put my workmate through as my son (making me an 8 year old Dad!) so he got in for free on my Historic Scotland membership card.[emoji846]

 

Wee dwellings at Skara Brae.

 

 

 

Beach at Skara Brae.

 

 

 

Also added Westray and Hoy to my list of smaller islands I’ve visited. Unfortunately had no time at all to explore Westray which was a bit disappointing, but Hoy was really good. Seen ‘The Old Man’ and just wish I could’ve spent an hour longer at the Scapa Flow museum. Unfortunately I had to go catch the boat back to Houton, but was back in time to go see Skara Brae.

 

The Old Man of Hoy.

 

A big gun at Scapa Flow.

[invergowrie arab]

17 hours ago, Karpaty said:

I'm looking into the possibility of visiting a couple of the islands in 2018. I was looking at Shetland but I'm thinking it's maybe best trying out Orkney first instead? I'd be going by ferry so maybe that's best place to start. I'll be honest - I'm a bit of a city guy but the idea of being out in the open air, walks and the beautiful views are making want to do these trips more and more. It also saddens me I've never before looked into exploring more of Scotland than the main cities and towns. But aye, Orkney: good place to start?

I would say Orkney has the most to do but of you are looking for spectacular scenery you might struggle.

Skye, as well as the journey to Skye, would be the most spectacular but if you want d to go July/August I would book now.

Arran has loads going on and is really accessible, both getting there and getting "into the wild" once you are there.

But as long as you are not looking for mountains and big sea lochs Orkney wouldn't disappoint.

[Karpaty]

Cheers for the replies. I’ve had another look at Shetland and the plane from Aberdeen seems reasonable but looks like I’ve missed a lot of the accommodation efforts. I’m looking to go between April and May (I realise the folk festival is at the start of May, a shame as that would have been brilliant) but a couple of weeks or so after that might be doable. I’d only be going for three or four days - no idea if that is long enough, I don’t drive so probably not, but it’s something I really want to do.

[AYRSHIRE_ANGUS]

Reading this thread makes me even more distraught at the fact I'm not doing the Bealach Mor cyclesportive this September and my usual stay at the Myrtle Bank Hotel in Gairloch, my favourite place in Scotland. Brilliant hotels, glorious food and the locals are really nice. In fact there is only one fanny that lives there I've come across and I just snarl at him every time he walks into the pub  First time I met him he had been banned from the Old Inn for abusing the English barmaid at the time of the referendum.

My friend, a photographer who lives in Orkney funnily enough  (Harray) no longer fancies it as pretty much every time we get soaked. Last September it was amazing weather and we both conceded that we probably would never get a more glorious 90 mile cycle like that again. Depressing! If you want to see some stunning photos of Orkney and the North Coast btw check his website: http://www.markfergusonphotography.co.uk/

I love my trips to Ullapool, it can be a bit twee but I like my ale and good food which it has in abundance. Cycling north in the Assynt area is absolutely amazing, makes you feel great to be alive. Sadly more and more people are using their car windows as a rubbish bin which is criminal behaviour.

Favourite island is Harris and "The Golden Road", spectacular to cycle and Tarbert is a cute wee village, although not as good as my adopted hometown of the same name in Argyll.

[8MileBU]

 
 
Never been to Arran yet. Heard it's nice though.
 

Soon to have Arran ticked off and added to my list of islands visited. Heading over for 3 days in a couple of weeks. Fingers crossed for good weather.